18A
|
THEPRESS.NET
Bypass from page 1A is so lovely (in the name) is that the area is the site of Native Americans that predate the pyramids and Stonehenge,” said Jensen. “The ‘heritage’ is not only Native American, but the West and agriculture. It’s exciting because when you say ‘heritage’ and ‘John Marsh,’ this embraces the whole of California history.” Brentwood Mayor Bob Taylor has been a longtime proponent of the project. Seeing the finished product, said Taylor, will be the icing on the cake. “I think that John Marsh is a historical site in Brentwood proper and I think it (naming of the highway) was an extraor-
Students from page 1A is no official city physician, Talavera was paired up with a member of the engineering department and gained insight into a facet of the city she never thought about. “I got to learn about traffic engineering, which involves how traffic lights work,” Talavera said. “It was really interesting to learn about that. I’ve really learned to appreciate the city and the people who make everything work.” Did the experience influence her to choose a new career path? “No, I still want to be a doctor,” Talavera said. “It was a good experience to see what it’s like to work in another field, but it’s not something I would want to do. I have a lot of respect for them, but it’s not for me.” The students will put their observations to use when they act out a mock city
FEBRUARY 27, 2009
COMMUNITY
dinary move,” said Taylor. “You know, as we go through America we always see the various landmarks that are a part of history, and this area is definitely one of the them.” The story of John Marsh is as famous as it is infamous. A Harvard-educated man, Marsh left the East Coast for the wilds of the west in the mid-1800s, finding plenty of adventures along the way. He explored the Sioux culture, was accused of illegally selling them guns, and eventually led a command of the tribe during the Black Hawk War. He lost a son at birth, gave up a son and daughter for adoption during his lifetime, and practiced medicine without a license.
In 1838, Marsh became the first settler in Contra Costa County, establishing a 17,000-acre ranch he named Rancho Los Meganos. Living in an adobe house, he began building a magnificent, Greek-revival stone house off what is now Marsh Creek Road in Brentwood, a few hundred yards from the highway that will bear his name. He acquired a huge herd of cattle in exchange for medical services provided to wounded and sick explorers and local Native Americans, planted fruit trees and wheat, and even took a turn prospecting for gold. Marsh’s letters to eastern newspapers, penned from Los Meganos, extolled the beauty of California and its rich
potential for agriculture. His letters are credited with helping to start the great tide of prairie schooners rolling west, and many early explorers (including Kit Carson) were visitors to Los Meganos. Marsh was murdered by disgruntled employee vaqueros in 1856, before the stone house was completed. It became the property of his son and daughter, and was later home to a procession of tenant farmworkers. An effort to restore the crumbling edifice is underway, with plans to make it the centerpiece of the state park that surrounds it. For more information on John Marsh and the trust, visit www.johnmarshhouse. com.
council meeting on Monday, March 2. Council members and staff will represent the public during the meeting, and event organizer Gary said the students need to be on their toes. “This is the chance for them to put their knowledge to use, and it’s a lot of fun,” Gary said. “Last year, we had members of the staff serve as the audience and come up and make comments and ask questions. Some of it was ridiculous, but there were also some tougher questions that gave the mock council an idea of what it is really like to sit up there.” Mayor Bob Taylor said he is excited about the mock meeting. “This has been such a wonderful experience. The kids sitting up here today, well, they won’t be kids much longer. They could be in these positions for real in the future.”
Taylor was shadowed by Heritage High School student Zach Harris, who will go on to Cal Poly San Louis Obispo to study aerospace engineering in the fall, but said he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of running for mayor someday. “The mayor has so many duties, and he’s very involved in what is going on, but I learned that everyone who works for the city is essential to the function of the city.
Without just one person, things can fall apart. It’s amazing how everything comes together.” The mock city council meeting will take place at 7 p.m. in the council chambers. Following the mock meeting, the Lions club will host an award ceremony to honor the participants. For more information, call Barbie Gary at 925-516-5366.
Don’t miss it!
H
ealth insurance for you and your family doesn’t need to be a casualty of the recession. Find some tips for keeping your coverage from the National Association of Health Underwriters by searching “insurance” in WebExtras! at thepress.net.
WebExtras! News that’s fit to print, but won’t fit in print.