Summary: He was born in 1950 and was raised in Burton Valley. His parents founded and ran a coin-operated laundry and dry cleaning business on Golden Gate Way called Sunshine Cleaners. Chris worked in the business while he was growing up after his father taught him how to maintain and repair the equipment. The business […]
Oral History: Chuck Baumann – March, 2024
Summary: Chuck Baumann was interviewed by Andree Hurst in March, 2024. He came to Lafayette in 1955 at age 6 when his father relocated the family to this growing community to establish and run a company that built swimming pools. He discusses growing up in the community with great schools and social activities and he […]
Oral History: Edith Hunt Shirling – June, 1983
Diablo Valley College History 155, covering Local History, has brought back memories of when I was a child of about nine years old. Our family, who lived in Pt. Richmond, Contra Costa County-which also is the city where I was born in 1908–became the proud owners of a new Dort automobile in 1917. It was […]
Oral History: Tony Lagiss – November, 2004
Summary: Tony Lagiss was interviewed by Julie Sullivan in November, 2004. A Port Costa native, his career in the sale and development of Lafayette real estate started when he was 25, in 1946, when he bought twenty acres of “billie goat land” on Deer Hill Road near Pleasant Hill Road. Tony’s timing was good, as […]
Lafayette History Rabbit Holes – Acalanes Radio Station KCEQ: 1980-1981 Acalanes Radio Club
It’s the 1980-1981 school year at Acalanes, and we have our first proper mention of the Acalanes Radio Club. While they don’t have a devoted section in the main part of the yearbook, they’re brought up in an article called “Quadrophonic Sound”. As soon as the lunch bell rings, students straggle into the Quad. Within […]
Oral History: Sheldon Cook – July, 2005
Summary: Sheldon Cook was interviewed by Julie Sullivan in July, 2005. Dr. Cook set up his office in Lafayette and began to practice pediatrics in 1953. He practiced for the next 28 years, always making house calls–as many as 52 in one weekend. He says that people would recognize his car and request that he […]
The Park Theater Trust (TPTT) Needs You For The Park Theater Documentary
Thanks to a generous 2023 Excellence Grant from the Community Foundation of Lafayette, The Park Theater Trust (TPTT), in partnership with the Lafayete Historical Society, will be producing a documentary on the Park Theater’s past, present and exciting future. We are looking for community members who have fond memories of the Park Theater from before […]
Oral History: Anne Fiorentino Grodin – February, 2005
Summary: Anne Fiorentino Grodin was interviewed by Julie Sullivan in February, 2005. Anne describes how Lafayette grew and changed during the 50 years from 1955 to 2005. Along with other family members she helped operate Valley Disposal from 1979 to 1989, when the company was sold to Waste Management Inc. Soon afterwards she became active […]
Oral History: Jack Marchant – November, 1984
Summary: Jack Marchant was interviewed by Julie Sullivan in November, 1984. He grew up in Berkeley and went to Cal. In 1933 he became active as a homebuilder in Berkeley and Kensington. After service in World War II and being a teacher for a few years Jack resumed his homebuilding career in Lafayette, where he […]
Oral History: Bob Sherman – October, 2005
Summary: Bob Sherman was interviewed by Julie Sullivan in October, 2005. Bob taught and coached divers and swimmers for over 30 years at the Sherman Swim School, which he founded in 1961. He was also a physical education teacher in the Orinda School System. A champion diver himself, Bob trained divers at UC Berkeley as […]
