A year of commemoration
1976 & celebration
The Bicentennial recognition of the signing of the
Declaration of Independence was a year long effort, both locally and nationally. Congress created the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration( ARBA) in 1973, which it charged with encouraging and coordinating locally sponsored events. A look at the Wikipedia website reveals a huge number of events that were conducted around the country in 1976. https:// en. wikipedia. org / wiki / United _ States _ Bicentennial
The city of Mountain View formed a volunteer committee of at least 16 members to organize efforts to be held throughout 1976. Local planning efforts( and some events) commenced in 1975 and took up most of that year. The committee, led by Joseph Cusimano, a prominent resident and council member, created subcommittees to develop ideas and programs.
In 1975 outreach began to recruit volunteers and raise awareness of the upcoming events. On May 4, 1975, a marker to recognize John W. Whisman, an early settler in the north Bayshore area, was placed inside the main gate at Moffett field.
Two flags, one created for the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration( ARBA) and the famous Betsy Ross flag, were raised in a ceremony on July 4,1975, at Rengstorff Park. The city could raise the ARBA flag because Mountain View met the requirements to be an official Bicentennial city.
Later in July the Moffett Field Naval Air Station hosted an open house and air show. The city sponsored a booth to provide information about the Bicentennial.
On August 24,1975, the Filipino-American Senior Citizens of the Bay Area presented a daylong event. Held at Rengstorff Park, the festivities included a fashion show, music, dancing and food. In November the Bicentennial committee hosted a booth at the three day holiday bazaar for the MV Cultural Arts Council( precursor to the Visual Arts Committee) held at the Community Center.
In the next two issues of this newsletter, we will explore the planning and events held in 1976. Stay tuned— some are really fun and creative!
Local WWI Soldier becomes a Museum Greeter
After President Pamela Baird and Board Member David Salinero visited the World War I exhibit at the Moffett Field Museum, they remembered MVHA has an authentic U. S. Army uniform from 1917. David’ s project to catalog artifacts in the History Center at the library and and Senior Librarian James Thadjudeen easily located Glenn Wilson’ s perfectly preserved WW1 uniform. Glenn’ s son, also named Glenn, had wisely decided to have it cleaned and professionaly packed away before donating it to the Mountain View Historical Association.
In addition, Glenn donated a copy of his father’ s memoir to accompany his uniform and document the family’ s history as early residents and business owners of Mountain View.
When you decide to pay a visit to the Moffett Field Museum, be sure to explore the World War I trench. And thanks to MVHA stop by to greet Glenn in full uniform at the entrance to the museum, along with a brief biography and excerpt from his memoir. His uniform is on loan.
The WWI Exhibit runs through May, 2026. Hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 10am – 3pm. moffettfieldmuseum. org
Glenn William Wilson, was born January 2, 1887 in Dover, Minnesota, to William and Bertha Wilson. He came to California after
Glenn W. Wilson 1917
college to attend Stanford University, where he received a master’ s degree in electrical engineering in 1917.
He married Mary Chadwick Eastwood on 30 July 1917 and left for the Army two days later. After training at what was then Camp Fremont in Menlo Park, he shipped out on a troop train to New York. He arrived in France three months before the Armistise was signed, and spent the winter building and maintaining housing for soldiers returning to the U. S. from the trenches in France.
He and his family lived in Mountain View, where, in 1923, he started Valley Electric, specializing in wiring and electrical contracting. He ran the business until 1964, when his son, Glenn E. Wilson, took over.
Glenn William Wilson, founder of Valley Electric in Mountain View, died Dec. 17, 1985 in Los Altos Hills, California. He was 98 years old.
The Betsy Ross Flag at San Francisco City Hall
Valley Electric, Castro Street 1924
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