A. Von Rotz was the contractor for phase 2 of Redwood High School - that consisted of the northeast "L" of the main building, including the library and center quad, plus the Covered Eating Area. This from stories in the 1961 editions of the I-J. Don't know if they were involved in the initial construction.
I think there was a Mill Valley shopping news also. Ah heck maybe that was what I delivered in Saus !
Was that the Mill Valley Record? When I worked for the Corte Madera PO, there was a Mill Valley shopper we delivered every week. The PO liked them in route order, but every so often somebody at the paper's plant would drop a tray of addressograph plates, so they'd bring them and we'd have the carrier sort them out in the letter case, resulting in inky fingers. We also delivered the Ebb Tide, a shopper that originated in Belvedere or Tiburon. Same deal; they'd drop the addressograph plates now and then. Sometimes either outfit would mail them before having us re-sort the mixed-up plates, resulting in widespread letter carrier grumbling.
OK, old Marin County business fans, here are the front and back covers of the 1958 edition of something called the "Classified Business Directory and Buyers Guide," published by Marin Directory Publishers, with addresses given as Box 208 San Rafael (G.F. Steigerwalt, Mgr.) and 135 Suffield Ave. San Anselmo (O.M. Skaggs, Sales Mgr.). Obviously from the bulk rate permit imprint and the fact that we never ordered it, it was intended as a freebie. The title page alleges they were also distributed by local Chambers of Commerce. We had this one hanging in the kitchen for ages, which seems to indicate that we never received a newer edition. It's only 48 pages and, obviously again, you had to pay to have your business listed since it's nowhere near to being a comprehensive listing of all Marin business. Plus you could also pay more for a display ad.
It has some interesting non-commercial things, too. A one page blurb extols the marvelousness of Marin: "Since the old Mission days... the climate of Marin has been a thing of wonder." Apparently it sucked before the padres got here. "The residential areas of Marin County have miles of excellent paved streets." Why this should be a remarkable achievement in 1958, I don't know. For us nostalgia junkies, this note under "Happy Children -- Fine Schools" is perhaps prophetic: "Their memories of this genial, expansive home-land [sic] will always bring a pleasant glow in after-years." Downright poetic, ain't it?
There's also a listing of city and county officials and department heads, post offices with postmasters, schools with principals, churches with pastors, and lists of fire alarm boxes.
