Fall 2015 North Pacific Coast Railroad Towns

Under the Gables
Volume XX, Number 2
Fall 2015
NORTH PACIFIC COAST
RAILROAD TOWNS
Joint Exhibit at the Jack Mason Museum of West Marin History
and Tomales Regional History Center
October 4 - December 31, 2015
Jack Mason Museum of West Marin History
Inverness Way at Park Avenue, Inverness
Phone 415-669-1099
www.jackmasonmuseum.org
NEWS OF EXHIBITS AT THE JACK MASON MUSEUM
The exhibit for October-December 2015 is a joint one called NORTH
PACIFIC COAST RAILROAD TOWNS. The Jack Mason Museum of
West Marin History exhibit will cover from White’s Hill to Marshall and
the Tomales Regional History Center will cover the towns on up the
line to Cazadero. The railroad existed from 1875-1902 and these exhibits
focus on the growth of towns and villages during that time. On Sunday,
October 4, both museums will hold an Open House from noon to five
p.m. Refreshments will be served at both venues.
In January, an all-new photo exhibit featuring the work of former
West Marin resident Lee Sims will grace our walls. Lee lived in Marshall in the early 1970s and also was the staff photographer at the Point
Reyes Light under Michael and Annabelle Gahagan (1970-1975). Sims,
a resident of Half Moon Bay, recently donated his negative collection
to the museum. The exhibit, curated by Dewey Livingston, will show
memorable images of West Marin life and events, 1971-1974, including
nightlife at the Marshall Tavern, Point Reyes Station softball games
(below, Sis Arndt at first base), and local people and places. The exhibit
will run from early January to early April. It will be followed by an exhibit about Olema, curated
by Meg Linden.
The museum committee would like to acknowledge recent donations to the
collection by Lee Sims, Bob
Cooney, Sharon Mooney,
Lisa Doran and others. Also,
we send our appreciation to
archive volunteers Gayanne
Enquist (who has been helping for many years) and new
volunteer Mo Blumenthal.
THE JACK MASON MUSEUM NEEDS VOLUNTEERS
FOR ARCHIVAL, ORGANIZATIONAL, OUTREACH,
AND COMPUTER RELATED TASKS. PLEASE CALL
DEWEY AT 669-7706, OR THE MUSEUM AT 669-1099.
“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:
A North Pacific Coast Railroad locomotive, tank car,
baggage car and crew pose in front of the Point Reyes Station
water tank, with the old two-story depot at far left.
2
JACK MASON MUSEUM
COMMITTEE OF THE
INVERNESS FOUNDATION
Tom Branan, Chair
Andrew Buckingham
Carola DeRooy
Mary Kroninger
Meg Linden
Dewey Livingston
Ann Read
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Sue Baty
Mary Cardwell
Dian Carpenter
David Donlon
David Elliott
Gayanne Enquist
Robert Kroninger
Dorito Marringa
Vivian Mazur
Linda Mendoza
Jenefer Merrill
Connie Morse
HONORARY MEMBER
Barbara Mason McClellan
THE JACK MASON MUSEUM
OF WEST MARIN HISTORY
IS AN AFFILIATE OF THE
INVERNESS FOUNDATION
Under the Gables
is produced by
Meg Linden and
Dewey Livingston
Inquiries:
415-669-1099
[email protected]
www.jackmasonmuseum.org
NORTH PACIFIC COAST RAILROAD TOWNS
Crew and locomotive at Point Reyes Station, circa 1900.
by Meg Linden
County of Marin of $160,000 and more than one
half of the voters lived in West Marin, particularly
around Tomales. Also a number of businessmen
and ranchers offered to pay $10,000 to ensure the
railroad served their interests. James Miller and
the Marshall Brothers, who between them owned
much of the east shore of Tomales Bay put in another $10,000 as did the Shafter brothers with vast
dairy interests, and Samuel P. Taylor, who owned
the Pioneer Paper Mill.
The route chosen was variously described as
“constructed through dead country without any
traffic possibilities except shipping a few boxes
of butter, instead of through a country of vast
resources” and “sparsely inhabited mountainous
country.” The first chief engineer, George Black,
resigned in 1872 stating that the country from
Saucelito (original spelling of Sausalito) to the
Russian River was “for the most part a complete
wilderness, with no roads and entirely unfit for
cultivation.” In order to examine the effect the
railroad had on the development of towns in
West Marin we need to look at what was already
BACKGROUND
The North Pacific Coast Railroad was incorporated on December 16, 1871. Among its founders were W. H. Tillinghast and Austin D. Moore,
owners of the Russian River Land & Lumber
Company. Moore became the railroad’s president
soon after its organization and Tillinghast was
its treasurer. Besides these two, the NPC’s initial
directors included Point Reyes landowner James
McMillan Shafter, its president until succeeded
by Moore; H. B. Plat, VP; George W. Morgan,
secretary and James T. Boyd, a New Yorker who
arrived in California in 1851, attorney for the
company. Other directors were S. R. Throckmorton, the owner of vast acreage in southern Marin
County, W. H. Ladd, Tyler Curtis and W. F. Russell. The initial purpose was to bring redwood
lumber from the Russian River to the booming
city of San Francisco. Its route was not specified.
However, the format—narrow gauge—was.
Two factors contributed to building the railroad
through West Marin to Sonoma County. First,
the railroad wanted to get a subsidy from the
3
in place when the railroad arrived. It was a lot
more than the sweeping statements above indicate. This article focuses on developments from
White’s Hill to Marshall’s (now Marshall.) The
Tomales Regional History Center is covering the
rest of the line northward through Tomales to the
Russian River.
by the time the railroad arrived in 1875.
Various industries were already operating
in the area, including the Pioneer Paper Mill built
by Samuel P. Taylor in 1855 and put in operation
at the end of 1856, on Daniels Creek, later known
as Lagunitas Creek and, informally, Papermill
Creek. At the mill he built a dam 20 feet high and
135 feet long to provide water power. He added
the first fish ladder in California so steelhead and
salmon could migrate past the dam. In addition,
there was a barrel hoop manufactory, a dairy and
orchard to feed the workers at the mill. The area
around the mill became known as Taylorville and
BEFORE THE RAILROAD
Dairying and cattle raising were major “industries” in West Marin starting in the 1850s.
Lorenzo E. White, for whom White’s Hill was
named, ran cattle in the San Geronimo Valley, earlier called White’s Valley,
in the 1850s. Oscar and
James McMillan Shafter,
and Oscar’s son-in-law,
Charles Webb Howard,
had a huge dairy empire on Point Reyes and
many others ran dairies
on a smaller scale starting in the late 1850s,
including James Stocker,
who leased ranch lands
in the area which became Point Reyes Station. In 1867 Adolph
Mailliard, grandson of
King Joseph Bonaparte,
bought most of the San
Geronimo Valley and
developed an outstand- After almost 20 years served by only a wagon road, the remote Pioneer Paper Mill
ing herd of Alderney obtained railroad service beginning in 1875. This is the second mill, built in 1884.
cows. In 1863 ranchers
in the back county, sick of traveling to San Rafael included a bunkhouse for mill workers, carpenter
over almost impassable roads, joined to move the and a blacksmith shops, and eventually a post ofcounty seat closer to home. Olema, Nicasio, and fice and store. The Taylor family built a summer
Tomales as well as Novato all made a bid for it. home overlooking the mill. By 1862 the mill had
Nicasio, geographical center of the county, was the an additional water wheel and new equipment to
front-runner for a time. William J. Miller donated double the capacity. It ran 24 hours a day except
an acre as the site for a courthouse. The baseball on Sunday. It was the primary supplier of newsdiamond in the center of town was to be the plaza print for the newspapers of San Francisco as well
in front of the building. The election in September as manufacturing many other sorts of paper. He
1863 showed 625 against moving [from San Rafael] also owned an acre on Lagunitas Creek just below
and 290 in favor of moving. Tomales was the only what is now Point Reyes Station’s Green Bridge.
town of these the railroad actually went through This was accessible at high tide by schooner and
but it certainly impacted the course of Nicasio and was used as one of the ways to bring in rags and
Olema history. Both were well-developed villages other paper making material from San Francisco
4
A narrow gauge train heads north past the tiny settlement of Fishermen’s, largely occupied by Coast Miwok descendants.
The train often stopped here to allow passengers to purchase fresh fish and clams from the locals. In 1914, the Marconi
Wireless Company of America built their receiving station on the hill above and the stop became known as Marconi.
in 1873 and 1874. Work started from the Saucelito
end, but eventually another crew started from
Tomales. In late December 1874 the two gangs of
track layers met near Miller’s Landing (Millerton).
The formal opening was on Thursday, January 7,
1875. Regular service started on Monday, January
11, 1875. The Marin County Journal for January 14,
1875 has a list of stations with their respective distances, from the landing at the foot of Davis street,
San Francisco, viz: Saucelito 6 miles; Lyford’s, 10;
Corte Madera, 13; Tamalpais, 15; San Anselmo,
17; Fairfax, I9; Alderney’s, 24.5; San Geronimo,
25.5 ; Lagunitas 28; Taylorville, 31; Jewell’s, 32;
Garcia, 35, Olema, 38.5; Millerton, 42.5; Marshall,
47.5; Hamlet, 51, and Tomales 55 miles. In January
1902 the railroad was reorganized and became the
North Shore Railroad. The remainder of this story
discusses all the stops of the railroad from White’s
Hill to Marshalls, briefly if it was only a flag-stop,
in more detail if a town developed around the stop
or grew beyond what was already there. It covers
only 1875-1902.
and to ship out the finished products.
Pacific Powder Mill Company, incorporated
April 13, 1864 put up a black powder mill located
on Lagunitas Creek, about three miles above the
paper mill on land purchased from Nelson and
Daniel Olds. The buildings were erected in 1866
at the cost of $63,000. In 1867 there were manufactured 30,000 kegs of blasting powder and 2,000
packages of sporting powder. The buildings were
distributed over a lengthy stretch of creek for
greater security. Both water and steam power were
used. On Nov. 29, 1867 an explosion demolished
five buildings and killed Superintendent T. L.
Grant and two workmen. The damage came close
to $15,000. The plant was soon rebuilt. By 1880 the
mill was abandoned.
Further north along Tomales Bay were several Miwok settlements and the town of Marshalls,
which had a grocery store (1867) up on the bluff
along the road to Petaluma, as well as a hotel built
in 1870, a schooner wharf and warehouse.
The North Pacific Coast Railroad was built
5
TRAIN STOPS
WHITE’S HILL- The track to
get over White’s Hill required
two tunnels, the second 1,250
feet long at 538 feet elevation,
copious trestlework, and hairpin curves. There was a flag
station for a ranch on the hill
and a fueling station just west
of the pass to service the locomotives. In 1904 this route was
abandoned when a 3,190-foot
tunnel was drilled through the
hill. Nothing developed here.
ALDERNEY’S – This was a
flag stop to serve the Mailliard
ranch. It was near what is now
downtown Woodacre and disappeared when the railroad was
rerouted through the Bothin
tunnel in 1904.
The rail stop at San Geronimo was originally called Nicasio Station, because
this is where passengers disembarked for that town. Soon, a small village grew
at San Geronimo and the name was changed. The Roy ranch house is seen at
left; it was moved to Nicasio in the 1970s. Photo from Jim Staley’s Railroads in
the San Geronimo Valley, courtesy of Sonoma County Historical Society and
Northwestern Pacific Railroad Historical Society.
lived in the area during the 1860s. However there
is no record of commercial developments around
the station until after the time period of the North
Pacific Coast Railroad.
NICASIO STATION (later SAN GERONIMO)
– The railroad never made it to Nicasio. A small
community grew up around the station from
which stages took folks to Nicasio. Already in
1868 James and Thomas Roy had bought a farm
of 420 acres across the road from where the station would be built. There were other ranches
around and a schoolhouse was built in 1871. In
1878 George Boreham built a large boarding house
and a blacksmith shop. In 1878 and 1879 there was
exploration for gold and quartz on several nearby
ranches. There were several other homes near the
station by 1880. The section men’s house burned
to the ground. In 1889, Hiram Taft built a fine
stable at San Geronimo Station. He was the Wells
Fargo agent for Nicasio and ran one of the stages
between the towns. In 1895 the first post office in
the valley opened at San Geronimo. It also had a
telegraph office in the depot. Although it did not
develop into a complete town during this time, it
was a considerable settlement.
CAMP TAYLOR – Samuel P. Taylor allowed
camping on his lands along Lagunitas Creek
but when the railroad came through he actively
encouraged camping and developed facilities
including a hotel. Trainloads of picnickers in
family groups or large organizations came. Many
camped out for days or weeks. The Bohemian
Club held its first outdoor function in Camp
Taylor in June 1878. In 1884 a two-story hotel was
built – it is unclear whether it was built by the
Taylor family or by the railroad on land leased
from the Taylors. It was later raised and an additional floor built underneath, with verandas
added. James Taylor, the eldest son, managed
the hotel and called it “Hotel Azalea.” Soon a
bowling alley was added along with a laundry,
bathhouse, and a dance pavilion. The station
had a telegraph office. As soon as the third story
was added another bowling alley, a bar and card
LAGUNITAS - Lagunitas is mentioned as an election precinct as early as 1862 and at least 28 voters
6
The scene at Camp Taylor. Lagunitas Creek had been dammed downstream, which created a boating pond for guests.
room, rowboats, tennis courts, canvas topped
cottages picnic tables and a riding stable were
also added. A butcher shop, a grocery store and
a fruits and vegetables store were built behind
the hotel. The hotel operated only in summer. A
footbridge crossed the creek from the train line to
the hotel. When the Taylors lost the land the new
owners started charging for camping.
ity. It was completed in 1884 at a cost of $165,000.
By this time Taylor was very ill. His son William
Penfield became overseer. The work force was 100
men. On January 22, 1886 Taylor died and was
buried on a knoll above his mill. At that time he
owned considerable property in San Francisco, San
Rafael, along Tomales Bay, 1,700 acres around the
paper mill (original purchase was 100 acres) and
600 acres where the powder mill had been. Son
William managed the mill and other sons some of
his other interests. In 1888 a fire broke out, but the
mill had its own fire brigade and quickly put out
the fire. Taylorville was a thriving industrial community until the panic of 1893. The Taylor family
lost everything and the mill shut down. In 1895
a brief attempt was made to revive the mill but it
was short lived.
TAYLORVILLE - Samuel Penfield Taylor built the
West’s first paper mill on the bank of Daniels Creek
[now Lagunitas Creek or Paper Mill Creek]; its
early history has been covered above. Taylor was
one of those who contributed $10,000 to get the
railroad to come by his mill. However he ended
up suing the line because it did not fence its tracks
through his property as they had promised and
did not replace portions of the road that were obscured by the tracks. It had a post office called Paper Mill, established 1881 and discontinued 1882
and later one called Paperville, established 1884
discontinued 1892. In 1883 Taylor started to build
a new paper mill next to the old one with much
more sophisticated machinery and higher capac-
JEWELL – Jewell was a flag stop at a dairy ranch
Omar Jewell bought from Daniel Olds in 1864.
Nothing was developed here during the North
Pacific Coast Railroad time, although in the 20th
century a line of summer houses were built along
the creek, retaining the name Jewell.
7
Bertrand’s Tocaloma Hotel.
TOCALOMA – Tocaloma Station was built to serve several
ranches in the area, primarily those belonging to Giuseppe
(Joe) Codoni, Samuel Mazza
and Gaudenzio Cheda. It also
attracted hunters and fishermen.
Many people got off here to go to
Olema since the road from this
station was better than the one
from Olema Station. In 1878 John
Nelson got a contract to carry the
mail to and from Olema six days
a week. In 1879 a Greek, John
Lycurgus built a hotel. The Marin County Journal of
Sept. 11, 1879 had this announcement, “Tocaloma
Station, the nearest on the railroad to Olema, has
made a grand advance within the past year. It is
situated in the very midst of the finest sporting
district to be found anywhere near the city; its
streams abounding with fish and its hills with
game. Mr. John Lycurgus has built a fine hotel,
and furnished it with every comfort for guests, and
Mr. Shafter has a stable of good horses for public
convenience. Tocaloma will be the destination of
many Nimrods and Waltons next week.” Payne
Shafter’s stage service took people to Bear Valley,
the ocean beaches, the Point Reyes lighthouse
and Bolinas. In 1881 Lycurgus added an outdoor
dance pavilion and the local bocce ball court was
roofed over. In 1883 a telegraph office and a freight
agency were established at the station. In 1884 a
school opened with 26 students, located a couple
of miles up the road. In 1885 the hotel burned to
the ground. Joseph Bertrand, from France, built
a new and much larger hotel, three-stories and
with about 50 rooms. It opened with a grand ball
in November 1889. The hotel included a bar, dining room and billiard room. In 1890 a new train
depot was finished. It was located a short distance
north of the old one, so as to allow the passengers
on the trains to get a full view of Bertrand’s handsome hotel. The post office opened in 1891 with
Codoni and Bertrand alternating as postmasters.
Although not quite a town—it lacked a general
store—Tocaloma was a thriving destination when
the railroad became the North Shore.
GARCIA – Garcia was a flag stop to serve ranches
along what is now Platform Bridge Road. Nothing
ever developed here.
OLEMA STATION (later POINT REYES STATION) – Olema Station was built about two miles
from Olema. At that time there was a ranch run
by James Stocker, the Marin County Sheriff, on
land leased from James Black and later from his
daughter Mary Black Burdell. A two-story depot
was built to accommodate the agent and eventually a “section house,” a bunkhouse for men
who maintained the tracks in the area. When the
train first arrived there was nothing at the stop.
Although Burdell did not own the land (his wife
transferred it to him in 1882) he took an active
interest in developing facilities for people who
came to the area. Soon there were two hotels. In
early 1879 a school was built at the top of the hill
leading to the town, opposite the current school.
In August 1879 most of the development around
the station burned to the ground, including the
hotels; the station was saved. After the fire, Burdell
laid out a regular town and piped in water from
Black’s Mountain. A new section house was built
and a Wells Fargo agency was started. The Marin
County Journal of December 9, 1880 said “… Mr.
Hewitt is commencing a hotel, to cost from $3,000
8
Point Reyes Station was the major town
on the narrow gauge, along with Tomales
to the north. The older two-story depot,
located where the Station House Cafe is
now, was replaced in 1907 by new owners
of the line. The photo below shows the
curve of the tracks as the rails turned
north towards Tomales Bay; when the
town was laid out after the train arrived,
the main street (A Street) curved to match
the tracks.
The one at Olema Station was variously called
Burdell’s, Hewitt’s and Marin before finally ending up as Point Reyes Station on August 10, 1891.
Back to 1882, a blacksmith, B. P. Whitney, set up
his business. In 1883 Mr. Hewitt built a six-room
cottage near his hotel. The upper story was a hall
for dancing, 26 x 40. In 1887 Hewitt sold his hotel
to Harvey Burdell, Galen’s brother, who renamed
it the Point Reyes Hotel. By 1886 Salvatore Grandi
had taken over the Whitney store. In 1898, Peter F.
Scilacci, who worked for Grandi, quit and moved
a block up the street and built a store larger than
his old boss’ with a grain warehouse and all that
went with a first class country store. In 1900 he
built a livery stable at the back of his property.
Both the original store (now the Cabaline) and a
replica of the livery stable still stand. The remain-
to $4,000, and Mr. Whitney will soon commence a
building for a store. When all these improvements
are completed, Olema Station will be changed to
one of the important trade centers of the county.
Dr. Burdell evinces not only much business acumen, but a very liberal spirit, in the improvements
he makes himself and in those he encourages others to make.” By May 1881 Hewitt’s hotel, located
where the Grandi Building is now, was open and
in 1882 A. P. Whitney of Petaluma created a branch
store built of stone, with a large stone basement,
on the site of the current Western. He also built a
warehouse, a stable and a house next to the store.
The post office was established 1882 on May 23,
1882 and opened in Whitney’s store. It was named
Point Reyes. This caused confusion when a post
office of the same name was opened on F Ranch.
9
ing buildings on “Main Street” were added later.
In November 1890 Harvey Burdell sold the Point
Reyes Hotel to Alfred V. Hall and moved to Contra
Costa County, and in 1897 the hotel passed on to
Arthur Rochfort. When the North Shore Railroad
took over in 1902 Point Reyes Station was a goodsized town.
WHARF POINT (later BIVALVE) – Wharf Point
was a flag stop. It became more important later,
outside the scope of this article, when a shellfish
packing plant was installed.
built a mercantile firm at trackside, which opened
in May. He was noted for the Tomales Bay clams
he sold. In 1890 C.P. Cheda had the store. By 1895
it was Cheda & Maggetti, or vice versa. The influence of the Swiss on the town is evident – the park
is called William Tell Park. By 1897 the Maggetti
Brothers own the store and boasted an inventory
ranging from pork chops to shotgun shells. The
hotel, built in 1870, burned in October of 1896.
By October 1897 a new hotel, called by Bay View
was in business with John Bojorques, proprietor.
It advertised a livery and general merchandise as
MILLER’S LANDING
(later MILLERTON) –
Miller ’s Landing was a
flag stop with a long wharf
left over from schooner
days. It was named for
Marin pioneer James Miller, who bought 7,598 acres
of Tomales Bay frontage in
1858/59. As Inverness developed after 1889 it was
used as an alternate access
point by those who did
not want the buggy ride
from Point Reyes Station.
There was no commercial Marshalls depot, which was located on the south side of town. The site is a wide spot
development here other on Highway 1 south of the old Marshall Tavern. The highway is situated on the former
than a large dairy ranch. railbed; the old road was located up on the hillside between Marconi Cove and here.
FISHERMAN’S (later MARCONI) – Fisherman’s
was a flag stop serving a small Indian village.
REYNOLDS – Reynolds was a flag stop with small
Miwok community. It was also an access point for
dairies across the bay. There was no commercial
development.
MARSHALLS (later MARSHALL) – Marshall was
already a small village when the railroad arrived
in 1875. In 1876 a “good and commodious depot”
was built by the railroad. The first ticket agent
lasted a short time and then A. W. Dutton took
over. He was also the Wells Fargo agent. Also in
1876 the Halleck School District was divided and
southern portion named Marshalls. A schoolhouse
was built that same year. In 1877 Charles Howard
10
well. In 1902 Marshalls got a church, St. Helen’s
on the bluff site north of town, sold to the Catholic
diocese for $75 by Mrs. James (Rachael) Marshall).
The railroad helped the existing town to grow and
prosper.
For points north of Marshall and into Sonoma County,
please visit the corresponding exhibit at Tomales Regional
History Center (in the old Tomales High School gym on
Highway 1) and read their excellent Bulletin.
I originally intended to write about the two towns in
the area that the railroad did not go through, Nicasio
and Olema as well, but circumstances beyond my
control delayed my research schedule. The former is
probably better left to the Nicasio Historical Society.
The latter, Olema, will be the subject of an exhibit and
extensive story sometime in 2016. — Meg Linden
ROBERT KRONINGER, 1923-2015
Bob Kroninger was a member of the Jack Mason Museum of West Marin History (JMM)
governing committee from 2005 through 2011,
serving much of that time as Chair. As was
perhaps fitting for someone in that position, Bob
was a native Northern
Californian, as were both
of his parents.
Bob was one of those
people who had a great
curiosity about the world
around him and whose
mind never grew old. But
we all share some of that
curiosity – it’s the fact
that he was so willing
to act upon his that set
him apart. As a law student, he began to wonder
about a group of people
whose names he saw repeatedly in numerous
19th century lawsuits. What did he do? He
researched them over the years and then wrote
and published the wonderful Sarah and the
Senator, a history book about William Sharon,
former United States Senator from Nevada,
and his trial for bigamy, which reads like a
novel. At another time he wondered what it
would be like to be a commercial fisherman.
Unlike the rest of us, however, who would
just wonder about it for a while, Bob hired
himself out as a hand on a fishing boat and
then bought and operated his own commercial
boat for several years.
He was always interested in what was
going on around him at the personal, local,
national and international level – all of which
served to make him an exciting person to be
around, a great story teller and a valuable
leader in the community.
In the 1940s, Bob attended the University
of California at Berkeley as an undergraduate
and then graduated from Boalt Hall School of
11
Law. In 1953, after some years as a practicing
attorney, Bob became a Municipal Court judge
in Alameda County, and was then appointed
to the bench of the Alameda County Superior
Court by Governor Pat
Brown in 1963. He served
as a Superior Court Judge
from then until 1984. Bob
had an interesting and
distinguished career on
the bench and over the
years shared many of
his judicial adventures
with others in the form of
wonderful and humorous
stories.
But it is that part of
his life which began after
retiring from the bench
that is most honored here
in Inverness and at the
Jack Mason Museum, because it was during
those years that Bob contributed so much to
the Museum and to West Marin in general.
For instance, before Jack Mason died, he made
clear that he wanted his home to become a museum of West Marin history as well as a branch
of the county library. After his death, his will
confirmed that wish. While most people agreed
with that wish, it was Bob and group of other
like-minded people who banded together and
acted politically, socially and economically to
make it so. Bob was one of the earliest and
largest financial donors to make Jack Mason’s
dream come true. The result is a home for the
Jack Mason Museum and the library but also
something of a civic center for Inverness.
Later, Bob joined the JMM Committee,
serving as both member and Chair. His legal
expertise and thoughtful counsel to the Committee served to guide the Museum through
some difficult times and set it on a course from
which it still benefits today.
– Tom Branan, Chair
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
An affiliate of the Inverness Foundation
Check out the Inverness Foundation’s
new website, and be sure to join if you are
not a member! The IF is the Jack Mason
Museum’s parent organization.
www.invernessassociation.org
NORTH PACIFIC COAST
RAILROAD TOWNS
Joint Exhibit at the
Jack Mason Museum of West Marin History
and Tomales Regional History Center
October - December, 2015
Open Houses on October 4 from 12 – 5
at the Jack Mason Museum and
Tomales Regional History Center