Lafayette Historical Society

Lafayette, California

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Oral History: Sally Bellenger — January 22nd, 2008

December 6, 2024 Leave a Comment

Summary: Sally Bellenger was interviewed by Nancy Sherman on January 22, 2008, during the time that construction of the Lafayette Library and Learning Center was under way. She arrived in Lafayette in 1971, choosing the community for its good schools and its values. In this interview Sally describes how a group of dedicated and hard […]

Filed Under: Oral History Tagged With: 2009 Library Project, Oral History

Oral History: Ann Meredith — November 5th, 2008

November 26, 2024 Leave a Comment

Summary: Ann was interviewed by Brenda Hepler on November 5, 2008. As the City of Lafayette’s Community Development Director, she was closely involved with the Library Project from 2001 onward. She played a major role in the selection and acquisition of the building site, the selection of the architect, creation of the consortium, development of […]

Filed Under: Oral History Tagged With: 2009 Library Project, Oral History

Oral History: Diane Kisner — May 14th, 2008

November 21, 2024 Leave a Comment

Diane Kisner Title Card

Summary: Diane Kisner was interviewed by Pat Riegg on May 14, 2008. As the co-founder and head of the Merriewood Children’s Center, which offered a variety of pre-school and after school programs, Diane was an important figure in the field of early childhood education in Lafayette. From the start she was an enthusiastic supporter of […]

Filed Under: Oral History Tagged With: 2009 Library Project, Oral History

Oral History: Anna Koch — May 27th, 2008

October 5, 2024 Leave a Comment

Summary: Anna Koch was interviewed by Brenda Hepler on May 27, 2008. She was born and raised in San Francisco, and became interested in reading and in going to the library at a very young age. After high school she enrolled in a library technology program and worked in a library part-time instead of pursuing […]

Filed Under: Oral History Tagged With: 2009 Library Project, Oral History

Oral History: Marge Dubbs — May 9th, 2024

July 20, 2024 Leave a Comment

Summary: Marge Dubbs was interviewed by Andree Hurst on May 9, 2024. Now at age 100, Marge has spent just over half of her life as a Lafayette resident. Her husband was a mechanical and safety engineer who traveled for work most of the time. Marge worked also, but always locally. She made use of […]

Filed Under: Oral History Tagged With: Early Resident, Oral History

Oral History: Chris Young – April, 2024

May 18, 2024 Leave a Comment

Chris Young Title Card

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 […]

Filed Under: Oral History Tagged With: Business, Early Resident, Oral History

Oral History: Chuck Baumann – March, 2024

April 20, 2024 2 Comments

Chuck Baumann Title Card

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 […]

Filed Under: Oral History Tagged With: Business, Early Resident, Oral History

Oral History: Edith Hunt Shirling – June, 1983

March 23, 2024 Leave a Comment

Edith Hunt Shirling Title Card

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 […]

Filed Under: Oral History Tagged With: Oral History

Oral History: Tony Lagiss – November, 2004

March 16, 2024 1 Comment

Tony Lagiss Title Card

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 […]

Filed Under: Oral History Tagged With: Early Resident, Oral History

Oral History: Sheldon Cook – July, 2005

February 29, 2024 3 Comments

Sheldon Cook

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 […]

Filed Under: Oral History Tagged With: Doctor, Early Resident, Oral History

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Location and Hours

History Room
open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Lafayette Library
& Learning Center,
enter on Golden Gate Way
925-385-2297


Mailing Address: PO Box 133 Lafayette, CA 94549

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Your Memories Tell The Story of Lafayette

Memories of living and working in Lafayette are precious. Let us help you share those memories with others who value the town’s history. Call the Lafayette Historical Society’s Oral History line to set up a brief oral history phone interview with one of our friendly volunteers. Together, we can preserve the vibrant narrative of our town for generations to come.


Call 925-297-5397

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Recent Posts

  • Oral History: Maeve Pessis — July 22, 2009
  • Lafayette Library Display – Honoring the Bicentennial Farewell Tour of the Marquis de Lafayette
  • Oral History: Gwen Lennox — August 8th, 2009
  • Oral History: Lois Laine — June 12th, 2009
  • Out Of The Archives: The 1942 Acalanes High School Yearbook

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