Pages From The Past

Rancho Olompali in Novato 1966.

Mark Reed/Pages From The Past

(Editor’s note: These are snippets of Marin history from the pages of the Novato Advance.)

100 Years Ago

August 1920

— John L. Sullivan, for many years a resident of Novato, passed away in San Francisco last week. Some months ago, he sold his ranch and had been making his home in a cabin on what is known as the Fleming property. So far as is known Sullivan left no relatives. The estate is valued at about $8,000. Death was due to a cancer of the stomach.

— An appeal has been taken by G. J. Panario from a decision rendered against him by Justice of the Peace Herman Rudolff in Novato in an action brought by James Gage for $299 for alleged damages to Gage’s automobile. The case and papers have been transferred by Judge Rudolff to the Superior Court here. 

— The Novato schools reopened with Miss Iva Doss as principal and Miss Elinor Nisson, Miss Jessie Scott and Miss Lulu Dutton, as assistants.

75 Years Ago

August 1945

— A.W. Bowman is calling for bids for the erection of a 500-seat movie theater and two stores on the former Pini store property owned by him. He is also having the Patterson building remodeled for Harry Hale.

— Miss Anne Berta, niece of Mrs. Henry Pini with whom she lives, has been appointed part time clerk in the Novato post office. She takes charge from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. keeping the delivery window open during the noon hour. Postmaster Frankamp will have a 2-hour lunch period bringing him back to the 8-hour day not possible before.

— OPA said this week it doesn’t care what motorists do with their gasoline ration” books. You can tear them up or use them to light cigars—the OPA won’t mind. The agency said there won’t be any more checkups, and that gas rationing is an entirely closed incident.

— SAILORS DENIED LIBERTY AS RESULT OF V-J RIOTS. Rear Adm. C. H. Wright, commandant of the 12th Naval District, this week suspended all liberty for sailors stationed within 100 miles of San Francisco. It was assumed the order stemmed from naval participation in rioting and looting Tuesday and Wednesday in the downtown district of San Francisco. “Stations within 100 miles of San Francisco will grant no liberty until further orders,” the admiral’s announcement read. The Navy declined further comment. Later the Navy said that the order means all naval personnel on liberty within 100 miles of San Francisco will return immediately to their stations, excepting those subsisting in their homes, who will remain in their homes and off the streets.

50 Years Ago

August 1970

Sil Oliva, part-time Novato resident for four decades, died Monday at St. Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco. Oliva, 84, purchased the old Butler ranch at 2100 Novato Boulevard during the 30’s. He and his wife, Louise, drove out from the city each Tuesday evening and spent Wednesdays in their Novato home, as well as weekends. Until his final illness struck three weeks ago, he had actively managed the Exposition Fish Grotto Number 1 restaurant at Fisherman’s Wharf which he opened in 1935. Early in the century Oliva and his late brother, Gus, opened a small produce business in San Francisco and made deliveries by horse cart. The business grew and flourished after the 1906 earthquake into a wholesale firm in the old produce district. Oliva personally knew many celebrities in the sports world. He financially backed boxers at one time. Although his North Marin home is outside the city limits of Novato, he actively supported local candidates in several elections. At the time San Marin was annexed to the city, Oliva was one of the two large landowners in the area to hold out. He could have sold his property then to Sunset Petroleum at a considerable profit but refused. One flat portion of his ranch, Oliva thought, would make an ideal park. At the time of his death, reliable sources indicate he was considering selling several acres to Boise Cascade which owns adjacent lands to the north in San Marin.

25 Years Ago

August 1995

Barry Blansett has been named interim publisher of the Novato Advance. He will also continue as publisher of the Petaluma Argus-Courier. Blansett replaces Bill Haigwood, who left the Advance to become director of community relations for the Buck Center for Research in Aging. Blansett’s appointment was announced this week by Jack Morgan, vice president of Scripps League Newspapers, owner of both the Advance and the Argus.

— Get those beer mugs ready for some local brew. Moylan’s Brewery and Restaurant is set to open sometime in late August and microbrew lovers are waiting with held breath. The 7,800 square foot restaurant will offer lunch and dinners from a pub menu to include a variety of food such as pizza, sandwiches and burgers. Owned by Brendan Moylan, the full-service restaurant will start out offering four new brews and work its way up to a dozen.

— When he remembers Jerry Garcia, “Novato Frank” Bonomolo seems swept away to the days when Olompali State Historic Park was clothing-optional, and the Grateful Dead called Novato home. In 1966, Bonomolo, who now heads the Novato Frank Band, was working at his father’s service station on the corner of Diablo and Novato Blvd. “(The Grateful Dead) were all driving leased Ford Cortinas and were having trouble getting them serviced,” he said. “There was a concern that the small horseman town of Novato was being invaded by long-haired hippy types. All money was green to me, and being a musician myself, I helped them out.” Working on their cars, Bonomolo developed a close relationship with the band. He likened the Grateful Dead to an extended family. The band invited Bonomolo to what was then called Rancho Olompali, which they had leased a portion of for the summer. “It was kind of a real shock to me at first No one was wearing any clothes, and I wasn’t in full hippy mode yet,” said Bonomolo, who described the camp as “a very peaceful place where music and a lot of pot smoking happened.” The following year, “The Chosen Family” commune, backed by multi-millionaire Don McCoy, took over the lease on Olompali. The Grateful Dead played there often, along with Quicksilver Messenger Service, and Jefferson Airplane. “We went out there and partied and played music. (The commune) was all well-mannered, hippy family-type people,” Bonomolo said. “It was definitely Haight-Ashbury in Novato.”