Mike Read/Pages From The Past
100 Years Ago
July 1923
– The Advance celebrates its first anniversary today and begins volume two in its own building. We are now located in the business section and extend a cordial invitation to all friends to call and inspect our new quarters, which have been built at an expense few printers would consider justifiable, but we have faith in this section and full confidence in the people of Novato and northern Marin that they will give their support to the local enterprise. The Advance will try to keep pace with the progress of the community, but it cannot attain its highest sphere of usefulness until the people recognize that it is their paper and will, in the greatest measure, be just what they make it.
– Novato Water Pure – Being mindful of the health of the community and desirous of dispensing only pure aqua fluid to their patrons, the Novato Utilities Company sent a sample of the town water to the State Board of Health for analysis, and the report of the bacteriological examination is couched in such technical terms that only one well versed in chemistry could understand and interpret. The learned scientist, however, concluded his report with a simple paragraph, and here it is: “The above analysis indicates water safe for use for drinking purposes at this time.” In other words, the Novato water is pure and wholesome, and can be used with perfect safety to health.
75 Years Ago
July 1948
– The fund committee of Novato Community Inc., has announced that the initial payment of $1,000 on the property had been placed in escrow, pending the title search of the property and other legal formalities. When completed the payment will be made to the Presbytery of the Redwoods, some weeks before its dateline. When the Community House has been placed on a permanent basis, Novato Community Inc. will take up other projects, such as a swimming pool, and a ballpark.
– A.H. Tresch, member of the Novato Water company, has issued a request that consumers conserve water, stating that if it is used conservatively, there will be sufficient to pass the crisis.
– Engineers have spent the week surveying the lot on Grant Avenue and Seventh Street purchased from Gnoss brothers for the new Novato school building, erection of which will be underway in the near future.
50 Years Ago
July 1973
– Max Banner, owner of Floyd Bradley Associates, 707 Bradley Avenue, hopes to move his irrigation and lawn sprinkling business to a new location in the fall. We plan on orienting our business more toward selling our pipe to contractors rather than the retail end of it.” said Banner He emphasized, however, that the company will continue to be in the retail business. He hopes to move to a location two or three miles from the downtown area of Novato “I would like 6,000-7000 square feet of space with a store and a large front yard where our pipe car, be stored,” he said. Banner recently purchased the business from Mrs. Floyd Bradley, who had kept the operation going after her husband died last year Bradley owned and operated the company since 1958.
– The Hamilton Officers Wives Club will hold its last official function before the dissolution of the club when it hosts a Hi-Bye coffee and white elephant sale in the main lounge of the Officers Club. Plans for a new club consisting of associate members of the original Officers Wives Club and Air Force Reserve Officers Wives are now in progress with activities scheduled to start in September, according to Beverly Rands, publicity chairman.
– It’s really hard to believe dept.: Kaehler-Timmer Development Co. is advertising its new tract homes on one-third acre lots on Vineyard and McClay Roads for sale at $62,500 and $65,950. What will prices next year be?
25 Years Ago
July 1998
– Black Point Forest will host its last season as an Elizabethan town beginning this Saturday. Over the years, the re-creation of a 16th century English village has attracted millions of people. The 32nd annual Renaissance Pleasure Faire—the first and most grand such fair in the nation—will enjoy its final year in Novato. The faire opens July 25 and runs for seven weekends and Labor Day, Sept. 7. The faire’s organizers have not yet found a setting for next year’s event. The 100-acre Novato site will ring with jousters and jesters as faire organizers present a spectacular grand finale performance.
– Henry Grossi of Marshall, one of Marin County’s most prominent ranchers, died July 10, 1998, at his home following a long illness. Mr. Grossi was 84. Mr. Grossi was born on his family’s home ranch near Stafford Lake in Novato. His parents, Dominico and Teresa Grossi, had emigrated to the United States from the Ticino region of Switzerland in 1891. He and his nine brothers and sisters attended the one-room Burdell School. They also worked on the ranch—good preparation for becoming dairy ranchers themselves. Mr. Grossi worked at the old Tomasini Ranch in Marshall beginning in 1939. Two years later, he married Lydia Mazzucchi of Tomales. They reared their four children on the ranch. Mr. Grossi’s interests included gardening—from cultivating fuchsias and roses to growing vegetables—and hunting. He loved hunting deer, quail and pheasant with his children and grandchildren.
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