Past Event – Speaker Series: August 11, 2024 Mark Harrigan – A Lamorinda Nostalgia Trip

The Moraga Historical Society hosted a speaker event at the Hacienda’s Casita room featuring Mark Harrigan, a video-blogger who researches the history of Contra Costa County and runs a “private” (21,600 members) Facebook group called 680/24 Corridor History Group. He has posted dozens of videos through venues such as Facebook and YouTube but for our event he presented videos of Valle Vista, Moraga Adobe, Lafayette’s Roundup Saloon, Moraga Barn, Rheem Bowl, and the California & Nevada Railroad that once ran through Orinda. He provides the images, a combination of stills and video, the background music and the text which an AI agent translates into voice. Vera Kochan provides a review of the event which once again was sold out.

Vera Kochan Review from MHS Newsletter 2024 Q4

This past August, the Moraga Historical Society welcomed another fantastic guest speaker, Mark Harrigan, to enthrall the audience with narrated videos of Valle Vista, Moraga Adobe, Lafayette’s Roundup Saloon, Moraga Barn, Rheem Bowl, and the California & Nevada Railroad that once ran through Orinda. With each location, Harrigan added appropriate music for each video to enhance the whole experience, thereby creating mini documentaries in the process.

Harrigan stated that years ago, before the dawn of GPS technology, he used a Thomas Guide to find his way around local towns. After he began researching the history of Contra Costa County, he decided to share his findings with the world by producing CCC history videos on Facebook’s “680/24 Corridor History Group” for the past 10 years. Harrigan is also a frequent contributor to the “I grew up in Moraga” Facebook site. With over 300 videos to his credit, his passion for the area’s history was evident in the quality of his presentation to MHS members and guests.

The Valle Vista video literally took viewers through possibly the only remaining foundation of a home that was abandoned to the elements over 100 years ago after EBMUD purchased properties in order to create the San Leandro Reservoir. Harrigan himself filmed the sequence.

The Moraga Adobe video showed photos of the adobe through various stages of its existence, culminating with new footage of the adobe as it strives to welcome visitors through its doors later this year.

Likening the Roundup Saloon as Lafayette’s answer to TV’s “Cheers”, Harrigan’s video was accompanied by western-style music and focused on many of the artifacts and traditions accumulated through the nearly 100 years of Roundup’s existence.
The Moraga Barn video showed a variety of photos dating back to when the Sacramento Northern Railway traversed through town, but not before stopping at the station located directly across the street from the multi-purposed building.

Many were unaware of the California & Nevada Railroad that ran 23 miles between Emeryville and Orinda bringing Sunday picnickers to the area in 1891. Its many mishaps and derailments brought a quick end to the venture.

The final video caused a collective, yet nostalgic, sigh from the audience when the very first photo of the colorful Rheem Bowl sign appeared on screen. Many members of the crowd recalled having bowled there before the doors were closed and the last pins fell in July of 1999.The MHS wishes to thank Mark Harrigan again for his entertaining presentation to Lamorinda’s history lovers.