NOV. 2011VOL. 31, NO.2

RENEW MEMBERSHIP NOW FOR 2012!

JOURNAL OF THE HISTORY GUILD OF DALY CITY-COLMA

GREETINGS FROM PRESIDENT MARK

It's that time of year again - our membership renewalcampaign begins with the renewal card enclosed in thisedition. I am excited to let you know that each new orrenewing 2012 membership at the $50 level will includea custom-designed History Guild of Daly City-Colmalapel pin. This small treasure can be worn with pride tolet folks know that you are a genuine history buff who isa stalwart supporter of the Guild. At the $75 level ofmembership, in addition to the Guild pin, we areoffering a limited edition Daly City CentennialCommemorative lapel pin. You'll definitely want tohave one to adorn your attire as we all celebrate thecity's 100th anniversary of incorporation. For those whoshow their generosity at the $100 level, both pins and acopy of City Historian and Guild Secretary EmeritaBunny Gillespie's comprehensive work Daly City[Arcadia Press] OR the wonderful The Great Daly CityHistorical Trivia Book by Bunny and Ken Gillespie willbe offered. Ken is also our Daly City Historian andGuild President Emeritus. Finally, at the $500 level weoffer both pins and both books. Your continued supportof the Guild and all of our efforts to keep Daly City'shistory 'alive' for today's and future generations isgreatly appreciated at every level.

By the time you receive this Tattler, keeping fingerscrossed, our museum fireplace project should be nearlycompleted. You'll recall that this will provide our 91-year-old museum with new energy-efficient gas heating,which will resemble a wood-burning fireplace. It isbeing inserted into the space that once was a woodburning fireplace, abandoned long ago and then coveredover by a wall of bookcases. This will allow for a toastyand comfortable environment for all of our visitors anddocents, especially during the winter months; it alsoreplaces our old furnace [circa 1968] which recentlygave out and now has gone to its final reward as scrapmetal. The effect should be quite pleasing and vintage.Stop by to see this newest addition to the museum and afocal point of the Gillespie Room. There will be a greatgranite mantel which will adorn the hearth, courtesy ofour longtime friend and supporter Mark Fontana ofV.Fontana & Co. monuments of Colma.

Cont'd. page 2

ISTORY EVENING"All Aboard"

Wednesday, November 16th7 P.M.

FREE - REFRESHMENTS101 Lake Merced Blvd., Daly City

Doelger Center Cafe

TAKE A RIDE ON THEOCEAN SHORE RAILWAY

By Ray Wille

Guild Member and train expert Ray Wille will be takingus through Daly City on the Ocean Shore Railway linewith a Power Point presentation. According to Jack R.Wagner in his excellent book "The Last Whistle (OceanShore Railroad) ", "Rugged, soaring cliffs and oceanvistas made the California coast between San Franciscoand Santa Cruz the obvious place to build a scenicrailroad. So, at the turn ofthe century a visionary groupof local men determined that here they would create ahigh-speed commuter line to serve the growing townsand fresh ocean beaches along this breathtakingroute .....(however) when the earthquake of 1906 tossedmost of the grade into the sea, it upset all their plans.The Ocean Shore never quite recovered from the blow."Our journey will start at its depot at 11th and MissionStreet and go through to Daly -City. Come and enjoy atrip back in time when the Ocean Shore's slogan"Reaches the Beaches" was popular.

Vaughn Jones on piano and Rich Rocchetta on accordionwill playa medley of train songs at 6:45 pmjust prior tothe presentation on the Ocean Shore Railroad.

Fireplace mantle andwall sheet-rocked andready for painting -project nearing thefinish line!

I'd like to mention that a great time was had by all bothduring and after Bunny Gillespie's recently led Top-of-the-Hill walking tour on September 101h. Approximately60 folks, including the extended Gillespie clan, wereentertained and educated by Bunny's narrative of thearea in days gone by. Our history museum was the laststop on the tour. The museum held a special open-housefor the walking tour group with a brief celebration of thecity's centennial with cake, cookies, and drinks.

Photo by Dana Smith

Bunny and tour group crossing the street with policeassistance after leaving the old 1905 Poket's Saloon buildingat 6350 Mission Street. Below, enjoying centennial cake at themuseum served by Elinor Charleston and Marilyn Olcese.

Photo by Michael Rocchetta

New Board Member Marcus Gonzalez led an intrepidgroup of walkers on a tour of the Westlake District onOctober 151

\ as the second walking tour sponsored bythe city's Centennial Committee. Starting with a bird's-

eye view of the area fromatop a Westlake ShoppingCenter parking garage,Marcus led a group ofapproximately 30 people ona three hour walk.

Grace Gonzales follows tour group with refreshments in thetrunk of the family car. Bob Brizuela enjoys a treat.

photos by Christopher Gonzales

We are grateful for recent grants for our CentennialDocumentary - in addition to the previously received$5,000 from the Doelger Foundation, we received$5,000 from First National Bank of North em Californiaand $900 from Seton Medical Center. We will soon beevaluating the funds raised and determining with KM2Productions the documentary that can be produced.

Thank you in advance for renewing your membership- we are a nonprofit organization supported totally byprivate donations. One final note ... I have placed ourorganization on Facebook - I hope you visit our siteat "Daly City History Museum [History Guild ofDaly City/Colma]"

rt)fif)dUS~L_.~.... ,~ac~!>!?~~.JPlease visit us on Facebook

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Thank you to all our 2011 members and donors.Your renewed support in 2012 is crucial to our continued success.

* Indicates donation of $50 or more.

Nathan Agresti*Sandra Akram*Joye Bacigalupi*Lonny BakerBarbara BalbiSherry BartoBetty & Richard BattagliaRobert Bernardo*Pearl & Ernie BloomRichard Bocci RealtySandra BoldsNadine BorrasEunice & Russ Brabec*Kathleen & William

BrachnaLouise BradfordSusan Brissenden-SmithMarie & Robert Brizuela*Alice and Dan Brockman*Mary BrodzinSara & Jim BroussardNorma BuellDee CanepaMargaret CantwellLawrence CaserzaBianca & Louis Caserza*Donna & Victor CerrutiRuth and Samuel ChandlerElinor Charleston* .Judith Christensen*Don Ciucci & Family*James Cleere*George CooperTerry CounceMike CrillySharon & Dave CrimmenSteve CrisafiElinor and Rich CrumpDaly City Gateway l.ions"Daly City/Colma Rotary

Club*Carolyn & Emanuele

DamonteLorraine D'EliaLavina and Paul DeNataleUrsula DeutschThelma Doelger Charitable

Trust*Bill DruryElizabeth ErvinNeil FahyEugene Fambrini*Andrew FerrariFirst National Bank of

Northern Calif.*Helen & Dennis FisicaroMark Fontana*Evelyn FrancoVena Frank

Marilyn FullamFran & Robert

Gaggero*Elaine Gaggero Riggs*Erlinda Galeon*Jean & John GallagherAlex Gallegos*Lorraine and Ray

GaribaldiCarl Gellert & Celia

Berta GellertFoundation*

John GersichRose GiegBunny & Ken Gillespie*Janet and George

GiniloEleanor & Greg GiustiJack Giusto, Jr.*Joanne & Keith

GleasonGrace & Marcus

Gonzalez*Father Joseph GordonEd GrahamDonald Grant*Charon & Bob GreeneFrances GrimstadPaul Grosshans*Stan GustavsonMarie HartleinMary & David HatfieldPatricia & David

Hatfield*Jeanne & Steve

HawthorneChristina HernandezRuth & Monte HillDorothy HillmanAnnette & AI Hipona*Judy HniloSusanna HniloSuzanne Holton*Ruth & Stuart HoppinElaine & Don HorsleyIvan HudsonCarole & Warren

Hutchins"Mary & William IrackiPamela & Robert Ivani*Beatrice Jackson*Gloriann and Vaughn

Jones"Sharon & Ray KeenanJoan KellerLagmarsino Trust*Aida & LeRoy LarsenMaryann LaughlinAlice Letcavage

Helmi & Frank LillefFrances Liston &

FamilyJoan LopiccoloRobert LowSylvia & Frawley LynchRosemary & Frank

Maffei*Marian Mann*Betty ManningAbby & Melvin

MargolisJanice & Bill MasonThomas Mason &

Family*Masters AutobodyRobert McClayLynn & Gary McLaneAnna & Winston

MesakuCindy & Ron MeyersLinda & Larry MinnixAmir MogannamEric MohlerMary & Joseph NanoJune Neuhaus"Gloria Nomura*Fran NordgrenBarbara & Bill O'BrienMaureen O'ConnorJackie & Bob

O'DonnellMarilyn Olcese*Peggy O'NeilDan OppermannStella & Albert

Ottoboni*Julia PadreddiiClara & John PalmerEdda Palmieri*Gina PapanAnn PapiaShirley PappasGary ParmaEthel & Andrew ParodiMarianne & Lea

PetroniDave PineShirley PlankThomas PollicitaGeorge PrescottRoy PulsipherNorma & Bill QuickertDenis Quinn*Elsa & Max Ramos*Sylvia RaquelAlgis RatnikasHarriet RattoCelsa & Yajari Raydan

Sonia ReyesDolores & Donald RiggsPatty and Joe RinaldiEdie Rinaldi-OtrosinaClydie & Matteo Rizzo*Helen & George RobinsonMichael Rocchetta*Richard Rocchetta*Sherrie & Paul RosenbergLena RossiIngrid & Robert SalazarAlice Sanders-WalshGeorgette Sarles*Elise Olcese SchenoneWilliam SchumacherJeff SchwarzDenise & AI SchwarzbachSeton Medical Center*Claudine Silveira*Stella & Billy SmithDana Smith*Southern Hills

HomeownersAssociation

Shirley StonePatrick SweetlandSuzanne TaylorFrances and AI TegliaMabel Garibaldi TeresiEmile Thomas, Jr.Adrienne Tissier*Georgina ToboniLynne TondorfElsie TonelliJanice UccelliMarilyn VitalieAlvina WegscheiderMark Weinberger*Aubrey Weldon, Esq.Ray WilleElizabeth Williams*Verona WilliamsBetty Williams*Mike Wilson*Audrey & Bernard Winn*Shirley & David Zeff

Thank you to the City andpeople of Daly City for useof the Doelger Center andMuseum building.

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NOVEMBER REFRESHMENTS

Annette Hipona, Ray Wille, Grace and MarcusGonzalez, Marie Brizuela and Judith Christensenwill be providing refreshments at our next Novembermeeting. Thanks are also due to Hospitality ChairElinor Charleston and Marilyn Olcese, who serve atevery meeting (and always bring extra treats).

MUSEUM VISITORS

In preparation for video interviews presented at theSeptember 24thcity Centennial Dinner at the LakeMerced Gold and Country Club, the KM2 video crewmet at the museum with former Council Member,Mayor, and 4gers football team member Bob St. Clairand First National Bank of Northern California PresidentTom McGraw.Video modules for the Daly City Centennial dinner:Tom McGraw:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8Ix30RhZPsBob St. Clair:http://www.youtube.com/wa~ch?v=VaYLXzJUSk

Bob St. Clairserved on theDalyCityCouncilfrom 1958-1964 and on the San MateoCounty Board of Supervisorsfrom 1966-1974. Afterplay-ing with the 4gers, he wasinducted intothe Pro FootballHallof Fame in 1990

Bob St. Clair6'9" withDana Smith, 5'7".Photos by Bryan Kingston

Tom McGraw'sfather owned McGraw's Drugs at thesouthwest corner of Hillcrestand Mission(6300 Mission),afixturein DalyCityfrom1929 untilthe 1970s. Tom is thePresident of the local FirstNationalBank, shown here beingvideotaped in the museum for the centennial dinner interview.

Photo by Dana Smith

And last but not least, 65 students with parent chaperonsfrom Westlake Elementary School toured the museum inOctober with retired teacher and Guild TreasurerJudith Christensen.

OTHER HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS

Daly City Library & Recreational Services invitesyou to "Once Upon a Time in Daly City," a freechildren's book program by author Jessica Diaz at theJohn Daly Library, 134 Hillside Blvd. in Daly City,November 1ih from 6-8 pm. Historic artifacts andphotos will be displayed and birthday cake will celebrateDaly City's 100thyear.

San Mateo County Museum at 2200 Broadway,Redwood City: The Courthouse Docket Programfeatures "Lifeways of the Ohlone Indians" byProfessor and California State Park archaeologistMark Hylkema. Saturday, November 19t

\ 1 p.m.,Courtroom A. Free with museum admission: $5 foradults, $3 for seniors/students, free for kids under 5.

DONATIONS & VOLUNTEER SERVICE

7~ zo: Gloriann and Vaughn Jones for a metaltool die stamp from the Tip Top Pool Hall, 6055 MissionStreet, circa 1940 and matchbook from Joe's ofWestlake, circa 1964; Annette Hipona for 1972 and1984 Westmoor High Ramblers; an early photograph ofOriginal Daly City given in the name of Lupe andElvera Carmona; Milinda Maeso of Santa Rosa in thename of her mother's cousin, Alois Henry Lang, forphotos of the family and the photos and documents fromthe early Daly City Volunteer Fire (see letter printedpage 4); Judith Christensen for office supplies andmembership renewal computer printing; MichaelRocchetta for editing of vintage 1941 film footage forour September program and production of CD tapes;Daly City Purchasing Department for donation of asurplus file cabinet; Teresa Saltzman for a copy of"Field Guide to the Natural History of the San FranciscoPeninsula" for our resource library; Masters AutobodyRepair for office supplies; Frank Maffei for photos ofMission Street from the late 1940's; Father Joe Gordonfor history documents of OLPH; Jessica Diaz for a copyof a document by George Kirchhubel; RobertoBernardo for generously donating his monthly stipendof $500 from the Harbor Commission to support theGuild; Michael Rocchetta and Richard Rocchetta forpatching and painting the facade of the fireplace andsurrounding walls; Mark Weinberger for managing thefireplace project, and all our volunteer docents.

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ALOIS NICHOLAS LANGA Message from the Past

In September Milina Maeso from Santa Rosa delivered atreasure-trove of artifacts from the estate of her Mother'scousin, Alois Henry Lang. Her letter below details aninteresting history that includes connections to DalyCity's early Fire Department and a descendants of theMexican Commandant of the San Francisco Presidio.

1926 photo of AloisNicholas Lang,oldest son AloisHenry Lang, wifeDella Rose Lang,and son HaroldRichard.

Dear Daly CityHistory Museum,

I receivedthese mementosafter the deathof my mother'scousin, Alois

Henry Lang. His parents moved to Daly Cityaround 1915. His Faher, Alois Nicholas Lang,a veteran of the Spanish American War, was amember of the Daly City Fire Department Ihave included several pictures from his timewith the Fire Department and the VeteranFireman's Association. He was also a musicianwith various bands.

His mother, Della .rose Lang (Martinez), was adescendent of Ignacio Martinez, an earlycommandant of the San Francisco Presidio andan alcalde of San Francisco during the Mexicanera. He received a Mexican land grant in whatis now Contra Crnta County. The Martinezadobe, where his son Vicente Martinez livedwith his family, has been restored and is opento the public.

Alois Henry Lang and his brother Harold Langgrew up in Daly City ...Al Lang was a musicianand band leader for many years on the MatsonLine cruise ships. Harold Lang started out asa professional ballet dancer and then switchedto musical theatre where he played leadingroles in several musicals on Broadway ..,

CENTENNIAL MEMORIESBy Ken & Bunny Gillespie, Daly City Historians

As Daly City continued to evolve into a community ofconsequence in the months nearing the end of 1911, newsitems and commercial advertisements in the Daly City Recordweekly newspaperwere eclectic. Gleaned from the Nov. 17issue (Volume 3, Number 33) were the following:

Daly City Trustees, meeting weekly, advised residents to"withhold their names from any petitions for annexation toSan Francisco until the conditions are such that Daly Citywould be benefitted ... ". Trustees approved purchase of awork table for Tax Collector Fred Hopper, hiring of a meatinspector, payment of $125 for a fire hose, and gave CityClerk White more time to find a suitable safe in which to storecity records and tax books.

Criticized at the council meeting was Pound Master "Duck"Sullivan for not impounding dogs unless they might beredeemed. In the past month, it was reported, he hadimpounded 23 "worthless" dogs. None of them wereredeemed and all were destroyed, bringing his total sinceMarch to 265. Scavengers, working without permits, were .noted for allowing a dead horse to remain on a street for threeor four days.

Local business advertisers included George Pappas' "strictlyfirst class and respectable" Daly City Cafe at Hillcrest andMission and the Vista Grande Bakery owned by A. Vogler,who offered "all kinds of chicken and horse feed at modestprices" and "best family flour, $1.35 a 50-lb. sack." TheCottage Saloon, operated by W.J. Sweeney, offered "choicewines, liquors, and cigars" at the comer of Lake Avenue andMission Road. Miss Marie Schliefer of Mission Road couldmake "switches and puffs from your hair combings at lowestprices. Puffs dressed, 15 cents."

Spring Valley Lumber Yard promised "delivery by auto truck"and warned "If you don't do business with us, we all losemoney." K&BG

Editor's Note: San Francisco took an early lead inhumane treatment of animals when the SFSPCA wasfounded in 1868 as the nation's fourth humane societyand first west of the Mississippi when banker James S.Hutchinson rescued a hog that was being dragged alongthe rough cobblestone streets. The SFSPCA built thefirst horse ambulance in the West and later rescuedhundreds of horses during the devastating 1906earthquake and fire. The Peninsula Humane Society &SPCA was established by animal welfare advocates in1950 who were distressed by the way cities werehanding stray animals. They opened a shelter for all ofSan Mateo County in 1952.

Centennial cake served at the museum open-house.Photo by Michael Rocchetta

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THE HISTORY GUILD OF DALY CITY/COLMADALY CITY HISTORY MUSEUM6351 Mission Street, Daly City, CA 94014

-=a Find us on•• Facebeok ]

Please visit us on Facebook/Daly City History Museum

FIRST CLASS MAIL

DALY CITY HISTORY MUSEUM6351 Mission Street, Daly City, CA 94014650/757-7177

Current Hours: Every Tuesday, Thursday, andthe first and third Saturdays of the monthfrom noon to 3 p.m.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Our costumed centennial music performers led byVaughn Jones will return at our member party onSunday, January is", 2012 at 2:00 p.m. with an all-newperformance!

GUILD OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

Mark Weinberger, President 415/750-1939Richard Rocchetta, Vice-President 650/992-9144

Guild Program DirectorDana Smith, Vice-President

Museum DirectorJudith Christensen, TreasurerMarie Brizuela, Secretary

650/892-2166

Marian Mann, DirectorMichael Rocchetta, DirectorMarilyn Olcese, DirectorDave Crimmen, DirectorMarcus Gonzalez, Director

650/756-3128650/755-7188

650/991-9386650/756-3960650/755-5616650/589-5852650/757-9767

Board meetings are held monthly and open to the membership,Please call Markfor further information.

Ken Gillespie, President EmeritusBunny Gillespie, Secretary EmeritaElinor Charleston, Hospitality ChairMichael Rocchetta, Member Chair

Tattler Editor & production: Dana Smith

650/755-5123650/755-8267

Contributors: Dana Smith, Bunny and Ken Gillespie, MarkWeinberger, Rich Rocchetta, and Milinda Maeso. Thanks toRichard Rocchetta, Michael Rocchetta, Dana Smith, MarieBrizuela, and Judith Christensen for mailing our previous Tattler.Michael Rocchetta maintains our address list & labels,

The History Guild of Daly City/Colma is a501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization

Please consider the History Guild of Daly City/Colmain your will.