San Carlos was a very different place in 1979. With the 31st Annual Hometown Days festival at Burton Park taking place this weekend, now is a good time to look back and see just how far San Carlos has come.
Before doing so, I want to make sure and thank those who work so hard each and every year on this event. Most notably, Linda Teutschel and 30 other San Carlans, who in 1979 came up with the annual event that has grown into one of the highlights of the year for all of San Carlos. Linda’s daughter, Laura, has been assuming more of a leadership role recently and expects to continue this wonderful tradition for years to come. Many falsely believe that Hometown Days is a City of San Carlos event. It is not. The event utilizes the services of the San Mateo County Sheriff’s office, but it is entirely a volunteer effort on behalf of citizens and local organizations.
Consider San Carlos in 1979:
* Average home price $138,000
* 350 San Carlos kids played organized soccer. Today it is close 1,800.
* San Carlos High School was in full swing.
* Laureola Park was still a school.
* The Tivoli Theatre was an actual theatre….today it is Town.
* The Laurel Street Theatre was an old-school, full size movie theatre showing movies such as The Jerk and Apocalypse Now
* A young San Carlos comic by the name of Dana Carvey was just starting his career.
* The Ranch Room, Village Host Pizza, Woolworths and the Pepper Tree were the anchors of downtown San Carlos. Yes….our downtown has become more exciting recently…
* In the Fall of 1979, the concept for the first ever Hometown Days is developed. Taking place in September, the first annual Hometown Days had a western theme.
For a link to the schedule of events for this weekend, please click here.
See you this weekend!
7 Comments
Ah, and we were some of those kids playing AYSO in 1979, some of those games up at San Carlos High (facilities which I am certain the district wishes it had now), and even had some AYSO end-of-season celebrations at the Village Host Pizza!
Ah yes, and let’s not forget San Carlos-Belmont Pop Warner…The Lions! Lots of Village Host trips after cheering at those games! great piece, Bob. Thanks for all your support; from one SC kid to another! I hope everyone has a great time this weekend. Enjoy!
The latest version of Google Earth has an aerial view of San Carlos from 1948. At Google Earth start, type in San Carlos, CA. When the color image comes up, go to the lower left corner where it says Imagery Date and lick on 1948. From there, you can move the black and white image between 1948 neighborhoods. Lots of vacant open areas back then. Although grainy, I was able to find the former Army Canine Training Center at the top of Club Road.
Remember, you must download the latest version of GE.
Woolworths with the luncheon counter, Schneider’s Clothing Store and Laurel Shoes with the electric train …
And Foodville…lest we forget!
How about Food Center across from Foodville, Laurel Drug where Mythos is now and Pam Jo’s. Eureka Federal on SC Ave which came after the Carlos Theater was removed and the Red Pepper (think that was the name?) on the corner of SC Avenue and El Camino – long before it was a bagel place and a cell phone store…what a walk down memory lane this is!
I remember being excited to go to this 20 years ago when I was a kid. Still excited to go this weekend!!!