March 6* ~ MARIN TALES. In his decades of scanning old newspapers, author and historian BRIAN CRAWFORD has stumbled upon numerous odd and surprising stories — including a brutal murder on the streets of San Rafael, a haunted jail cell, the disappearance of society matron Mrs. Mailliard, the proposed prismoidal railroad, and the mysterious Black Hole of Marin.

 

April 3* ~ THE MAN WHO LIT LADY LIBERTY AND HIS TIES TO MARIN. Award-winning author Richard Schwartz shares the biography of M. B. Curtis, a 19th-century immigrant actor who funded the Statue of Liberty’s lighting, starred in America’s longest-running play, and faced fame, scandal, and reinvention. Curtis’ ties to Marin will delight you.

 

May 1 ~ MARITIME RADIO STATION KPH. KPH started operating in 1905. Throughout its history it represented state-of-the-art in radio communications and now is operated by the Maritime Radio Historical Society. Lifelong radio enthusiast and professional BILL RUCK helps keep the station on the air and his interest in the history of radio communications shows in the presentation.

 

June 5* ~ The new book POINT REYES AND TOMALES BAY: A HISTORY OF THE PLACE AND ITS PEOPLE, written by Marin historian DEWEY LIVINGSTON, will be presented. This book covers Coast Miwok Tamal-ko people's lives into the hippie 1970s. It includes detailed histories of the bayside towns, dairying, one-room schools, creation of parks, and more recent changes.

 

September 11 ~ ANNUAL FUNDRAISER LUNCHEON 

CELEBRATING THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARIN ART AND GARDEN CENTER. MAGC Board President TOM PERRY will discuss the legacy of the Center as the cultural heart of the Ross Valley, as well as the history of the property under the stewardship of the Worn (his great-great grandparents) and Kittle families, and give an update on the “Sowing the Seeds” initiative in support of the Master Plan renovations.
There will be a catered luncheon after the program ~ details to follow.

 

October 2* ~ JOSÉ MOYA DEL PINO’S MURALS TODAY. Our library’s namesake, past president of the Marin Society of Artists and founding vice president of MAGC, created a number of murals for the WPA during the Great Depression and for private entities. Discover his iconic work, from Coit Tower to breweries and post offices. His granddaughter PAOLA CODA will share how these murals came to be and where you can still see them today.

 

November 6 ~ A COMMERCIAL ASTRONAUT'S SPACEFLIGHT: Reflections On Floating Above Earth and The Rocket Ride To Get There. RON ROSANO flew into space with Virgin Galactic in October 2023. As a lifelong Marin resident and spaceflight & astronomy instructor, Ron will present a commercial astronaut’s perspective, sharing insights, photos and video from his flight.

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* Books available for purchase and signing

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For an archive of previous years' presentations see our Events Archive.