Mark Reed/Pages From The Past
100 Years Ago
January 1923
– The greatest gathering of men prominent in State business and financial affairs that ever met in Sonoma County, attended the conference at Santa Rosa Saturday to discuss ways and means for constructing the proposed bridge across the Golden Gate. The result of the all-day conference was the organization of a “Bridging the Golden Gate Association.” Some interesting data regarding the bridge was given. The total length over all is 6,700 feet. Main span 4,010 feet. Two shore spans of 1,345 feet each. Length of cantilever span 685 feet. Length of suspension span 2,640 feet. Two 20-inch cables will be swung from steel towers 777 feet high and 115 feet wide. These towers will be set on piers 200 feet high and in the water 50 feet deep. The bridge will be 80 feet wide, carrying two trolley lines, two auto driveways and two 7-foot walks for pedestrians, all on one deck.
– The Community House is rapidly assuming proportions. This massive, attractive building will make the southwest part of town the hub of Novato and inspire other improvements.
– A cow owned by Bruno Schulz was killed Wednesday morning by the freight train. The animal was one of the best of the herd, and the accident caused a severe loss to the owner of the bovine.
– The new concrete garage being built by L. Nave, corner of the State highway and Grant Avenue, is being pushed to completion. The Midway Garage will be a splendid home, and one Novato will be proud of.
75 Years Ago
January 1948
– Monday night set a record for cold in Novato, with temperatures ranging from 25 to 23 early Tuesday morning, Fishponds, and cattle troughs, were covered with ice.
– The Novato chamber of commerce unanimously endorsed the Reber plan last month after its originator talked at a meeting of the chamber. The long-discussed project has been snowballing public support since joint Army and Navy committees have been i
50 Years Ago
January 1973
– The Novato contingent of the Loyal Order of the Moose hasn’t decided yet where it will hang its moose head next. The group recently had its use permit for the Atherton Club withdrawn by county planning commission action. Secretary Buell French said the group has received an extension to March 31 of the lease on the present headquarters building overlooking Lamont Avenue. “That will give us time to make a decision,” he said. The Moose have an option to renew the present lease, but it would have to be for a five-year period, he said.
– Robert Busher has resigned his post as general manager of H Pini & Co feed mill at 730 DeLong Avenue. Busher went to work Jan. 4 as a field sales representative for Coast Grain Co., Southern California based dairy feed firm. Bushel was employed with Pini Mill for 26 years and has served as manager since the death of William Cole. Named as his replacement is William Hale who has been with the company 16 years. Hale has worked as an outside salesman and as general assistant in the firm.
– Services will be held for Dewey Staggs, who died in a truck auto collision in Oakland. He was 64. Staggs, operator of an auto wrecking yard on Deer Island Lane, was fatally injured when his truck collided with an auto and then struck a freeway pillar about 2:30 p.m., according to the Alameda County coroner’s office. He was taken to Provident Hospital where he died. A native of Texas, he had lived in Novato for 12 years.
– Jim’s Sport Shop, 703 Grant Avenue, will close its doors soon. It’s one of the oldest stores in Novato—over 25 years old. A liquidation sale started this week, with reductions of up to 50 per cent. No date has been set for closing, according to co-owner Harold Greenwald. He said health problems are the main reason for closing. Co-owner Art Gee had been hospitalized for several weeks.
– The city council last night first turned down and then continued until Monday night an appeal by Emil Renati from the planning commission’s denial of a use permit for a Goodyear store at the corner of Highway 101 and Vallejo Avenue. The planners had split 3-2 on the denial of a permit with the majority opposed because the Downtown Plan calls for administrative-professional zoning at the site in question and it was felt a retail outlet there would be a serious leak in the dike.
25 Years Ago
January 1998
– Tresch Electric, one of Novato’s oldest companies, will lead the city into the future. Larry Tresch, owner of Tresch Electric, a company that has served Novato for more than 50 years, plans to construct what will be the first downtown building to conform to the “Village Design” concept expressed in the new Downtown Novato Specific Plan. The new 11,000 square-foot building will be built on Redwood Boulevard near Sweetser Avenue, just to the west of the current Tresch Electric Building located at 1026 Machin Ave. The building will feature a retail and professional business complex on the main level and four residential units on the second level.
– Work is ready to begin on renovating the former Goodman Lumber building at 950 Seventh St. into a teen center and youth gymnastics center. The Rotary Club of Novato and the Novato Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department is heading up the project and volunteers are needed. Work will include removal of interior shelving old temporary offices and structures and lighting. This first phase of site preparation is needed to begin remodeling the building.
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