Mark Read/Pages From The Past
(Editor’s Note: This feature recounts news of Marin through the pages of the Novato Advance.)
100 Years Ago
September 1920
— At the beautiful home of Mr. and Mrs. R.W. Trumbull on Monday evening a most elaborate garden fete was held for the purpose of raising the funds to complete the payment on the piano for the Novato civic center and it was splendid success.
— Capt. Leon Hiribarren pioneer resident of Novato died there Wednesday at the age of 82. In the early day Capt. Hiribarren operated a freight and passenger boat between San Francisco and Novato, touching at Corte Madera, which was at that time a navigable stream. Capt. Hiribarren was the father of the late Mrs. Wellington Gregg of San Francisco.
75 Years Ago
September 1945
V-J day was celebrated Sunday in the Church of Our Lady of Loretto at both masses when its pastor, Father Joseph McGlave, led in solemn thanks that peace had come at last. The church was filled with worshippers at both masses. Both Presbyterian and Baptist churches also observed V-J day urging future efforts to keep the peace which has come at last.
— One man was killed, and a girl was injured critically when a large truck-trailer unit crashed into the side of a freight train about a mile north of Novato, derailing four cars of the train. The truck and trailer, which was loaded with empty fruit boxes, were proceeding along Atherton Road. Investigators said the heavy vehicles hit the 29th car of a 35-car freight train of the Northwestern Pacific. The smash-up occurred about 4:30 a.m.
50 Years Ago
September 1970
— The Novato Boys’ Club has lost its temporary campaign fund office at 916 Grant Avenue and directors will discuss possible new locations when they meet at St Francis Episcopal Church. The club used the 916 Grant Avenue location for three months without charge and Dave Milano, president, said the club owes Alfred Bowman many thanks for making the facility available. The space has been taken by Abrams Realty.
— After something like six years of all talk and no action, Scown Lane at last is being paved between Machin and Reichert Avenues and drainage facilities are being. The job should be completed in a week. More than two dozen property owners got together to give Scown Lane a “now” look by means of assessment district proceedings. The city invested about $2,500 of the $9,000 total funding and Public Works Director Clifford Temps, who pulled the project together and got council backing as well as property owners, pledges that Scown Lane will join the ranks of city-maintained streets.
— Sketch prepared by planning consultants Paul Sedway and Thomas Cooke shows what the east side of downtown Novato may look like some day. It was approved by the city planning commission and city council last week. Major features include: 1. Closing of Sherman Avenue to create a civic center mall with city building and parking lot straddling both sides of Sherman. 2. Closing of Grant Avenue between Machin Avenue and Reichert Avenue to create pedestrian mall. 3. Extension of Reichert Avenue to Vallejo Avenue to create perimeter loop for traffic encircling commercial-retail area emphasizing pedestrian orientation. 4. Long-term conversion of area from present heavy commercial-light industrial to retail-office-business service zone.
25 Years Ago
September 1995
— Landmark gone Editor: Wonderful news…a fire hazard has been eliminated so efficiently. The chippers created landfill from our city’s 100-year-old former schoolhouse. Its irreplaceable redwood siding, floors, windows, doors, hardware, bricks, etc. are crushed forever. Now history is where it belongs…in old photos and books, neat and tidy. I have heard about another way of dealing with old historic buildings. It is called preservation. This alternative actually values historic buildings that embody the local beginnings of a community. Sometimes interested communities weigh the importance of a building (age, architecture, former use, etc.) and explore alternatives before final demolition. I guess this preservation approach is for other communities, not us. Bravo Novato, you made it so easy to let this landmark slip away. Marianne Hurley Novato.
— Editor In response to Marianne Hurley’s letter, I do consider that old schoolhouse as a historical building. I graduated from that school in 1918. Prior to that, there were some renovations. I do not call or consider it as “trashy” as Marianne refers. Frank Tainter moved that school in the 1920s to his property on Sweetser and Redwood where he was engaged in the second-hand business. In 1934, his son left Westinghouse Electric in San Francisco and took over the business as a furniture store, selling quality furniture and accessories over a wide area in Sonoma and Marin counties. I think it unkind to insinuate that Mr. Tainter’s property was disorderly. Lily Grossi McWhorter Novato
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