By Aiko Hill
Looking Back, Moving Forward
Because of the rail, Los Altos came into being, but later the automobile brought fundamental change to our burg and to the lives of Los Altans.
Imagine the smile on young Raphael Meyers face when, in 1912, he woke up on his 14th birthday and found a shiny new Chevrolet coupe in the driveway just for him! With deep black paint and white tires it was a real eye catcher!
Of course, the car’s importance grew over the years. Once people spent $1,700 for a new 1950 Studebaker at Larry Hopkins Motors in Sunnyvale, they wanted to be seen. In the summertime, one hot spot was the new Monta Vista Drive-in Theater at the corner of El Camino and Grant Road. It was the place to be. With parking for 863 cars and an overflow lot for 530 more, the 15 acres still filled up fast. The huge screen provided great visibility for every car and the cool summer evenings made the new movie experience one to remember.
The 1950s were also a time of fast cars and summer shenanigans that kept local authorities on their toes. In August 1950, near San Antonio Road and El Camino, local boys created a makeshift track for testing their driving skills. Police were none too happy about it, nor were the nearby neighbors. One weekend, the elders had had enough of the noise and dust. The call went out to the Mountain View sheriff’s substation. Sergeant Perusina arrived on the scene and after a stern talk with the boys and their parents, he reported his confidence that there would not be a repetition. Faced with juvenile court for further disruptions, both the boys and their parents got the message.
With the cars came the need for people to fix them, so Joe Bellina opened Village Motors on First Street. Mr. Bellina was a good man to have around. Besides a 14-year apprenticeship with Kleiber (300) Motors in San Francisco, Mr. Bellina had also attended many special courses, including an eight-week class to study the “new” automatic shifts. In the days when mechanics made their own fenders, he was definitely ready for the latest technology!
As a community, we’ve modified our automotive tastes from Chevrolets and Studebakers to today’s mix of cars from around the world. The roads are more congested, parking is sometimes more difficult, but we still love our cars.
Aiko Hill is a member of the Los Altos History Museum Association. Send comments to aikohill@aol.com.
