Cars to Smash the Bejeebers Out of Each Other – 1949 Crash Derby

The now yellowed front page of the weekly El Cerrito Journal for today, June 9, in 1949 provides a snapshot of our community in its post-war growth years. Here are some of the actual headlines from the paper's front page, followed by our brief summaries of the articles:

Destruction Derby
To Feature Annual
Highway Patrol Show

Anticipation is keen over the upcoming "destruction derby" featuring eight cars smashing the bejeebers out of each other on June 30. The event at the Contra Costa Stadium in Pacheo begins with eight old cars – their headlights and windows removed – placed in a circle, with four driven by California Highway Patrol officers and four by midget auto racing drivers. The object is to "destroy" the opponents' cars by smashing into them. Fenders are expected to fly.

Cerrito C of C
Told of Plans
For New School

To accommodate the rapidly growing community, the Richmond Unified School district plans to build a junior high school in El Cerrito, the Chamber of Commerce was told at its weekly luncheon yesterday. Dr. George D. Miner, the new superintendent of the Richmond School District effective July 1, said the school will hold about 1,800 students and will cost more than $1 million. It will be ready to occupy within a year of the coming fall semester, he said.

Council Denies
Church Permit
For Mira Vista

Following a long meeting listening to pro and con, the El Cerrito City Council rejected an application to build a Congregational Community Church at Barrett Avenue and Mira Vista Drive. A petition signed by 64 people said it would cause traffic congestion, create a public nuisance with noise at night and depreciate the value of surrounding property. The superintendent of the Northern California Community Conference of Protestant Churches, Sidney H. Buckum, told the council 164 families in the area supported the church, according to a survey taken less than a year ago.

Annual Pup Problem
Hounds City Dads

Finding that stray dogs are creating a public nuisance, the City Council approved a campaign to lessen their number. The action came after 21 people submitted a signed request for city action. The council urged the press to give prominent attention to the policy so that the city's children can arrange to have their pets legally registered.

Click  for other vignettes we've published about El Cerrito history. Click the Keep the Keep me posted button below for alerts to future articles in this series. You can find some back issues of the El Cerrito Journal at the Shadi Historical Room at City Hall, open to the public on the third Thursday of each month, 4:30-6 p.m.