EAST SANTA CLARA STREET/ALUM ROCK AVENUE HISTORIC …

EAST SANTA CLARA STREET/ALUM ROCK AVENUE (East San Jose)

HISTORIC CONTEXT CITY OF SAN JOSE, SANTA CLARA COUNTY

FOR

THE CITY OF SAN JOSÉ

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

DAVID J. POWERS & ASSOCIATES 1871 The Alameda

Suite 200 San Jose, CA 95126

ATTN: Mr. Will Burns

BY

Ward Hill, M.A. Consulting Architectural Historian

San Francisco, CA 94123

And

BASIN RESEARCH ASSOCIATES 1933 Davis Street, Suite 210

San Leandro, CA 94577

MARCH 2011

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION 1-4

2.0 HISTORICAL OVERVIEW 5-36

2.1 SPANISH PERIOD (1777-1821) 5-6 2.2 MEXICAN PERIOD (1822-1846) 6-7 2.3 EARLY AMERICAN PERIOD (1846-1869) 7-10 2.4 EARLY HISTORY OF EAST SAN JOSE 11-16 2.5 THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY (1900-1920) 17-23 2.6 POST WORLD WAR I TO WORLD WAR II (1918-1945) 23-28 2.7 TRANSPORTATION AND CHANGING

LAND USE PATTERNS (1905-1945) 28-29 2.8 INDUSTRIALIZATION AND URBANIZATION (1945-2000) 29-34 2.9 CONCLUSION 34-36

3.0 EAST SANTA CLARA STREET/ALUM ROCK AVENUE STUDY

AREA – CONTEXT BIBLIOGRAPHY 37-45

FIGURES (In Text)

Figure 1 General Project Location 2

Figure 2 Regional Locations of Context Areas 3

Figure 3 East San Jose Context Area (USGS San Jose East, Calif. 1980) 4

Figure 4 East San Jose Context Area in 1866. Pala Rancho, at eastern end of the context area, is outlined in a blue dashed line (Healy 1866) 10

Figure 5 East San Jose Context Area in 1872. The map is of San Jose and its suburbs only and does not extend beyond the East San Jose Homestead (Pieper 1872) 12

Figure 6 East San Jose Context Area in 1876. Alum Rock Park is in the upper right corner. Note the larger parcels in the East San Jose Homestead (Thompson and West 1876:25, 37) 13

Figure 7 East San Jose Homestead, Beach’s Addition, and a Portion of the Lendrum Tract in 1886 (Clayton 1886) 14

Figure 8 George Paull House, 23 South 19th Street, ca. 1870 15

Figure 9 Dr. Benjamin Allen House, 1167-69 East Santa Clara Street, 1888 15

TABLE OF CONTENTS, con’t

FIGURES (In Text), con’t

Figure 10 Bowman Methodist Episcopal Church, 95 South 20th Street, 1889 16

Figure 11 San Jose Alum Rock Railroad (History San Jose) 16

Figure 12 Alum Rock Motor Road, ca. 1896 16

Figure 13 East San Jose Context Area in 1903 (Official Map of Santa Clara County 1903) 17

Figure 14 Boundaries of the Town of East San Jose (San Jose and Vicinity 1909) 18

Figure 15 East San Jose Fire Department 18

Figure 16 Carnegie Library, 1102 East Santa Clara Street, 1908 19

Figure 17 Jackson Hatch House, 1202 East Santa Clara Street, ca. 1896 19

Figure 18 Hatch House, 1202 East Santa Clara Street, with 1955 commercial building in front (Google Photo) 20

Figure 19 Bates Hall, 1072 East Santa Clara Street, likely the City Hall for East San Jose (Joachim, San Jose Mercury, 9/13/1978) 20

Figure 20 East San Jose Homestead, the Garden City Tract, and the Lendrum Tract in 1904 (Map of City of San Jose and Vicinity) 21

Figure 21 16 South 24th Street – Typical example of a Neo-Classical or Colonial Revival cottage, 1910 21

Figure 22 Five Wounds Church, 1375 East Santa Clara Street, 1918 22

Figure 23 Five Wounds Church Rectory, 1375 East Santa Clara Street, 1950 22

Figure 24 East San Jose Context Area in 1929 (Official Map of Santa Clara County 1929) 23

Figure 25 896, 884, 872, and 870 East Santa Clara, typical commercial retail dating to the 1920s and 1930s 24

Figure 26 3100 block of Alum Rock Avenue, typical commercial retail dating to the 1930s 26

TABLE OF CONTENTS, con’t

FIGURES (In Text), con’t

Figure 27 14 South 21st Street, typical Bungalow, ca. 1920 26

Figure 28 71 South 19th Street, Spanish Colonial Revival, 1928 26

Figure 29 55 South 21st Street, Tudor Revival, 1935 27

Figure 30 Roosevelt High School, 1925 27

Figure 31 853 Calhoun Street, two-story apartment building, 1950 29

Figure 32 1155 Shortridge Avenue, two-story apartment building, 1955 30

Figure 33 Mayfair Theater, 1191 East Santa Clara Street, 1949 31

Figure 34 1255, 1261 and 1269 East Santa Clara Street, typical commercial retail dating from the 1940s 32

Figure 35 1202 and 1190 East Santa Clara Street, both late 1880s, with late 1950s commercial buildings in front 32

Figure 36 Wilshire Gas Station, 2149 Alum Rock Avenue 1963 33

Figure 37 Bernie’s Burgers, 1805 Alum Rock Avenue, early 1950s 33

Figure 38 Typical modern franchise retail on Alum Rock Avenue 34

Figure 39 1245 East Santa Clara Street, modern office building, 1980 34

Figure 40 East San Jose Context Area with Historical Resources and Building Age 36

ATTACHMENTS

LISTS

LIST 1 East Santa Clara Street/Alum Rock Avenue Study Area Properties on the City of San Jose Historic Resources Inventory, the California Register of Historical Resources and the National Register of Historic Places

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The East Santa Clara Street/Alum Rock Avenue historic context study ar ea is located east of Coyote Creek in the City of San Jose, Santa Cl ara County California. The long linear study area continues east from Coyote Creek approxim ately three miles to th e Millar Avenue and Alum Rock Avenue intersection. Alum Rock Avenue is the eastern extensi on of East Santa Clara Street after the U.S. 101 interchange [Figs. 1-3].

Research for the report was conducted by W ard Hill, M.A., from July through December, 2010. The first stage of research focu sed on field visits an d the rev iew of prior cultural resou rces reports and State of California Historic Resour ces Inventory For ms. Additional research was conducted at the follow ing libraries and archives: City of San Jose D epartment of Planning; Santa Clara County Assessor and Recorder Offi ces; Santa Clara County Archives, San Jose; San Jose Martin Luther King Jr. Main Library, California Room; History San Jose; the East San Jose Carnegie Library, San Jose; San Francisco P ublic Library, San Francisco History Center; University of California at Be rkeley libraries including Eart h Sciences & Map Library, The Bancroft Library, and the Doe Library.

A variety of on-line databases an d websites were a lso important during the research process including: City of San Jose Historic Resources Inventory; Santa Clara County Archives website; Sanborn Fire Insurance Company Map Collection 1884-1950; San Jose Mercury News Historical Archive 1886-1922 on the City of Santa Clara Public Library website; California Digital Library; and United States Bureau of the Census, Population Census for the City of San Jose 1870-1920.

Buildings in the study area date from as early as 1870 to the present. East Santa Clara Street/Alum Rock Avenue was an early road pr oviding residents of eastern Santa Clara County access to central San Jo se beginning in the 184 0s. East Santa Clara Street/Alum Rock Avenue continues to be a m ajor east/west traffic arte ry in San Jose joining the downtown commercial district to the residential communities eas t of the downtown. The buildings along East Santa Clara Street and Alum Rock Avenue from Coyote Creek eastwards are prim arily neighborhood commercial retail dating from the 1920s and 1930s. Single family residences, some as early as the 1880s, are interspersed with the commercia l structures. Developm ent along Alum Rock Avenue east of King Road is less densely built up with consider ably larger lots, more auto oriented commercial, modern shopping cen ters and large m odern multi-unit residential complexes.

The study area also includes some residential areas adjacent to the East Santa Clara S treet/Alum Rock Avenue corridor. The largest residential area - part of the original 1870 East San Jose Homestead plat - includes the area south of East Santa Clara Street bounded by Coyote Creek on the west, East San Fernando Str eet on the south and South 24 th Street on the east. T he area, the first platted in urban lots (60 feet of frontage typically) in East San Jose, includes a variety of residential buildings, including several sing le-family residences dating from the 19 th century. The houses in this area, however, are prim arily bungalows from the 1920s, the construction period of many of the extant com mercial buildings on adjacen t East Santa Clara Street. A number of larger infill apartment buildings have been constructed in the last 40 years in this area.

East Santa Clara Street/Alum Rock Avenue Historic Context March 2011


2

North First Street

The AlamedaWest Santa Clara Street

West San Carlos Street

East San Jose

Figure 2: Regional Locations of Context Areas

3



4


5

2.0 HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

2.1 SPANISH PERIOD (1777-1821)

The Spanish crown claimed Alta California as part of the Spanish em pire after the voyages of discovery by Cabrillo and Vizcaino in the 16 th and 17 th centuries, and considered it a northern extension of their lands in Mexico. In the m id-18th century, the Spanish began to colonize Alta California in order to fortify the empire’s norther n frontier at a tim e when Britain, France and Russia were challenging Spain’s claims to territory in North America (Kyle et al. 1990:xi).

The Spanish governm ent developed three princi pal institutions for the settlem ent of Alta California - missions, presidios and pueblos. The m issions, established by Franciscan priests, were built prim arily to spread Christianity and Spanish cultu re to the indigenous Indian population. The missions also became a vital part of the Spanish colonial agricultural econom y, by establishing ranches to raise livestock, grai n, and food crops. The Spanish built 21 m issions; the first was San Diego de Alcala built in 1769 and the las t was San Francisco Solano, built in Sonoma in 1821.

The Mission Santa Clara de Asis was the 8 th mission in Alta California, established in January 1777 on the west bank of the Guadalupe River (a pproximately 3.5 miles west of the study area) in the future city of Santa Clara. The m ission was relocated four tim es due to flooding, earthquakes and other causes. The fifth and final mission church, dedicated in 1825, was located on the future grounds of the University of Santa Clara.

The presidios, the Spanish govern ment’s military bases, helped to establish the crown’s territorial claims and provide protection to colonial settlers. In Northern California, the Spanish built presidios in Monterey (1770) and San Francisco (1776) (Anastasio and Guedon 1985:21-22; Kyle et al. 1990:xi-xii, 399). T he third principal Spanish institution in Alta California was the pueblo or town, built for Spanish colonial settlers, or pobladores. The Spanish established three pueblos in Alta California. The first two became the nuclei of important California cities - Pueblo de San Jose, established in 1777, and Pueblo de Los Angeles, established in 1781(Anastasio and Guedon 1985:22; Kyle et al. 1990:xii).

In 1777, Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe, Spain’s first civil settlement in Alta California, was established northwest of the study area on the east side of the Guadalupe River (in the vicinity of Hedding and North First Street in San Jose), about two miles southeast of the first site of the Mission Santa Clara de Asis. Governor Felipe de Neve authorized the founding of the pueblo to provide food and supplies for th e mission as well as Spain’s pr esidios at San F rancisco and Monterey. The Spanish governm ent provided the settlers with small individual lots, or solares, for housing, sm all agricultural plots, or suertes, for far ming, and communal grazing areas in lands surrounding the pueblo. The local Indian population provided vital assistance to the settlers, helping them raise crops and tend their herds of cattle and sheep (Anastasio and Guedon 1985:20-21; Arbuckle 1986:12; Maggi and Dill 2007:12).

The original San Jose pueblo (El Pueblo Viejo) was located near the river and the site was prone to frequent flooding, prompting the relocation of the pueblo in the 1790s about one m ile to the south. The relocated pueblo was near the intersection of present-day West San Fernando Street


6

and Market Street, which became the pueblo thoroughfare. After the re-location, the only part of the old pueblo to rem ain in use was the adj acent agricultural land (Arbuckle 1986: 10, 13, 55; Kyle et al. 1990:400; Maggi a nd Dill 2007:12; Anastasio and Gu edon 1985:20). The site of the second pueblo was about a mile southwest of the western end of the study area at Coyote Creek. The study area was likely used for grazing livestock during the Spanish Period, but no permanent settlements were established in the area.

2.2 MEXICAN PERIOD (1822-1846)

Mexico took over the governm ent of Califor nia 1822 after overthrowing Spanish rule and establishing the Mexican Republic. W hen the Mexican governm ent began to rule Alta California, the San Jose pueblo was still a rem ote settlement with a small population of about 240.

Perhaps the most significant im pact of the transi tion to Mexican rule was a new system of land ownership, which reshaped the Santa Clara Valley and the society and landscape of California as whole. Under Spanish rule, m ost land in Alta California was controlled by the crown or the church. As noted earlier, pueblo settlers were granted only sm all plots of private property, and the Spanish government made individual land gran ts of only about tw o dozen ranchos during their entire period of rule in Alta California (Kyle et al. 1990:xiii). None of the Spanish government grants were in the study area.

The Mexican government, by contrast, broke up the crown and m ission lands and granted vast ranchos to individual property owners, often as a reward for government service. The land grant process accelerated after 1833 whe n the governm ent secularized the m issions. From 1821 to 1846 Mexican governors m ade over 500 grants to i ndividual land owners in California. The Mexican ranchos were typically thousands of unfenced acres, used as grazing lands for cattle, for wheat fields, and some crop cultivation. California’s principal export during the Mexican Period was tallow and hides. The government generally made their first land grants in outlying areas, far away from California missions and pueblos. Howe ver, 17 parcels w ere eventually granted to individual owners from the la nds of the pueblo in downtown San Jose and 13 parcels were granted from lands that had belonged to the Mission Santa Clara de Asis (Anastasio and Guedon 1985:21-23; Broek 1932:41-44; Kyle et al. 1990:xiii).

The study area was largely part of the Pueblo Lands Tract (public land owned by the Mexican government) during the Mexican Period. The east ern end of the study area (Capital Avenue east into the hills) was part of the Pala (“Shovel”) Rancho, 4,454 acres granted by Governor Castro in 1835 to Jose Higuera. The northern border of the Pala Rancho was Peniten cia Creek. Higuera likely grazed cattle on the Pala Rancho but did not build a house or other structures. In 1821, Higuera had received a 4,394 grant for Rancho Los Tularcitos (“Little Tule Thickets”) from the last Spanish Governor, Pablo Vicente de Sola. Rancho Los Tularcitos, north of the Pala Rancho, included what is now part of the City of Milpitas at the Alameda and Santa Clara County border (the two ranchos were not however contiguous ). Higuera lived on the Rancho Los Tularcitos where he built two adobes and planted vine yards and pepper, fig and olive trees. Jose Higuera died in 1846. One of the Higuera adobes is still extant in Milpitas as part of the Jose Higuera Adobe Park (Kyle et al. 1990:429; Arbuckle 1986:176; Milpitas Historical Society 2010).


7

Charles White, an early alcalde (or mayor) in San Jose, acquired the Pala Rancho from the Higuera descendents soon after Ca lifornia attained statehood. White was killed in the 1853 explosion of the steamboat Jenny Lind. White’s heirs obtained a patent to the rancho through the State Lands Commission in 1866 and continued to own much of the land – various farm s and ranches - into the 20th century (Arbuckle 1968:24).

The population of the pueblo of San Jose in the 1840s was about 600-800. The few Am erican residents were mostly young bachelors, altho ugh many eventually m arried into Spanish or Mexican landowning fam ilies. Organized ov erland migration from the United States to California began in 1841 with th e arrival of the Bidwell-Bartleson Party from the Mississipp i Valley. Several m embers of that party, and of the ill-fated Donner party of 1846, eventually settled in the San Jose area. Ch arles Weber, one of the early Am erican settlers in 1841, m ade a significant early contribution to San Jose’s do wntown development by establishing a general store, a blacksm ith shop, a bakery, and a re staurant-saloon (Arbuckle 1986:64; Kyle et al. 1990:xiii). Development of San Jose during the Mexican period was in the Market Street/W est San Fernando Street area and did not extend as far east as Coyote Creek.

2.3 EARLY AMERICAN PERIOD (1846-1869) [Fig. 4]

The Early American Period opened with the Mexican W ar in 1846 and ended in 1869 with the completion of San Jose’s railroad link to the Tran scontinental Railroad terminus in Sacramento. The railroad line gave S an Jose direct access to national markets for the first time, opening the way for the dynamic period of Horticultural Expansion that began in 1870.

The United States declared war on Mexico in May 1846 after a period of hostility between the two nations, due in part to competing territorial ambitions. The American flag was raised in San Jose soon after the declaration of war, and Am erican residents began to assum e control of San Jose’s local governm ent before the war ende d. John Burton, the pueblo’s American-born alcalde, or mayor, hired William and Thomas Campbell to conduct a town survey in 1847, to prepare for rapid urban expansion under an American government (Arbuckle 1986:55-56).

Chester S. Lyman, a surveyor a nd scientist who had been traine d at Yale University, produced the first professional survey of San Jose in 1848. On one of his first visits to the San Jose area, he described the pueblo as “a few m iserable houses with one or two exceptions, tho’ it is a place which must grow in consequence of its loca tion and its fine land.” Lym an’s official Map of the Pueblo de San Jose improved upon Ca mpbell’s map in m any ways and established the town boundaries as Julian Street on the north, Eleventh St reet on the east, R eed Street on the south, and Market Street on the west, with streets laid out in a typical American grid pattern. The area depicted on Lyman’s 1848 map is now known as the Original Survey of San Jose. San Jose historian Clyde Arbuckle emphasized the enduring significance of Lyman’s map in establishing the basic urban fabric and street system in San Jose. He noted that Lyman’s “range block and lot numbers are still in use. All of his street names except Main, which became Fifth in 1913, have likewise remained unchanged (Lym an 1847, 1848; Arbuckle 1986:55-56; Duval 1996:66; Findlay and Garaventa 1983:32-34; Lyman 1848).

The Mexican War ended in February 1848 with th e Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which m ade California a United States possession. The al most simultaneous discovery of gold on the


8

American River led to a gold rush that began in the spring of 1848. The first wave of gold seekers was comprised mostly of Americans already living in California. They left San Jose and every other settlement in California in the rush to the gold region of the Sierra Nevada. By the spring of 1849 it was both a national and an interna tional gold rush, as thousands of gold seekers flooded into California from all across the United States as well as E urope, South Am erica, China, and Australia. In 1848 California’s population was less than 14,000 (exclusive of Indians); by 1852 it was about 224,000 (Arbuckle 1986:25, 75).

The massive influx of people during the gold rush prompted a rapid transition from an American military government to a civil governm ent in Ca lifornia, and an accelerated m ovement toward full statehood. In September 1849 a constitutional convention convened in Monterey, the capital of both the Mexican and Spanish governm ents in California. On Septem ber 26, 1849 the convention chose San Jose as the capital of the proposed state. Two months later, De mocrat Peter Hardeman Burnett was elected as the first American civil Governor of California, and he assumed the office in Decem ber 1849. In early 1850 the state Leg islature created California’s original 27 counties, including Sa nta Clara County, and approved th e incorporation of San Jose and six other cities. California was officially admitted as 31st state of the Union on September 9, 1850 (Arbuckle 1986:76-80; Kyle et al. 1990: xiv).

The first survey of San Jose af ter the incorporation of the city was the W hite Survey of 1850, named after Thomas White, a civil engineer from the state of Georgia who se rved as San Jo se mayor in the early 185 0s. The W hite Survey in cluded lands that had for merly been used for farming or grazing by pueblo se ttlers during the Spanish and Mexican periods. White extended the northern city lim it from Julian Stree t (established in the Lym an survey of 1848) to Rosa Street, named for White’s sister. White also extended the eastern city limits to Coyote Creek on the east and just beyond the Guadalupe River on th e west. The study area east of Coyote Creek remained outside of the city lim its until the 20 th century (W hite 1850; Arbuckle 1986:32, 56; Duval 1996:77; Loomis 2009:45; Sanborn Map Company 1915, 1950; White 1850; McMillan & McMillan 1929) [Fig. 4].

San Jose served as the state capital for only two sessions of the Legi slature, through May 1, 1851. The following year, the Legisl ature met at Vallejo, but San Jose remained the seat of Santa Clara County. Although the city ’s tenure as state capital was very brief, it nevertheless had a profound im pact on local developm ent. American poet and travel writer Bayard Taylor described San Jose in August 1849, just before th e constitutional convention, as “. . . m ainly a collection of adobe houses, with tents and clapboard dwellings, of the season’s growth, scattered over a square half-m ile.” Just two weeks after San Jose’s desi gnation as the s tate capital, the town was bustling with activity, an d construction of the first stat e house on the east side of the Plaza was well underway.1 On a return visit, Taylor wrote:

The two weeks which h ad elapsed since San Jose had been made a capital were sufficient to have created a wonderful ch ange. What with tents and houses of wood and c anvas, in hot haste thrown up, the t own seemed to have doubled in size. The dusty streets we re thronged with people; good s, for lack of storage

1. The first state house on the 100 block of present-day South Market Street was destroyed by fire in 1853

(Wyatt and Arbuckle 1948:35).


9

room, stood in large piles beside the doors; the sound of saw and hammer, and the rattling of laden carts, were incessant. The Legislative Building - a two story adobe house built at the town ’s expense - was nearly finished. Hotels were springing up in all quarters; French restaurateurs hung out their signs on little one-story shanties…” (Taylor, quoted in Arbuckle 1986:78).

The gold rush had an explosive im pact on San Jose’s urban development. Many disappointed miners found it m ore profitable to settle in town, and the city grew to about 4,000 people by 1850. Housing develo pment kept pace with population growth, and fram e houses and brick stores began to replace the adobes and tents of early residents. About 300 houses were built in San Jose from 1850-1853, primarily in the downtown area near Santa Clara and First streets. In 1860 the population of San Jose was about 6,000, about half the total of Santa Clara County as a whole; by 1880 it had grown to 12,567. The developm ent of utility service was an im portant factor in late 19 th century urban developm ent. The San Jose Water Company was incorporated in 1866, and began pumping water from artesian wells into tanks, di stributing piped water throughout the city. The San Jose Gas Com pany began natural gas service in 1861. The first sewers were installed in 1866, a lthough a complete system was not built for m any years. The electrical light tower in downt own San Jose at Market and Sa nta Clara s treets was a fam ous landmark celebrating the arrival of the city’s electrical serv ice in 1881 (Arbuckle 1986:64-65; James and McMurry 1933:85; Thompson & West 1876:15). Th e development of utility companies provided an impetus to growth both inside and outside the San Jose city limits.

A significant stimulus to growth in San Jose and Santa Clara County was the construction of two major railroad lines linking the area to San Fr ancisco and the rest of the country. The San Francisco and San Jose Railroad (SFSJRR) began daily service between the two cities in January 1864.2 In 1862 the officers of the San Francisco and San Jose Railroad formed a new company, the Western Pacific Railroad, to build a rail co nnection between San Jose and Sacram ento as a link with th e terminus of the Tran scontinental Railroad. The project was com pleted by the Central Pacific Railroad, which established pass enger service between San Jose and Sacram ento in September 1869. This rail line opened Sa nta Clara County agricultural products to a nationwide market (Sawyer 1922:151, 296; Findlay 1980:15; Laffey and Detlefs 1995:27).

During the early American Period San Jose developed into a government, commercial, banking, and cultural center for the surround ing agricultural region. The fertile lands of the Santa Clara Valley were settled by return ing gold miners who established farm s and orchards on form er rancho and mission lands. The ranches provided pr oduce, meat and dairy products for San Jos e as well as the rapidly growing urban market in San Francisco.

2. The San Francisco and San J ose Railroad follows the same alignment as the present-day Caltrain route

between San Jose and San Bruno. At San Bruno the railroad originally continued northwest to Colma and then through San Francisco’s Mission District to the South of Market.


10

Figure 4: East San Jose Context Area in 1866. Pala Rancho, at the eastern end of the context area is outlined in a blue dashed line. (Healy 1866)


11

2.4 EARLY HISTORY OF EAST SAN JOSE [Figs. 5-12]

Alum Rock Avenue has its origins in the earliest years of San Jose’s history.3 During the 1850s, rancher Woolsey Shaw acquired 700 acres of the hills east of dow ntown San Jose. The City of San Jose contended that 400 acres of Shaw’s claim was legally part of the original Pueblo Lands, thus city property. The City prevailed agains t Shaw in a long drawn out legal battle over the property. During the legal wrangling, Shaw had improved the property for a resort by erecting a hotel, bath house and other build ings. The area was origina lly known by various nam es: the Penitencia Reservation, White Sulphur Springs and Alum Rock. Alum Rock, which came from a large alu m formation in th e hills, becam e the comm on name by 1864 of what was now a popular picnic ground.

In March 1872, the San Jose city charter provided for a 400 acr e municipal park in the Alum Rock area in addition to the construction of an access road. The new road - Alum Rock Avenue (also referred to as Nag lee Avenue) - was the c ontinuation of East Sant a Clara Street eas t of Coyote Creek. The road, lined with four rows of trees - creating three roadways - originally east of Capitol Avenue to McKee Road, continued northeast to the hotel and springs in the park. The last rows of eucalyptus along Alum Rock Avenue were rem oved in 1959 (Arbuckle 1986: 420-421).

The area east of Coyote Creek along Alum Rock Avenue was far ms, open fields and grazing land until A.T. Herrmann laid out the East S an Jose Hom estead in May-June, 1869. Local newspapers promoted the subdivision months before the offi cial map was recorded on February 17, 1870 (Arbuckle 1986:59). The subdivision boundaries were Alum Rock Avenue (now East Santa Clara Street) on the north ; Franklin S treet (now East San An tonio) on the south; McLaughlin on the east (now 25 th Street); and, Coyote Creek on the west [Fig. 5]. The subdivision included 12 blocks (including p artial blocks near Coyo te Creek), each blo ck generally included 21 to 27 lots. The lots typically m easured 60 feet by 130 feet . Half of Block Four (between today’s 20th and 21st streets at East San Fernando) was set aside for a school; the school (known as the H awthorne School), however, was eventually built on the block bounded by 23rd and 24th streets.

The 1876 Historical Atlas of Santa Clara County claimed that the East San Jose Homestead had about “250 inhabitants” and “an excellent school” (Thompson & West 1876). The East San Jose Homestead was served by the horse-drawn S an Jose & Santa Clara Ra ilroad that provided transportation west on S anta Clara Street from Coyote Creek, continuing west on The Alam eda to the town of Santa Clara (JRP Historical Consulting 2003:14). The horse-drawn street railroad was built in 1868.

Street car lines and interurban transit were im portant to facili tating growth along their routes, especially along Santa Clara Street /Alum Rock Avenue. The street car lines were electrified in 1888, but the first electric car system was too poorly designed to be of much use. Horses wer e brought back until 1890, when a system of electr ic cars powered by over head trolleys was re-

3. The original Alum Rock Avenue began at Coyote Creek and continued east. East Santa Clara Street today

continues east to the Highway 101 interchange. The st reet name changes to Alum Rock Avenue east of Highway 101.


12

introduced and became successful enough to last almost 50 years. Street railroads were replaced by buses in 1938, but these new vehicles could not compete successfully against the automobile (Findlay and Garaventa 1983:62 after Hall 1871:310; Hare 1872:55; Sawyer 1922:166, 223-224; SJCPC 1958:54-56).

Homs

East Santa Clara Street

Figure 5: East San Jose Context Area in 1872. The map is of San Jose and its suburbs only and does not extend beyond the East San Jose Homestead (Pieper 1872)

East San Jose Homestead

The 1876 Historical Atlas of Santa Clara County shows the area eas t of the Eas t San Jose estead along Alum Rock Ave nue as divide d into large parcels owned by m en largely

identified in the city directories as farmers and stock raisers: Michael Sullivan (185 acres); JameLendrum, namesake for the later Lendrum tract (285 acres); Patrick Sullivan (270 acres); and, M. Madden (165 acres). Hundreds of acres in the vicinity of Alum Rock Avenue from Capitol Avenue to White Road continued to be owned by the descendents of Charles W hite, who had purchased the Pala Rancho. In 1876, Charles E. W hite, the nephew of the original Charles White, owned several thousand acres of the original Pala Rancho. W hite was listed in the Historical Atlas of Santa Clara County as an attorney living in downtown San Jose [Fig. 6].


13

Figure 6: East Santa Clara Street/Alum Rock Avenue in 1876. Alum Rock Park is in the upper right corner. Note the larger parcels east of the East San Jose Homestead (Thompson and West 1876:25, 37)

In the decades after 1870, developers platted new subdivisions adjacen t to the eastern and southern boundaries of the East San Jose Ho mestead. The first was B each’s Addition of 1879 south of San Antonio S treet to William Street, followed in 1887 by the Lendrum Tract and the Garden City Tract both east of the original San Jose Homestead Tract [Fig. 7]. The Lendrum Tract included 28 blocks between McLaughlin Avenue (now South 24 th Street) on the west and


14

King Road on the east, and south of Alum Rock Avenue to Lendrum Avenue (now East San Antonio). State Highway 101 toda y passes through the m iddle of the original Lendrum Tract. The Garden City Tract included 12 blocks bounded by Mc Laughlin Avenue (now North 24 th Street) on the west, Wooste r Avenue (now North 28 th Street), McKee Road on the north and Alum Rock Avenue on the south. The urban size tracts lo ts in both tracts m easured approximately 40 by 130 feet.

Figure 7: East San Jose Homestead, Beach’s Addition, and a portion of the Lendrum Tract in 1886 (Clayton 1886)

A significant addition at the eastern end of the study area was the founding of the Calvary Cemetery in the 1880s. In 1882, St. Patrick’s Catholic Church purchased 20 acres at what is now the northwest corner of Capitol Avenue and Alum Rock Avenue for a cem etery. They named it Calvary Cemetery. Prior to 1882, m embers of the Catholic faith were either buried in the Santa Clara Mission Cemetery or Holy Cross Cem etery (also known as Kell Ce metery). When Kell Cemetery was later abandoned, most of the graves were moved to Calvary Cemetery, including Louis Pellier, father of Santa Cla ra Valley’s prune industry, and Edward McLaughlin, a prominent local banker. Many prom inent names are found on Calvary’s headstones, including Mirassou, Auzerais, P feiffer, O’Brien, Schilling, Tully, and Enri ght. Calvary Ce metery was operated by St. Patrick’s parish until 1975 when it was purchased by the Archdiocese of San Francisco. The property is now owned by the Rom an Catholic Bishop of San Jose (Basin Research Associates et al. 2005: 121).


15

The 1891 City of San Jose Sanborn Map of the Eas t San Jose Homestead indicates th at the area was still rather sparsely populated with about 30 houses. A fe w businesses are shown on the south side of Alum Rock Avenue east of Coyote Creek. Much of East San Jose remained largely undeveloped until the 20 th Century. A few 19 th century houses still survive within the boundaries of this early tract. One of the earliest extant ho uses is the circa 1870 Italianate George Paull House at 23 South 19 th Street, likely one of the first houses constructed in the East San Jose Homestead plat [Fig. 8]. The1880s house at 12 South 21st Street is in the Stick Ea stlake Style,while notable Queen Anne Style houses from 1890s include 48 South 20th Street, 54 South 24 th Street and 52 South 21 st Street. The large Queen Anne Style, two-story house at 1167-69 East Santa Clara Street (still unaltered) was constructed in 1888 by owner Dr. Benjamin F. Allen, a retiredphysician [Fig. 9]. Allen, a native of New York, and his wife Lucy moved to East San Jose from Illinois. T hey had four children, one of whom was the wife of Senator Charles Cross of San Francisco. Allen died in 1891 but his widow, Lucy, continued to reside at this location until her death in 1914 (Basin Research Associates et al. 2005).

Near the Dr. Allen house, the residence locat ed at 1190 East Santa Clara Street (now substantially altered) was cons tructed in 1888 by prom inent San Jose businessm an, Ferdinand Brassy. Born in France, Brassy came to California in 1856. By 1870, Brassy had started Brassy & Co., very successful g rocery and liquor business on Market Street. In 1887, he and Henry C. Ahlers, a jeweler in San Jose, s ubdivided at a 60-lot tract of la nd north of McLaughlin Avenue, south of East Santa Clara Street. Both Br assy and Ahlers “erected handsom e homes for themselves, and only will sell lots to tho se who will make corresp onding improvements.”

Figure 8: George Paull House, 23 South 19th Street, ca. 1870

Figure 9: Dr. Benjamin Allen House, 1167-69 East Santa Clara Street, 1888


16

Ahler’s home is no longer extant, but was located just west of Brassy’s home. It was late r lived in by another prom inent Frenchman and his partner in Brassy & Co., Edward Auzerais. Other homes that are extant from this phase of building are probably the Allen House at 1167-69 and the Jackson Hatch house at 1202 East Santa Clara Streets [see Fig. 18]. Brassy lived in his hom e at 1190 until his death in 1912, and his widow, Blanche, and later their son Lucien rem ained at this address until 1919. A liquor merchant and vineyard owner, Brassy was one of the original direcNational Bank. In 1955, a new concrete commercial constructed in front of the Brassy house by owneet al. 2005) [Fig. 35].

The Gothic Revival Style Bowm an Street (originally Webster and Jeffe(Arbuckle 1986:279-280) [Fig. 10]. The First

Figure 10: Bowman Methodist Episcopal Church, 95 South 20th Street, 1889

tors of the horse car line to Willow Glen and a director First building containing three retail stores was

r Anthony LaPine (Basin Research Associates

Methodist Episcopal Church at 20 th and East San Fernando rson streets), built in 1889, held services until the 1930s

A.M.E. Zion Church, a prim arily African American congregation, has occupied the building since 1972. The Church is the only major non-residential 19 th century building

Figure 11: San Jose alum Rock Railroad (History San Jose)

surviving in what was the original town of EastSan Jose.

The steam engine operated Alum RockAvenue to the Alum Rock Park in 1896 [Figs. longer extant) was at 26th Street and Alum

Railroad began service from 26th Street and Alum Rock 11-12]. The engine house for the railroad (no

Rock Avenue. In 1897 Dr. Lewis J. Belknap founded

Figure 12: Alum Rock Motor Road ca. 1896


17

the Garden City Sanitarium north of Alum Roc k Avenue a djacent to the east ban k of Coyote Creek.

2.5 THE EARLY TWENTIEH CENTURY (1900-1920) [Figs. 13-23]

The earthquake of 1906 caused widespread damage in San Jose, although the city was spared the devastating fire that destroyed so m uch of the City of San Francisco. The earthquake destroyed many buildings in San Jose’s downtown comme rcial district, including St . Patrick’s Church on Santa Clara Street, San Jose High School, the Phelan Building, the H orace Mann School, the State Normal School, the First Methodist Church and the Rucker Building. After 1906, new construction downtown replaced the destroyed build ings as the commercial district expanded to the east and south. The seven-story Garden City & Trust Com pany building at W est San Fernando and South First Streets, considered to be Sa n Jose’s first high-ri se, was completed in 1906, built by local en trepreneur Thomas S. M ontgomery. The new downtown developm ent created demand for housing and related comm ercial development in outlying areas like East San Jose [Fig. 13]. East San Jose was also not extensively damaged in 1906. The early 20 th century was a period of significant political change and new development in East San Jose after decades of slow growth during the 19 th century. By the early 20 th century, the East San Jose comm unity increasingly considered the County government inadequate to meet their needs. The impetus for incorporation was also stimulated by the desire of some citizens to curb the increasing number of saloons along Alum Rock Avenue; those opposed to incorporation were prim arily local liquor interests (Gilreath and Duval 2002: 36). One of the leaders for in corporation was T.M. W right who had authored state prohibition laws as a state assemblyman (Douglas 1993:62). The pro-

Figure 13: East San Jose Context Area in 1903 (Official Map of Santa Clara County 1903)


18

incorporation forces claim ed (in order to garner support) during the campaign that they wanted toregulate but not ban liquor.

The Town of East San Jose incorporated on July 20, 1906, the county’s ninth incorporated community (Arbuckle 1986:59) [Fig. 14]. By only a two vote majority, the incorporation of East San Jose passed. Despite th e assurances of the incorporation supporters regarding the liquor issue, the new town soon passed ordinances 24 and 29 which “. . . prohibited any individual or organization’s owning, possessing, selling, distributing or giving away liquor” (Douglas 1993:62). The boundaries of the new town of East San Jo se were McKee Road (north), King Road (east), Coyote Creek (west) and W illiam Street (department and several stores on Alum Rock Avenue, a school, and a church (Bowm an Methodist Episcopal Church) [Fig. 15].

Seven days after incorporating, the new city attorney, Jackson Hatch, wrote to Andrew Carnegie requesting funds for an East San Jose Library. The City Trustees had set up a library in the room occupied by the Town Officials in the orig inal Town Hall. The room measured only 15 by 18 feet and the books and furnishing had been donated by the trustees. The need to separate the lib rary from city operation s and theexpectation of more book donations created the need for larger permanent facility of the town’s library. In May 2, 1907, Andrew Carnegie granted East San Jose $6,893 for its own public library at A dams Street (now 23 rd Street) and Alum Rock Avenue. Five Carnegie Libraries (San Jose, Los Gatos, Gilroy, Palo Alto and East San J ose) were eventuallybuilt in Santa Clara County(Kortum 1990). The respected San

south). Th e small town had a city hall, a vo lunteer fire

Figure 14: Boundaries of the Town of East San Jose (San Jose and Vicinity 1909)

Figure 15: East San Jose Fire Department


19

Jose architect Theodore Lenzen designed the library. The handsome Neo-classical Style library opened in January, 1908 [Fig. 16].

The East San Jose Lib rary is th e oldest library in the City of San Jose library system, one of the few Carnegie Libraries in continuous operation still as a library and the oldest extant public building in the original East San Jose. The building is a community landm ark and is listed on the National Register of Histor ic Places. Th e Library, scheduled for replacement by a m odern library inaddition was constructed to e

Jackson Hatch lived at 1202 East Santa Clara Street by 1890. The house rem ained a single family home until the early 1920s when it w as divided into an apartment house. In 1958, a 1300 square foot commercial building containing three storefronts was constructed across the front of t he building by owner Ralph LaPine [Figs. 17-18]

The building still extant today (although substantially altered) at 1072 East Santa Clara Street originally known as ‘East San Jose H all’ and ‘Bates Hall’ is like ly to have been the City Hall for East San Jose acco rding to newspap er accounts dealing with r ecollections of local residents [Fig. 19]. An earlier hall had been located on the lot east of this location, now 1082 East Santa Clara Street, but this building replaced it when it was constructed. The two-story building located at 1072 East Santa Clara Street was constructed about 1907, probably byClarence A. Bates. Bates was a local contractor with William J. Bigger, Bates & Bigger, and was active in the loca l politics of the Town of East San Jose, serving as a member of the Board of Trustees and as its president. According to infor mant L.C. Howe, “. . . the c ity council chambers were in Bates Hall, over a garage between 22 nd and 23rd streets on the south side of Santa Clara Street.” As well as serving as city council chambers between 1907 and 1911, the hall provided meeting and banquet space. By 1924, the building was owned by Charles E. Byerly who converted the second floor hall space to four ap artments in 1925. In 1948, then

Figure 16: Carnegie Library, 1102 East Santa Clara Street, 1908

1981, was saved by co mmunity opposition to its dem olition. A new xpand facilities; a second major addition was completed in 2009.

Figure 17: Jackson Hatch House, 1202 East Santa Clara Street, ca. 1896


20

owner Louis Bartlett conducted $6,500 worth of alterations to the building. The original wood siding at this time was cov ered with stucco.

As early as March, 1907, East San Jose businessmen claimed thatincorporation had dam aged their business and began circulating petitions supporting annexation (San Jose Mercury & Evening News, March 14, 1907). Blacksmiths complained there was no “entertainment” (i.e., saloons) for waiting customers. Also as early as 1905, the San Jos ebusiness interests supported annexing outlying areas to increase the city’s prestige (San Jose Mercury & Evening Newswas 21,500 and the city lim

It was not until f ive years after East San Jose’s incorporation that the pro-annexation forces prevailed and the City of San Jose annexed the area. The citizens of East San Jose wanted im proved services and undoubtedly m any wanted the ban on liquor lifted. On November 2, 1911, San Jose citizens voted for the East San Jose annexation by a substantial margin of 1,423 to 255 (Arbuckle 1986:60); the vote in East San Jose was 210 for and 20 against (The Evening News, November 3, 1911.). The boundaries of the annexed area included the area originally incorporated as Ea st San Jose. The area reportedly now had a population of abou t 2,000. After annexation, the C ity of San Jose changed the na mes of all the nor th-south streets (nam ed for the nation’s early leaders) in 1913; the former Hancock, Clay, Webster, Jones, Monroe and Adams Streets became 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, and 23rd streets. McLaughlin Avenue became 24th Street from McKee Road to William Street. The east/west s treets were largely renamed as extensions of their San Jose counterparts: Alum Rock Avenue chang ed to East Sant a Clara Street; Jefferson Stree t

population, which they thought would enhance its , March 26, 1905). In 1905, San Jose’s population

its had not changed for 25 years.

Figure 18: Hatch House, 1202 East Santa Clara, with 1955 commercial building in front (Google photo)

Figure 19: Bates Hall, 1072 East Santa Clara Street, likely the City Hall for East San Jose (Joachim, San Jose Mercury, 9/13/1978)


21

became East San Fernando Street and Franklin became East San Antonio Street. The only streets nam es that did not change were minor: Calhoun, Shortridge and Whitton (Arbuckle 1986: 60).

The 1915 Sanborn m ap shows the blocks in the area annexed to San Jose still had a primarily residential character. A few storeswere interspersed between the houses along East Santa Clara Street and Alum Rock Avenue. In the years after the East San Jose annexation, a num ber of new residences were constructed in the study area within blocks on East Santa Clara Street/Alum Rock Avenue out to King Road (possibly in response to new services provided by the City of San Jose) [Fig. 20- 21]. Several houses constructed 1911-1920 still survive on the blocks of Al um Rock Avenue between 33rd Street and King Road (i.e., the easternmost blocks annexed), albeit altere d or hidden by later de velopment (1617, 1633, 1665 and 1668 Alum Rock Avenue). The area east of King Road remained sparsely populated, retaining a rural cha racter with large parcels.

Another significant East San Jose monument built soon after the1908 Carnegie Library was the Five Wounds Church (1375-1401 East Santa Clara Street at 28 th Street) [Fig. 22]. The corner stone for the Church was laid onOctober 21, 1916. The church replaced the sm all chapel (Imperio), built by members of the local Portuguese community in 1914. The Five Wounds Portuguese National Church was founded on November 12, 1914 at the request of Msgr. Ribeiro and the land was purchased from Manuel Teixeira de Freitas. The Holy Cross Church in Brag a, Portugal served as the inspiration for San Fran cisco architect John J.

Figure 20: East San Jose Homestead, the Garden City Tract, and the Lendrum Tract in 1904 (Map of City of San Jose and Vicinity)

Figure 21: 16 South 24th Street - Typical example of a Neo-Classical or Colonial Revival cottage, 1910


22

Foley’s design. Wood for the building was bought for $3,000 from the Portuguese Pavilion at the Panama Pacific World Fair in San Francisc o. It was brought down the El Cam ino Real in carts by members of the local Portuguese community. The cost of the church was approximately $90,000. On June 29, 1918, the first m ass was celebrated in the new unfinished church. The church was dedicated on July 12, 1919 by Archbi shop Edward J. Hanna. The parish was a national parish, which were traditionally created in order for the Church to aid new immigrants to the area. Stores catering to the Portuguese community on a few blocks across from the church became known as ‘Little Portugal.’ Originally, established by thePortuguese community, the church now is m ulti-cultural, serving the Hispanic, Filipino, and Vietnamese communities.

Two significant buildings adjacent to the Church were ad ded in the 1950s. The handsom e Spanish Colonial Revival Style Parish Rectory just west of the Church of Five Wounds was finished in 1950 [Fig. 23]. The architect for the building was Vincen t Bucaley of San Francisco, the contracto r was local builder, V. J. Sunzeri, and the estimated cost of the building was $52,500. The construction for Five Wounds School (1391 East Santa Clara Street) began on December 10, 1957 when perm its were taken out to build the foundations for both the Five Wounds Sc hool and Convent. Roy Watson was the architect, and the builder was W. J. Nicholas Co. The work commenced on the $84,000 classroom project after February 3, 1958. Th e eight-grade parochial school, located to the rear of the new convent, opened in Septem ber 1959. By 1990, the school was conducted in three languages, Portuguese, Spanish and English.

The Five Wounds Church has been determined eligible f or the National Register of Historic Places and Church is a San Jose City Landmark (Basin Research Associates et al. 2005:187). The Five Wounds Church itself is architecturally significant as the only example of Portuguese

Figure 22: Five Wounds Church, 1375 East Santa Clara Street, 1918

Figure 23: Five Wounds Church Rectory, 1375 East Santa Clara Street, 1950


23

Baroque Revival architecture in the Bay Area. The Church has also been seen as a central institution in the history of San Jose’s Portugue se community. Both the Church and the Church Rectory were determined eligible for the Nation al Register of Historic Places because of their association with them es of historical or cultural significance. Constructed in 1957, the Convent/School may become eligible with the adjacent Church buildings in the future.

2.6 POST WORLD WAR I TO WORLD WAR II (1918-1945) [Figs. 24-30]

Population growth, and the increasing use of auto mobile transportation, began to spur suburban development on the outskirts of San Jose in the late 1920s. Orchards and farms in the study area were subdivided for housing and retail comm ercial development. Private bus lines began to replace the San Jose streetcar system in the 1920s and 1930s [Fig. 24].

The 1920s was a boom period of p opulation growth and new cons truction. The transfor mation of the Eas t Santa Clara Street/Alum Rock corrido r from primarily residential to retail commercial occurred in the 1920s and 1930s, creating the development pattern still extant today on the blocks between the Coyote Creek Bridge and King Road. The large number of retail commercial buildings dating from this period - especially on the blocks from 19th Street to 30th Street (western blocks of the study area) - reflects a dram atic change from the earlier development pattern.

Figure 21: East San Jose in 1929 (Official Map of Santa Clara County 1929)

Figure 24: East San Jose Context Area in 1929 (Official Map of Santa Clara County 1929)


24

Retail commercial buildings from this period concen trated in just one ar ea of East Santa Clara Street include: 884 East Santa Clara Street (1929), 934 East Sa nta Clara Street (1920), 942-948 East Santa Clara Street (1927), 961 East Santa Cl ara Street (1920), 1062 East Santa Clara Street 1098 (1937), 1098 East Santa Clar a Street (1932), 1119 East Sa nta Clara Street (1929), 1135 East Santa Clara Street (1923), 1201 East Santa Clara Street (1927), 1250 East Santa Clara Street (1922), and 1285 East Santa Clara Street (1922) (Basin Research Associates et al. 2005:154-181). A number of the 1920s building on East Santa Clara were auto related uses (i.e., repair, body shops etc.) reflecting the dram atic increase in auto use during this decade. The original tenants and owners of t he 1920s and 1930s commercial retail and auto related buildings still extant today on East Santa Clara Street are described in the subsequent paragraphs.

The reinforced-concrete build ing located at 88 4 East Santa Clara Street was con structed by owner F. J. Blakely in 1929 for the “Blakely Pharmacy” [Fig. 25]. Architect for the $19,800 building was V. H. Vore of Oakland, and contr actors were Megan & Newe ll. Blakely used the building for his pharmacy, which had previously been located at 896 East Santa Clara Street, the adjacent building to the east. The new building had three storefronts, then addressed as 886, 888, 890, Blakely’s Pharmacy occupying #888.

934 East Santa Clara Street was constructed in 1920 by Davis & Castner for use an auto repair garage. The estimated cost of the building wa s $2,000. Albert R. Davis and Albert W. Castner were partners until the late 1930s and by 1944 Da vis had gone out of business. The building later served as the warehouse for Martino’s Furn iture which was located at 948 East Santa Clara Street.

942-948 East Santa Clara Street was constructe d in 1927 by J.P. Poli ssar. The building, designed by well-known local arch itects Wolfe & Higgins, was cons tructed of hollow terracotta tile by contractor C. W. Cook and cost approximately $25,765. Poli ssar ran a dry goods store in one storefront and a grocery store, run by Polissar and others, was located in the other. Polissar lived next door at 15 S. 20th Street. Between 1947 and 1952, Martino’s Furniture occupied #948.

961 East Santa Clara Street was co nstructed in 1922 by W illiam J. Bigger as a com bination “store and residence.” The estimated cost was $3,500. The store fronted East Santa Clara Street and the residence fronted North 20 th Street. Bigger was a w ell-known resident of East San Jose, living at 965 East Santa Clara Stre et. He was a building contractor and former Deputy Sheriff. He also owned a no longer extant gas station on this site.

1062 East Santa Clara S treet was constructed in 1937 by Augusta Corbal. It replaced the circa 1884 bakery building owned and operated by Gottleib Krauss. Augusta and her husband Frank

Figure 25: 896, 884, 872, and 870 East Santa Clara, typical commercial retail dating to the 1920s and 1930s


25

Corbal owned the property by the 1920s and operat ed the bakery in the older building. Frank died in 1935 and Augusta built the new building in 1937 for an estim ated cost of $6,200. H.D. Winigar was the contractor for the project. Th is building also served as a bakery, operated by Frank Carvalho until his death in 1941.

1098 East Santa Clara Street wa s constructed in 1932 by owner F. H. Morgan as a “public market,” the cost estimated at $6,000. In 1933, the Trading Post Public Market had tenants that consisted of a fruit dealer, a delicatessen, and a grocery store. The T rading Post nam e was consistent with the lo g-style construction m aterials in th e building. By the late 1930s, the grocery was being operated by Safe way and J.B. Ra ndrup operated a restauran t on the site. In the late 1940s, the Busy Bee Drive-In Market was in the building as well as a restaurant. It has been used as a clubhouse since the mid 1980s.

1119 East Santa Clara St reet was constructed in 1929, The contractor for the project was Thermotite Construction Company and th e estimated cost of the building was $ 3,700. The Thermotite Construction Company was founded by Floyd O. Bohnett in 1925. In 1921, Clouser, who held the patent for the building blocks, st arted a company headquartered in San Francisco and San Jose that m ade the block manufacturing m olds and presses. The earliest tenant for this building was Lorenzo McCartney’s auto repair shop. By 1935, Gene Bourdet was altering the building for use as the B ourdet French Laundry, a use that continued unt il the laundry moved to their new building to the west at 1115 East Santa Clara Street. The building then returned to use as an auto repair shop.

1135 East Santa Clara Street was constructed in 1923 by Bert W . Graves. Graves had a m en’s furnishings store in the building, then addresse d as 1147 East Santa Clara Street. The wood frame, one-story business building cost an es timated $4,800 and Ford & Thornberg were the contractors for the project. The building initially housed three storefronts. By the late 1920s, Frank Carvahalo was operating a bakery in #1 139, a shoe repair shop in 1143, and Grave’s clothing store was in #1147. By 19 49, a restaurant eventually replaced the bakery and a clothes cleaner was occupying #1147.

The Vicari Building at 1201 East Santa Clara St reet was designed and constructed in 1927 by Dyke Walton. The building was constructed for owne r Nick Vicari, a local grocer, at a cost of $8,000. After the building’s construction, Vicari operated his grocery/liquor business in #1201 and there w ere two other storefronts at #1211 and #1219. Apartm ents were located upstairs, addressed at #1213. In recent years the building has undergone renovation.

The small commercial building lo cated at 125 0 East Santa Clara Street was constructed by contractor Louis A. Feliz as a grocery store for owner Frederick G. Soto. Soto was the son of Californios, Cusanto (Chris) and Adelaide Soto. Members of the Soto family lived on South 23rd (Adams) as early as 1876. In 1922, E. W . Sands was operating the grocery store at this location, followed by, E. M. Lewis in 1923. The property had been acquired by Louis A. Feliz by 1924. The market has had numerous operators over the years. In the recent pa st, it has operated under the name of Rose Market.

1285 East Santa Clara Street was constructe d for an estim ated $1,200 in 1922 by owner Peter Davis as a “public garage.” The use of the building was probably for auto repair, but it m ay also


26

been used as a parking garage for persons who did not have garages on their property. Buildings constructed for use as parking garages were of ten converted to repair shops as hom eowners constructed garages on their own prope rties. F.F. Biaggi operated an auto repair garage on this site in the late 1920s; an d by the early 1930s, property owner Peter Da vis and partner W illiam Watson were operating the East Depot Garage in the building. By 1942, the building was Peter Davis’ Used Cars, and a variety of car-related businesses have occupied the site since that time.

The small (two block) reta il area on Alum Rock Avenue (between White Road and M illar Avenue) serving the Alum Rock community also first developed in the 1930s (3100 and 3103 Al um Rock Avenue), then expanded in the 1940s and 1950s [Fig. 26]. This area was p art of the o riginal Pala Rancho owned by Charles E. White. The original 40 acres owned by M.E. Staples (south side of Alum Rock Avenue east of W hite Road) was subdivided first as the Home Acres subdivision in 1911. The lots were subdivided further in th e 1920s. The original 40 acres owned by M.H. Hyland (north side of Alum Rock Avenue eas t of White Road) was subdivided in 1921 as the Studio Heights subdivision. In the 1920s, John Johnston operated for several years an airport, considered the earliest in the County, at the corner of White Road and Alum Rock Avenue (now the site of Jam es Lick High School). The nuisance factor led neighbors to file a lawsuit against Johnston in 1927, forcing the airport to m ove in

Figure 26: 3100 block of Alum Rock Avenue, typical commercial retail dating to the 1930s

Figure 27: 14 South 21st Street, typical Bungalow, ca. 1920

1929 (Arbuckle 1986:470).

The preponderance of Bungalow Style houses, built primarily during the 1920 to 1925 period, in the study area also reflects the huge construction boom of the 1920s [Fig. 27]. The East San Jose Bungalow (characterized by a low pitched gable

Figure 28: 71 South 19th Street, Spanish Colonial Revival, 1928


27

roof with wide eaves and a substantial front porch) are small modest single story houses built for working class families. The many Bungalows built in the original East San Jos e Homestead (blocks from 19th to 24th streets) and the Lendrum Tract filled in the tract’ s still v acant lots or replaced earlier houses. By the late 1920s and into the 1930s the various revival styles such as Spanish Colonial Revival and Tudor Revival became popular in the cont ext area [Figs. 28-29]. To accommodate the p opulation increase in the East San Jose area annexed by San Jose, the expansive Roosevelt High School was constructed in 1925, replacing the Garden City S anitarium north of Alum Rock Avenue at North 20 Street [Fig. 30]. East of the study area, San Jose Hospital had opened in 1923 at 14 th Street and East Santa Clara Street.

The arrival of the W estern Pacific Railroad (WPRR) to the study area in 1921 changed the land in the vicinity of 27th and 28th streets and East Santa Clara Street fromresidential and agricultu ral use to industrial4. The first W PRR freight depot was located on the east side of North 27 th Street at East Santa Clara Street. Aceremony was held on Septem ber 1, 1921 to m ark completion of WPRR's San Jose bran ch to East San Jose. The for mer passenger depot and initial freight depot on 28th Street was late r used as a section foreman's residence until they were demolished in 1967. The San Jose Lumber Company at East Santa Clara Street and 26 th Street opened during the 1930s in this location adjacent to the WPRR line. The lum ber company ownership and nam e changed ov er the years : Crescent Lumber, Sunset Lumber Company and the Mayfair Lumber Company during the 1940s. Since

th

Figure 29: 55 South 21st Street, Tudor Revival, 1935

Figure 30: Roosevelt High School, 1925

4. The Western Pacific Railway Com pany was incorporated on March 6, 1903 to connect Oakland and Salt

Lake City and com pete with the Southe rn Pacific. The Western Pacific opened for freight traffic in December 1909 and passengers in August 1911, but the franchise for the branch from Niles to San Jose was not secured until 1917. Their main freight depot at The Alameda and Bush Street opened May 1, 1922 west of what is now the San Jose/Diridon Station. Passenger service was abandoned in 1931 due to poor ridership and the onset of the Depression. The rai lroad defaulted on its bonds in March 1935 and reorganized as the Western Pacific Railroad Company. In September 1982, this line was consolidated into the Western District of the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) along with the Western Pacific and Missouri Pacific (Arbuckle 1986; Gilreath and Duval 2002: 5).


28

1980, the business has continued to operate as th e Empire Lumber Company (JRP Historical Consulting Services 2003: Appendix B).

2.7 TRANSPORTATION AND CHANGING LAND USE PATTERNS (1905-1945)

The widespread use of autom obiles would eventually have the m ost dramatic impact along the East Santa Clara Street/Alum Rock Avenue corri dor. The f irst horseless carriages appeared in 1900 in the Santa Clara Valley, and the first "service station" opened in 1902. By 1910, San Jose had undertaken a long-term project to upgrade streets for auto tr avel; by 1930, most of the roads were paved and extensively used, especially am ong the rural population. All City of San Jose streetcar line service ceased on April 10, 1938 (Findlay and Garaventa 1983:62 after James and McMurry 1933:137; McMillan and McMillan 1929; SJCPC 1958:12; McCaleb 1969:78, 81).

The development of the Bayshor e Highway (State Highway 101) between San Jose and San Francisco began in the late 1920s and was comp leted in the late 1930s, transform ing regional transportation and accelerating the push to subur ban expansion. Alum Rock Avenue also became an increasing ly important local traffic artery carrying autom obiles off and on to the Highway. From San Jose to Sa n Francisco, State Highway 101 is now known as the Bayshore Freeway as it passes through the communities along the San Francisco Peninsula. This segment of highway was originally Ba yshore Boulevard, later re-d esignated the 101A bypass and upgraded to a freeway by the late 1950s. Cons truction on the initial section of Bayshore Boulevard - South San Francisco to Burlingame Broadway (jus t over 5 m iles) - began in September, 1924. The highway reached Redwood C ity in 1931 and San Jo se in 1937 (Barrett 1940:6). Bayshore Boulevard’s original southern terminus was at Alum Rock Avenue in San Jose.

Santa Clara Valley agricu ltural production peaked in the 1920s, but f ood processing was still the single largest employer in San Jose through the e arly years of the Gre at Depression in the 1930s. There were 13 fruit dryi ng plants in San Jose in 1930 and 22 canneries, most of t hem run by local owners. By 1930, the population of San Jose had grown to 61,000.

The Santa Clara Valley econom y began a transiti on from agriculture to a m ilitary industrial economy in 1933, with the opening of the Nava l Air Station in Sunn yvale, later known as Moffett Field. During World W ar II, there was a huge increase in military investment in the valley, both at Moffett Field and through the conversion of canneries and other civilian industries to war production.

The mammoth scale of the W orld War II defense program had no r eal historical precedent. American involvement in W orld War I had been relatively brief and the nation’s defense industries were comparatively limited in scope. There were labor shor tages during both world wars, but the shortages during the S econd World War were so acute and prolonged that by late 1942 the defense industries labor market expanded to include production workers never seriously considered by many industrial employers before the war – women, African Americans, migrants from Oklahoma (“Okies”), high school students, and elderly and disabled workers.

As wartime labor shortages grew more acute in 1942, industrial em ployers in the Bay Area developed national recruitment programs, prompting large migrations of workers from areas with


29

a labor surplus, such as the rural South and the Midwest, to regions with acute labor shortages such as the West and Gulf Coasts. The e ight million people who moved to the Pacific Coast were part of what historian David Kennedy calls a “great wartim e demographic reshuffling” (Kennedy 1999:xiv, 322-323). T hese recruitment programs helped to draw 500,000 new migrants to the Bay Area from 1941-1945, a population increase of about 30 percent. In 1943, a San Francisco Chronicle reporter, Morton Silverman, wrote a series of articles under the banner headline, “The Second Gold Rush Hits the W est.” Silverm an described not only a boom ing economy and population but also a dra matic transformation of re gional geography and demographics (Johnson 1995:89; Silverman 1943; Wollenberg 1990:2).

The agricultural and other relate d industries (such as food proces sing) of San Jose and Santa Clara County drew people to the area, with immi grants from Mexico, Europe (particularly Italians and Portuguese), Asia and emigrants from other part of the United States. In some cases, these immigrants settled in neighborhoods that rein forced cultural ties. Subsequent imm igration from Asia and the Americas has resulted in culturally and ethnically diverse neighborhoods bordering the East Santa Clara Street /Alum Rock Avenue corridor. D uring the war years and after, East San Jose developed as a distinctly Hispanic co mmunity. Ethnically the residential areas adjacent to the co rridor are now approximately sixty-six to eighty per cent Hispanic with remainder of the residents primarily Asian (Seifel Consulting, Inc. 2007: 34, 47, 53, 84).

2.8 INDUSTRIALIZATION AND URBANISM (1945 TO 2000) [Figs. 31-39]

The period from 1945 to 2000 is known as the era of industrialization and urbanization in San Jose. The defense and electronics industries, rath er than agriculture, drove the expansion of the urban and regional econom y. Pioneering elect ronics firms, including Hewlett Packard, established headquarters in the Stanford Indus trial Park in the 1950s. One of the great milestones in local postwar history was the opening of San Jose Municipal Airport in 1949.

The city’s territorial ex pansion kept pace with its rap id economic growth. San Jose City Manager Anthony P. (“Dutch”) Ham ann led an aggressive program of urban annexation, growing San Jose from an area of 17 square m iles in 1950 to 136 square m iles in 1970. During this period, the City o f San Jose annexed the vast area of East San Jose east of King Road not included in the 1911 annexation. The City of San Jose had largely annexed all the parcels adjacen t to the East Santa Clara Street/Alum Rock Avenue corridor east of King Road in the study area in 1958. San Jose annexed additional parcels along the corridor in the 1960s.

The city also ex perienced a breathtaking growth in population during this period – a result of

Figure 31: 853 Calhoun Street, two-story apartment building, 1950


30

annexation policies combined with a national postwar baby boom and continuing migration to the Bay Area from the South and Midwest. San Jose’s population was 68,457 in 1940; 95,044 in 1950; 204,196 in 1960; and 445,779 by 1970. During the 1950s and 1960s, a number of two-sto ry apartment buildings (for exam ple, 853 Calhoun Street built 1950; 860 Calhoun Street built 1955; 1190 Shortridge Avenue built 1967) replaced single family residences in the original East San JoseHomestead plat, increasing density and changing its original residential character [Figs. 31-32].

During this period, the study area along Alum Rock Avenue east of King Road experienced more intensive development. This area had always had lower density develo pment and larger, less urban parcels. Reflecting the more rural character of the area even in post-World War II years is the opening of the Farm er Grain and Poultry Supply in 1949 (1936-1944 Alum Rock Avenue), serving small farmers living in the east County. The business after 19 70 had been landscaping materials and supplies (Alum Rock Building and Garden Supply) until it clos ed in 2006 (Bamburg 2007).

The largest industrial com plex in the study area is the Coast Oil Company buildings at 2075 Alum Rock Avenue constructed in 1948. Coast Oil was started in 1938 by Charles and Herbert Richards. Herbert Richards constructed th e Alum Rock plant for the reclam ation of contaminated fuel oil. Charles h ad been previously employed by the Peacock Oil Refinery o n Stockton Avenue, and his son Herb ert had recently gra duated from the University o f California at Berkeley with a degree in chemical engineering. They first experimented behind their home in the Burbank area in blending fuels and lubricating oils for local farmers, eventually establishing a service station on W est San Carlos. Taking ov er the company, Herbert Richards constructed the Alum Rock plant for the reclam ation of contaminated fuel oil. In 1947, Herbert established the Star & Bar chain of gas stations in San Jose, the first self-service gas station/mini-markets in California. In partnership w ith the Robinson Oil C o., Coast Oil Co. now owns and operates a chain of 30 Rotten Robbie gas stations. Under the leadership of Herbert Richards, Coast Oil was at the forefront of the curren t trend of self-service gas stati ons/mini-markets, and petroleum product recycling.

Figure 32: 1155 Shortridge Avenue, two-story apartment

building, 1955


31

Two major buildings constructed on East Santa Clara Street in the Pos t-War years were the Mayfair Department Store and the Mayfair Theate r. The Mayfair Departm ent Store, 1001 East Santa Clara Street, was constructed in 1946 by owner Ben Av rech at an estim ated cost of $55,000. The large frame-construction store was designed by the well-known local architectural firm of Binder and Curtis and built by Lew Jones Construction Com pany. The building is currently occupied by a grocery sto re. A fine example of the Streamlined Moderne Style in San Jose, the Mayfair Theater, located at 1191 East Santa Clara Street, wa s constructed in 1949 by property owner Walter D. Haugh [Fig. 33]. The bu ilding has been determined eligible for theNational Register of Historic Places. T he architect for the project was a well-known Northern California theater arch itect OttoDeichman of San Francisco. The contractor and e ngineer was Aldo P. Savio, vice-president of Mark Thomas & Com pany, an engineering firm that rem ains in business today. The 800-seat theater was soon purchased and operated by Arthur and Chiverlette Yarimine. The couple also ran the El Rancho Drive-In Theater. In 1962, it w as sold to Affiliated Theaters, Inc. of Los Angeles and San Francisco, who changed the nam e to the Esqui re Theater. Robert L. Lippert, head of Affiliated, at the tim e of the purchase owned 49 movie theaters and was also a producer o f movies in L os Angeles. The new m anager was James Chapman. The building has in recent years been used as a church and is now vacant.

Two of the most notable or notorious residents of the st udy area in the 1950s were Beat Generation notables Neal and Carolyn Cassady who owned the house at 1047 East Santa Clara Street between 1952 and 1954. Neal and Carolyn Cassady lived with their three children, Jam i, Cathleen Joanne, and John Allen, at 1047 East Sant a Clara Street from late Spring, 1952 to Fall 1954. They had met in Denver in 1947 and married in 1948. Events that took place in the main house are chronicled in Off the Road by Carolyn Cassady (see Basin Research Associates et al . 2005). Novelist Jack Kerouac was a frequent hous e guest, and poet Allen Ginsberg stayed there as well. Another notable reside nt in the 1950s who liv ed near the study ar ea was Cesar Chavez who started working as a community organizer while living in a house in East San Jose at 53 Scharff Avenue. Chavez becam e nationally renowned as an advocate for the righ ts and improved working conditions for farm workers.

New transportation projects, particularly the construction of new freeways, had a m ajor impact on the study area during the 1950s and 1960s. East Santa Clara St reet and Alum Rock Avenue eventually became significant tr affic arteries feeding two m ajor freeways. The Bayshore Freeway (State Highway 101) from San Francisco to San Jose is the re sult of widening and

Figure 33: Mayfair Theater, 1191 East Santa Clara Street, 1949


32

altering the original Bayshore Boulevard over a 70-year period. A plan published in 1940 proposed replacing all the at-g rade Bayshore Boulevard inters ections with overpasses or underpasses and widening the highway to six lanes (Barrett 1940:6). This plan was not implem ented until after World War II. During the 1940s and 1950s, safety improvements and the construction of more lanes cost millions of dollars,transforming the highway into a freeway. The stretch between Redwood City and South San Francisco was the Bay Area'Bayshore Boulevard from San Josewas upgraded to freeway status. In the 1970s, thfreeway to bisect the study arCapital Avenue.

By the mid-20th century the audistrict as new retail development spread to outlying areas. The San Jose City Council approved commercial zoning in the m id 1950s leading to the estab lishment of San Jose ’s first regional suburban shopping center, Valley F air, in 1956. Th is was the start of a trend toward suburban shopping malls and a flight of business from downtown San Jose.

The widespread use of automobiles brought development to more remote parts of the Santa Clara Valley. In the year s following World War II, the love af fair with the automobile exploded and California in particu lar became a car-oriented society. Retail developments – shopping centers and the new fast food outlets - became more car-oriented also with large parking areas and m ore flamboyant architecture to catch the eye o f passing motorists. Sprawling suburban houses also had prominent two or three car garages [Figs. 34-35].

s first freeway when it opened in 1947; over the next 20 years the original to Redwood City and South Sa n Francisco to San Francisco

e development of Interstate 680 was the second ea at Alum Rock Avenue between Jackson Avenue and South

tomobile had begun to diminish the vitality of the central business

Figure 34: 1255, 1261 and 1269 East Santa Clara Street, typical commercial retail dating from the 1940s

Figure 35: 1202 and 1190 East Santa Clara Street, both late 1880s, with late 1950s commercial buildings in front (Google Photo 1955)


33

Notable examples of roadside commercial architecture of the post-war period in the study area include the Orange Hot Dog stand – in the shape of a giant orange – built in 19 47 (originally at 1920 Alum Rock Avenue, later m oved to 48 South Capital Avenue); the expressionist architecture of th e 1963 Wilshire Gas Station at 2149 Alum Rock Avenue; and, Bernie’s Burgers, a classic early 1950s ‘drive-in’ at 1805 Alum RockAvenue [Figs. 36-37].

The Silicon Valley boom of the period from 1970 to 2000 com pletely transformed the regional economy and landscape. San Jose developed into a world lead er in the technology industry, with 6,600 technology companies employing more than 254,000 people. The population of the city of San Jose doubled during the 30 years from 1970 to 2000, rising from 445,779 to 894,943. San Jose is now the larges t city in the San Francisco Bay Area with an estimated population in January 2010 of 1,023,000. A new San Jose City Hall was built on East Santa Clara Street in 2005, one of the highlights of a decade of renewed downtown development.

During recent decades, numerous neighborhood shopping centers and outlets of na tional franchises (Kragen Auto, McDonald’s etc.) have been developed along Alum Rock Avenue. The 1999 Alum Rock Mid-Town Plan defined m uSince 2002, the S trong Neighborimprove-ments adjacent to the East Santa Clara San Jose Redevelopmnumber of new community servstudy area including the 1999 MexicaKing Road), one of the largest LaAlum Rock Branch Library (WCommunity Center (901 East Santa Clara Stre

Figure 36: Wilshire Gas Station, 2149 Alum Rock Avenue,

1963

Figure 37: Bernie’s Burgers, 1805 Alum Rock Avenue, early 1950s

ch of high dens ity residential development of recen t years. hood Initiative (SNI) has funded extensive neighborhood

Street/Alum Rock Avenue corridor through the ent Agency. A notable developm ent in recen t years is th e significant

ice buildings (funded largely th rough SNI) constructed in the n Heritage Plaza (southeast corner Alum Rock Avenue and

tino cultural centers in the nation; the 2005 Dr. Roberto Cruz -hite Road an d Alum Rock Avenue); the 2008 Roosevelt

et- the site of Roosev elt High School); and a


34

10,000 square foot addition to the East San Jose Carnegie Library that opened in 2009. The Ne ighborhood Business District program under the San Jose Redevelopment Agency has also financed public/private partnerships to im prove the retai l

development.

East Santa Clara Street/Alum Rock Ave

The earliest development in the study area is at as East San Jose in 1906, then annexed by the Carea from Coyote Creek to King Roaperiod is from 1870 to 1905. The earliest subdiJose Homestead, an area that included Several 19th century subdivisions (1880s) expanded fromThis section of the study area has the only 19Bowman Methodist-Episcopal Church

Figure 38: Typical modern franchise retail on Alum Rock Avenue.

commercial structures and to construct new housing along the East Santa Clara Street/Alum Rock Avenue corridor (Seifel Consulting, Inc. 2007) [Figs. 38-39].

2.9 CONCLUSION

The East Santa Clara Street/Alum Rock Avenue corridor study area is not a single community or neighborhood. The study area is a prim arily a transportation and commercial corridor extending from the edge of downtown San Jose to the parkland and open sp ace at the city’s eastern boundary. The study area also includes select residential areas adjacent to the corridor, with the residential area from Coyote Creek to South 24 th Street north of East San Fernando Street by far the largest. The study area can be divided into three se ctions based on its phases of historical

Figure 39: 1245 East Santa Clara Street, modern office building, 1980

nue Corridor: Coyote Creek to King Road

its western end, the area or iginally incorporated ity of San Jose in 1911. This includes the study

d, with at least four major periods of development. The first vision in the study area was the 1870 East San

the blocks from Coyote Creek to South 24 th Street. this first subdivision east to King Road.

th century buildings – prim arily houses and the – still extant. The second period of development was a


35

major period of change from 1905 to early 1930s. Considerable new developm ent occurred in this period creating the urban environment still surviving today. Many of the commercial retail buildings extant on East Santa Clara Street, in addition to the bungalow style houses on the adjacent blocks, date from the 1920s and the 1930s. During these years, East Santa Clara Street was transformed from primarily residential to retail commercial use. The third period dates from 1940 to the m id 1960s. The commercial retail on East Santa Clara Street from the 1940s and 1950s largely expanded on the existing density of closely spaced, one and two-story buildings on narrow, rectangular shaped parcels developed in the earlier decades. On East Santa Clara Street, retail buildings were constructed in front of earlier houses (often divided into apartments). Small apartment buildings (10-15 units) replaced a nu mber of the earlier single –fa mily houses in th e residential area south of East Sa nta Clara Street, increasing the popul ation density in this area. Development in the last fifty years has been primarily in-fill projects in an ear ly 20th century urban fabric. Larger scale projects include the recent tow n house developm ent on the block bounded by South 23rd and South 24th Streets.

East Santa Clara Street/Alum Rock Avenue Corridor: King Road to White Road

The second section of th e study area includes the Alum Rock Avenue corridor from King Road to White Road. This section of the study was not annexed by the City of San Jose until 47 years after the area to the west of King Road (prim arily in 1958). This area continued to have a rural character of large lo ts and low density development until after W orld War II. Nothing survives in this p art of the study area f rom the 19 th century or the early 20 th century. Several houses survive from the 1930s, although often rem odeled or converted to comm ercial uses (on the blocks from King Road to Sunset Avenue). The earliest development in this section of the study area, however, largely dates from the late 1940s and 1950s, primarily road side comm ercial or neighborhood retail, reflecting population and bu ilding booms in the post-W orld War II period. One large industrial co mplex in the area is th e Coast Oil facility, co nstructed in 1948. Thi s section of the study area has been the focus of more intensive developm ent since the 1970s , particularly in the last 30 y ears, with neighborhood shopping cente rs, national retail franchises and large multi-unit resi dential development creating a m ore modern suburban pattern than the area west of King Road.

East Santa Clara Street/Alum Rock Avenue Corridor: White Road to Millar

The two-block retail commercial in the Alum Rock neighborhood at the eastern end of the study area from White Road to Millar Avenue returns to a development pattern seen in the western end (Coyote Creek to King Road area) of the study ar ea. Unlike the strip commercial developm ent and larger parcels seen on Alum Rock Avenue from King Road to W hite Road, this last section of the study is densely built-up, zero lot-line patte rn of development on narrow rectangular lots. The development of this s mall neighborhood retail area began in the 1930s (at W hite Road and Alum Rock Avenue), but the density pattern of small storefronts continued on the adjacent blocks into the 1940s and 1950s.

Brookwood Terrace

SANTA CLARA ST

WHITTON AV

21S

T S

T

24T

H S

T

34T

H S

T

17T

H S

T

28T

H S

T

26T

H S

T

33R

D S

T

KIN

G R

D

SHORTRIDGE AV

20T

H S

T

19T

H S

T

23R

D S

T

22N

D S

T

HY

101 S

OU

TH

HY

HY

101 N

OR

TH

HY

31S

T S

T

27T

H S

T

25T

H S

T

ALUM ROCK AV

STOWE AVSAN FERNANDO ST

BEVERLY BL

MC

CR

EE

RY

AV

CH

EC

KE

RS

DR

SIL

CR

EE

K D

R

HY

101 R

AM

P

BA

SC

H A

V

30T

H S

T

BA

LB

OA

AV

32N

D S

T

OA

KL

AN

D A

V

MA

GE

LL

AN

AV

18T

H S

T EA

ST

WO

OD

CT

ST JOHN ST

CA

RN

EG

IE S

Q

FIVE WOUNDS LN

ME

LR

OS

E A

V

HE

LL

ER

PL

SAN FERNANDO ST

30T

H S

T

31S

T S

T

ST JOHN STST JOHN ST

SHORTRIDGE AVCALHOUN ST

ALUM ROCK AV

ROSE AV

WH

ITE

RD

CA

PIT

OL A

V

JAC

KS

ON

AV

PA

LA

AV

HY

680 S

OU

TH

BIR

CH

LN

SU

NS

ET

AV

HY

680 N

OR

TH

HY CE

DA

R L

N

AVENUE B

LUZ AV

FO

SS

AV

HYLAND AV

LAUSETT AV

ALE

XA

ND

ER

AV

MUIRFIELD DR

ALEXIAN DR

MADDEN AV COMET LN

ELO

DIE

WY

TALM

AD

GE

AV

JOS

E F

IGU

ER

ES

AV

PLE

AS

AN

T R

IDG

E A

V

MA

NN

ING

AV

MILLA

R AV

SA

RO

N A

V

ST

EW

AR

T A

V

SHORTRIDGE AV

RIB

BS

LN

STOWE AV

NA

NC

Y L

N

LYN

DA

LE

AV

SIERRA GRANDE WY

SC

HA

RF

F A

V

SIE

RR

A V

ISTA

PL

GE

BH

AR

T A

V

WOODSET LN

MUIRFIELD CT

SAN FERNANDO ST

AVENUE A

RO

SE

BA

Y C

T

PE

RR

ON

E C

L

KE

EV

ER

CT

VA

N C

OT

T C

T

ES

TR

AD

A D

R

HY

680 R

AM

P

ROSE AV

No data available 1885 - 1920 1921 - 1940 1941 - 1960 1961 - 2010 CSJ Historic Resources 0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000250 Feet

1047 E Santa Clara St1047 E Santa Clara St

23 S 19th St23 S 19th St

95 S 20th St95 S 20th St

37 S 21st St37 S 21st St

1102 E Santa Clara St1102 E Santa Clara St

Five WoundsChurch and

Rectory

Five WoundsChurch and

Rectory

1191 E Santa Clara St1191 E Santa Clara St1747-95 Alum Rock Av1747-95 Alum Rock Av

1805 Alum Rock Av1805 Alum Rock Av




Calvary CemeteryCalvary Cemetery

James Lick High SchoolFirst Airport Site

Orange Hot Dog Stand(current location)

Orange Hot Dog Stand(current location)

Figure 40: East San Jose Context Area with Historical Resources and Building Age

53 Scharff Av


37

3.0 EAST SANTA CLARA STREET/ALUM ROCK AVENUE STUDY AREA – CONTEXT BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anastasio, R.L. and S.A. Guedon 1985 A Cultural Resources Assessment of the Proposed City of San Jose Enterprise

Zone, Santa Clara County, California (including a Preliminary Architectural Survey of Selected Portions of the Proposed San Jose Enterprise Zone by Mary E. Gallagher). MS on file, S-7712, CHRIS/NWIC, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park.

Arbuckle, Clyde 1968 Santa Clara County Ranchos. The Rosicrucian Press, San Jose, CA.

1986 Clyde Arbuckle’s History of San Jose. Memorabilia of San Jose, San Jose.

Archives & Architecture 2006 Historical Context Survey 13th Street Neighborhoods, San Jose’s Historic

Second Ward, San Jose, Santa Clara County, California. Prepared for National Trust for Historic Preservation, Preservation Development Initiatives, Washington, D.C.

Bamburg, Bonnie (Urban Programmers) 2007 DPR 523 forms, 1936-1944 Alum Rock Avenue, “Farmers Supply,” March 20,

2007. On file San Jose Planning Department.

Barrett, Lawrence 1940 “Bayshore Freeway Plans Shown.” California Highways and Public Works,

August 1940, pp. 6-9.

Basin Research Associates, Inc., Charlene Duval, Ward Hill, and Woodruff Minor 2005 Historic Properties Survey Report Santa Clara/Alum Rock Transit Corridor,

City of San Jose, Santa Clara County, California. MS on file, Basin Research Associates, San Leandro and VTA, San Jose.

Beck, W.A. and Y.D. Haase 1974 Historical Atlas of California. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman.

Broek, Jan O.M. 1932 The Santa Clara Valley, California: A Study in Landscape Changes. N.V.A.

Oosthoek’s Uitgevers-Mij, Utrecht.

Busby, Colin I. and Donna M. Garaventa 1983 Historic Property Survey Report Guadalupe Transportation Corridor Project:

Civic Center Area. MS on file, S-6057, CHRIS/NWIC, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park.


38

California Department of Parks and Recreation Office of Historic Preservation 2010 Directory of Properties in the Historic Data Property File for Santa Clara

County (includes National Register of Historic Places status codes, California Historical Landmarks and California Points of Historical Interest listings, etc.).

Cartier, Robert 1999 Historic Resources Inventory forms, 1920 Alum Rock Avenue, “Mark’s Hot

Dogs,” November 19, 1999.

Christensen, Terry and Charlene Duval, Ellen Garboske, Phil Grasser and Mary Jo Ignoffo 1996 Reflections of the Past: An Anthology of San Jose. Heritage Media

Corporation, Encinitas.

David, Heather M. 2010 Mid-Century by the Bay. CalMod Books, Santa Clara.

Douglas, Jack 1993 Historical Footnotes of Santa Clara Valley. San Jose Historical Museum, San

Jose, CA.

Duval, Charlene 1996 San Jose Blossoms. Chapter Three in Judith He nderson, Ed., Reflections of

the Past: An Anthology of San Jose. Heritage Media Corporation, Encinitas.

The Evening News 1911 “A Full Vote is Urged at the East San Jose Election That is To Take Place

Tomorrow,” November 1, 1911.

1911 “East San Jose Annexed by Biggest Vote Ever Polled in Favor of Any Like Question Here,” November 3, 1911, pg. 3.

Espinola, George 2004 Cottages, Flats, Buildings and Bungalows: 102 Designs from Wolfe &

McKenzie, 1907. Bay & Valley Publishers, San Jose.

Findlay, J.M. 1980 History of North First Street Redevelopment Area, San Jose, CA. MS on file,

Basin Research Associates, Inc., San Leandro.

Findlay, John M. and Donna M. Garaventa 1983 Archaeological Resources of Downtown San Jose: A Preliminary Planning

Summary of Prehistoric and Historic Sites in the Central Business District. For the Redevelopment Agency of the City of San Jose, California. MS on file, S-5905, CHRIS/NWIC, CSU Sonoma, Rohnert Park.


39

Garboske, Ellen 1996 “Change and Innovation,” and “Growth and Industry.” Chapters 4 and 5 in

Reflections of the Past: An Anthology of San Jose edited by Judith Henderson. Heritage Media Corporation, Encinitas.

Gilreath, Amy J. & Charlene Duval 2002 Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), Silicon Valley Rapid

Transit Corridor EIS/EIR, Technical Memorandum, December, 2002

Guinn, J.M. 1904 History of the State of California and Biographical Record of the Coast

Counties, California. The Chapman Publishing Company, Chicago.

Hall Frederic 1871 The History of San Jose and Surroundings: with biographical sketches of early

settlers. A.L. Bancroft and Co., San Francisco.

Hare, G.H. 1872 Guide to San Jose and Vicinity, for Tourists and New Settlers. George H.

Hare, San Jose.

Hart, J.D. 1987 A Companion to California (revised and expanded). Oxford University Press,

New York.

Hayes, Derek 2007 Historical Atlas of California; with original maps. University of California

Press, Berkeley.

Hittell, J.S. 1882 The Commerce and Industries of the Pacific Coast of North America. A.L.

Bancroft and Company, San Francisco.

Ignoffo, Mary Jo 1996 “Troubled Years,” and “A Change of Seasons.” Chapters Six and Seven in

Judith Henderson, Ed., Reflections of the Past: An Anthology of San Jose. Heritage Media Corporation, Encinitas.

James, William F. and George H. McMurry 1933 History of San Jose California. A.W. Cawston, San Jose, CA.

JRP Historical Consulting Services 2003 Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Silicon Valley Rapid

Transit Corridor EIS/EIR, Technical Memorandum, Historic Resources Evaluation Report for the SVRTC EIS/EIR Alternatives, January, 2003

Appendix B, DPR 523 forms: 1260 East Santa Clara Street, 1161 East Santa Clara Street,1175-1183 East Santa Clara Street,1187 East Santa Clara Street,

948 East Santa Clara Street, 15 South 20th Street, 56 South 21st Street


40

Joachim, Leland 1978 “A Piece of History: The City of East San Jose,” San Jose Mercury,

September 13, 1978.

1980 “History of East San Jose,” San Jose Mercury News, September 13, 1980.

Johnson, Marilyn S. 1995 “Wartime Shipyards: The Transformation of Labor in San Francisco’s East

Bay,” in Sally M. Miller and Daniel A. Cornford, Eds. American Labor in the Era of World War II. Praeger Publishers, Westport.

Kennedy, David M. 1999 The American People in World War II: Freedom From Fear, Part Two. Oxford

University Press, New York.

Kortum, Lucy (Sonoma State University) 1990 National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Form,

California Carnegie Libraries [including East San Jose Carnegie Library, 1102 E. Santa Clara Street]. File No. 90001813, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS), Washington, D.C.

Kyle, Douglas E. and Hoover, Mildred Brooke and Hero Eugene Rensch, Ethel Grace Rensch, William N. Abeloe

1990 Historic Spots in California (Fourth Edition, Revised). Stanford University Press, Stanford.

Laffey, Glory Anne, Cynthia James, Robert Detlefs, Leslie Hurst Scarlett and John G. Scarlett (Archives and Architecture)

1992 City of San Jose Historic Resources Inventory Phase II Summary Report. Approved by the San Jose City Council November 17, 1992. Includes Historic Resources Inventory forms for 1805 Alum Rock Avenue, 2075 Alum Rock Avenue, 2149 Alum Rock Avenue, 1191 East Santa Clara Street

Laffey, Glory Anne and Robert G. Detlefs 1995 County Leadership: Santa Clara County Government History. The County of

Santa Clara Historical Heritage Commission, San Jose.

Loomis, Patricia 1972 “When Residents Kept Hoe Handy,” San Jose News, December 1, 1972, p.49.

2009 Signposts Revisited: a collection of streets and roads where we live: Santa Clara County. BR Printers, San Jose.

Maggi, Franklin and Leslie A.G. Dill 2007 Preliminary Historic Report Former City Hall, Annex, and Health Building

801 North First Street - 161 West Mission Street San Jose, Santa Clara County, California. Prepared for General Services Department City of San Jose.


41

McCaleb, Charles S.

1969 The San Jose Railroads: Centennial 1868-1968. California History Center, Local History Studies 2 (1):1-88, De Anza College, Cupertino.

1981 Tracks, Tires & Wires. Interurban Press, Glendale.

McKay, L. 1971 Early Day San Jose: A Collection of Drawings, Maps and Prints. Smith and

McKay Printing, San Jose. 1972 Wheels of the West: A Pictorial History of Santa Clara Valley’s More than

Three Centuries of Transportation. Smith and McKay, San Jose. MetroScan

v.d. MetroScan/San Jose (CA). Data Sheets [Real Estate data arranged by Assessor’s Parcel Number]. Copies provided by the City of San Jose Planning Department.

Mexican Heritage Plaza

2011 Mission Plaza – History and Mission. At www.mhcviv.org/about/index

Milpitas Historical Society 2010 “Higuera Adobe” at www.milpitashistory.org/higuera.

Munro-Fraser, J.P.

1881 History of Santa Clara County, California. Alley, Bowen & Co., San Francisco.

National Park Service

1989 National Register Nomination, East San Jose Carnegie Library, 1102 East Santa Clara Street.

New York Times

2010 “Fresh Start for a Rebirth Stalled by a Recession.” July 21, 2010:/B8/1. Rambo, R.

1959 Looking Backward 1900. Smith and McKay Printing, San Jose.

San Jose City Planning Commission (SJCPC) 1958 Master Plan of the City. City Planning Commission, San Jose.

San Jose (City of), Department of Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement 2010a City of San Jose Historic Resources Inventory.

2010b San Jose Designated Historic City Landmarks [and Districts through HL10-195].


42

Rawls, James J. and Walton Bean 2003 California: An Interpretive History (Eight Edition). McGraw-Hill, Boston.

Remington, W.G. 1946 “Bayshore Freeway Construction,” California Highways and Public Works,

November-December, 1946, pp. 34-36.

SJD (San Jose Directory) 1870-1960 City Directories. Author-publisher varies. On file, San Jose History Room,

Martin Luther King Jr. Library, San Jose.

San Jose Historic Landmarks Commission 1971 Early Day San Jose: A Collection of Drawings, Maps and Prints. Smith &

McKay Printing Co., San Jose.

1975 San Jose, An Inventory of its Historical and Architectural Heritage. Parks and Recreation Department, San Jose.

San Jose Daily Mercury 1906 [San Jose Earthquake]. April 26, 1906.

San Jose Mercury News 1966 “East Side, Best Side,” August 31, 1966, pg. 3.

San Jose Mercury & Evening News 1905 “Greater San Jose is Coming to the Front,” March 26, 1905, pg. 10.

1907 “Advocates of Annexation Circulating Petitions in East San Jose,” March, 14, 1907.

San Jose Public Library 2011 Dr. Roberto Cruz – Alum Rock Branch Library, at www.sjpl.org/alumrock

Santa Clara County, Office of County Assessor 2010 Assessors Parcel Maps.

Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors v.d. Road Files. Arranged by Street Name. Office of the Board of Supervisors,

San Jose.

Santa Clara County Recorder 1867-1946 Subdivision Maps.

Sawyer, Eugene Taylor 1922 History of Santa Clara County, California. Historic Record Co., Los Angeles.

Seifel Consulting, Inc. 2007 Report on the Investment in the Strong Neighborhood Initiative (SNI) Area,

August, 2007


43

Silverman, Morton

1943 “The Second Gold Rush Hits the West,” San Francisco Chronicle. 25 April -20, May 20 1943. Various pages.

State Lands Commission 1982 Grants of Land in California Made by Spanish or Mexican Authorities. State

Lands Commission, Sacramento, CA.

Taylor, Bayard 1859 Eldorado, or Adventures in the Path of Empire: Comprising a Voyage to

California; Life in San Francisco and Monterey; Pictures of the Gold Region, and Experiences of Mexican Travel. G.P. Putnam, New York (as cited by Arbuckle 1986).

Thompson & West 1876 Historical Atlas Map of Santa Clara County, California. Thompson and West,

San Francisco (reprinted by Smith & McKay Printing Company, San Jose, 1973).

United States Bureau of the Census 1860-1920 Population Census for Santa Clara County, California. On file, California

Room, Martin Luther King, Jr. Main Library, San Jose and databases on-line.

Wollenberg, Charles 1990 Marinship at War: Shipbuilding and Social Change in Wartime Sausalito.

Western Heritage Press, Berkeley.

Wyatt, Roscoe D. and Clyde Arbuckle 1948 Historic Names, Persons, and Places in Santa Clara County. San Jose

Chamber of Commerce for the California Pioneers of Santa Clara County, San Jose.

Maps

Bailey & Phillips 1887 Map of Santa Clara County California. The Bancroft Company, San

Francisco.

Clayton, James A. 1886 Map of the City of San Jose. James A. Clayton, San Jose, Britton and Rey,

San Francisco.

Gray, W. Vallance & C.B. Gifford L. Nagel 1869 Bird’s eye view of the City of San Jose, Cal., George H. Hare, publisher.


44

Healey, Charles T. 1866 Official Map of the County of Santa Clara, California.

Herrmann Brothers 1890 Official Map of Santa Clara County California. Herrmann Bros., San Jose.

1892 Map of the City of San Jose and Vicinity. On file, California Room, Martin Luther King, Jr. Main Library, San Jose.

1903 Official Map of Santa Clara County California. On file, California Room, Martin Luther King, Jr. Main Library, San Jose.

Lyman, Chester S. 1847 Plan of the Town of St. Joseph 1847. On file, California Room, Martin Luther

King, Jr. Main Library, San Jose.

1848 Map of the Pueblo de San Jose. On file, California Room, Martin Luther King, Jr. Main Library, San Jose.

McMillan, James G., County Surveyor 1903 Official Map of the County of Santa Clara. Santa Clara County, San Jose.

1904 Map of the City of San Jose & Vicinity, compiled from official records.

1915 Map of Santa Clara County, California.

McMillan, Hughes & McMillan 1909 Map of the City of San Jose & Vicinity

1913 Map of the City of San Jose & Vicinity

McMillan & McMillan 1929 Official Map of Santa Clara County. Sheet No. 2. McMillan & McMillan,

Publishers. Drawn by Robert N. Drake.

Pieper, William 1872 Map of the City of San Jose. George H. Hare, San Jose, California, and

Britton and Rey, San Francisco.

Rand McNally and Company 1940 Official San Jose Chamber of Commerce Map of San Jose and Environs. Rand

McNally and Company, San Francisco.

1970 San Jose Street Map 1970 Prepared for Union 76. Rand McNally and Company.

1978 San Jose Street Map. Rand McNally and Company, Chicago.

Sanborn Map and Publishing Company 1884 Insurance Map of San Jose, California.


45

1891 Insurance Map of San Jose, California, Volumes I, II.

1915 Insurance Map of San Jose, California, Volume I.



Thomas Bros. Maps 1987 The Thomas Guide: Alameda and Santa Clara Counties Street Guide and

Directory. Thomas Bros. Maps, San Francisco.

2004 The Thomas Guide: Alameda and Santa Clara Counties Street Guide and Directory. Thomas Bros. Maps, San Francisco.

Thompson & West 1876 Historical Atlas Map of Santa Clara County, California. Thompson and West,

San Francisco (reprinted by Smith & McKay Printing Company, San Jose, 1973).

United States Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey (USGS) 1899 San Jose, Calif. (Quadrangle]. Surveyed 1895. Topographic map, 15 minute

series. United States Geological Survey.

1953 San Jose West, Calif. [Quadrangle]. Topographic map, 7.5 series.

1961 San Jose, Calif. [Quadrangle]. Topographic map, 15 minute series.

1980 San Jose East, Calif. (Quadrangle]. Topographic map, 7.5 minute series (1961 photo revised).

1980 San Jose West, Calif. (Quadrangle]. Topographic map, 7.5 minute series (1961 photo revised). United States Geological Survey, Menlo Park.

1981 Land Use and Land Cover, 1974-1976 San Jose, California. Land Use Series Map L-165. U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park.

United States War Department, Corps of Engineers, United States Army 1943 San Jose, Calif. [Quadrangle]. Topographic map, 15 minute series. United

States Geological Survey, Menlo Park.

White, Thomas 1850 Map of the City of San Jose. Surveyed and drawn by order of the Common

Council in the Year 1850. Theo. White Surveyor, n.p. Arbuckle Collection, California Room, Martin Luther King, Jr. Library.

ATTACHMENTS

LISTS

LIST 1 East Santa Clara Street/Alum Rock Avenue Study Area Properties on the City of San Jose Historic Resources Inventory, the California Register of Historical Resources and the National Register of Historic Places

LIST 1

East Santa Clara Street/Alum Rock Avenue Study Area Properties Listed on the City San Jose Historic Resources Inventory, the California Register of

Historical Resources, and the National Register of Historic Places

All of the following properties are listed on the City of San Jose Historic Resources Inventory. Some properties also appear on the Cal ifornia Register of Histori cal Resources (CRHP) and/or the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and will be specifically cited.

IS Identified Structure CS Contributing Site/Structure CLD City Landmark District CLS City Landmark Site/Structure ECR/ENR Eligible for California Register of Historical

Resources individually

23 South 19th Street, Paull House, 1870 (APN 467-30-009). CS

95 South 20th Street, Bowman Methodist Episcopal Church (APN 467-30-051) 1889. ECR/ENR (Listed or Eligible for the California Register/National Register)

37 South 21st Street, Queen Anne Style House (APN 467-31-020) c.1895. IS

1047 East Santa Clara Street, “Cassady House” (APN 467-11-028), 1887, remodeled 1920s. ECR/ENR (Eligible California Register/National Register)

1102 East Santa Clara Street, East San Jose Carnegie Library (APN 467-58-001), 1908. CLS; ECR/ENR (Listed National Register)

1191 East Santa Clara Street, “Mayfair Theater” (APN 467-10-043) 1949. CS

1375 East Santa Clara Street, Church of the Five Wounds (APN 467-08-009) 1918. 560 North First (APN 249-43-047) circa 1901. CLS; ECR/ENR (determined eligible for National Register)

1747-1795 Alum Rock Avenue, “Walters Building” (APN 481-09-049) 1949, 1953. ECR (determined eligible for California Register)

1805 Alum Rock Avenue, “Bernie’s Burgers” (APN 481-09-026) 1950. SM

1936 Alum Rock Avenue “Farmer’s Supply and Feed Store” (APN 481-19-003) 1949. SM

2075 Alum Rock Avenue, “Coast Oil Company” (APN 481-07-019) 1948. SM

2149 Alum Rock Avenue “Wilshire Gas Station” (APN 481-07-017) 1963. SM

53 Scharff Avenue, “Cesar Chavez Family House Site” (APN 481-21-085). CLS

2625 Alum Rock Avenue, “Calvary Cemetery” (APN 484-04-029).

52 White Road, “James Lick High School” (First Airport Site in Santa Clara County). SM

48 S. Capitol Avenue, “Orange Hot Dog Stand” (APN 484-20-073), c. 1936; originally located at 1920 Alum Rock Avenue. CLS.

Documents

EAST SANTA CLARA STREET/ALUM ROCK AVENUE HISTORIC …