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July 2016 Facebook Page Keeps Alamo Memories Alive By Sharon Burke For more than a year, Danville resident and avid history buff Mark Harrigan has been bringing Alamo history to life by posting photos and old news stories on his Facebook page, Remembering Alamo. The social media site has made it easy for longtime Alamo residents and former Alamo residents to reconnect and comment on long ago happenings, restaurants, sites, and school events of Alamo. Mark grew up in Central County, his claim to fame being that he was the first baby born at the new Kaiser Hospital in Walnut Creek. He grew up in Lafayette and now lives on the Danville-Alamo border with a great view of the Las Trampas Hills and 680. His interest in all things Alamo was piqued when he discovered a 1956 Thomas Brothers map which showed that his residential street once crossed the valley from eastside to westside before being chopped in half by the newly built freeway in 1964. There are many nostalgic Facebook pages for 680/24 corridor towns with names like “You know you grew up in Walnut Creek when…” There wasn’t a page for Alamo until Mark started his in May 2015. His page has quickly grown to more than 400 followers. Followers live all over California and in many other U.S. states and from as far away as Bahrain, where a former service member who grew up in Alamo now lives. Mark started his interest in Alamo history by reading Virgie Jones’s three books about Alamo and Valley history, especially Remembering Alamo… and Other Things Along the Way. (Note: Virgie’s books are still available on Amazon from used booksellers and are highly recommended). He then spent several weeks at the Museum of the San Ramon Valley, browsing old newspaper articles and taking pictures of interesting articles, photos, and ads. He updates the page frequently, using the simple method of “on this day in XXXX” and then posts a picture, ad, or article from that day in the past. Recent posts have included all the Alamo-Danville police calls from June 1968 (lots of juvenile mischief), photos of the Alamo Café and surrounding shops from 1959 (still looking very much the same), photos of Round Hill Country Club on its opening day in 1961, and graduating class photos from each local middle and high school. Mark noted school posts garner the most interest as followers who grew up and went to school in Alamo comment, reconnect, and reminisce in the comments about teachers, classes, and classmates. A map from 1942 Mark recently posted shows only the following streets existing in Alamo: Hillgrade Avenue, Ramona Way, Hemme Avenue, Camille Avenue, South Avenue, a long lost North Avenue (maybe present day Las Trampas Road?), Livorna Road, Miranda Avenue, Stone Valley Road (labeled Green Valley Road); and Alamo’s oldest subdivision, Alamo Oaks, with Dean Road, Marks Road, Smith Road, Oak Road and Cross Road. Mark frequently posts “mystery photos” with an aerial photo of a road intersection or shopping center and challenges his followers to name the stores
Local Postal Customer
Serving Alamo and Diablo San Damiano
By Linda Summ mmers Pirkle
Long commutes, busy schedules, and everyday stresses can take their toll. There is a local place of respite tucked away at the end of a winding two lane street in the Las Trampas hills above the town of Danville. The Franciscan Retreat House San Damiano offers retreats for groups and individuals. Just a ten-minute drive from the freeway, the beautiful and natural oasis seems miles away from the everyday world. Even parking your car in the lot can be a delight; often deer can be seen on the hills wandering among the grasses under huge oak and fragrant bay laurel trees. Up here the world slows down. San Damiano was built in the 1960’s and is home to a handful of friars. The Spanish architecture building looks its age. It is decidedly non-high-tech. The large statue of St. Francis (patron of animals and nature and founder of the Franciscan Order of Friars who run the retreat) beacons visitors to the massive arched door entrance. Once inside, visitors usually change their outside voices to a softer almost whisper tone. People come to San Damiano for many different reasons, but most seem to find a bit of themselves with their visits. It is a treasure to the many people who return time and time again. Eighty rooms can be rented for overnight stays. The simplicity of these rooms is also part of their charm. Spartan but comfortable, each room has a single bed (some have queens), desk, light, and bathroom. There is a chapel, library, small meeting rooms, a large dining room, and a Fireside meeting room with banks of windows Friars from San Damiano from left to right: Father overlooking the valley below. Charles Talley, Father Evan Howard, Brother Michael San Damiano has hosted Minton. Photo by Kathy Ellis Roncarati. many groups. Recently the International Harp Festival held its annual meeting for 80 harpists from around the world. Classes were held in the chapel and Fireside room, and at times small groups spilled out into the patio for jazz harp jam
See San Damiano continued on page 15
Alamo Rotary Celebrates 45th Anniversary
The Rotary Club of Alamo recently celebrated its 45th anniversary. The Club was honored by the attendance of Supervisor Candace Andersen of District 2, Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors; Cindy Chin, District Director of the California State Assembly; and Assemblywoman Catharine B. Baker of 16th District. Each presented Alamo Rotary with a Certificate of Recognition for its long-standing service to the Community. Volume XVI - Number 7 Past President Richard King was the 3000F Danville Blvd. #117, featured speaker. He presented a moving Alamo, CA 94507 See Page continued on page 18 story of the tremendous service Rotary has Telephone (925) 405-NEWS, 405-6397 provided to developing countries around Fax (925) 406-0547 PRSRT STD the world. King also recognized Alamo Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher U.S. Postage Rotarian Greg Schuyler as a Charter Editor@yourmonthlypaper.com PAID Member of the Club. Permit 263 Alamo CA
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Pictured above left to right - Past Rotary International President Rick King, Past Alamo Rotary President Steve Collins, charter member of the Alamo Rotary Club Greg Schuyler, and current Club President Kim Smith.
Sharon Burke ~ Writer
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