View this email in your browser
APRIL 2021
Contents
2021 Annual Meeting
2021 Election and Ballot
Report of Activities
A Brief Remembrance of Billie Anderson
A Look Back at Our First Accession
The Cazadero and the Model
Invitation to Annual Meeting
Members of the Sausalito Historical Society are cordially invited to attend the 2021 Annual Membership Meeting, to be held as a Zoom Meeting, at 7:30 P.M., Thursday May 13th. Here is the link, and a number so you could access the meeting by telephone.
Topic: Sausalito Historical Society Zoom Annual Meeting
Time: May 13, 2021 07:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/8359682890
Meeting ID: 835 968 2890
Dial by your location
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
2021 Election and Ballot
The principal order of business will be to elect four members to serve two-year terms on the Board of Directors from July 2021 to June 2023. We are fortunate to have four well-known, very qualified candidates, all of whom are currently serving on the Board, and who have been nominated by unanimous vote of the Directors on April 15th.
Tami Bell
Tami grew up in Marin City where his parents settled soon after World War II. He attended Marin City and Sausalito Schools, then Tamalpais High and the College of Marin. He received a B.S. in History from Cal, and a law degree from Hastings School of Law in San Francisco.
His professional career has led Tami between positions relating to social justice, and education as a classroom teacher and administrator.
In 2017, when the Sausalito Historical Society led Sausalito’s civic celebration of 75th Anniversary of the creation of Marinship, Tami participated in several productions as Joseph James, a singer who became a welder, challenging work rules which discriminated against African Americans. With the support of the NAACP, the California Supreme Court sided with Mr. James in a landmark Civil Rights case. Mr. Bell is continuing his role as Joseph James as part of the SHS Schools Program.
The SHS Board of Directors selected Tami to fill a vacancy on the Board in March 2021, and now has nominated him for a full term.
Stanford Hughes
Renowned architect Stanford Hughes is perhaps best known in Sausalito for his work on the renovation at Cavallo Point Lodge and his work on the Praca de Cascais in downtown Sausalito. Stanford earned his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Oregon and attended the Masters of Architecture program at the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to establishing BraytonHughes Design Studios in 1989, he was Associate Partner and Director of the Interior Design Studio at Skidmore Owings and Merrill in San Francisco. In addition to his work on Cavallo Point, he has been project designer for many historic renovations including the Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego; the Palace Hotel, San Francisco; the Casa Palmero Spa, Pebble Beach; the Stanford University Green Library; and the Olympic Club Lakeside Clubhouse. He has taught design at numerous colleges and universities, including the University of California, Berkeley and the California College of Arts & Crafts (where he was Chairman of the Interior Architecture Department from 1991 to 1993). He was a member of SFMOMA's acquisitions committee for the Architecture and Design Department, and served on the advisory board for the University of California's Extension Program for Interior Design. He is a Fellow in the American Institute of Architects. Locally, you may have heard him speak at the Sausalito Woman’s Club on the work of Julia Morgan, California’s first woman architect and the designer of their clubhouse - where his wife is a member. Stanford says, “History is something you cannot design.” He shares his hands on experience and knowledge of historic architecture with our community by adding his skills and expertise to the resources the Society provides for people researching Sausalito’s historic buildings.
Roberta Maloy
Roberta has lived in Sausalito for 30 years, and Marin County for even more. She is a member of the Sausalito Woman’s Club and serves on the board of the nonprofit Richardson’s Bay Maritime Association. She worked on the celebrations for the Marinship 75th anniversary. Currently she is the SHS secretary. A California native, she was born in Berkeley, raised in Arcata, got her MA and BA from San Francisco State University, worked in telecommunications finance management, and as the personal assistant and office administrator for Michael Rex Architects. She loves to sing, particularly as a member of the Blenders, a vocal trio that entertains around the Bay Area. She always enjoys learning more about Sausalito’s history, and is pleased to be asked to serve on the SHS board for another 2-year term. She has enjoyed sharing the Society with the residents of our wonderful Sausalito and Marin County while serving as Secretary of the SHS.
Nick Roby
Although I have lived most of my life in Sausalito, actually, I was born in Hong Kong while my father was working for Wells Fargo Bank. We returned to Sausalito when I was just six months old. I began my 'higher education' at the Sausalito Nursery School. I subsequently went to private schools in Marin & San Francisco. From five years old until I was ten or so, I spent my afternoons at the Bay Model Visitor Center while my mother worked on MARINSHIP 1942*1945, the museum exhibit about Sausalito's WWII shipyard. In high school, I volunteered at the kiosk downtown, which was just a damp wooden shed by the ferry landing at the time. After high school, I went to New York for college, C.W. Post, and then spent two years as a reporter for a local TV station. In the winter of 2004, during a blustery snowstorm, I asked myself, 'What am I doing here?' and moved back to Sausalito in April of that year. Since moving back, I have worked at Edelman Productions; KRON TV and subsequently for the past nine years have been at the Redwoods Retirement Community. My mother was on the SHS board 2004-2006 and throughout my entire life I have appreciated the role of the Society in the community. I think it is so important to know our heritage. It is an honor to serve on the Board in this wonderful community that I love so much!
HOW TO VOTE
YOU HAVE TWO OPTIONS THIS YEAR:
YOU MAY VOTE BY EMAIL by replying to: info@sausalitohistoricalsociety.org (Clicking the link should generate an an email with the ballot . If that doesn't work, you can try the link again while viewing the newsletter in your browser, or just copy and paste the sections in red from the sample ballot below into an email, and indicate your votes with an X).
OR VOTE LIVE: exercise your vote during the on-line Annual Meeting, starting at 7:30 P.M. Pacific Daylight Savings Time. Meeting access information can be found at the start of this email.
SAMPLE BALLOT FOR VOTING BY E-MAIL
There are four vacancies for two year terms, effective July 2021 through June 2023. When you reply, please indicate each candidate from the list below you are voting for by typing an X.
Tami Bell
Stanford Hughes
Roberta Maloy
Nick Roby
As of this writing, April 20. 2021, the Board does not have any other items scheduled to be voted upon at the Annual Meeting,, but in case something unforeseen arises, the Board requests that you assign your proxy to SHS Ambassador, and former Secretary, Sharon Seymour, so the Board would have enough votes to represent 10% of the current membership of approximately 262.
If you are voting by email and would like to assign your proxy to Sharon Seymour, please type an X after the statement below:
I assign my proxy to Sharon Seymour, SHS Ambassador, to represent me at the Annual Meeting on May 13 2021.
END OF BALLOT
SHS Report of Activities: Covid-19 Edition
As with just about all facets of our lives, things have been different in the Sausalito Historical Society since early 2020.
Our office and Exhibit Room in City Hall has been closed;
The Ice House Museum and Visitor Center is closed;
The Marinship Museum has been closed, but has just reopened;
Our fund raiser and events and exhibits which we had anticipated have been cancelled or postponed;
The Board of Directors meetings are conducted monthly via Zoom teleconferencing.
So, we are focused on what we can do:
We are replacing our data files with a new, cloud-based version of Past Perfect, to protect our information;
We are replacing and/or upgrading our IT equipment and network;
We are in conversation with Sausalito’s Historic Preservation Commission about activities of joint interest;
Former Director Barbara Rycerski is photographing our art collection, creating digital image for preservation;
Collections Manager Sharon Seymour is answering information requests;
Former SHS President Larry Clinton continued placing interesting articles in the Marin Scope;
Former Director Jim Meyer maintained our website
This is our third emailed newsletter, trying to keep in contact with you;
We have responded to research requests by phone and email;
We have participated in programs with the Sausalito Library focusing on Race Relations;
We have submitted a written report and oral presentation about the Cultural History of Marinship;
The SHS Schools program enhanced its presentations this year by enlisting two new “historic characters” for the presentations to students at Willow Creek and Bayside-MLK. Donald Jen acted as his grandfather, Yee Tock Chee of the Marin Fruit Company. And Tami Bell complete with welder’s helmet, appeared as Joseph James. These presentations have been via Zoom ;
Phone calls are being returned; emails are routed and answered; bills are being paid;
We are having an Annual Meeting, albeit on Zoom.
We’ve got other projects in mind waiting for you—call us at 415 289-4117 or send us a note at: info@sausalaitohistoricalsociety.org
AND WE’VE GOT A GREAT NEW PROJECT IN THE WORKS THAT WE CAN’T WAIT TO TELL YOU ABOUT AT THE ANNUAL MEETING!
Remembering Billie Anderson
The Sausalito Historical was saddened to learn of the passing of Billie Anderson on Saturday, April 17th. She was widely known as the Editor of the Marin Scope, from the time she and her husband, Paul Anderson started the paper in 1972. We had been without a home-town paper since the demise of the Sausalito News in 1960. (Copies of both papers may be found online at the California Digital Newspaper Collection). The Andersons sold the Scope in 1998. Billie was a Director of the Sausalito Historical Society from 2003 to 2008, serving several years as Treasurer. For many years, she contributed articles to the Scope on behalf of the SHS.
Kim Huff, president of the Sausalito Woman’s Club wrote to their members that “Billie was a strong voice for the club as well as the Community. She joined the club in 1989 and went right to work serving the membership. She served on several committees during her time as a member, most notable Budget and Civics, she served as Treasurer for the SWC as well as on the Board and Chairwoman of the Scholarship Recognition Fund.”
On a personal note, representing the Little League, I wrote a column for the Scope for several years in the 1990s, working with Billie, Paul, Privette, and all of the staff. I had a wonderful time; their suggestions were always improvement.
Jerry Taylor
A Look Back
Speaking of the Marin Scope, here is a story from May 6, 1975, in the early days of the Sausalito Historical Society:
Historical Society Starts to Catalogue Donations
A comprehensive cataloguing of historical items given to the Sausalito Historical Society over the past few months will commence this Saturday. May 10, under the direction of Mrs. Robert (Francis) Shinn. Mrs. Shinn will carry on her work in the Society's new headquarters on the top floor of the Civic Center at 420 Litho Street. New donations can be brought to this location on Saturday, where they will be accepted for evaluation by the Society's board. All past donors will be sent an acknowledgement of their gifts.
The first item to be recorded in the Society's ledger of acquisitions will be a "hand harpoon." circa 1860, which was discovered by 12-ycar-old Richard Frey in the backyard of his home on Princess Street. Richard made an impromptu presentation of the harpoon to Society Chairman Jack Tracy after dedication ceremonies of the new Civic Center on March 8. The Historical Society hopes other residents will follow this example.
And you did. Here is a copy of the SHS Accessions Catalog, showing this harpoon as the first item accessed in 1975 (our first year), and the article which is quoted above as the second item in our collection:
Catalog Report
Object Id
Object Name
Catalog
Title
Date
Description
1975.1.1
Harpoon
Object
Seal harpoon circa 1860s
1860
A hand-wrought fishing spear / seal harpoon from circa 1860s, found at Princess & Bulkley.
1975.1.2
Clipping, Newspaper
Archive
Historical Society Starts to Catalogue Donations
1975
A photocopy of an article from the Marin Scope sometime in May, 1975 about the Sausalito Historical Society starting to catalogue acquisitions. It includes a picture of Jack Tracy and 12-year-old Richard Frey, who found the fishing spear / seal harpoon in 1775.1.1.
Our founder, Jack Tracy, with 12 year-old Richard Frey. Richard is holding the harpoon.
(This photo accompanied the original article. In the article, Richard’s name was spelled incorrectly, as Fray.)
Richard, who now lives in Windsor, contacted the SHS recently and spoke with Jerry Taylor. We in-tend to record an Oral History with him when conditions permit.
As for the harpoon, it is now displayed behind glass in the Ice House.
The Cazadero and the Model
1902 introduced a new chapter in Sausalito’s history, as Mr. John Martin and associates purchased the pioneer North Pacific Coast Railroad. Over the next few years, the new North Shore Railroad:
Constructed a new ferry terminal building in Sausalito;
Added a third rail so both narrow gauge and standard gauge trains could operate to Mill Valley and within most of Marin County;
Added a fourth rail to carry electric current to power local passenger trains; and
Filled in “the Pond”, which became Depot Park, now known as Vina del Mar Park.
And, most pertinent to the title of this article:
Purchased the ferryboat Cazadero in 1903.
The Cazadero was built by the John W. Dickie Company of Alameda. She was a classic SF Bay ferryboat:
double-ended
Side Paddle Wheels
Walking Beam Engine
257’ in length, 1,682 gross tons
Launched with a striking list, later counteracted by adding concrete
Capacity of 2,000 passengers
She joined a fleet of boats which shuttled between Sausalito and the San Francisco Ferry Building: Ukiah, Sausalito, Tiburon, and Tamalpais (#2). After 1907, they sailed under the banner of the Northwestern Pacific. In the 1920s the Eureka, Mendocino, Redwood Empire, and Santa Rosa replaced the older boats. The Cazadero lasted until the end of service, she was sold in 1941 and converted into a barge.
Above: Cazadero in Richardson’s Bay. Below: Close up of Cazadero’s Walking Beam which transferred motion from the Vertical Engine to the Paddle Wheels
In late December 2020, the Historical Society was contacted by Mr. Richard Aufort. He wanted to donate a model of the Cazadero, crafted by his father Rene Aufort. In Richard’s words, he wanted “to bring the Cazadero home to Sausalito”.
Accepting the beautiful model on behalf of the Sausalito Historical Society are Secretary Roberta Maloy, and former Secretary, now head of Accessions, Sharon Seymour, flanking Richard Aufort.
Richard came from his home in Oregon to visit his mother in the Bay Area, transporting the model and case in his car. We look forward to the re-opening of our facilities on the top floor of City Hall when you may enjoy this precious gift, in person.
Rene C Aufort was born in LaRochelle, France on Feb 9, 1927, and brought to San Francisco at the age of four by his parents, Harry and Fabienne. He spent his childhood in the Bayview and his adult years in the Sunset until 1962 when he moved with his family to Millbrae, Ca. Growing up in San Francisco he attended Balboa High School where he competed in long distance running. Rene joined the Navy after high school and served in the Pacific at the end of WWII, working as an electrician. He then pursued his love of art by studying oil painting at the SF Art Institute and was part of the Bay Area Figurative School.
In 1950 Rene joined the San Francisco Police Department from which he retired in 1976 as Captain of Northern Station. After retirement he and Rita opened a popular kitchenware and antique store, Renita's, in Millbrae which was in business for 15 years. Rene was an accomplished carpenter, woodworker, artist and boat model builder. He and Rita spent many years golfing and traveling the world together and with friends.
He had a calming nature, was modest about his successes and generous with both time and money to family and friends, always helpful and accepting of all people. He had a clever, dry sense of humor and will be remembered for his quick wit.
Rene Aufort passed away peacefully May 18th 2018, with his wife of 71 years, Rita, children Renee and Richard, daughter in law Fran and beloved dog Corky at his bedside.
(Lightly edited from the San Francisco Chronicle, May 22 to May 27, 2018.)
Board of Directors
Terms Ending 6/30/22
Peter Bowes, Treasurer
Lauri Flynn
Nora Sawyer, Vice President
Jim Scriba
Sela Seleska
Jerry Taylor, President
Terms Ending 6/30/21
Tami Bell
Stanford Hughes
Roberta Maloy, Secretary
Nick Roby
Ambassadors
Sandra Bushmaker
Abbot Chambers
Larry Clinton
John Cox
Susan Frank
Tom Hoover
Leon Hunting
Sallie Hunting
Jan Keizer
James Meyer
Michael Moyle
Vicki Nichols
Carl Nolte
Michael Rex
Barbara Rycerski
Linda Sempliner
Sharon Seymour
Dana Whitson
Thank you for being a member of the Sausalito Historical Society, and thanks for reading this far. I hope you can participate in the Annual Meeting. If you can’t be there, please consider sending your marked ballot and proxy. The special announcement which I teased will be found on the SHS website shortly after May 13th. I think you’ll like it. We hope to see you in person soon, at our City Hall home, at the Ice House, or in a local business. Please renew your memberships, and/or consider a donation to the Sausalito Historical Society. Both can be easily accomplished on our website.
If you'd rather contact us offline, we receive mail at P.O. Box 352, Sausalito, CA 94966, and can be reached at 415-289-4117. Let us know if you'd like membership materials mailed out to you.
For the Sausalito Historical Society,
Jerry Taylor