12/29/13
Ready for some local history? There are quite a few interesting points to notice while driving on Highway 37. One of them is the Richard "Fresh Air" Janson Memorial Bridge. My husband has friends who used to go duck hunting in this area, and while some hunters use calls or sit in blinds, some use duck decoys. Richard Ludwig "Fresh Air Dick" Janson was a carver of duck decoys and set the standard for Pacific Coast decoys. He died in 1951 and the bridge was named in his honor 15 years later.
Richard's nickname comes from his days living on an ark at the mouth of the Sonoma Creek where it enters the San Pablo Bay. No matter what the weather, he slept on the deck for "fresh air". His ark burned in 1951 and he spent his final days at the Oak Knoll Sanitarian in Sonoma.
Several books feature his work, and an exhibit at SFO had one of his carved hens on display a couple of years ago. Take time to look for the bridge next time you're driving on the pretty Vallejo-Novato Highway 37. (State Route 37: http://www.yelp.com/biz/…)
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