As long-time Benicians know, the Benicia of today is not like the Benicia of yesteryear. The population had 20,000 fewer residents, the Arsenal was the largest employer in the city, the Industrial Park did not exist, the area now known as Southampton was undeveloped, there was no bridge to Martinez for cars and Benicia High School operated out of what is now the City Hall building.

It is this era— the 1930s through 1960s— that the Benicia Historical Society is choosing to commemorate for its first-ever “Back in the Day” event at the Benicia Public Library. Attendees will have chances to share memories of Benicia during this time.

Benicia Historical Society member Bonnie Silveria had hosted similar discussions with her friend Ruth at Soroptimist International meetings, class reunions and even at the library.

“We just saw how much everybody enjoyed it that we wanted to do an event for the Historical Society,” she said. “I thought, ‘We should try this and see if people will come out and enjoy it along with us.’”

Silveria said the event will have a nine-person panel, with each member spending a little bit of time reflecting on memories of the Benicia they grew up in. Afterwards, they will open it up to the audience to share their memories of Benicia.

Silveria is hoping the event attracts not only long-time Benicians but also younger residents who may not have experienced that era but still want to learn more about it.

“Benicia didn’t start to become the community that it is until the late ‘70s,” she said. “We’ve seen major change and major growth in Benicia. Benicia, when we were young, was the blue-collar town, and we watched it transition into a white-collar community.”

A lot was different in Benicia in those days, Silveria said. For example, while many intersections in town have traffic signals, there was only one in those days: at the corner of East Fifth and Military.

“That was the main entrance into the Benicia Arsenal,” she said. “You got a lot of traffic there in the morning and then when people got off work. At that time, there was only two major employers: the Arsenal and the Yuba Manufacturing Company, which were both on that side of town.”

Silveria is looking forward to seeing what other tidbits attendees will bring up, and she hopes it will become an annual event.

“I just hope that it will become a yearly event in the future,” she said. “This is how we preserve our history.”

“Back in the Day” will be held from 2 to 4 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 6 in the Dona Benicia Room of the Benicia Public Library, located at 150 East L St. This event is free, and light refreshments will be served. For more information, call 745-3551.

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