Sausalito’s optimism abounded 104 years ago, and the San Francisco Call reported: Many signs go to show that Sausalito has entered on a new era of development. More fine residences have been built here during the last six or eight months than in the same number of years before. The first brick and stone business block in Water Street, for the Bank of Sausalito, was erected within a year.
The Bank of Sausalito on Water Street, now Bridgeway
Photo Courtesy of Sausalito Historical Society
Four more business buildings are about to be built this spring. Several pretty bungalows are in process of construction and plans are being drawn by a San Francisco architect for a $12,000 residence.
This building boom and the general forward movement of the town is due largely to the acquisition of a good water supply. Last year the Lagunitas water supply mains were extended to Sausalito, giving the town an unlimited supply of the purest mountain water. This comes from Lake Lagunitas, nearly 20 miles away, on the northern slope of Mount Tamalpais. It has the same purity and health giving qualities as Mill Valley's water supply, which has had much to do with the upbuilding of that popular suburb and summer resort.
Sausalito has built five reservoirs on the highest ridge in town, making a large auxiliary water supply for any emergency. It gives a strong pressure in all parts of the town.
The town is now engaged in building two miles of macadamized streets. There is a plan afoot to asphalt Water Street throughout the business district and clear round to its western extremity toward the Golden gate. Two thirds of the property owners have signed contracts for their shares of this important work and It Is believed that soon all will join in the movement.
BEGINNING OF IMPROVEMENTS
"The new water supply and the street Improvements now under way," said F.D. Lindsey, cashier of the Bank of Sausalito and chairman of the board of trustees "are only, the beginning of making Sausalito a model suburb. We expect soon to have a cable line running from the station and up over the hills to North and South Sausalito, making large areas available for home sites.
"The Pacific Gas and Electric company is contemplating an extension of their gas mains from San Rafael Southward to Mill Valley and Sausalito." When the Eureka extension of the Northwestern Pacific Is completed all trains from the north will come into this terminal and will increase greatly the local business of the town."
The Sausalito improvement club, of which C. M. Moore, the San Francisco contractor, is chairman, Is concentrating its efforts on carrying out plans for putting the streets and sewers in all parts of the town in good condition.