Happy 100th Birthday Al Locati!

This week a very special birthday was celebrated.  Al Locati, who was born and raised in San Anselmo, celebrated his 100th birthday on Monday, May 16. Al wanted to thank his many friends and neighbors for their kind and loving assistance in the past few years, so he threw himself a birthday party and invited them all. Over 100 people came to celebrate the momentous event with him at Deer Park Villa.

 The following article about Al Locati is part of the Historical Commission Oral History Project:

Al Locati was born at 825 San Anselmo Ave. on May 16, 1911.  His family emigrated from Italy in 1904.  Al attended San Anselmo Grammar School, St. Anselm’s Elementary, and Tamalpais High School.

Many of his early memories are of  part-time jobs around town. One of his first jobs was helping with sausage making at the San Anselmo Sausage Factory, located across the street from the Cheda Building. He later worked at Muzinich’s Shoe Repair polishing shoes and boots. The shop was where Ludwig’s Liquor store is now located. Al also delivered groceries for Grosjean’s and the Panama Grocery. He remembers that these two stores were very high-end and had many customers in Ross. Al delivered to the Kents and other prominent families, though he couldn’t recall if they were big tippers or not.  Other grocery stores from that time were Guasco’s (then at the corner of Magnolia and San Anselmo Avenue), Buckley’s, Piggly Wiggly, and Purity.  There was also a butcher shop in the Seawood Photo building.

Al used to help Eugene Spagnoli of the Sorich Dairy on San Francisco Boulevard deliver milk.  He rode in the milk delivery wagon to San Rafael.  At that time the West End was a movie-making site with a studio located near the cemetery. Al has a fond remembrance of seeing cowboys riding their horses in the area.

When not working or going to school, Al was quite the athlete. He loved playing football and swimming. There were many popular swimming holes on the local creeks, including one at Lansdale area and another behind the Log Cabin.  Other favorite swimming holes were in San Rafael in the creek or at the San Rafael Baths.

Al and his friends enjoyed and frequented the movie theaters here in town. The first theater was The Strand; it showed silent films and was located in the Cheda Building.  Next door was Fusselman’s Candy Shop.  Mr. and Mrs. Fusselman made great chocolates in the basement.  They bought their Pet Evaporated Milk for their candy from the Italian delicatessen across the street where Al worked.  Later, the Fusselman’s moved their kitchen to a building behind Kientz’s Bakery.  As time went on, the Tamalpais Theater was built, and Al was an employee there.

 Other places of entertainment in San Anselmo included a bowling alley on Greenfield Avenue and a peewee golf course on San Anselmo Avenue where the Marin Running Company store is currently located.

When Al attended Tam High he had to limit his work hours so that he could play football, his true passion. Getting to high school was itself an adventure. Hitch-hiking was unreliable since there wasn’t much automobile traffic at the time, so travel by train to and from Mill Valley was the norm. Al clearly remembers one of the rules that was strictly enforced: boys must ride in the last car separated from the girls. 

After graduation, Al had a long career with Bank of America as well as a stint in the military.  In the course of his employment he lived in many areas in Northern California, but ultimately returned to the place where he was born and raised and still loves, San Anselmo.

Congratulations and best wishes, Al, on 100 years in San Anselmo!

Art Talk Tuesdays

 The San Anselmo Library present Art Talk Tuesdays on the second Tuesday of the month at noon in the Town Hall Council Chambers. The schedule is as follows:

 June 14            Balenciaga and Spain

July 12             Dutch and Flemish Masterworks

August 9          Queens Mothers and Matriarchs:  African Women in the de Young

September 13  Picasso Masterpieces

Funds for the program were provided by the Friends of the San Anselmo Library and the Library Parcel Tax.

 Everybody Loves a Parade

Have you always wanted to put on a parade? Do you want to see behind the scenes where the horses gather and the pipers practice? Do you want to blow the whistle and send off each entry down the street to be cheered by 800 other townspeople? Do you want an experience which will guarantee you will be able to put on your own parade one day? 

If so, contact Community Services Director David Donery at 258-4661 or ddonery@townofsananselmo.org. We'd love to have your help organizing and putting on the Town Parade at Country Fair Day this year on Sept. 25!

San Anselmo News, published weekly on Fridays, is available at the San Anselmo Town Hall, Library, on the Public Notice Bulletin Board, and in the Ross Valley Reporter. It is also available on the town’s website and by email subscription.  To subscribe to the email list, go http://www.townofsananselmo.org/list.aspx.