Berkeley: The 50th anniversary of 50 years ago

Telegraph Avenue from Durant to Haste. Photo courtesy Tom Stetler — Telegraph Avenue from Durant to Haste. Photo: courtesy Tom Stetler

David and Paula Stetler live in Wilmington, North Carolina, as does their son Tom Stetler. David and Paula lived in Berkeley in the early 1960s. David earned his Phd. in botany from the University of California in 1967. Paula graduated from Mills College in 1963 and worked in a laboratory at the university. Their gifted-amateur photographs, currently being unearthed by son Tom, show the ridiculous and sublime of their Berkeley days.

The photo above is a goldmine for students of Telegraph Avenue— traffic flowing both ways, Joe’s Ranch Burgers, the Sather Gate Book Shop, the Bank of America with windows, Layton’s, Larry Blake’s, Robbie’s Hoffbrau, King Pin Donuts on the corner of Channing, and the Berkeley Inn.

Their time in Berkeley coincided with Ludwig’s time in his fountain, and they have three photos showing Ludwig.

Ludwig in fountain on a sunny day. Photo courtesy of Tom Stetler — Ludwig in fountain on a sunny day. Photo: courtesy of Tom Stetler

Ludwig and nun on a slow day at at the fountain. Photo courtesy of Tom Stetler — Ludwig and nun on a slow day at at the fountain. Photo: courtesy of Tom Stetler

Ludwig at Free Speech Movement rally. Photo courtesy of Tom Stetler — Ludwig at Free Speech Movement rally. Photo: courtesy of Tom Stetler

In addition to Ludwig, the Stetlers made photos of two other local celebrities.

Mario Savio on Sproul Hall steps. Photo courtesy of Tom Stetler — Mario Savio on Sproul Hall steps. Photo: courtesy of Tom Stetler

Holy Hubert spreading the Gospel with Bruce Fowles. Photo courtesy of Tom Stetler. — Holy Hubert spreading the Gospel with botany grad student Bruce Fowles on Bancroft Way. Photo: courtesy of Tom Stetler

Their photos include several of demonstrations — the Free Speech Movement, civil rights, and early protests against the Vietnam War.

Sproul Plaza rally. Photo courtesy of Tom Stetler — Sproul Plaza rally. Photo: courtesy of Tom Stetler

Civil rights and peace march. Photo courtesy of Tom Stetler — Civil rights and peace march. Photo: courtesy of Tom Stetler

Steve Finacom knows his architectural history and comments on this photo: “It’s on Bancroft, just west of Dana. The vine covered wall is the old wall of the swimming pools next to Harmon Gym (now Haas Pavilion). There’s a newer wall in that same location now. Has to be 1965 or later, because in the extreme upper right you can see the top floor of Eshleman Hall, along Bancroft. Eshleman wasn’t completed until 1965 (dedicated Sept. of that year, almost exactly 50 years ago now).”

The march continued down Bancroft:

March down Bancroft Avenue. Photo courtesy of Tom Stetler — March down Bancroft Way. Photo: courtesy of Tom Stetler

The sign for Gordon’s Typewriters is of special interest to those who find signs especially interesting. A few more protest photos:

Vietnam war protest. Photo courtesy of Tom Stetler — Vietnam war protest. Photo: courtesy of Tom Stetler

From the sublime to the ridiculous — two everyday life photos:

Shaved ice vendor on Telegraph Avenue. Photo courtesy of Tom Stetler — Shaved ice vendor on Telegraph Avenue. Photo: courtesy of Tom Stetler

La Val's. Photo courtesy of Tom Stetler — La Val’s. Photo: courtesy of Tom Stetler

The Stetlers left Berkeley in 1967, before things got really messy. They were academic nomads for a few years — Minnesota and then Dartmouth, before settling in at Virginia Tech. Here they are as they looked in their Berkeley days:

David Stetler, circa 1965. Photo courtesy of Tom Stetler — David Stetler, circa 1965. Photo: courtesy of Tom Stetler

Paula Stetler, circa 1965. Photo courtesy of Tom Stetler — Paula Stetler, circa 1965. Photo: courtesy of Tom Stetler

Berkeley has changed considerably since the Stetlers’ days here. Their home photos are gifts from a time capsule: Kodachrome glimpses of a time long gone.

Tom Dalzell, a labor lawyer, created a website, Quirky Berkeley, to share all the whimsical objects he has captured with his iPhone. The site now has more than 8,600 photographs of quirky objects around town as well as posts where the 30-year resident muses on what it all means.

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