Two receive DAR awards
Two receive DAR awards
Mary Kay“ Marina” Marinovich was recently awarded the“ 2025 Historic Preservation Medal” by the local DAR( Daughters of the American Revolution) chapter. This award recognizes a person who has done extraordinary historic preservation volunteer work over a long period of time.
The Immigrant House, now located in Heritage Park on Rengstorff Avenue in Mountain View, has been the focus of her preservation efforts. For over a decade she worked with historians, architects, Mountain View city officials and the community to ensure that the house would not be destroyed and to find a permanent location.
Originally built in 1888, the tiny house served as a home for early immigrants and their families. Learn more about the effort to save and relocate the house at https:// immigranthousemv. com /. Marina hopes to have additional information about the house, including a recorded tour, available in the future. Marina previously served on the MVHA board as publicity coordinator. She is active in Kiwanis and enjoys playing in a band called Hit Collective. She helps the city coordinate the annual Fall Harvest Festival which is held at Heritage Park. The next event will be
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Leslie Nichols and his future wife Anita Nooger in their twenties
Marina Marinovich and Pamela Baird with their Awards
Saturday, September 13, 9 am – noon. We applaud Marina for her important work to save, restore and celebrate the immigrant House. Congratulations!
At the same function on March 21 Pamela Baird, president of the board, received recognition for her work with the MVHA. The“ Excellence in Community Service” identified the work that Pamela has done to increase the awareness of MV history and the MV Historical Association.
Pamela conducts walking tours downtown, gives history presentations to third graders, and presents lectures at the library. She has researched and presented many of the quarterly History Event programs and enjoys writing articles for the quarterly newsletter.
a high school teacher and jazz musician living in Brazil. Their daughter, Karen, married her high school sweetheart Troy Winslow, who is now executive pastor of the Creekside Christian Church in Elk Grove, CA. Karen is a high school teacher there. Troy and Karen have two children, Victoria and Timothy. Victoria is married to Guerin Dayer. Their son Jack is Leslie and Anita’ s great-grandson.
Let the Past Live On by Mary Kay“ Marina” Marinovich
Inspired by the Immigrant House and the spirit of preservation, as recited by Marina at the Awards ceremony
I walk where echoes softly speak, through time-worn beams and floors that creak.
Each redwood board, a tale to tell, of hands that built, of hearts that dwelled.
The Immigrant House, once cast aside, now stands with strength, restored with pride. A place where weary souls once stayed, a home where history won’ t fade. I hear the whispers in the trees, of workers’ toil in summer heat. Their dreams still echo through the fields, where calloused palms forged fruitful yields. But stories fade if left untold, if hearts grow distant, hands grow cold. So I will act, and I will stand, to guard the past with gentle hands.
With every child who takes a tour, who learns what was in days of yore,
A thread is woven, strong and true, a legacy to carry through.
So I forge on, and so I teach, to keep the past within our reach.
For history lives when hearts ignite, when voices rise to keep it bright.
Let fields still bloom, let stories thrive, let those before us stay alive.
Not lost to dust, nor left behind,
“ Always marry someone smarter than yourself!”
— Leslie’ s advice to young people
Leslie and Anita Nichols at Niagara Falls in 2024
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