Dublin Historic Park Welcomes Kolb Buildings
On March 4, 2008, the Dublin City Council approved an addendum to the Dublin Historic Park Master Plan to relocate structures and artifacts from the Kolb Ranch to the Dublin Historic Park. Why are the Kolbs so important to Dublin?
The Kolb farm, located on Dublin Canyon Road, was historically linked to the center of Dublin. George Kolb ran Dublin’s General Store, was a school trustee, was Dublin’s postmaster, and established the first library and phone company in Dublin. But, the Kolb connection to Dublin was obscured in 1952 with the construction of Highway 580. When Dublin was incorporated in 1982, the Kolb property was outside of the city’s sphere of influence in an unincorporated area of Alameda County. In 2001, the City of Pleasanton annexed the Kolb property.
In 2006, Carol Strom, granddaughter of George Kolb, asked the City of Dublin if they would like the Kolb house. George Kolb, born in Bavaria in 1867, came to America and made his way to the Amador Valley in the early 1880s. After working at his brother’s store in Pleasanton, George purchased Dublin’s general merchandise store from John Green. George married Wilhelmina Hartung and they lived in a little cottage located behind the store on Dublin Boulevard. They had two sons, Harold and Edwin.
In 1911, George purchased 350 acres from JW Dougherty on what is now Dublin Canyon Road. They built a craftsman bungalow, barns and outbuildings. Their farm was laid out in a logical order so that the family could run the operations. George’s son Edwin married Pauline Bernal and built his own house on the property. Harold married Elsie Kroeger and they had three children: Donna, William and Carol.
When George Kolb died in 1933, Harold and his family ran the farm. Harold Kolb, who lived from 1900-1989, saw many changes, and became an advocate for Dublin. He led a Dublin incorporation movement in 1966 and 1967. Harold preserved the 1856 Murray School building, (located just across the street from their home) and gave regular talks on Dublin’s history.
The Kolb farm prospered in Dublin for almost 100 years. Three generations of the Kolb family have pioneered, ranched and helped to keep Dublin’s history.
Please check out the Dublin Heritage Center at 6600 Donlon Way if you’d like to learn more about Dublin’s rich history.
6:22 AM on September 22nd, 2008
Thanks, John. It’s cool to see where some of the street and school names in Dublin come from.