E-NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2019

JOIN THE MUSEUM! IT'S EASY JUST CLICK HERE

LOTS OF BENEFITS PLUS YOU WILL BE SUPPORTING YOUR MUSEUM

Museum Events

Marin History Museum Cruise the Past...Fuel Our Future

You're invited!

Join us!

Thursday, Oct. 17th 6:00-9:00pm

At a Private Car Collection Ticket Price: $100

Sponsorship Opportunities Available - visit marinhistory.org

WALKING TOUR

SPEAKERS SERIES

The History of Guide Dogs for the Blind, Robert Falla

Join Robert Falla for a talk about Guide Dogs for the Blind’s history in San Rafael. Since its San Rafael groundbreaking in 1946, Guide Dogs for the Blind has seen the area around its campus change from rural ranch land to prosperous suburb. Meanwhile, Guide Dogs for the Blind has become a leader in the service dog training community and the largest guide dog school in North America. The community and the city of San Rafael has played a huge part in the organization’s growth, and with its sustained support of their mission, Guide Dogs for the Blind will continue to empower lives by creating exceptional partnerships among people, dogs, and communities.

$10 suggested donation. Free entry for Elks with ID card. San Rafael Elks Lodge at Mission Ave at C Street in San Rafael. 1312 Mission Ave.

Look for hidden driveway. Parking is in the rear of mansion. Follow one-way signs.

Please RSVP

info@marinhistory.org • 415-382-1182

Feature Article

FIFTY YEARS OF RENAISSANCE FAIRES

If, as Shakespeare penned, “All the World’s a Stage…” then the California Renaissance Faires have embodied that assertion for more than five decades. The first Renaissance Faire, brought to life by Phyllis and Ron Patterson in 1965, was a two-day fund-raiser for Los Angeles’ KPFK radio station held at a quirky summer camp called Haskell’s Rascals in North Hollywood. Two year later, the Southern Renaissance Faire had found its first ‘home’ at the Paramount Ranch in the hills above Agoura. The 1960s playful, irreverent atmosphere was a prime breeding ground for increased interest in the event, and the Pattersons soon created a second Renaissance Faire for Northern California. From 1967-1970 it was held at San Rafael’s China Camp before taking up residence at Blackpoint forest in Novato. The Pattersons sold the rights to both Faires in 1993 and both Faires have moved locations several times since.

But those are just the facts. The real story of the California Renaissance Faires can be found in the experiences and memories of the millions of visitors and the tens of thousands of participants who come together each year to celebrate. The Faires are not only an immersion into “living history” but are also a dusty, lusty dive into counter-culture life that participants embrace for weeks at a time and visitors enjoy for as often and as long as they chose to attend and stay. Where other

theme parks offer whirling rides, cotton candy and good, clean middle of the road entertainment, the Renaissance Faires feature participatory street theatre, exotic belly-dancing, ribald stage comedies, shows of magic and juggling, an opportunity for a psychic reading, games of chance and danger and always a bawdy and fun-loving atmosphere in which to while away the hours. In the early days, crowds were not so large and many Faire goers showed up in their own homemade or authentic Elizabethan costumes. There was a more laid-back atmosphere and greater opportunities for Faire-goers to interact with the actors, dancers, singers and jugglers roaming the Faire site. In the first couple of years, if you rode a horse to the Faire you would gain free admission, and for bold lads and lasses, a race to be the first to kiss a stranger in the lively “Clench-a-Wench” contest!

Visitors today are rarely disappointed, as there is something of interest for virtually all ages. Children play numerous games of skill and chance, frolic in the age-appropriate Children’s Dell, watch the exciting jousts at the Horse Tournament and enjoy acrobats and jugglers galore. For those more historically inclined, there are authentic period plays, music ensembles, singers and Court activities on numerous stages. For most visitors the Renaissance Faire is a chance to put modern-day hassles and sensibilities aside and immerse themselves in a living, breathing re-creation of an early English country fair where celebration, laughter, and shared experience rule the day. Only at the Renaissance Faire can you enjoy a Shakespeare play, receive a Tarot Card reading, make your own candles, watch a belly dance, create a brass rubbing, dance the Maypole, have your portrait painted or purchase a wide array of handcraft jewelry, pottery, toys, and weaponry—all in a single day. The Renaissance Faire is truly a “stage” just waiting for all of us “actors” to make our entrance.

By Scott Fletcher Photographs provided by the author.

Faces of Marin

Phyllis and Ron Patterson

The California Renaissance Faires were born out of the shared vision of Phyllis and Ron Patterson. In the early 1960s, Phyllis, an English teacher, and Ron, a graphic designer, wanted to provide more creative arts education for their young son and his friends in their Laurel Canyon neighborhood. They built a commedia dell’arte wagon, put on plays, and reveled in the history of Elizabethan England. Within a couple of years, their educational workshops for children had evolved into the original 1963 Southern Renaissance Faire. From these humble beginnings grew the entire “living history” movement that has been replicated in more than 30 states and 20 countries worldwide. The Southern and Northern California Renaissance Faires have grown into annual pilgrimages for hundreds of thousands of participants and visitors. Ron left the Faires in the 1980s to continue his graphic design career and died after a long illness in 2011. Phyllis continued overseeing production of the Faires until they were sold to a for-profit corporation in 1993. She died in 2014 from complications of old age. Their son, Kevin, is still owner and operator of the Great Christmas Dickens Fair at San Francisco’s Cow Palace carrying on the tradition his parents began more than 55 years ago.

By Scott Fletcher Photo Source: Los Angeles Times

Community Events of Interest

Friday, September 13 at 11:00am Ross Historical Society/MOYA Library ANNUAL MEETING ROSS: A RICH HISTORY, presented by Moya/RHS Historian RICHARD TORNEY, and Librarian FRAN CAPPELLETTI. Hear about some of the rich history of this small town with archival photos of people, places and events over the course of time and see how much has changed and how much has not. The First Friday Forenoon lectures are held in the Livermore Pavilion at the Marin Art & Garden Center. The programs begin at 11:00 a.m. and last for about one hour. Following each presentation is an informal “meet the speaker” reception. A donation of $10 per person for the presentation is requested. Monday, September 16, 6;30-8:00pm Marin County Library, California Room In 1911 physician Philip King Brown opened a remarkable Fairfax institution called the Arequipa Sanatorium, where he treated women with tuberculosis. His son, Dr. Cabot Brown, continued his mission until Arequipa closed in 1957. Lynn Downey’s grandmother was a patient there in the 1920s, and Lynn helped preserve the sanatorium’s records. Through historical documents and interviews with former patients, she tells this story in her new book titled Arequipa Sanatorium: Life in California’s Lung Resort for Women. The author will be available to sign books. PLEASE NOTE LOCATION OF EVENT: Anne T. Kent California Room Map & Special Collections Annex, 1600 Los Gamos, Suite 182 (Lobby B) San Rafael. For more information on this free event, call 415-473-7419 Thursday, September 19, 7-8:00PM Corte Madera Library Presenter Betty Goerke is the author of five books, including Chief Marin: Leader, Rebeland Legend, Discovering Native People at Point Reyes and A Broken Propeller: Baz Bagby and America's First Transcontinental Air Race. She is a professor emeritus at College of Marin, where she taught anthropology and archaeology for more than 40 years. Goerke currently serves as the chairperson for the Miwok Archeological Preserve of Marin. Saturday, September 28 at 9:00am San Anselmo Historical Commission Walking Tour - The Seminary Area. Visit one of San Anselmo’s oldest neighborhoods. The tour will highlight the quiet beauty of San Francisco Theological Seminary, its history and architecture. Meet at Montgomery Chapel, Richmond Road & Bolinas Avenue. This tour does involve stairs and uphill walking and is not suitable for strollers or very young children. Refreshments will be served along the

way. Meet at Montgomery Chapel, Richmond Road and Bolinas Avenue at 9:00 a.m. RSVP at strollsananselmo.eventbrite.com or email stroll@sananselmohistory.org Saturday, September 28, 1:30pm– 2:30pm Bay Model During WWII, Sausalito (including the Bay Model building) was home to a shipyard called Marinship. Join Charles Wollenberg, history instructor at Berkeley City College and UC Berkeley for this talk and learn how the story of Marinship fits into the larger history of the "Second Gold Rush," the extraordinary process of social and demographic change produced in the Bay Area by World War II. Over the years, he has written several articles and books on 20th century California social history, including Marinship at War. Sat September 28 1:30pm– 2:30pm

Marin History Trivia

This month's trivia Question:

Q: What year did the Guide Dogs for the Blind begin?

(Bonus question) What was the name of one of the first dogs trained?

Email your answer to: info@marinhistory.org. First two correct answers win a ticket to a MHM lecture.

Last Month's trivia question:

What month and year did the last train ride into the San Rafael Station?

Correct Answer: Friday, February 28, 1941

From the Collection

Our museum recently welcomed a Victrola No. 405 manufactured by the Victor Talking Machine Company, famous for their music-loving canine logo. Our hand-wound model features a Spanish Renaissance-style walnut cabinet with elegantly contrasting veneers and stains, shiny gold-plated hardware, round turned legs and interior storage shelves for a selection of Victor records, all included in the original $250 price tag. An exhibit inside the Liberal Arts Palace at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco showcased the Victrola. Following the fair, the neo-classical-style Victrola pavilion was barged across the Golden Gate to San Rafael, where it was delivered to Mr. Leon Douglas, motion picture inventor and originator of the slogan, “His Master’s Voice.”

Members of the San Rafael Improvement Club purchased the structure for $500 and installed it at the corner of Fifth and H Streets. The relocated building served as the association’s clubhouse for eight decades. Coincidentally, our 1923 Victrola has resided within view of the old clubhouse since it was purchased by donors Scott and Alison Prentice in 1998. An early 1916 article in the Marin Journal reported that the wandering clubhouse "will give the women of San Rafael a most attractive place to eet for afternoon tea, cards or other social functions, and now that the mosquito extermination work has been taken over by a county commission...Every citizen of San Rafael should rally to the support of these women who are so unselfishly trying in this way to secure a building which will supply a long-felt need."

By Heather Powell

In the News - 100 Years Ago

San Anselmo Herald

September 1919

TO SAVE THE REDWOOD TREES Co-operating with the State Board of Forestry's campaign to preserve California's

wonderful redwoods, the Unites States Railroad Administration has telegraphed to its purchasing agents in the west to decline to buy redwood ties produced along the

State Highway between San Francisco and Eureka, unless protection is given to timbre within four hundred feet to the highway.

It is said that between ten and fifteen carloads of ties have been cut daily along the State Highway by certain individuals, but that this organization will stop the work.

Ex-Congressman Kent and other prominent men of the state are taking a great interest in this movement, and it is the duty of every loyal citizen of our state to stand behind

them and the U.S. Railroad Administration in their efforts to same these grand old trees.

********

VOLUNTEER JOB OPPORTUNITIES We can use your help! Have a little time on our hands and looking to help a local non-profit? Below is a list of some of the volunteer positions we need to fill. Please let us know if any of these look interesting to you by emailing info@marinhistory.org or calling 415-382-1182. We would love to hear form you!

Special Opportunity Have sewing machine will sew! We need sewing volunteers who can help make dust covers for our larger pieces of furniture. They would be simple two or three pieces out of Tyvek that can be easily cut and sewn on a regular sewing machine. Interested? Contact Heather at heather@marinhistory.org

Writer We are starting to create a lot of content for our eNewsletters, social media sites, and future traveling exhibitions and publications. If you like to do historical research and write short articles, we could use

your help.

Editor Along with writers, we need editors to give the final article its blessing before it goes to print. This

volunteer job can be done from home or on site. Let us know if you have that required eagle eye and grammatical tenacity to tackle this job.

Call us and we work with you to create your perfect volunteer experience!

Are you a student looking for community service hours? Know a student who needs hours?

The Marin History Museum is a 501(c)3 and can grant students their community service hours.

Let us know and we’ll take care of it!

Marin History Museum - Craemer Family Research and Collection Facility

45 Leveroni Ct Novato CA 94949

Please call for an appointment

415-382-1182

Mailing Address: PO Box 150727, San Rafael, CA 94915

For more information:

www.marinhistory.org info@marinhistory.org