Sausalito organizer proposes statue of Sally Stanford, late mayor and madam

A new campaign has been launched to place a statue of Sally Stanford, the late politician and bordello proprietor, in Sausalito.

The idea to commemorate the former Sausalito mayor is being advanced by city resident Carol Morales, a media executive who said Stanford’s raconteur identity inspired her to succeed.

“This woman is amazing. She’s 50 years ahead of her time. She had the women’s movement before women knew there was a women’s movement,” Morales said. “She did it her way. I just thought she was so inspiring.”

The plan is still in the early stages. Morales said she passed out about 400 flyers at Fourth of July festivities about the project. Her goal is to raise $75,000. She is about a quarter of the way there.

“I’m on a mission and I’m going to see it through to the end,” Morales said.

Morales plans to use the money to hire a sculptor to design and build the piece. The process will take about a year, she said. There is still the question of the sculpture gaining the necessary approvals from the City Council and the support of the wider community.

“She needs to be honored. She put us on the map. She did a lot of great things for this town,” Morales said. “There’s no big secret that she was a madam. We all have many parts of us and we shouldn’t be throwing stones if you live in a glass house.”

According to the Sausalito Historical Society, Stanford opened the Sausalito waterfront restaurant Valhalla in 1950 while in her late 40s. This was after more than two decades of running bordellos in San Francisco, which reportedly drew the likes of Frank Sinatra, Humphrey Bogart and Errol Flynn.

Stanford was born Mabel Janice Busby in Baker City, Oregon, according to the New York Times. She ran unsuccessfully for the Sausalito council five times under the name Marsha Owen, but was elected in 1972 under the name Sally Stanford, to which she had legally changed a year earlier.

Stanford died in 1982, but Sausalito’s longtime locals still regale each other with stories of the brash, outspoken and colorful woman.

Jan Wahl, a 45-year Sausalito resident, Hollywood historian, lecturer and broadcaster, said they were close in the final years of Stanford’s life. Wahl said Stanford’s characteristic generosity bled over into her political platform, which included the public restrooms and facilities for locals and tourists.

“I believe in strong women,” Wahl said. “I believe in women who make a difference in the world. Sally was a perfect example of someone who really got herself out there and made a difference in the city of Sausalito.”

The Sausalito Foundation placed a drinking fountain at the ferry landing dedicated to Stanford. The fountain reads: “Have a drink on Sally.” Next to it, a sign referring to her dog reads: “Have a drink on Leland.”

“I think she would have loved it,” Wahl said of the statue proposal. “She always used to say, ‘If you’re going to have a parade, get out in front and lead it.’”

Jerry Taylor, president of the Sausalito Historical Society, lauded Morales’ efforts and said he likes the spirit of the idea. Taylor also met Stanford and recalled meeting her when he was just 10 years old on Halloween. She gave him jelly beans.

But the historical society has not yet endorsed the project, he said.

“She is indefatigable. She doesn’t take no for an answer. Everybody is impressed by her attitude, knowledge and passion for this project,” Taylor said of Morales. “All of us individually, we all like the idea. We think it’s a great idea to honor Sally. But where and how is not our decision.”

For now, Morales’ plan is to have the statue near the public restrooms on Bridgeway near the Bank of America building, now called the Sausalito Center for the Arts.

Morales recalled seeing Stanford when she was in her 20s during her first visit to Sausalito. The memory somehow assured her Stanford would support the idea, she said.

“When I drove into Sausalito, I said, I’m going to live in this town one day,” Morales said. “I went to the first restaurant and there she was, sitting there at the end of the bar.”

Donations can be made at marinlink.org/donations/ with the subject line “Sally Stanford Project.”