Mike Read/Pages From The Past
100 Years Ago
September 1921
— The bond election for a new $35,000 grammar school at Novato carried last Saturday by overwhelming majority. The result was 241 for the bonds with only 28 against. The citizens of the town celebrated the occasion by ringing church and school bells and a general jollification. Immediate steps will be taken for the sale of the bonds and construction started in a short time.
— From a clipping of the Seattle Post Intelligence, Sept. 18. 1921, about one of our new residents. Capt. Clarkson: “When the Australian liner West Mahwah, iii the service of the General Steamship Corporation reaches this port during the week she will be commanded by Capt. Charles Clarkson, formerly port captain here for the operating concern. Capt. Clarkson is one of the best-known men on the local water front. After holding down a ‘shore berth’ for several months, Capt. Clarkson could not resist the appeal of the sea arid at his own request, assigned to sea duty, it fell to his lot to take command of the West Mahwah which will load a full cargo for Australia ports at Portland and Puget Sounds.
— A.Aguiar has disposed of his stock on the Verissimo ranch and it is rumored the family will settle in San Joaquin county. Notice of Sale John Aguiar to William Haire stock in trade and personal property belonging to John Aguiar in the conduct of a dairy business on the ranch of John Verrissimoin.
— Joe Pacheco who has taken over the Smith ranch is making extensive improvements. Among them is a silo, installed under the directions of a university expert.
— NEW MARIN MARKET J. EDSBERG, Proprietor, Novato, FRESH, SMOKED and SALT MEATS Telephone orders promptly attended to and delivered anywhere. Fresh Fish every Friday. Best quality of goods. Moderate prices at all times. Our aim is to satisfy the public.
75 Years Ago
September 1946
— Mrs. Golden Ryan has rented the offices on Grant Avenue where her late father Dr. M.D. Allen practiced medicine for many years, to Dr. Lester B. Cranz, a dentist of 25 years experience with an insurance company. M. L. Sparks leased quarters from Mrs. Ryan in the Allen building where he will again open a barber shop.
— Novato sanitary district will vote on an $80,000 bond proposal for an outfall sewer line and a primary treatment plant at a special election November 1, Frank Jaques, president of the board revealed.
— The heavy blasting of rocks for clearing for the highway widening above Novato caused much excitement locally until the cause was learned.
— Father John Ryan, formerly assistant pastor of the Star of the Sea church, San Francisco, who has just been appointed by Archbishop Mitty to the pastorate of the Church of Our Lady of Loretto, announced at Sunday’s mass that rites of confirmation would be held in the church the afternoon of October 27, for the first time for some years.
— Forty-three acres of the former Sweetser estate have been subdivided by its present owners Mrs. Myers and her partner, George Scholong with roads already graded and curbs set.
— Novato old-timers learned with regret of the death of Mrs. Laudini Capelli, who with her late husband settled in Novato when the town was first laid out in 1890. The Capellis purchased acreage in Indian valley where they built their home and owned and operated large fruit orchards.
50 Years Ago
September 1971
— For the first time, the Marin County Fair will be held at the Civic Center on the 80-acre fairgrounds adjacent to the new Veterans Auditorium from Friday, October 8, to Monday, October 11. In addition to the change to the new site, this year’s fair will mark the first time in its quarter-century history that it will be held in October.
— More than 2,000 people thronged to the first annual Oldtown Festival on East Grant Avenue last weekend when it was blessed with sunny, but not stifling weather that characterized most of last week. As it was, the lemonade stands did a brisk business as shoppers browsed down the middle of the street to view arts and crafts put on display by the North Bay Artists association, most of them from Novato.
— Our Lady of Loretto School has switched to a new color—green—for the school uniforms after 13 years of navy. The new uniforms are now optional and will be mandatory in two years. The switch was made for a change in color and a change to the newest easy-care fabrics. The Parent-Teacher Guild chose the new uniforms
25 Years Ago
September 1996
— The council gave every indication it intends to help the Novato Theatre Restoration Committee purchase the former Novato Theatre for a community performing arts center. The committee is asking the city to make payments of $2,250 a month for up to 14 years and nine months to purchase the theater from its builder, Al Bowman, and his wife Clara. The committee also wants $97,500 for schematic drawings and design development planning. One problem they will have to work through is just how much say the city will have in the operation of the theatre. Theatre committee members aren’t interested in having the city involved in theatre operations.
— Louise C. Smith, who made her home in Novato for almost 50 years, died. She was 74, and had been ill for five years. Mrs. Smith and her husband opened Bob’s Mobil Service Station on Diablo Avenue in Novato in the late 1960s. He handled the pumps and the mechanical end of the business; she did the bookkeeping. Mr. Smith died in 1982. His wife kept the business for two more years.
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