June 2012 Archives | Stories from The Point:

For this episode of Stories from The Point, we hear from Mid Dornan, the president of the Point Richmond History Association. If I were reading this, I’d expect – after clicking the play button below – to hear stories about early Point Richmond. She did indeed share those types of stories.

At 90 years old, Mid is living history. She is a woman who has lived here in The Point since 1946. She has also written a book on the history of the Methodist Church in Point Richmond. Her in-laws had lived here since the early 1900s and owned and operated one of Richmond’s oldest and longest running businesses. To be sure, I got many great stories. And I will get those stories out at some point, but you will not hear them in this episode. Rather, I was so touched that Mid also shared with me some personal stories about meeting her husband and his untimely death that I really wanted to share them first.

I did try mixing the two together. But it just didn’t feel right to me to put these more personal thoughts with other, often humorous accounts. For example, I really enjoyed a tale Mid told me of an early Methodist minister and his attempts to baptize a parishioner by emersion in the Bay during low tide. It was equally awkward to try adding in any of her stories about her in-laws who started the Richmond Supply Company in 1909.

Again, rest assured I have those recorded and will release them in a future episode. In the mean time, here is a more personal audio postcard from Mid. Perhaps next time you drive through the Ferry Point Tunnel, which immediately exits onto Dornan Drive, you will have a stronger connection to its namesake and take pause.

Please, after listening, be sure to leave a reply below.