[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 136 (Wednesday, September 14, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1626-E1627]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           IN RECOGNITION OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF BRISBANE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JACKIE SPEIER-

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 14, 2011

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the 50th anniversary of 
the city of Brisbane, California. Nestled in the lower slopes of San 
Bruno Mountain, ``the City of Stars'' stands as a symbol of light in 
the Bay Area.
  Back in the sixth century the Ohlone Indians enjoyed the abundance of 
resources the land offered. They thrived as hunters and gatherers until 
the Spanish conquistadores claimed the land in the early 16th century.
  The deed to the land changed hands several times before any 
significant development occurred. The need for real estate triggered by 
the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake brought new focus to the valley. 
Developers immersed themselves in the area with new vigor, naming their 
new hope for future growth ``Visitacion City.''
  It wasn't until the arrival of Arthur Annis that the town finally got 
off the ground. The ``Daddy of Brisbane'' came to the area in 1929, 
bringing hope to an area that desperately needed it. During the worst 
years of the Great Depression, Annis encouraged settlement and 
development through extremely cheap land prices. Between 1929 and 1933, 
over 400 homes were built.

[[Page E1627]]

  Annis' signature contribution was the rechristening of Visitacion 
City as Brisbane. There are two competing theories about how Annis 
chose the name Brisbane. His daughter insists he named it after the 
city in Australia, while others believe he named it after the American 
journalist Arthur Brisbane. Whatever its origins, the name Brisbane has 
come to mean a city that draws its strength from hope, even in the 
darkest times.
  This strong spirit can be seen in the tradition from which Brisbane 
draws its nickname, the ``City of Stars.'' In 1940, Brisbane prepared 
to employ its citizens in the ongoing war efforts and the future was 
once again uncertain. Resident Arthur Kennedy struck out against the 
doubt by placing a simple star above his house for the holiday season. 
Soon, this symbol of brightness could be found above many a house, and 
the tradition lives on today during every Christmas.
  The city was incorporated in 1961. Since incorporation, Brisbane has 
had twenty-five mayors, including John Turner, James Williams, Jess 
Salmon, Ed Schwenderlauf, John Bell, Robert McLennan, S.J. Guardino, 
Julius Stern, Anja Miller, Art Montenegro, Paul Goercke, Jeannine 
Hodge, Don Bradshaw, Fred Smith, Bill Lawrence, Ray Miller, Lou Graham, 
Steve Waldo, Brad Kerwin, Lee Panza, Clara Johnson, W. Clarke Conway, 
Cyril Bologoff, Michael Barnes, and Sepi Richardson.
  Brisbane also holds the distinction of being the first community in 
the United States in which a habitat conservation plan (HCP) was 
developed. This historic plan, developed in the 1980s, helped to save 
the Mission Blue butterfly and the Callippe Silverspot butterfly. The 
HCP served as a model for an amendment to the Endangered Species Act. 
In addition to legal protections related to land use, Brisbane's fog 
and ample rains succor the flora needed to create an environment in 
which these and other species of butterflies may roam largely 
unmolested over 3,000 acres of undeveloped land.
  Brisbane's reputation as a can-do community received national 
attention in 1990 when residents came together to rescue Humphrey, a 
disoriented humpback whale who regularly became stranded at various 
locations around San Francisco Bay. When Humphrey found himself stuck 
on an embayment very close to Brisbane's Sierra Point, hundreds of 
Brisbane citizens gathered to cheer the Coast Guard and Humphrey onward 
towards the whale's successful extraction.
  Brisbane hosts a thriving economy including a booming biotechnology 
sector, a popular harbor for private boats, and other more traditional 
businesses such as a 100-year-old manufacturer of fruit juices, A.C. 
Calderoni. Eventually, Brisbane will likely also be the site of a 
booming clean tech energy sector as the city redevelops vast parcels of 
unused lands near the bay. Brisbane's economy is so vibrant that the 
population of the city doubles during the workday.
  While not every step in its history has been easy, its residents have 
always pressed towards the future. Even as it has grown from its 
decidedly humble origins to its current population of 4,282 residents, 
the sense of family and community that spurred its development has 
never diminished.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask this body to join me in celebrating the history 
and future of the city of Brisbane as it celebrates its 50th 
anniversary on September 10, 2011.

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