VALLEJO

VALLEJO
I had a very enjoyable day today. My daughter, Joan, treated me to lunch in Vallejo. The traffic going down was moderately heavy - quite a few trucks. I think that some of the drivers called in to work “sick,” with the pre-holiday flu! It was an uneventful ride. At the top of Hunter Hill, I could see the Six Flags Park and the rest of Vallejo below. I experienced a strange feeling of nostalgia. Why not - after living in the city for 46 years. It is a case of “You can take the lad out of Vallejo, but you can’t take Vallejo out of the lad!” While living there, I admit to bad mouthing my home town. But, I’m finding that I really do miss the hilly topography, the great Mediterranean weather and the beautiful Napa River waterfront.
Joan drove by our former home, at 528 Brooke Drive, to check on how the renter is treating it. She made two passes, so that I could make a good appraisal. The house and yard looked as good as it did when we lived there - 18 months ago. More nostalgia!
Then, Joan drove through the downtown, on our way to the waterfront. It looked about the same. We drove by the nice library and City Hall. It reminded me that the city had filed for bankruptcy over a year ago. It’s too bad. Vallejo’s 120,000 citizens deserve better than this.
We had a nice lunch in the “Front Room”, sitting at the edge of the picturesque -Napa River. Marie and I have had lunch or dinner here many times. Victor, who waited on us the first time that we were there many years ago greeted us. He remembered me, and of course I remembered him. He has aged gracefully, and looked the same as the last time I saw him. I don’t think that he is trying! Joan mentioned to him that I was 90 years old. He acted surprised, and asked me to rub his head for good luck - which I did.
Joan and I walked a little along the waterfront, and got to see the Vallejo Ferry docking - inbound from San Francisco. A slight cooling breeze was coming off the water. The temperature here runs from 10 to 15 degrees cooler than Fairfield. Joan asked me if I would like to drive over the bridge to Mare Island, and I speedily said “Yes”.
Mare Island is a unique place. People observe it but don’t know much about it’s history. We drive above the Napa River on a causeway with a draw bridge in the middle. Fortunately it is closed. Mare Island is 3.5 miles long and one mile wide. It seems larger than this when you drive on it. General Vallejo named it after his horse in 1835. The Navy Department purchased the land for $83,410 in 1852. It is unclear, to me, who was the seller. The Island became the first permanent U.S. naval installation on the west coast. The shipyard built many naval ships and submarines (some nuclear) until it was closed in 1966. The peak employment during WWII was about 40,000. When Congress ordered the Base closed, employment was about 5800.
The government deeded Mare Island to the City of Vallejo for redevelopment. The government also assumed the responsibility for the extensive “clean-up” of the Island. Besides preserving many of Mare Island’s structures and resources, Vallejo requested that the Island be added to the list of National Historic Landmarks.
In 1998, the City of Vallejo contracted with Lennar to redevelop about 5600 acres on the Island. Joan drove us by their large housing development, including a new school. Marie and I had visited the Model Homes a few years ago, and I was surprised at how many new homes have been built since then. When we looked, the homes were priced between 700 and 800 thousand dollars!
Then, she drove down Cedar street where her friend Madeleine Metzger lived. Madeleine’s dad was an Naval Officer on the island, and remained there as a civilian Nuclear Engineer Joan enjoyed telling me about her many interesting experiences while visiting Madeleine. Then she drove down Walnut Avenue where all the large colonial style officers’ homes have been preserved. They are very majestic and most appealing. They are so inviting that I would like to live in one of them. Then, she drove up the hill to the nice golf course. What a tremendous view from there! Then back down to the former Officers’ Club where Marie and I had attended many functions. It is now being used by Touro University.
Besides Touro University, Mare Island is also the home of the Us Forest Service regional office and the administrative offices of the Vallejo Unified School District. (The District sold their former offices on Valle Vista Street to obtain funds to apply to the Districts’ annual re-payment to the State. for a $60 MM loan to avoid bankruptcy.) St. Peter’s Chapel has been refurbished, and is a tourist attraction because of it’s valuable Tiffany stained -glass windows.
Then, back to Fairfield where we hit the warm air. Fairfield can be as much as 10-15 degrees warmer, in the summer, than Vallejo, and 5-10 degrees cooler in the winter.
It was a very nice day. I hated to see it end.

RCL 9/3/09.