Ted Murphey opened Murphey’s Valley Prescription Pharmacy in downtown Lafayette in 1947. He and his wife Linda lived above the store. They describe their business and also many of the other businesses in the community, giving a picture of the commercial side of Lafayette in that era.
Oral History: Charles Reynolds — March 20th, 1979
Summary: Charles’ father bought a farm on the west end of Mt. Diablo Boulevard in 1905. His well-illustrated interview describes what it was like to grow up at a time when fruit orchards and ranches were the dominant businesses in the town. Oral History: Angela Broadhead: Mr. Reynolds, will you tell us when you and […]
Oral History: Guy Atwood — May 19th, 2016
Summary: In this interview, Guy Atwood—Lafayette’s 1994 Citizen of the Year honoree—looks back on his 43 years of active involvement in civic affairs. As a 5-year member (also serving two terms as chair) of the Planning Commission, Guy drafted Lafayette’s original Hillside and Open Space Ordinances. He was also closely involved with the effort to […]
Oral History: Adelaide Gerow (Allen) — June 28th, 1962
In one of our oldest oral histories, conducted in 1962, Dorothy Mutnick interviews Adelaide Gerow (Allen) at age 94. “Aunt Addie” shares her own memories of Lafayette at the end of the 19th century, and also recounts stories which were told to her by family members who actually accompanied Elam Brown and Margaret Allen on […]
Oral History: Nancy Flood — July 2nd, 2008
Nancy Flood’s family first settled in Lafayette during the 1850s. Each generation of her family contributed to the development of Lafayette in many ways. Nancy has lived here all her life. She taught in Lafayette schools for 41 years. She is active in the Lafayette Improvement Association and Lafayette Town Hall. She is also a […]
Oral History: Anne Grodin — May 12th, 2009
Anne Grodin was Mayor of Lafayette from 1993 to 1994 and Citizen of the Year in 1999. She discusses all of the complications and work involved in the development of the Lafayette Library, which opened in the Fall of 2009.
Oral History: Bob Bru — March 7th, 2014
Bob Bru was born in London, England. He was raised, and went to school in New York City. He served as a navigator on a B17 bomber during World War II. He spent the last two years of the war as a POW. After the war, he decided to relocate to the West Coast, and […]
Oral History: Franke Family — March 6th, 1978
In the early 1930s, Rudolph Franke purchased 10-plus acres in Happy Valley near where Los Arabis Road is today. The property was initially used as a summer retreat. Mr. Franke later added a pool, a pavilion for hosting larger parties, and then built a year-round family home in 1937. Additional parts of the original Franke […]
From the Archives: Formation of the Lafayette Historical Society – April 26th, 1971 — Parts 1 & 2
From the Archives: A Tour of the Oliveira House/A talk with Benjamin B. Shaw III
George Wasson conducts a tour of the Oliveria home shortly before it was demolished for new construction. It was purchased by the Oliveiria family in 1902. The 42-acre property was located in Burton Valley on Oliveira Lane. It is now homes. The property was once pear and walnut orchards.
