Mike Reed/Pages From The Past
100 Years Ago
June 1921
— Applications for citizenship papers have been made to the Superior Court here by Manuel R. Mattos, of Bolinas: Ambrose Soldavini and Annie Rodgers Bradley, of San Rafael; Allan Locke, of Mill Valley; Henry J. Duttweiler, of Novato, and John Nosek of Novato. The first three will be examined in September, and the latter three in November.
— BURGLARS STEAL JEWELRY FROM NOVATO DRUGSTORE Jewelry valued at about $300 was stolen from the stock of Dr. R. G Shoults in his drugstore Monday night of this week. The articles taken included several Ingersoll watches, a number of rings, gold pins and a pearl necklace. The thieves are believed to have gained entrance by the rear door, using a skeleton key. The burglary was reported to Sheriff J. J. Keating Tuesday morning.
75 Years Ago
June 1946
— The second annual horse show of Novato Horsemen, Inc., was a big success. Over 200, led by the Novato Horsemen, and including many visiting horsemen, left Novato at 11 a.m. and rode in parade formation to the club grounds, where they were admitted to the arena in groups to canter round the ring for their judging.
— Seth J. Parker and his wife moved into the manse on Grant Avenue. Mr. Parker, resident minister, occupied the pulpit of the Presbyterian church Sunday. He replaces Dr. Lynn T. White.
— Mrs. Catharine McKenzie has sold the ranch home on Deer Island purchased many years ago by her husband, Jack McKenzie to Franklin Powers, a returned veteran of Sausalito.
— John Larsen and James Stewart have purchased a 97×100 foot lot, corner First Street and Vallejo Avenue, for the building of a 60-unit frozen food locker, the first of its kind in Novato.
50 Years Ago
June 1971
— Sunday’s successful annual barbecue of the Novato Volunteer Firemen’s Association, attended by an estimated 700 persons of all ages, didn’t “chicken out.” An additional 50 halves of chicken—making a total of 750 pieces, compared with last year’s 700-piece total—satisfied all appetites. Nor were there any interruptions Sunday. Firemen at last year’s event had to depart hurriedly to battle a grass fire and then a hay and barn blaze. The barbecue was held at the Silveira Ranch north of Novato. Chairman was Bob Robertson, assisted by Richard Price. Bob Busher chaired fun activities.
— The state finance department recently notified the city that the new city population was now officially estimated at 32,000, an increase of 994 over the April 1, 1970 census. The sign has not been changed since October 1,1960, when the population of Novato was 28,900. On the basis of an estimated $16.84 per capita, the city will receive an additional $16,739 in state funds per year, according to City Manager Brown.
— A Boys Club for Novato, the dream of many interested citizens in recent years, is now in its initial architectural or “schematic” stage, with the rendering completed by H. William Nilsen. Nilsen is an associate in charge of building design for John S. Bolles, AIA, one of San Francisco’s nationally known architectural firms. Nilsen, who lives with his wife and three sons ages 7, 10, and 11, regards the two-acre site that the Boys Club has acquired at Lamont and Railroad Avenue as “ideal.” The hillside contour of the property, he points out, allows for a split-level design of the building, with the flat land to be reserved for outdoor activities such as football, soccer, baseball, etc. Paul Scheller, member of the board of directors and chairman of the building committee, pointed out that the expedient way would be to use a building plan provided by the Boys Clubs of America and duplicated in club construction throughout the country.
— Kerry Ann Tovani, age 9, and Laurie La Dow, age 12, have broken the male barrier and are the first girls to play on city-sponsored Farm League baseball teams— opening a door that not long ago seemed to be locked forever and possibly providing the nudge for wholesale entry of girls into the ‘once-exclusive sports scene for boys in Novato.
— The Novato police department’s first girl cadet is Nancy Reiman, 18, whose ambition is ‘to become a narcotics undercover agent. Miss Reiman’s basic training with the Novato police is just about the same as for male cadets, but not exactly the same because the accent is more on clerical and administrative skills and less on some of the other aspects of training that lead to assignment as a regular policeman. The first female police cadet in Novato is a native of Healdsburg; now residing in from Healdsburg High School in June, 1970, and completed her first year at Santa Rosa Junior College early this month.
25 Years Ago
June 1996
— The home folks were puzzled, bemused, entertained and just a little scared by all the hoopla at the official dedication of the North Bay Children’s Center’s new home at Hamilton Field. The opening of the North Bay Children’s Center at Hamilton is not only a small step for 80 of Marin County’s most needy little people, it is a giant leap for civilian reuse of the former Air Force base. For Susan Gilmore, the center’s director, the day was long in coming. “It is amazing to see the community support,” she said. The preschool and afterschool building has been dedicated to the memory of Cathy Carlston Brisbois, who died last July. Brisbois was the co-founder and guiding light at Broderbund. When she retired from Broderbund in 1989 to devote her life to her own children she played a key role in the formation of the Broderbund Foundation. It was a grant from the Broderbund Foundation that made possible the North Bay Children’s Center’s after-school program.
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