Block 13 Sunnyside Tract

Sunnyside Tract is San Anselmo’s oldest subdivision, first mapped in 1881. Sales were slow and other lot auctions were held in 1887 and 1892. New blocks west of Waverly and Sunnyside were open and unsold on this 1892 map.

Block 13 consisted of 16 lots bounded by Austin, Melville, Foss and Sunnyside and was first settled predominately by Italian families. Eight of the lots, as delineated on the map below, were purchased by Antonietta (Brizzolara) Tonini and Michael Gaudent Tonini. He was born in Canton Ticino, an Italian-speaking area of southern Switzerland; she was born in New York. They lived in San Francisco with their five children (Sybil, Romilda, Elvira, Edward Milton and Mabel) and were prominent members of the Italian community. Michael was the local ticketing agent for an Italian steamship company. He also conducted a private banking business in which he ran into financial and legal difficulties in 1905. He was found hiding in a closet in his San Anselmo home and was arrested for fraud. Tonini’s troubles are detailed here.

In August 1893, Antonietta Tonini was deeded Lot 11, Block 13 in Sunnyside Tract.

In January 1896, the Toninis were deeded Lot 10, and newspaper blurbs indicated that they spent the summer seasons in San Anselmo in the late 1890s.

The Toninis also purchased lots 1-6 in Block 13, which had been owned by the Seminary, probably before 1900. In 1902, the Toninis advertised two cottages for rent in San Anselmo in the San Francisco newspapers. Two of Antonietta’s sisters, Mary Brizzolara Rocca(tagliata) and Matilda Brizzolara Granucci, and brother Angelo owned property down on Ross Avenue. The Toninis were known for their hospitality with music and dancing and “lots of good things in the line of refreshments.”

May 1903. Block 13 is barren and undeveloped except for Lot 11 on Foss Avenue. It appears that a hedge has been planted along Sunnyside and there is a break in it at the end of Ross Avenue, but no house.

The above view of Ross Avenue and Block 13 shows the Tonini house on Lot 4 (49 Sunnyside). The photo was taken before 1908 when Malone’s Drugs building (2^nd on right of Ross Avenue) was moved. This would date 49 Sunnyside to between 1904 and 1907. It was a 5-room house with a shingled exterior. The Marin Journal details a charming house party with Tonini daughter Mabel as hostess at her country home “Alta Villa” in October 1907. The Enrico Milani house is visible at 86 Melville, and there is a house visible on Foss.

In December 1906, Antonietta and M.G. Tonini deeded Lots 1-6, 10, 11 to their eldest daughter Sybil likely to protect the property from their financial and legal difficulties.

In August 1908, Sybil Tonini deeded Lot 10 to Albertine Calame, a Swiss born teacher. There was a cottage on Lot 10 (115 Sunnyside), dating to approximately 1903, according to the 1928 Assessor’s records, until it was demolished in 2004. Perhaps it was one of the original Tonini cottages.

In April 1912, Sybil Tonini deeded Lots 1-6 back to her mother and in June sold part of Lot 11.

In July 1914, the Toninis deeded part of Lot 5 (103 Sunnyside) to Carolina and Angelo Bonalanza. The Bonalanzas built their home that same year. In 1920, poor Angelo got in an altercation with a neighbor and was stabbed. He died at the scene. He was 34.

San Anselmo Herald
Friday, January 30, 1920
Fight Results in Death

San Anselmos Italian colony was the scene of a pretty lively time for a while Saturday morning, from the reports and results. Angelo Bonalanza, victim of a knife in the hands of Louis Simontacchi, was buried on Tuesday, while L. Garabaldi has been confined in the hospital as a result of knife wounds by the same hand, and Simontacchi is now in the county jail awaiting trial for murder.

It seems that Simontacchi was a caretaker at one of the residences where the people are spending the winter in town and had received notice that his services were no longer required. He blamed Bonalanza and his wife for his having lost his position, and as Bonalanza was leaving home to go to work Saturday morning he met him at his gate and an argument ensued, followed by blows and Simontacchi pulled a big knife and began slashing Bonalanza across the legs. Garabaldi went to his rescue and was in turn attacked by the wielder of the knife, getting badly cut in the legs.

It is said that the delay in securing medical attention resulted in such a loss of blood by Bonalanza that he could not recover.

Bonalanza had a host of friends who regret his death, and who join sympathy for the grieving widow.

In July 1914, the Toninis deeded Lot 6 to Vincenzo (Vincent) and Guiseppina (Josephine) Pallavicini. Vincenzo was a carpenter, in 1918 employed at the Liberty Shipyard in Alameda. The house at 105 Sunnyside was constructed by 1915 as they opened a neighborhood grocery there that year.  Their 1916 advertisement in the San Anselmo Herald read: “V. Pallavicini Fruits, Groceries. Imported Italian Goods Our Specialty, An Accommodating Neighborhood Store with Very Reasonable Prices. At 63 Sunnyside [old address], opposite Ross Ave. Near School.”

The Pallavicinis also catered to students at San Anselmo Main School (today’s Wade Thomas) across the street. School supplies were sold, and hot lunches were served at tables and benches in the store.

The Pallavicinis lived above the grocery with their five children, Charles, twins Mary and Josephine, John and Vincent. The grocery closed around 1928, about the time that larger stores were opening in the downtown area.

Vincenzo constructed the house next door at 107 Sunnyside about 1926 and is listed as the owner with son Charles in the 1928 Assessor’s record.  He also owned 80 Melville, the upper portion of Lot 5, in 1928.

In October 1917, the barn at the Tonini place burned and was a complete loss. The firemen were able to keep the fire from spreading to other structures.

The Toninis continued to own Lots 1-4 until at least 1921, but in the 1928 Assessor’s records those lots were owned by Lodovico P. Costa and his cousin Angelo Costa. Lodovico was a grocery importer in San Francisco; Angelo was a gardener living with Lodovico’s son Adolph Costa at 144 Woodland in San Anselmo.

In September 1925, the Costas took out a building permit for a dwelling to cost $4000. This would be the house on Lot 2 (41 Sunnyside). In the 1928 Assessor’s record 41 Sunnyside is described as 5-rooms with stucco exterior.

Lodovico Costa died in 1953 and it is not known at this time when Angelo sold 41 and 49 Sunnyside (both were rented in the 1940 census). Around 1955, the lot lines for Lots 1, 2, 3 and 4 were redrawn to make room for 37, 39 and 45 Sunnyside and 52 Melville. 39 Sunnyside was listed for sale in 1955, and the Assessor’s records indicate that 37 Sunnyside dates to 1955 and 45 Sunnyside and 52 Melville to 1959. In the 1960s, 45 Sunnyside was home to Harlan Floyd, a designer/builder who completed many homes in Marin. Did he design and build the home?

 

Angelo Costa and his vegetable garden at 144 Woodland were featured in the Marin IJ in 1963. 

“There is a backyard garden in San Anselmo that produces about as much food as a small farm — and considerable more variety. The man behind the hoe behind the garden is Angelo Costa, a 79-year-old veteran of the soil who has been gardening in San Anselmo since 1912. Costa has no favorites. He grows just about everything in a 75-foot-square garden at the rear of the home of Mrs. Adolph Costa at 144 Woodland Avenue. Occupying just about every square inch are vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers. Intermingled with such garden-variety vegetables as corn, beans and turnips are rarities such as persa, a Persian herb, bay leaf from Italy and Italian parsley. Many of his crops are of Italian origin, and if he’s in the mood for minestrone soup, he has all the makings, beans, celery, cabbage, carrots, leak, basil, and parsley. The only thing he can’t grow for the soup is the prosciutto bone. Costa claims there is no secret to his success in the gardening—just constant attention, good soil and ample water. The garden is irrigated through an artesian well that he constructed with a pump attached. Mrs. Costa said the garden flourishes through “love.” She said it provides enough for several families with some left over for the neighbors. Around the garden and at the rear of the house are oranges, lemons, plums, peaches, limes, figs and a variety of grapes. Costa, it seems, has left no crop unturned. When he is not gardening, Costa, a bachelor, is handy in the kitchen, making his own ravioli and sour dough French bread. In moments of relaxation, he plays the accordion. A native of Italy, he is a relative of the late Lodovico P. Costa, Mrs. Costa s father- in-law. “He was here before me.” Mrs. Costa said, and “has taken on the name of Costa.” Although he has long since left Italy, Costa has brought a touch of the old country to his door through his garden.”

This is a work in progress. Information about Sunnyside Tract Block 13 Lots 7, 8, 9, 12-16 to be researched and added.