We recently had our email hacked. There were many messages that were sent purporting to be from our President–Mary McCosker–asking about Amazon. These were not from us. DO NOT RESPOND to these emails in any way. If you have already responded to the email, STOP! The reply-to email on the fake email was to a […]
LHS Display: Early Families of Lafayette, from 1850: A Display of Pictures and Stories
On the outside wall of Whole Foods Grocery Store in Lafayette Plaza Center, the Lafayette Historical Society has put up a display of early families and a bit of their stories. People who live here will recognize some of the names from street names. Others will know the locations where the families lived. These are […]
Oral History: Lou Borghesani — April, 1977
Summary: Lou Borghesani spoke about his history as construction foreman on the Lafayette Reservoir dam, and later as operator of an inn, at a Lafayette Historical Society potluck dinner in April, 1977. Lou was born in Martinez in 1902. He had been employed on a construction job in Florida in 1927 when work on that […]
Lafayette History Rabbit Holes – Acalanes Radio Station KCEQ: Early Wendell Pleis at Scottsbluff High School, Nebraska 1957-1958
Before Wendell Pleis came to California where he would teach at Campolindo, Del Valle, and Acalanes, he started his high school teaching career at Scottsbluff High School in Nebraska. Out of the 40+ years of teaching and coaching, arguably his biggest legacy is shepherding to creation and advising the student-run FM station, KCEQ. This was […]
Oral History: Wendell G. Pleis — May 21st, 2021
Summary: Wendell G. Pleis was interviewed by Andree Duggan on May 21, 2021. Mr. Pleis was born in Fairbury, Nebraska, in 1929. He served for three years with the U.S. Air Force in Europe, starting his education and training in electronics during that time. He then continued his studies in this field when he returned […]
Oral History: Mickey Meyers — April, 1977
Summary: Mickey Meyers, who operated Meyers Groceteria on the site of the present-day Starbucks for many years, discussed his history in Lafayette in a speech in 1977. He came to town in 1936. He was originally recruited to help upgrade the main road through town in anticipation of the opening of the Bay Bridge and […]
Oral History: Shigeko and Harry Ide, Jiro Nishimoto, Harry’s Nursery — April, 2006
Summary: Shigeko Ide and Jiro Nishimoto were interviewed by Julie Sullivan in April, 2006. Harry’s Nursery, which had been founded over 50 years earlier by Shigeko and her late husband Harry, was thriving under the management of Jiro Nishimoto. Jiro had begun working at the nursery as a teenager and had been careful to continue […]
Oral History: Nick Trujillo — September, 2005
Summary: Nick Trujillo was interviewed by Julie Sullivan in December 2005. Nick was a barber in Lafayette for 58 years. He started in 1947 with a shop on Mt. Diablo Boulevard, and then moved to a location in the Plaza Shopping Center in 1963. In this interview he shares his memories of the many customers […]
Oral History: Angelo Rossi — July, 2005
Summary: The Rossi brothers, Frank, Serafine, and Angelo, grew up on their parents’ farm on Reliez Valley Road. Each of them developed skills for woodworking and furniture making in high school, and in 1949 they opened Rossi Brothers Furniture Shop on Mount Diablo Boulevard. Their shop was located next to a lumber yard that is […]
Oral History: Gary Bedsworth — October 22nd, 2021
Gary Bedsworth was interviewed by Andree Duggan on October 22, 2021. Gary’s father, Jay Bedsworth, operated the Tunnel Inn Restaurant and also performed professional-level magic tricks on its stage in the 1940’s and 1950’s. In one trick Gary’s mother would be raised four feet into the air, then made to disappear. Gary later worked alongside […]
