Fire | Mill Valley Public Library

409 Magee, c. 1929 - Print, Photographic

2023.002.072

Record Type: Photo

Dowd's ruins and burned side of La Veranda, 1984 - Print, Photographic

2017.017.005

Record Type: Photo

Dowd's ruins with burned-out cars, 1984 - Print, Photographic

2017.017.003

Record Type: Photo

Dowd's ruins with standing barn, 1984 - Print, Photographic

2017.017.002

Record Type: Photo

Eveready truck destroyed by fire, circa 1929 - Print, Photographic

MVU3272

Record Type: Photo

Exterior of La Veranda Restaurant on Throckmorton Avenue, 1984 - Print, Photographic

2017.017.001

Record Type: Photo

Oral History of Betsey Cutler - Oral History

In this oral history, retired public servant Betsey Cutler recounts her life in Mill Valley and decades of service to the community. Born in New Jersey in 1942, Betsey moved to Mill Valley in 1969. Betsey first got started in public service when her two daughters, Karen and Susan, were growing up in the 1970s and she became President of the PTA. Betsey went on to serve for several years on the Planning Commission and then the City Council, includ...

Record Type: Archive

Oral History of Charlotte Switzer - Oral History

Charlotte Switzer was born in 1905 in Mill Valley, the youngest of four children. Charlotte's family lived in the upper flat of a barn on the family-owned business, Dowd's Fashion Stables. The stables burned down in a fire in 1910, though Charlotte's father, Charles Dowd, would go on to rebuild the stables. Charles taught Charlotte how to drive a horse and buggy from an early age, which proved to be one of Charlotte's main modes of transportation...

Record Type: Archive

Oral History of Colin Menzies, Jr. - Oral History

Long-time community member Colin Menzies, Jr. moved to Mill Valley with his family after the 1906 earthquake. Growing up, Colin spent a good deal of time among landscape gardeners. His very first job was with Herman Hein, a well-known local landscape artist. Colin eventually became Hein's foreman. He then worked at the San Francisco Theological Seminary as foreman of the grounds, followed by time as superintendent of buildings and grounds for the...

Record Type: Archive

Oral History of Elizabeth Muller Mielenz - Oral History

Elizabeth Muller was born in San Francisco on August 30, 1912 and brought directly to the family home at Buena Vista and Oakdale. Her father was William Muller (no middle name), a German immigrant, and her mother was Elizabeth Haste Muller. Her brother was William Haste Muller. She recalls Mill Valley as being "rugged," with muddy streets, and going to Kentfield by train on May Day to celebrate by dancing around a Maypole. She went to Old Mil...

Record Type: Archive

Oral History of Frederick LeRoy Martin - Oral History

In this oral history interview, old-timer Fred Martin brims with memories of daily life in Mill Valley - from school, to groceries, to regular hikes down to Muir Beach - during the first half of the twentieth century. Fred describes living in Tam Valley when there were maybe "ten automobiles" and still people travelling by horse and buggy. Without wheels, he and his brothers walked into town from Tam Valley every day of the 1929 fire to help figh...

Record Type: Archive

Oral History of Michael St. John and Jeff Davidson - Oral History

In this oral history, retired Mill Valley firefighters Jeff Davidson and Mike St. John discuss their careers in the fire service. A fifth-generation Mill Valley resident, John joined the Mill Valley Fire Department in 1979 and became fire chief in 2011 three years before his retirement in 2014. Mike started his career in 1985 with the Marin County Fire Department. He went on to join the Mill Valley Fire Department in 1987, becoming captain in 199...

Record Type: Archive

Oral History of Norman Ortman - Oral History

Longtime Mill Valley resident Norman "Bud" Ortman recounts how his family first came to Mill Valley after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. When a fire destroyed the family wood and steel business, Bud's grandfather moved his family to Mill Valley and built the house in which Bud would eventually be born. In this oral history, Bud describes daily life as a kid in Mill Valley, attending school and goofing around; sledding down Mill Valley's grass...

Record Type: Archive

Oral History of Patrick Williams - Oral History

In this oral history, innkeeper, retired fireman, and prolific storyteller Pat Williams recounts his life and expresses his deep connection to Mt. Tam. Born in San Francisco in 1948, Pat grew up in a military family that moved repeatedly during his childhood and adolescence. Pat describes how after high school he joined the Navy which brought him back to the Bay Area, where he discovered his vocation for firefighting, but was then deployed to Vie...

Record Type: Archive