August brings very little rainfall to Los Gatos, Saratoga, and San Jose. The long, dry days make our wooded hills and grassy meadows particularly vulnerable to fire. A small spark from an untended burn or an electric motor - perhaps even clearing the brush to prevent fires - can have disastrous consequences. The current fire just "over the hill" in Bonny Doon and close to Santa Cruz is a big reminder to us that we live with the risk of fire year-round, but especially at this time of year.
Los Gatos has an old history with fire disasters, both in town and in the nearby mountain communities. I'm not referring to the Lexington fire of 1985 (which happened about three weeks before my wedding). I'm referring to our collective "wild west" history. A serious fire levelled part of downtown Los Gatos on July 26, 1891, destroying nine "buildings on both sides of East Main Street from the bridge to College Avenue". Again on October 13, 1901, a livery fire on Montebello Road destroyed " much of the business district along West Main Street, from the bridge to the railroad tracks. Nearly 60 buildings burn to the ground." Among the casualties of that fire was the bell tower to alert the townspeople of fire! (Both of these quotes from a timeline produced by the Los Gatos Times Weekly.) See photos of the fires and the firefighters at the Santa Clara County Fire Department's page on Los Gatos and the hiistory of fire fighting in our town.)
In January 1934, there was a fire at the Jesuit Novitiate. The water supply was inadequate so the decision was made to pump out the wine to extinguish the fire. Some 60,000 gallons of newer wine was used - and saved 200,000 gallons of old wine (plus the vineyards, which would have taken years to be fruitful again if lost to fire). This was a repeat of a similar event in the mountains in the late 1800s, when red wine used to battle the fire caused the Los Gatos Creek to run red. We can only imagine how the townspeople felt when they saw the creek turn a plague-like red!
But back to today (even though the history - and what's above is only partial - of Los Gatos and fires is fascinating), we want to make sure that this type of history doesn't repeat itself. Besides, you probably don't have 60,000 gallons of wine to throw at a fire anyway.
What can you do to lower your risk of fire?
There are varying levels of risk. If you have a large parcel of land with a lot of vegetation that dries out in summer, you'll have much more risk than a homeowner with a green lawn and plants close to the home. In all cases, clear any dead brush, vegetation, bushes, etc away from your home; the Cal Fire site suggests 100' for riskier areas (which makes sense if you are in a rural area, but perhaps is not so feasible in a suburban or tract neighborhood). It's better to cut weeds, grass and bushes back prior to 10am, when there's more humidity (and less chance of a spark turning into a flame). Do not stack firewood up against your home. Do not have open fires or untended fires, particularly if embers can get away. It goes without saying, of course, to be especially careful with cigarettes, fireworks, and other burning or smoldering items. It's not worth the risk to be careless. Please see the Cal Fire site for more info for homeowners: http://www.fire.ca.gov/fire_prevention/fire_prevention_wildland_zones.php
If you are in a "very high fire danger area" - places next to large, open and wooded parks, homes on large parcels up against the hills - you should know if your home is in that zone - you'll have extra responsibilities. You will be required to have that clearance mentioned above, for instance. You can find the zone maps and the regulations here, on the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention site.
Fires are risky for homeowners, pets, wildlife, and the men and women who risk it all to battle the blazes for us. The cost is very high when a fire takes hold - when a home goes down from fire, so much is lost that simply can never be replaced. Nothing is worse than the loss of human life, though. Many thanks to the firefighters who are out there waging war on the flames right now. Let's do our best to give them nothing to do.
While trying to find an old map of Los Gatos online, I stumbled upon some interesting and historic topographical maps of San Jose, Los Gatos, Gilroy, Santa Clara, and other areas nearby care of the USGS. I will place a tiny segment of one here so that you can get the idea and visit the site yourself:
My husband, Jim, loves maps and he tells me that each one of those "dots" visible on the map represents a house. Amazing! Another surprise, to me anyway, is that Kennedy Road looks like it used to be called Rinconada. Other, nearby parts of the map reveal that Camden Avenue was where the rail line used to run to the mines in Almaden and Guadalupe. Cool stuff - hope you enjoy it!
The Ohlone:
First Inhabitants of Silicon Valley
and the San Francisco Bay Area
What was life like for the people who lived in the Los Gatos area before the colonists arrived? For thousands of years before Europeans set foot in the beautiful Santa Clara Valley, the native people - who called themselves "Ohlone", meaning "the people" made this sub-tropical climate their home. (There were appx. 5000 of them living here when the area was colonized.) The Ohlone ranged from about Carmel to the south and up the Peninsula and across the East Bay, at the least. They were a mobile people who were hunters and gatherers. They made great use of tule reeds for clothing, housing, and bowls. The acorn (several types from several varieties of oak trees) was their staple food, made into bread, soup, and a type of hot cereal after it was leached with water. In a bad year for acorns, they could use the California Buckeye instead. Adorned with shell & rock jewelry and tatooed with cinnabar, they must have been a lovely people. They hunted, they fished, and they traded with other Ohlones. They followed the seasons to collect berries and seeds; their homes did not need to be permanent.
Sadly, there are few traces of their presence here now - names like "Ohlone College" in Fremont remind us that they were here first. Sometimes we read in the papers of an old Ohlone burial ground being uncovered as new houses are being built. But there are no tribal Ohlone lands, unfortunately, and it seems that there are only a few Ohlones left now, and I believe most of them are also part Miwok (from the Yosemite area). As I understand it, the tribes who had a formal treaty with the later United States government were given lands, and those who did not have treaties did not get lands of their own to keep. Because the Ohlone were mobile (they did not create permanent houses), there's very little tangible left of their legacy. We have some early photographs and some beautiful baskets, but not a lot more. (If any readers of this have information they'd like to share, I would welcome the input warmly.)
Los Gatos inThe Mission Period
& Spanish Land Grants
In the late 1700s the California Missions were being founded by Spanish Franciscans. Spain had claimed this land as its own and it saw in the friars a way of cementing that claim. The friars, meanwhile, saw this as an opportunity to claim more souls for the faith. So with an alignment of "church and state" the padres made their way north from San Diego, placing most missions just a day's horseback ride apart (appx 30 miles) - and frequently up on a hill so they could be found easily. Spain gave out giant land grants to those who would settle and tame the land.
Mission Santa Clara, at the heart of what we now call Silicon Valley, was founded in 1777. It was originally on the banks of the Guadalupe River, but as anyone who's lived here awhile can tell you, the Guadalupe is notorious for flooding - so that location did not work out. Floods, fires and earthquakes made a mess of the mission named for Saint Clare of Assisi and this church was moved several times before it settled into its present location, which is now surrounded by the beatiful campus of Santa Clara University. The Franciscans were given a very large land grant, which would include shared ownership of the New Almaden Quicksilver Mine. (A religious aside: St. Clare is the patron saint of communications, and I have to think she would smile that the Silicon Valley is at the heart of the development of the computer industry and communication brought about by internet and email.)
Mexican Revolution & Mexican Land Grants
Despite Spain's attempt to solidify its hold on California and Mexico with the Church, it was too far away to prevent the predictable revolution. When Mexico did declare its independence, it too claimed this area, San Jose and the Santa Clara Valley, as its own.
So how was Mexico going to keep a tight reign on this vast land (when Spain couldn't manage it)? It likewise decided to go the way of land grants. Settlers were allowed to apply for a land grant and the initial requirement was simply that they live on the land.
Sebastian Fabian Peralta and Jose Maria Hernandez, brothers-in-law to each other, were out searching for good land so that they could apply for a land grant like other early settlers. While near what is now Vasona Lake County Park, the heard Mountain Lions fighting and screetching. The men understood that cats signaled the nearby presence of water, and they found what is now knows as the Los Gatos Creek.
They named the area "La Rinconada de Los Gatos", or Cat's Corner or The Corner of the Cats. This took place in 1839. They received a huge area of land, 6631 acres (one and a half leagues). The region stretched from about both sides of the Vasona area to beyond Quito Road and then in to Campbell. You can view a plat map, care of UC Berkeley, online.
Incidentally, their first adobe home was somewhere in that region along the Los Gatos Creek which is now part of Vasona Lake County Park. Sadly, we do not know the exact location of the home as no traces of it remain.
The Earliest Beginnings of The Town of Los Gatos
In the 1840s logging was beginning to be important, and after the gold rush of 1848 local growth made it crucial. By the 1850s there was a road across the mountain path and Mountain Charlie was running his stagecoach across it. (During the heyday of stagecoaches, Los Gatos saw them come every 15 minutes during the busiest part of the day!) This was the wild west era, complete with horse thievery, stagecoach holdups and home robberies - it all happened here!
By the 1880s fruit orchards had begun making an important appearance and with them came the railroad to get the fruit from local canneries to market. The first Los Gatos housing subdivision came about in 1877, though the 48 lots werent' for sale until 1881.
By 1887 there were enough people settled in Los Gatos, 1645 to be exact, to incorporate into a town, so it was begun officially with 100 acres on either side of the Los Gatos Creek. In the 1880s Los Gatos saw the springing up of the "walk to town" areas: Edelen, Fairview Plaza, and Almond Grove. Then, as now, those were prized neighborhoods full of lovely Victorian style homes.
As you know, the Town of Los Gatos has grown and grown and is now more than 10 square miles with about 30,000 inhabitants, and its popularity has never dimmed.
This isn't just about Los Gatos, but rather about all of Silicon Valley and its history. I thought this was a very interesting talk. It's not short - so grab your popcorn and settle into a comfy chair. (Remember: FMC began as Food Machinery Corp right here in the Almond Grove District of Los Gatos. It's all connected.)
If you live in Los Gatos, you know that the Jesuits (the Society of Jesus, a religious order of Catholic priests and brothers) call our town home too. Sacred Heart Center, the provincial headquarters and now also a retirement home for older members of the Society, sits up on St. Joseph Hill, a half mile from East Main Street. Driving through the pass to Santa Cruz, you can't miss the huge white edifice. This place was once a novitiate, where young men entering the order went to get their first training. Two of my uncles did, too.
The winery there used to make sacramental wine and had the Novitiate Winery label. That chapter ended in 1986. Now the old vineyards are gone, most of the land has gone to public useage (open space and hiking trails) and the historic winery is rented out to Testarossa (and remains available for tasting and fabulous parties).
So whether you have ties to the Jesuits or just like good wine, you probably have had an occassion to go up the hill and have seen the vineyards in days gone by and enjoyed the view today.
But historically it's interesting too, on several counts. Commonweal Magazine's blog today mentions Blessed Miguel Pro, SJ (a Jesuit), who lived in Los Gatos for a time after fleeing religious persecution in Mexico while studying for the priesthood. Eventually he made his way home, to Mexico, and after serving the people in secret for a couple of years, was caught and martyred for his faith. His death happened 80 years ago today.
It seems hard to imagine that only 80 years ago, someone could be executed by a government for simply saying Mass, hearing a confession, or anointing the dying. But when you look around our world today, it's not hard to see that religious persecution is still happening in other parts of the globe. Religious wars continue, as does the persecution of religious folks of various faith communities by some governments or other powerful or political bodies.
Fr. Miguel Pro, SJ, called "Blessed" by Pope John Paul II, a one-time resident of Los Gatos, came here to flee religious persecution while he studied for the priesthood. At close to the same time, Los Gatos was also a place of respite for folks suffering from Tuberculosis, alcoholism, or other maladies. (Others came here simply to escape the summer fog of San Francisco.) Today, the hills over Los Gatos house religious centers of all kinds, retreat houses and more. People continue to make their way here, whether to escape something bad or to spend a little time in prayer or in overdue rest and relaxation.
Would that the era of religious persecution of faith - any and all faiths - could be over forever. Our local tie, Blessed Miguel Pro, SJ, is a reminder that we still have far to go on this front.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you'd like more information on Blessed Miguel Pro, SJ, there's a book available, written by hagiographer Ann Ball, entitled simply Blessed Miguel Pro. It can be purchased online very inexpensively.
Los Gatos Had a Cross-Dressing Crook Captured in
1895
Thanks to Google Alerts, "Live in Los Gatos" doesn't have an excuse for missing much that comes
online about the Town. This morning I was directed to an article in the San Jose
Mercury News that discussed a bit about life in the 1890s. A photo of women with enormously poofy sleeves was
displayed, along with a discussion about their clothes generally. It wasn't all that interesting.
But...
At the bottom of this article is a section titled "112 Years Ago" and that's where the interesting stuff
was buried.
Apparently Charley Parkhurst (who was a female dressed as a male her whole adult life), a stagecoach
driver discussed in this blog previously in "Surprises of the WIld
West", wasn't the only one back in the wild west days with a secret! Charley Parkhurst, though, was an
honest worker, a teamster who couldn't have worked in her chosen profession without some deception. (She was also
the first woman to vote in the US!)
In the case of Louise Elizabeth Myrtle Blaxland Murton Matson, though, it may have been work that
motivated her, but not honest work. Imagine her jailmates' surprise when she was thrown in with them in January
of 1895 and they realized that the guy passing bad checks on Main Street in Los Gatos was no man at all. Apparently it was
her mother who thought up the idea that if she dressed like a man, she could get away with her crime (what a family!). The
judge must have been baffled as to what to do with this case.
Instead of sentencing her to serve time in the jail (perhaps there were no women's facilities?), he released her with an
order to dress like a woman.
Some would argue, both then and now, that this would be quite punishment enough.
A blog about Los Gatos real estate, homes, houses, condos, townhomes, housing market, neightborhoods, history, events, businesses, parks, schools, photos, issues, and lifestyle.
Mary Pope-Handy
Realtor, CRS, ABR, SRES, E-PRO
Luxor Real Estate Group
Mailing Address for Mary: PO Box 440 Los Gatos, CA 95031-0440
877 397-5391 (office/toll-free)
What was life like for the people who lived in the Los Gatos area before the colonists arrived? For thousands of years before Europeans set foot in the beautiful Santa Clara Valley, the native people - who called themselves "Ohlone", meaning "the people" made this sub-tropical climate their home. (There were appx. 5000 of them living here when the area was colonized.) The Ohlone ranged from about Carmel to the south and up the Peninsula and across the East Bay, at the least. They were a mobile people who were hunters and gatherers. They made great use of tule reeds for clothing, housing, and bowls. The acorn (several types from several varieties of oak trees) was their staple food, made into bread, soup, and a type of hot cereal after it was leached with water. In a bad year for acorns, they could use the California Buckeye instead. Adorned with shell & rock jewelry and tatooed with cinnabar, they must have been a lovely people. They hunted, they fished, and they traded with other Ohlones. They followed the seasons to collect berries and seeds; their homes did not need to be permanent. 
If you live in Los Gatos, you know that the Jesuits (the Society of Jesus, a religious order of Catholic priests and brothers) call our town home too. 
The winery there used to make sacramental wine and had 
Fr. Miguel Pro, SJ
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