Lafayette Historical Society

Lafayette, California

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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: 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

Oral History: Anne Fiorentino Grodin – February, 2005

February 3, 2024 1 Comment

Anne Grodin Title Card

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 […]

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

Oral History: Jack Marchant – November, 1984

January 27, 2024 2 Comments

Jack Marchant Title Card

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 […]

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

Oral History: Bob Sherman – October, 2005

December 9, 2023 1 Comment

Bob Sherman

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 […]

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

Oral History: Ed Stokes – November, 2004

November 30, 2023 Leave a Comment

Ed Stokes Title Card

Summary: Ed Stokes was interviewed by Julie Sullivan in November 2004. He founded Diablo Foods in 1968, and 37 years later he was still working six days a week. In addition to operating the store, he was an active participant in and supporter of many Lafayette civic organizations, and was honored to be selected as […]

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

Oral History: E. G. Craig – November, 2004

October 14, 2023 2 Comments

E G Craig Title Card

Summary: E.G. Craig was interviewed by Julie Sullivan in November, 2004. He moved to Lafayette and opened an architectural office in 1956. Over the next 4 decades he developed over 30 homes in the city, along with three office complexes. He practiced for 12 years before Lafayette became a city, then for three decades after. […]

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

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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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