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Published on 09/01/1999 All articles from this issue

Pages of the Past

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50 years ago in Los Altos

1949: New products included Swanson TV Dinners, Tupperware, and the Slinky toy. Casey Stengel was manager of the New York Yankees. Mao Tse-tung became the chairman of the People's Republic of China.

In Los Altos: The Santa Clara exhibit at the California State Fair was the "largest ever," with 75,000 stuffed prunes and a prune cookbook distributed.

After a long and heated battle, annexation of some Mountain View schools into the Los Altos School district was approved. Los Altos elementary school enrollment increased to 1,245.

Richard Bassett was named Los Altos Fire Chief. The Fire Department purchased badges for each firefighter and three electric clocks for the dormitory.

Southern Pacific Railroad increased fares to San Francisco from $19 to $23 for a monthly subscription, which was 58 cents each way.

Featured at the Altos Theater: Gary Cooper and Patricia Neal in "The Fountainhead," George Raft in "Outpost in Morocco," and "The Wizard of Oz" with Judy Garland and Ray Bolger.

25 years ago in Los Altos

1974: Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run, breaking Babe Ruth's long-standing record.

In Los Altos: Plans for a restaurant at the new La Feria site on State and Second streets was approved after two hours of impassioned pleas. It will include 2,500 square feet inside, plus courtyard seating. Opponents said that the restaurant would "Create severe traffic and parking problems, particularly during the lunch period." A suggestion was made that the restaurateur offer a daily lunch bargain Blue-Plate-Special to any patrons who could prove they arrived at the restaurant on foot, rather than by car.

Los Altos Postmaster Walter Chronert demonstrated his ingenuity when Gerald Ford recently assumed the U.S. Presidency. He removed the picture of Richard Nixon, whose smiling likeness no longer was appropriate as adornment for the post office lobby, and replaced it with a plaque depicting a Model T Ford. The plaque remained in its place of honor until a portrait of President Ford arrived from Washington.

Marymeade Park plans were approved by the Los Altos City Council. The park was to be located on the medical mission sister's property on Fremont Avenue near Grant Road. The cost was estimated at $184,000. Park plans included three tennis courts, a tot lot and 14 parking stalls.

- Compiled by Donna Shoemaker for History House of Los Altos

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