Under the Gables - Jack Mason Museum

Under the Gables
Volume XIX, Number 1
Spring 2014
INVERNESS IS 125
Historic photographs celebrating the first fifty years of Inverness, 1889-1939
Exhibit at the Jack Mason Museum of West Marin History
June 21-July 30, 2014 and November 1-December 31, 2014
Jack Mason Museum of West Marin History
Inverness Way at Park Avenue, Inverness
Phone 415-669-1099
www.jackmasonmuseum.org
New Exhibit: Inverness is 125
This year marks the 125th anniversary of the first subdivision of
Inverness. To celebrate this anniversary the Jack Mason Museum of West
Marin History has created an exhibit called Inverness People, focusing
on the first 50 years of its existence. The photos are drawn from the Alexander Baily family photograph albums and the general archives. The
open house for this exhibit will be on July 4th during the town Fourth of
July celebrations, from 10 to 2 p.m. A new exhibit recognizing the 100th
anniversary of the local Marconi wireless communication installations
will be hung from August-October and then this exhibit will be shown
again through the end of the year.
JACK MASON
MUSEUM COMMITTEE
Tom Branan, Chair
Andrew Buckingham
Carola DeRooy
Mary Kroninger
Meg Linden
Dewey Livingston
Michael Mery
Ann Read
Under the Gables
The stories in this issue include both the early history of Inverness
and also some history of the Inverness Association/Inverness Foundation.
The Museum has decided to send a copy of this issue to all members of
the IA/IF and the Jack Mason Museum of West Marin History. Although
the Museum is a branch of the Foundation it has its own membership
dues. Our remit envelope is included. If you don’t remember when you
last renewed your membership please email to info@jackmasonmuseum.
org or call the Archives at 415-669-1099. Donations to the Museum are
tax-deductible.
If you want to join or renew your membership in the Inverness
Foundation/Inverness Association please send your checks to Inverness
Foundation, Box 382, Inverness, CA 94937. Because of recent changes
in the structure of the IF and IA all membership donations are now taxdeductible and checks should be made to the Inverness Foundation. Dues
are payable on a July 1 – June 30 basis and are $30 for an individual and
$45 for a family. The Annual Meeting will be held on July 12, 2014 at 7
p.m. at the Inverness Yacht Club.
Archives project
The Museum is using money donated several years ago in memory
of Scotty and Joe Mendoza and several other large recent gifts to hire
Dewey Livingston to work in the Archives, annotating our records with
his knowledge of people and places. Additional gifts for this purpose are
welcome. Please annotate your check “DSL fund”.
“POINT REYES PENINSULA”
Copies signed by the authors, Carola DeRooy and
Dewey Livingston are available at Museum Open
Houses and from the Archives for only $20.00. The
proceeds benefit the Museum.
ON THE COVER:
The butter schooner Ida A, which served ranches on the Point
Reyes Peninsula, has been careened for repairs at Inverness
around 1900 in this photo taken from Baily’s pier.
2
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Sue Baty
Mary Cardwell
Dian Carpenter
David Donlon
David Elliott
Gayanne Enquist
Robert Kroninger
Dorito Marringa
Vivian Mazur
Linda Mendoza
Jenefer Merrill
Maidee Moore
Connie Morse
HONORARY MEMBER
Barbara Mason McClellan
THE JACK MASON MUSEUM
OF WEST MARIN HISTORY
IS AN AFFILIATE OF THE
INVERNESS FOUNDATION
Editor and
Writer:
Meg Linden
Design and layout:
Dewey Livingston
Inverness is 125
In 1873 the Shafter brothers, who owned
ranches covering almost the entire Point
Reyes Peninsula, donated a 60-foot rightof-way through what became Inverness
and up Keatly Gulch to Drake’s Estero,
now known as Sir Francis Drake Highway
(or Boulevard). Along the road before it
headed up the hill there were only two
ranches: Piedmont which was eventually
sold off and became Inverness Park, and
Bayside, where eventually Julia Shafter,
daughter of James McMillan Shafter lived,
sometimes with her husband Jack, but
always with their daughter Bertha. The
remaining land that became Inverness
was not much good for ranching.
Jack Mason starts out the story (in
his book Summer Town): “Inverness was
the creature of James McMillan Shafter’s
debts. The judge sank a fortune in the
North Pacific Coast Railroad and wound
up losing most of it. To save himself he
turned to his Point Reyes real estate; hired
civil engineer R.E. Bush to carve 640 acres
of Tomales bay frontage into lots, and in
1889 put San Francisco land agent Cyrus
H. Street to work selling them.” The Potential buyers were brought to camps in Inverness in the 1890s.
original subdivision, “Inverness: the new
summer and winter resort on Tomales Bay,
Marin Co., Cal.”, reserved a large area for a park
Among the first buyers were Captain Alexanand a grand hotel, but neither materialized. The der Baily, Simeon Hackley, Thomas J. Geary and
subdivision map also had “The Brighton of the Pa- Martha Schreiber, according to Jack. The first two
cific Coast, yet possessing all the picturesque beau- bought on the north side of Brook Ness (the First
ties of the Highlands of Scotland.” The advertising Valley creek), and the latter two on the south side.
also promised a ferry over to the railroad at Mil- A lot has been written about Capt. Baily who built
lerton and eventually a train directly to Inverness. what is now The Gables bit by bit over the years,
People, especially large groups from San Francisco built a small log cabin for the post office and served
Presbyterian churches, came to see the land, even as Postmaster, and also built a wharf. Let’s look at
camp over in tents, but few people bought lots. some of the other early owners. Mary Cardwell’s
The land agent, Mr. Cyrus H. Street had just set up research on Inverness homes provides this inforbusiness independently in 1888. Formerly he was mation for Mr. Hackley. She quotes a letter from a
head of the Immigration Association which helped descendant: “Grandfather bought land about 1890
Europeans migrate to and settle in California. He in First Valley along with several other members
was also a Presbyterian.
of his church. A small rough cottage was built
3
Above, pioneer Inverness
residents Alexander Baily
and Thomas J. Geary; at
right, the old Inverness
gateway, and Martha (Mattie)
and Christian Schreiber at
their First Valley cottage,
Aldersyde.
destroyed the barn on Julia Shafter Hamilton’s
property, where the Inverness School had been
located since April 1899, the Judge allowed the
school to hold classes at his home. They elected
to stay outdoors for fear of aftershocks. In 1907
Attilio and Jennie Martinelli, who had just adopted
the four children of Jennie’s sister Caroline Ludy,
gave a lot on the Mesa where a school was built.
Martha Schreiber purchased a lot in Inverness
from James McMillan Shafter and the transaction
was mentioned in the Marin County Journal for
Sept. 29, 1892. (The purchase either took place
earlier, since Shafter died on August 29, 1892, or
the purchase was from his estate.) She and her
husband Christian bought a lot more land in
Inverness, and according to Jack Mason, he was
given a large tract on Laurel Hill in 1905 by Mary
Schreiber Parker (probably their daughter) who
but it was badly damaged in the 1906 earthquake
and was replaced in 1908-09 by the house that still
stands today.” Jack’s book gives the date of sale
as July 25, 1891, the same day Capt. Baily bought
his property. The deed to Mr. Hackley required
him to fence off his lot to keep out the cattle Point
Reyes ranchers were still driving along the county
road to the train depot. There was a gate for access
from the road to Inverness. The Hackleys lived in
Berkeley from at least 1882 to 1910 and perhaps
longer and had three sons. He was involved in the
lumber business.
Again from Mary’s work she mentions Thomas J. Geary of Santa Rosa and says he bought his lot
from Cyrus Street in 1891. He was also a lawyer,
who served as Sonoma County District Attorney
in 1883 and 1884 and as a U.S. Congressman from
Dec 1890 to May 1895. When the 1906 earthquake
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bought it from Captain Baily for $1,000 before
her marriage. Christian Schreiber sold lots from
this tract.
Because the hotel never materialized, nor
did any connection to the train in the early days,
at least one buyer asked for his money back. Mr.
Shafter decided in June 1892 to change agents
and signed an agreement with his son Payne
and with John A. Bondeson to sell his land. Ten
weeks later on August 29, 1892 Judge Shafter died.
His daughter Julia Shafter Hamilton was chosen
to administer his estate and clear up the debts.
Sales went slowly. In 1894 Baily purchased 100
acres, including the area that had been set aside
for the hotel, and a large area of Laurel Hill. Both
Julia and Capt. Baily sold lots to school teachers,
professors, and some rich people who wanted a
summer refuge from the cold of San Francisco or
the heat of Sacramento. Some folks built houses
immediately, some very large and grand, some
quite small; others built later and the town grew
slowly. One feature of all the lots sold by Julia
Shafter Hamilton was that she prohibited the sale
of alcohol. All early deeds also reserved the right
to take water from springs and streams for the
purpose of supplying the purchasers of lots with
water for domestic uses. (The story of Inverness
Waterworks will be told in another issue.)
The town’s first store was in the Nicholas
Dorey cottage in First Valley in 1895, run by George
Griess. In 1900 his brother-in-law and sister, the
Martinellis moved from Olema where they ran
a store and built a “first-class emporium.” It still
stands today, now occupied by the Blackbird, the
Post Office and Saltwater. The deed from Julia
Hamilton specified he “would not sell liquor,
keep goats or hogs, operate a brewery or tannery, cemetery or any other business offensive to
the senses.” The Martinellis had a grocery store
(1900), post office (1906), candy store (1909), garage/service station and warehouse. They barged
lumber and other goods across Tomales Bay from
the railway stop at Millerton. They also had the
town’s phone exchange until demand for services
increased beyond the hours that Jennie wanted
to work the switchboard. They also established a
laundry on the beach at first run by Song Lee and
later by the Hom family. Attilio died in 1951 and
Jennie in 1960.
5
Lodging was available at many places in Inverness,
including Highland Lodge (top), Edgecliffe (center) and
the the Reeves family’s Hotel Inverness (bottom) with its
four-story annex visible at left.
The first commercial stage line to Point Reyes
Station started with 1905 with Dewey Sartoris
and Ben Pedranti. At this point it was horse-andwagon. Later it became an auto stage. The business
was sold on a number
of times, at one point
being owned by Brock
Schreiber and James
Reeves. At times there
were other stages in
competition with Ben.
Once the Northwestern
Pacific Railroad stopped
running to Point Reyes
Station on July 31, 1933,
the auto stages went out
of business.
Many of the large
houses took in paying
visitors and provided Rachel (Rae) Snell, granddaughter of Inverness pioneer Alexander Baily, walked her dog
full board if requested. on the old county road, now Sir Francis Drake Highway, around 1910.
Aldersyde was run by
Christian and Martha Schreiber, who moved to it “the ideal pleasure resort.” Lots and villa sites
Inverness when their Oakland furniture business were offered at $100 and up.
went bankrupt, along with their son Brock and
Downtown Inverness started changing in the
daughter Grace. They ran a boarding house and 1920s. Martinelli built a butcher store on the bay
also had tent platforms and small cabins on their side of the road. Eventually his nephew George
property. Highland Lodge was run by Mary Burris Ludy ran it. As more and more automobiles made it
and later by her niece Mabel Reed, later Marsden to Inverness several gas stations made their appearand even later Knight. Edgecliffe was run by Mrs. ance. The candy store gradually transformed into
Loleta Winchester and her sisters Lucinda and a tavern. The 1930s was a quiet time in Inverness.
Louise Graffelman. James and Mary Reeves built Those who had homes here continued to visit dura hotel and later an annex, which at four stories, ing the summer, and a few lived here year round.
was the tallest building on the Marin coast with However, the visitors did not come and most of the
23 bedrooms, each with a sink basin. There was boarding houses and hotels closed down.
one toilet and bathtub to serve the residents. Each
Julia continued to borrow against per propof these places had folks who returned faithfully erty in the 1920s but eventually could not pay
every summer until the Great Depression.
back a $144,000 loan from Hibernia Savings and
In 1905 Julia Shafter Hamilton decided to Loan taken out on October 4, 1929. When the
subdivide Inverness Ridge into 10,000 building bank foreclosed, she and Bertha (her husband
sites so she could pay off her creditors. San Fran- Jack had died in 1923) moved to the Hotel Sutter
cisco land agent C.M. Wooster created a brochure and she died there on June 24, 1936. Shortly bedescribing the land in glowing terms. A number fore her mother died, Bertha Hamilton borrowed
of prominent men, some of whom like Judge Wil- $25,000 from the Bank of San Rafael putting up a
liam Van Fleet and George Dornin already had lot of unsold Inverness lots, the waterworks and
homes in Inverness, helped form the Inverness acreage on Inverness Ridge as collateral. When
Land and Water Company, incorporated in March the bank foreclosed in early 1939 all that was left
of 1906. Julia expected her 10,000 lots would bring to Bertha was the waterworks. Lots of property
a grand total of $1,500,000. Then came April 1906 was snapped up at bargain rates including the
and extensive destruction throughout the area. impressive Chamot mansion, which was sold to
Nobody wanted to buy, despite Wooster’s post- Charles Mel for $1,400. He ended up owning a lot
cards extolling the “trout and steelhead fishing in of Inverness, but this is for another story.
famous White House Pool, Inverness” and calling
– Meg Linden
6
History of the Inverness Association and Inverness Foundation
The Inverness Improvement Association sons (AKA Waterdogs) at Shell Beach. They have
(IIA) was incorporated February 13, 1930 with continued every summer ever since. In 1951 Jennie
the following directors: Dr. Gustavus (Gus) C. Martinelli gave the IIA enough money to complete
Simmons, Judge Frank Lamb, a local Justice of its purchase of Children’s Beach ($650 was still owthe Peace, Attilio Martinelli, owner of original ing). The donation was in memory of her husband
Inverness Store (he was also a County Supervi- who died January 28, 1951 and also of her brother,
sor from 1910-1940), William M.
Edgell, Amy Eastman, wife of
Latham Eastman who managed
the Oscar L. Shafter ranches,
Mabel Knight, niece of Mary F.
Burris and last to run the Highland Lodge, and Brock Schreiber,
owner of the boathouse and also
the small store at Inverness Way,
North and Sir Francis Drake
Blvd. The purpose was given as
“the collection of funds and their
could use a photo for this page
expenditure on the construction
and maintenance of roads, trails,
bridges and culverts, and for the
public welfare of the town.” The
organization was originally created informally to file a protest
with the Railroad Commission The Brock Schreiber boathouse was preserved by the Inverness Foundation.
on November 27, 1929 about the
poor performance of the Julia Shafter Hamilton’s George Griess, who died November 5, 1951 of
waterworks . Even earlier a group called Inverness injuries suffered when a kerosene heater blew up
Association for Fire Protection and General Better- in the family’s new store, the Rite Price Market,
ment filed complaint, on February 23, 1921, with which began as a butcher shop in the early 1940s.
the Railroad Commission about the waterworks. The IA at some point became involved with the
In 1948, the IIA seriously considered buying youth sailing program at the Inverness Yacht Club.
the waterworks from Bertha Hamilton, Julia’s Providing safe fun in the local waters was clearly
daughter, for $20,000. She was asking $2,500 down important to generations of IIA members.
In 1957 the February 7 issue of the Baywood
to cover the first two and a half years. If she died
Press
reported that the IIA opposed a plan to
before the balance was paid, the loan would end
and the IIA would own the waterworks. The State open a nursing home on the Martinelli property
Public Utilities Commission authorized her to en- in Inverness and also requested that something
ter into the option. The recently formed Inverness be done about the trash along the roadside and
Public Utility District (IPUD) took over the nego- people who run businesses along the highway or
tiation and a $50,000 bond election was proposed county roads in violation of the laws. This decifor the down payment and improvements to the sion created some controversy about the scope
system. However a vote, attempted three separate of the IIA and the next issue had a long article
times, never received the two-thirds majority re- giving the goals and accomplishments of the IIA
based on an interview with Emil Huguenin, Kay
quired, and the idea was dropped.
In 1949, according to Maidee Moore, the IIA Holbrook’s father. He says it was created to imstarted sponsoring the Red Cross swimming les- prove roads and take care of garbage disposal. The
7
group maintained a garbage dump north of town annual Inverness Fair and addresses traffic-control
(at the site that became Tombahia and later part problems. It sponsors summer swimming lessons
of the Golden Hinde Boatel) until Inverness Gar- for children and in conjunction with the Fire Debage Disposal began hauling away debris. It still partment a brush pick-up day.
maintains trails and small bridges around town.
The association “stands for making the waterfront
INVERNESS FOUNDATION (IF)
attractive, keeping trash and unsightly debris off
The California Attorney General’s Registrathe county roads and restricting business and com- tion of Charitable Trust received an application
mercial enterprises to the foot of first and second dated April 1, 1966 to form the Inverness Founvalleys, as called for in the Inverness Master Plan dation. The major reason to form a foundation
(done originally as an academic project by students was that the tax on the property owned by the
of Jack Kent in 1949 and adopted by the County Inverness Improvement Association had escaabout 1952). As of 1957 the association was open lated from $125 to $624. The document said
to any resident without regular dues but with the that the Foundation owned real estate assessed
expectation that every member would make a at $9,260 by Marin County plus $500 cash given
voluntary contribution each year.
to it on March 4, 1966. (The real estate was ChilIn 1972, at the annual meeting held Decem- dren’s Beach which had two parts on either side
ber 29, the IIA considered changing its name. The of Brock Schreiber’s boathouse.) The application
options were Inverness Association, Inverness listed the organization’s purpose as “to maintain
Community Association or retain the current name. pathways and trails in the Inverness area which
Many people felt that “Improvement” was synony- are not maintained by the County of Marin and
mous with development and felt that Inverness to maintain real estate known as Children’s Beach
did not need development but preservation. In the for the benefit of the public.” The trustees were
Bagpiper announcing the meeting and the ballot, Bradley K. Holbrook (President), Berkeley; Elmer
Dr. Michael Whitt, then IIA President said “we V. Williams (Vice-President), Inverness; Peter D.
should simply drop the word improvement from Whitney (Secretary), Inverness; John “Jack” S.
our name. The Inverness Association as a name Mason (Treasurer), Inverness; William M. Easthas the advantage of being terse and reserved. It man, Los Altos Hills; Corwin Mocine, Berkeley;
does not wrongfully mislead would-be members Arthur E. Gordon, Inverness; and L.J. Meszaros,
to believe that we are a chamber of commerce type Inverness.
organization.” Others wrote that the IIA had a long
In August 1967 the IF bought the Brock
and distinguished record under the current name Schreiber boathouse for $20,000. The purchase was
and should not change it. The vote was 68 for IA, facilitated by a $5,000 loan from The Nature Con50 for the original name and only 15 for Inverness servancy repayable in one year at 5% interest and
Community Association, so the name
became Inverness Association (IA).
Also in 1972 a proposal was
made to landscape Sir Francis Drake
as it passed through downtown Inverness in order to slow down traffic.
It wasn’t until 2006 that a Median
Strip was created to achieve this goal
(see below).
At present the Inverness Association collects and expends funds
to construct and maintain trails,
bridges, parks and beaches and to
protect the Inverness area, commu- People enjoy Children’s Beach in this 100-year-old photograph; Brock
nity and Tomales Bay. It puts on the Schreiber’s pier (before his boathouse was built) shows at left.
8
the willingness of Brock’s heirs to
hold the first mortgage. The Point
Reyes Light of August 24, 1967
reported that donations were
already coming in with much of
the money given in memory of
Bruce Johnstone and postmaster
Larry Mery. The property included 100 feet of beach property
which unites the two segments of
Children’s Beach on either side of
it, so the foundation owns nearly
1,000 feet of Inverness waterfront,
“tax free and forever dedicated to
the enjoyment of the Inverness
public.”
Although the intention of the
Foundation was to restore and use
the boathouse and provide better access to the beach, funding
lagged. In July 1978 the boathouse
and beach was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
As early as August 1979, the IF
board was discussing possible
sale of the boathouse with restrictions on the uses which could be
made of the property. One of the
conditions was that public access
to and use of the beach be guaranteed in perpetuity and another
was that the boathouse be used for
boat-building or repair or other
low-intensity use considered appropriate by the IA/IF Board. In Top, Gordon Ashby and Richard Plant at work at Martinelli Park. Bottom, an
1981 the IF sold Brock’s Boathouse artist’s conception of the proposed community building at Plant Park.
to Edwin and Nancy Richardson
for $30,000 subject to a number of deed restrictions could come to “read mail, put a toe in the Bay, look
including an easement in perpetuity granted to at the hills, spin yarns, play chess, sing”. At that
the Inverness Foundation so that the public shall point the land belonged to George Ludy. In 1984
have access to beach and water areas for public the IF took responsibility for the land and named
it Martinelli Memorial Park. Gordon Ashby served
and recreational use.
as landscape designer for the Park, although fixThe 1980s was a decade of acquisition for the tures were held to a minimum.
Inverness Foundation:
Plant Park
Also in 1984 the IF accepted Plant Park from
Martinelli Park
As early as 1972 there was a proposal to the the Pocket Park, Inc. This land was donated to the
IIA that this property be landscaped and main- community by David and Nora Plant in memory
tained by the people of Inverness where people of one of their sons. There were plans to develop
9
a community building on this land. However,
this never materialized and in 1993 there was
a grand opening for the native plant garden
developed on the property by Nori Nisbet. In
1994 the Inverness Garden Club took over maintenance of the garden at Plant Park in cooperation with the Inverness Association.
The Gables
In 1985, after Jack Mason died, the Inverness Foundation bought The Gables from
Jack Mason’s daughter, Barbara in pursuant
to Jack’s will that the building become the Inverness Public Library, a branch of the Marin
County Free Library and remain a Museum.
The Gables Project transformed the building to
serve these purposes with former parlor serving
both as library reading room and museum exhibit space. The small building on the property
houses the Museum archives. Recently an extensive renovation took place to bring the main
building up to current ADA standards.
Jack Mason Museum
of West Marin History
The Inverness Foundation created the Museum Committee to oversee the museum collection left by Jack Mason and to collect, maintain
and exhibit materials on the history of West
Marin. The Museum has its own membership. At top, The Gables Project’s Barbara Dewey sits in the newly
Dana Marsh/Johnsville Beach
This is a small restored wetland adjacent
to Tomales Bay and includes an unpaved path
to Johnsville Beach.
Vision Road Natural Area
This is also known as Second Valley Nature Preserve and contains a little over 3.5 acres
with a creek running through it. The Inverness
Tennis Club uses about ½ acre for its court on a
lease agreement, but the rest of the property is in
a completely natural state.
Median Strip
remodeled history museum and library reading room with
Jack Mason’s successors Lynn Murray and Dewey Livingston.
Bottom, the dedication of The Gables as a public institution
in 1986, with Livingston, Jack Mason’s daughter Barbara
McClellan, Marin County Free Library Director Sharon
Hammer and Supervisor Gary Giacomini.
In 1972 Jean Ritter proposed landscaping of Sir
Francis Drake Boulevard in downtown Inverness
to slow traffic . However, nothing happened until
2006 when in a cooperative effort (started in 2004)
of the IF/IA, the Inverness Garden Club and the
Marin County Roads Department a median was
constructed in the middle of the street and planted
and maintained by the Garden Club.
In addition to managing the properties listed
above the Inverness Foundation administers the
Tomales Bay Resources Fund, for projects relating
to the health of Tomales Bay and scholarships for
swimming and sailing lessons for youngsters, the
Chamber Players and the Disaster Council.
– Meg Linden
10
TIMELINES
ONE HUNDRED FIFTY
YEARS AGO - 1864
The Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of
America finished building its receiving station
just south of Marshalls. The property is now
part of the California State Park system. In August the Museum will have an exhibit on this.
Other local Museums already have exhibits.
ONE HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE
YEARS AGO – 1889
FIFTY YEARS AGO - 1964
We remember Samuel P. Taylor as the owner of
the paper mill in what is now Samuel P. Taylor
Park, but he was also a rancher. In 1864 he purchased a 209-acre farm on Tomales Bay.
Inverness: The New Summer and Winter Resort
on Tomales Bay, Marin Co., California subdivision was approved.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO – 1914
The first celebration by the Sir Francis Drake
Association was held in June near the site
where Drake is supposed to have landed.
The Inverness Yacht Club building was completed. However they did not yet have a wharf.
They had to borrow money from Attilio Martinelli to complete their building and agreed to
a mortgage at 7% interest.
A Roman Catholic Church was built in Point
Reyes Station. It is now the “church space”
of the Dance Palace. Also in Point Reyes Station, the Foresters of America built a beautiful
two story building on Mesa Road. It eventually became the Sandcastle gallery and is now
apartments.
The West Marin Master Plan envisioned Inverness shopping area expanding southward
and a $20-million dollar tourist industry for
the coast from Bolinas to Sonoma. It also envisioned dredging the southern marshes of
Tomales Bay, the spoils to be used for picnic
islands and privately owned docks and two
road levels along the east side of the Bay, one at
the water’s edge using the old railroad right-ofway and the other up on the hills. A local realtor, Gordon Pusser, unveiled his dream city, to
be called Balboa Shores. It would occupy 2,000
acres in the Millerton-Tomasini Point area with
condominiums, a golf course, and airstrip. He
predicted his 5,000 home development would
be sold out in 5 years.
Brock Schreiber celebrated his 90th birthday on
April 3, 1964. Megan Mery made his favorite
lemon cream pie and he shared it with friends
in the patio of his old grocery store, had which
become Graveson’s Coffee Shop. He died on
Nov. 21, 1964.
THE JACK MASON MUSEUM
ALWAYS NEEDS VOLUNTEERS
FOR ARCHIVAL, ORGANIZATIONAL, OUTREACH, AND
COMPUTER-RELATED TASKS.
PLEASE CALL
DEWEY AT 669-7706,
OR THE MUSEUM AT 669-1099.
11
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Jack Mason Museum of West Marin History
P. O. Box 94
Inverness, CA 94937
www.jackmasonmuseum.org
Non-Profit Org.
US Postage
PAID
Permit No. 5
Inverness, CA
94937
Inverness is 125
Historic photographs celebrating
the first fifty years of Inverness,
1889-1939
Exhibit at the Jack Mason Museum
Inverness, California
June 21-July 30 and
November 1-December 31, 2014