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. […]
A Light at the End of the Tunnel – Yes, THAT Tunnel — The Caldecott Fourth Bore Project
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 […]
Our Volunteers
Amy Conley Amy grew up in Napa and moved to Contra Costa County so she could attend UC Berkeley where she majored in Philosophy. Her family loves history, and she and her sister took extra history classes in high school and college so they compete with their father who loved to rant about World […]
A Reason To Visit: Acalanes High School Yearbooks (Aklans)
The Lafayette Historical society has a near complete collection of Acalanes High School yearbooks. Even if you didn’t attend Acalanes High School, and are not looking for embarrassing old photos of you or your friends, you might still find them interesting. Did you know that SNL Alum Will Forte went to Acalanes? And that his […]
Thank You For Participating In The Treasure Hunt
The Lafayette Historical Society would like to thank all those who participated in our recent treasure hunt. We are in touch with those who won. The questions and answers that were used in the treasure hunt have been included below. We hope everyone had a good time, regardless of whether they won or not. Please leave any […]
The 1950s — Eastern Gamblers Betting on Contra Costa?, Part 1
We all followed the crime wave in Lafayette a year or so ago, in which a couple of innocent-seeming massage parlors appeared to be offering some extra-special extras. But in going through the Lafayette SUN’s bound volume from 1950, we learned that Lamorinda was a festering swamp of crime six decades ago. Return with us […]
A Reason To Visit: Back Issues of the Lafayette Sun
Swing by to look at back issues of the Lafayette Sun. We have almost every year from when it started in the late 1930s through 1979. Even if you don’t have something in particular to look for, it’s a lot of fun to flip through the papers. Oh the things you’ll find. For example, Diamond […]
CALLING ALL HISTORY DETECTIVES! — A Treasure Hunt in Lafayette
The Lafayette Historical Society is sponsoring a Downtown Lafayette History Treasure Hunt on the weekend of June 15-16, 2013. Discover how much you know about Downtown Lafayette’s history (or you can learn more) by participating in this fun family-friendly Father’s Day Weekend outing! Here’s how it will work: At 5 pm Friday, June 14, clues and instructions will […]
