Compiled by Nick Sestanovich

75 years ago

Mayor Clyne Cuts Ribbon To Open Hiway (April 29, 1943)

State, city and Army and Navy representatives responded to an invitation sent out by Paul J. Tyler and Parish Bros. Builders of the new Benicia-Vallejo military highway, to ceremonies Friday morning officially opening the new military highway between Benicia and Vallejo.
Mayor Charles G. Clyne cut the ribbon to open the highway at noon.
Guests at the ceremony were Mayor Clyne, Benicia; Mayor John Stewart and Commissioner Frank Brew, Vallejo; Secretary of State Frank C. Jordan, of Sacramento; Lieutenant Commanders F.W. Phipps and Henry A. Dietz of Mare Island; Captain A.B. Sullivan, post engineer, Benicia Arsenal; Captain Edmund M. Moor, Arsenal Adjutant; Supervisor John J. O’Grady; Tom Wright, Paul S. Wetmore and A.W. Gluckman, Benicia.
The new road, 6.2 miles in length, was built by the Division of Highways at a cost of $570,000 of Federal funds. A broad two-laned highway, it replaces the outdated roadway which had joined the two cities for many years and eliminates the sharp curve at Midway and bypasses the winding stretch just outside Benicia.
The ceremonies were held at a point three-quarters of a mile west of Benicia.
Following the ceremony, the group were guests of Tyler & Parish at a luncheon at Spenger’s Fish Grotto.

50 years ago

Chamber to Study City’s New Zoning (April 25, 1968)

President Jesse L. King appointed a committee headed by Royce Brooks which includes Don Olson, Joe Moreira, John Raggio and Zelinda Lopes to study a proposed downtown architectural ordinance.
Drafted by the City Council, copies have been sent to downtown property owners for their review. After an open discussion by Chamber directors, a motion passed requesting the city to delay any action so the Chamber committee can study the subject.
Principal aim of the ordinance is to develop an attractive downtown area along the lines of early Benicia. Similar architectural ordinances have been successful in improving both appearance and business in communities throughout America.
However, an ordinance should not unduly restrict property owners. City efforts would also be required to match private enterprise in order to insure overall improvement.
Chamber Director Howard Jenkins said plans are in the making to establish a historical military museum in the industrial park. A non-profit California organization, “The Cannoneers,” is making plans to house their collection in Building No. 7, one of the old camel barns. The group headed by Mr. Thomas Phair, plans to arrange public displays. Jenkins further indicated that negotiations are under way to secure the WWI military exhibit formerly displayed in the south wing of the De Young Museum. The military collection which was displaced by the Avery Brundage Collection of Oriental Art is currently in storage.

25 years ago

Can business, homes be good neighbors? (April 25, 1993)

By David Hagerty

City planners ended up where they started Thursday on an application from a Benicia chiropractor who bought a house in a residential neighborhood and would like to move his practice there.
Neil Hamilton originally asked to have the home at 221 East L Street rezoned for commercial use so he could relocate his practice, Benicia Chiropractic Center.
City staff at the planning department responded they would rather consider rezoning a larger area of the residential neighborhood, perhaps the whole block, as commercial for reasons of consistency. Hamilton then changed his application to include the block bounded by Military East, Second, Third and L streets.
But after hearing an outpouring of complaints Thursday from residents of the neighborhood, members of the Planning Commission said they would not consider rezoning anything more than the single house.
“There is simply no support to do anything larger than 221 East L,” Commissioner Bob Berman said.
Which left Hamilton back where he started, and back where he wanted to be.
But it leaves unresolved questions about the compatibility of commercial offices with this block which holds not only residents, but a number of government functions, including City Hall, the post office and the new city library.

The full articles of these and other stories are available on microfilm at the Benicia Public Library.

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