Mark Read/Pages From The Past
100 Years Ago
March 1922
– Mr. Parkinson who has leased part of the Hill ranch for the purpose of running turkeys has placed some 65 or 70 birds on the place and is hoping to secure more. He expects to have quite a few “Xmas Dinners” on his place by next Christmas.
– BUTLER & OLIVER TRAVELING MEAT ROUTE All kinds of Fresh Meats—WHOLESALE and DETAIL Our expenses are low! GIVE US A TRIAL. Our prices reasonable. NOVATO CALIF.
– The new gas car of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad passed through town Monday with its first load of passengers. It is a fine large car. having seating capacity for ninety. It is rumored the car to be used for hourly service between Sausalito and Santa Rosa and to connect with boats from San Francisco during the night.
75 Years Ago
March 1947
– Workmen started this week on the crossing signal to be installed at the corner of Grant Avenue and the Highway, increasing the protection of school children and other pedestrians at that dangerous intersection. The signal will be the same type of stop and go arrangement as the one that is in operation at the Alto intersection.
– School authorities have reported the theft of the school bell from the schoolhouse belfry.
– Work is progressing nicely on the addition to the offices of Doctors R. J. Weseman and Paul Johnson. Foundation has been laid and framework started on the structure.
– Emil J. Baroni has sold his interest in the O.K. Meat Market to his partner Anibel “Buck” Azevedo. Baroni plans to open a shop in Valley Ford in the near future.
– Preliminary plans were made this week for the annual Druids Carnival to be held sometime in May. Manuel “Babe” Silva is chairman of the event.
– Mrs. Evelyn Oswald has been appointed clerk of the local justice court. She is living with her father, Judge Herman Rudolff.
– Joe Barali, who was gored by his pet bull a few weeks ago, is sufficiently recovered to be removed to the County Farm, where he will finish his recovery. In the meantime, the bull has been sold and probably its next appearance will be in the form of sausage.
– Major Meredith Wilson received orders to report for duty, March 12, at Hamilton Field after a six months stay in Letterman General hospital following his return from air force service at Manila and elsewhere in the Pacific area.
– Abe Zanelli, who sold the Black Point Inn Grocery to the present owners, was a visitor here on Saturday. After a rest of several months, Mr. Zanelli has again entered the grocery business in Oakland. His new place of business is at 3050 Birdsall Avenue, near Mills College and he would welcome any of his Black Point friends who will drop in. He has a host of friends here and they all wish him every success in his new venture.
50 Years Ago
March 1972
– The Novato Center Building, once known as the Key Insurance Building and originally called the Talbot Building, is showing clear signs of benefit from the exterior remodeling of about a year ago. Another bicycle shop will be pedaling onto the local street scene before long. Bob Carver and Alan Moores have just leased the former Novato Interiors space at 1510 Grant Avenue on the street level of the Novato Center Building and are now in the remodeling stage, with an opening date looming soon, but not yet set.
– Lee Gerner, who heads the city’s Novato Creek demonstration project, as concrete aggregate was poured and a volunteer crew began putting finishing touches on the creekside bowl area behind Sambo’s Restaurant, where steps 8 feet wide will lead to and from Seventh Street and there will be a connector path to the Novato library. The landscaped bowl, with benches, will have a terraced area approximately 44 feet long, with an average width of 32 feet, and a curved stone wall about 100 feet long.
– The fencing at the new Novato Little league field at Olive School was being finished this week. The project includes erection of the playing field fence, dugout fencing and the backstop. This weekend the concession stand will be constructed and on March 18 and 19 the field will be sodded. If the work schedule continues as planned, the new facility will be ready for the start of the season in mid-April.
25 Years Ago
March 1997
– The search is already underway for restaurants to replace two abruptly closed in the Vintage Oaks at Novato shopping center last week. “We were disappointed to see them close up, but we have a chance to get restaurants with the right concepts to go into those spaces,” said Gary Pike, a spokesperson for the Campbell Estate, owner of the center. The Red Lobster and Olive Garden restaurants both closed without warning on Wednesday, March 12. Both restaurants are owned by Darden Restaurants Inc., located in Orlando, Fla. They were two of 36 restaurants nationwide to close on the same day.
– Taking the extra step to help both co-workers and the community were honored by the Novato’ Elks Lodge last Saturday, March 15, when it paid tribute to Novato’s police and fire employees of the year. The celebration, held annually in conjunction with St. Patrick’s Day, marked the 10th time the local Elks Lodge has honored community police and fire officials. The award winners as selected by their peers were Officer Greg Guion for the Novato Police Department and district secretary Nancy Roberts from the Novato Fire Protection District.
– The Novato Planning Commission has approved a use permit for a new 123-room Hawthorne Suites motel to be built in Ignacio. The hotel, which will include a restaurant, is planned for the site of the current Alvarado Inn on Entrada Drive. It requires use permit approval because the plans call for it to exceed the city’s 35-foot height limitation ordinance.
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