Celebrating 175 Plus Years

 In 2023, the City will be exploring and celebrating our local history. We are working in partnership with Lafayette Historical Society (LHS), to increase awareness and appreciation of our history including recognition and understanding of the indigenous people who were first on the land that is now Lafayette, as well as the Spaniards and Rancheros that preceded American settlers who laid out the built community that we see today. The theme “Celebrating 175+ Years” also nods to our future.

Public Events and Presentations

During 2023, Mary McCosker, of the Lafayette Historical Society gave a series of presentation to the City Council. You can watch a recording of the presentations on our Youtube channel via the links below:

• Watch the January Presentation - First Inhabitants, the Saklan 
• Watch the February Presentation - California Ranchos
• Watch the March Presentation - Pioneers Journey West: Elam and Margaret Brown
• Watch the April Presentation - Early Downtown
• Watch the May Presentation - Lafayette Cemetery
• Watch the June Presentation - Lafayette's First Fire Truck, Old Betsy
• Watch the July Presentation - Lafayette Libraries
• Watch the September Presentation - Schools
• Watch the October Presentation - the Lafayette Improvement Association
• Watch the November Presentation - The Pony Express

A number of copies of the Images of America: Lafayette book by Mary McCosker and Mary Solon are now available at Little Free Libraries throughout town. If you manage a Little Free Library, or wish to put a copy of the book in one in your neighborhood, contact Suzanne Iarla at siarla@lovelafayette.org or drop by the Main City Offices at 3675 Mt. Diablo Blvd., second floor during regular business hours. These community copies are intended for public circulation, and to be shared, so please return it to a Little Library or pass it along to a neighbor or friend once you are finished reading the book.

Seven utility boxes along Mt. Diablo Boulevard in downtown Lafayette have been updated with new artwork. The new utility box wraps feature a collage of historic images intended to increase awareness of our local history and contribute to the cultural identity of our city.

The Lafayette Historical Society (LHS) and the City's Public Art Committee collaborated with graphic designer Danielle Gogo-Gallagher to create the series of beautifully designed, photo-realistic history wraps utilizing archival photos from LHS’s impressive collection. The boxes are located along Mt. Diablo Boulevard between First Street and Dolores Drive. Each box includes a QR code that can be scanned using a smartphone to access educational information presented by the Lafayette Historical Society on the historical relevance of the archival images.

You can directly visit the individual pages for each box by following the links below:

Saklan People  Mt. Diablo Blvd. & Lafayette Circle

Early Downtown – Mt. Diablo Blvd. & Moraga Rd.

Pioneer & Farm Life Mt. Diablo Blvd. & Dolores Dr.

Mt. Diablo Boulevard – Mt. Diablo Blvd. & Oak Hill Rd.

Early School Days - Mt. Diablo Blvd. & Happy Valley Rd.

Leisure Pastimes – Mt. Diablo Blvd. and First St.

Tunnels, Roads & Rails Mt. Diablo Blvd. & Dewing Ave

The Lafayette Historical Society is a wealth of information. LHS has been a 501(c)(3) Non-profit Organization since 1973 and its mission states: “We believe in the power of history to ignite the imagination, stimulate thought and provide enjoyment. Through our collections and programs we strive to link Lafayette’s history to the lives of people.”

You can visit their website at www.lafayettehistory.org and also visit the History Room in person on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Lafayette Library & Learning Center (Golden Gate Way side). Their collection of artifacts includes indigenous people’s arrowheads, Elam Brown’s lantern, a restored 1920s Model TT fire truck named ”Old Betsy”, photographs, news clippings, maps, books and many other items.

Throughout the year, the City will be highlighting some of LHS’s artifacts and archival treasures in the Weekly Roundup, the City’s weekly emailed news. Subscribe to the Weekly Roundup on our e-notification page.

Are you on Facebook? If so, follow the City @lovelafayette and LHS @LafayetteHistoricalSociety for historical tidbits throughout the year.

If you are part of a community group or organization that would like to get involved in the 175+ celebration, please contact Suzanne Iarla, Communications Analyst at siarla@lovelafayette.org to share your ideas.

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