The Novato Historical Guild is inviting Marin’s citizens to take a trip down memory lane—a road trip, to be more specific.
It’s time to buckle up for an upcoming expert-led lecture entitled “Billboards, Bars and Motels: 1950s Roadside Marin,” courtesy of local historian Dewey Livingston.
For those who don’t know their roads, Highway 101 is an expansive stretch of street that spans most of the West Coast. In Marin County, Highway 101 plays host to locals, commuters and just about anyone else traveling in, to or through the area via the freeway.
The Golden Gate Bridge connects Highway 101 to Marin, and it is at that exact border where the highway takes on the new title: “The Redwood Highway.” This moniker celebrates the plethora of redwood trees that frame the drive up Highway 101 through Marin and northward for the next 350 miles.
A lot can change in less than a century, and the Novato Historical Guild has the photos to prove it.
The “Billboards, Bars and Motels: 1950s Roadside Marin” quarterly meeting will be led by Livingston, whose lifetime of expertise in local history will lend valuable perspective and insight. One could say that the roadside history in the mirror is closer than it appears.
Livingston’s interest in Marin’s history began in the late 1960s while he was still a student at Larkspur’s own Redwood High School. In 1985, Livingston became an archivist and curator at the Jack Mason Museum of West Marin History, a career move that eventually transitioned into his role as the Western National Park Service historian. Now, Livingston works in the Anne T. Kent California Room as a map archivist.
All of Livingston’s experience and enthusiasm for Marin’s most-used road will add some life to the lecture, bringing long-gone (but not forgotten) roadside landmarks, establishments and more into the present through photos and stories. Some places where lecture guests can expect to make pit stops along the journey are The Meadows, Bill’s Station at Black Point, Club Rio, Joe’s X-Road and Dave’s Village Inn.
So, it’s time to leave those Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas vibes for the next road trip and instead make way for Fun and Learning in Marin County. After all, Highway 101 and its rich roadside history await. Whether one is a local history buff or simply a curious commuter, now is time to join in on the Novato Historical Guild’s lesson on the local road most traveled by. And hey, bet most of those who attend will probably take the same strip of highway on their way there.
The Novato Historical Guild is a local nonprofit organization founded in 1979. The guild hosts four educational, expert-led seminars per year. Donations made to the organization are used to support the exhibits, research and upkeep of both the Novato History Museum and the Hamilton Field History Museum
The ‘Billboards, Bars and Motels: 1950s Roadside Marin’ event is free to attend and will take place from 10am to noon on Saturday, Dec. 14 at the Novato City Hall. To learn more about Novato and its history, visit novatohistory.org.
