Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear, when open gambling along the Tunnel Strip was the hottest story under the sun….the Lafayette Sun, that is. A special issue of the Hollywood Reporter was circulated throughout this area, debunking revelations of illegal—or, at least, shady doings—brought to light by Sun Publisher Herman […]
Another Happy Ending!
Remember the lost high school diploma that we talked about in our January 2013 newsletter? Well, thanks to our website its owner has come in to claim it! Here’s the story from Jennifer Lee Ululani Johnson: “In January 2012, after moving from Las Vegas back to NoCal, I decided it was time to […]
Our Board Members Have Interesting Hobbies!
The “Day in the Life of Lafayette” was a community-created snapshot of Lafayette on Summer Solstice, June 21st sponsored by the City of Lafayette. It was intended to show the community from the lens of those who work, live, or play here as a timeline of that day, from 12:01 AM through 11:59 PM. Two […]
In Memoriam – Ollie Hamlin
Ollie was born and raised in Piedmont and remembered visiting his grandfather’s ranch in Lafayette during the summer and Easter vacations where he learned to milk cows and shoot rifles. In 1940, Ollie’s father built a house on the original Hamlin Ranch at the top of the hill going toward Rheem and called it Sky […]
The 1950s — The Heat Goes On….., Part 3
After the 1950 New Year’s Eve local slots extravaganza, and the January 17th Crossroads Restaurant gathering of gambling interests (including, just maybe, Eastern mobsters), a new voice joins the fray: Jimmie Tarantino, owner-publisher of Hollywood Life. A special, free, Contra Costa edition of that publication was distributed throughout Lafayette, Orinda, Walnut Creek, Martinez and Richmond […]
Shop With LHS
Along with the ability to donate on our homepage and become a member, we’ve recently added the ability to make a number of purchases through our website. You can visit our shop and purchase several books. Photos can also be purchased in the same place.
The 1950s — Eastern Gamblers Betting on Contra Costa?, Part 2
The January 20th (1950) Lafayette SUN pointed out that “the boys were bothered by the ‘heat’ being applied by stories in the Lafayette and Orinda SUN and Oakland Tribune. So now they’re planning an attack on advertising revenues of the three papers, following the lead of one nightspot which already cancelled its advertisements in the […]
Upcoming Speaker Series
On August 24, 2010 Caltrans, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) and other project partners marked an historic moment for the Caldecott Fourth Bore Project. Standing next to a monolithic custom-designed, electric-powered road header, dignitaries gathered at the tunnel’s eastern portal in Orinda to mark the beginning of a project that had been years in […]
President’s Message
We here at the Lafayette Historical Society hope you are enjoying your summer. We have been busy planning various activities and programs for the summer months that we hope you will enjoy. Our First Annual Treasure Hunt was a great success!! Clues were emailed to participants on Friday, June 14, and participants had the […]
Key Events of the 20th Century East Bay Interpreted Through Aerial Views and Images of an Electric Railroad
Stu Swiedler last spoke for the Lafayette Historical Society in April 2011. His presentation received excellent reviews and comments. In the two years since that presentation, he has expanded his collection and will share his findings with us. He will be discussing the role of the East Bay Hills in WWII and the Korean War. […]
