SubUrban Legend - Dueling in San Anselmo

The site first proposed for the infamous duel in 1804 of Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton was what is today San Anselmo. What could be more neutral than this California enclave far from the madding political crowd in the east?  Former Secretary of the Treasury Hamilton was a Federalist and Vice President Burr was a Republican (later an Independent), which meant they didn't see eye to eye on things. (Oh, how things haven't changed.) But as it turned out, all their shouting, mudslinging and hatred ultimately ended up in a final battle back on the East Coast in, well, Weehawken, New Jersey. (Watch what you say about New Jersey--it is the Garden State, you know.) And we remember the rest: Burr killed Hamilton.

San Anselmo has a lot of things going for it (including that Chinese chicken salad at Comforts), but it was never considered for the Hamilton-Burr duel. However, it was indeed the site of another politically motivated duel that actually inspired a very important decision. (No, obviously not the making of the Got Milk commercial about the guy losing $10,000 because his mouth was loaded up with peanut butter. Telephone caller: "Who killed Alexander Hamilton?" Callee: "AAAAAWWWWN  BAAAAAAA!!!" You know the one.) No, this 1861 gunfight resulted in the banning of formal political duels in California, because people were sickened by what had happened. The political players this time? Charles Piercy and Daniel Showalter, two state assemblymen who supported different candidates for the 1860 presidential nomination. Again, lots of shouting, lots of mudslinging, lots of hatred--but this time, they were both Democrats. (Maybe that's why Joe Lieberman left the party?) A challenge to a duel finally ensued, and the men (with their surgeons) repaired to a field near the intersection of today's San Anselmo and Elm Avenues. In the second round (they both missed in the first), at a firing distance set at 40 paces, Piercy took a bullet and died instantly.

Again, that age-old question--what person in their right mind would ever want to go into politics? (Are you listening, Sarah Palin?)