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The Los Gatos Library - History Collection Volunteers are excited to share historical facts and information about the Town of Los Gatos that they have come across during their work in our Local History room at the library. Each issue will highlight interesting facts about the people and events that have helped make Los Gatos such a wonderful place to live, work, and play. We hope you enjoy reading.
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Contact the Los Gatos Library
408-354-6896 Hours:
Monday 11AM - 8PM
Tuesday 11AM - 8PM
Wednesday 10AM - 6PM
Thursday 10AM - 6PM
Friday 10AM - 6PM
Saturday 10AM - 5PM
Sunday 12PM - 5pm eMail the History Collection Volunteers
history@losgatosca.gov
Local History Room
408-399-5795
Volunteer Hours:
Mondays 1PM - 5PM
Wednesdays (10AM-12PM)
Thursdays 1PM - 5PM
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Join us for a special author performer visit by Cowgirl Cheryl Saturday, November 7th 11 AM Chyrle Bacon-Performer/Writer was an entertainer at the Frontier Village theme park in San Jose. She will be in the library speaking about her life as a performer, entertainer and author. Join us after her talk for a book signing at the Friends of the Los Gatos Library book store and an exciting roping performance in the civic center. Sponsored by Friends of Los Gatos Library in conjunction with the New Museums of Los Gatos (NUMU) and the grand opening of their local history exhibits--Frontier Village, Santa's Village, and Lost World. |
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The Los Gatos Library is looking to grow our Local History Docent Team. Do you have 2 hours per week free to volunteer your time? The successful Local History Volunteer will possess the knowledge, skills and abilities to: - Interact with the public in a fun and professional manner
- Accurately answer questions from library users needing help with local history research
- Demonstrate patience and be willing to learn new technology programs
- Appreciate attention to detail
- Work collaboratively with library staff, other history volunteers, and community members
- Commit to volunteerism and a set weekly schedule for at least 6 months.
Volunteer Duties Include: - Death Record Scanning
- Offering historic walking tours
- Researching and adding historical information to our digital images collection
- Providing outreach programs about Los Gatos History to senior centers and schools
- Working on exhibits at the Los Gatos Museum (NUMU)
- Creating history displays inside the library in our history area
- Planning social events based around Los Gatos History
- Answering local history questions from library users
- Teaching genealogy and local history database classes
- Digitizing microfilm containing local historical newspapers
- Creating reference sheets focused on various historical topics
- Contributing to a quarterly Local History Newsletter
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Do you enjoy sharing stories about Los Gatos? Book a free history program for your next club meeting or social get together. What:These free outreach programs are geared towards community groups and organizations that have a majority of members who lived in Los Gatos during the 1950s and 1960s. (Ideal minimum group size is 15)Sit down. Enjoy a meal or snack. Socialize and enjoy our presentation of collected digital images. If you can, help identify projected photographs from the library's historical images collection by sharing your stories of the people, places or events you recognize.Why:Your stories are an important contribution to the library's local history collection, and your involvement helps keep our community's history alive! How:For more information and to book a free program for your group contact:Melissa Maglio--Adult Services Librarian408-399-5724mmaglio@losgatosca.gov |
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 Benjamin Franklin Bachman was born in Pennsylvania in 1829 but came to California in 1849 to seek his fortune in gold as did so many other eastern and midwesterners. For 30 years he worked in the mines, owned a saloon and engaged in the cattle business. Upon his arrival in Los Gatos he bought property from John Lyndon’s acreage and grew prunes, apricots and almonds. Bachman Street and Bachman Park are named after him and a redwood tree planted by Bachman in 1884 still stands at the edge of the park.
The house at 208 Bachman was built in 1896 and was remodeled in 1911. George Place of Place Funeral Home lived in 208 for at least 15 years until 1939. The building was remodeled again in 1940 and some time after that the front section which ultimately housed the restaurant businesses appeared. According to the 1941 tax assessment records Anton Jensen is listed as the owner at that time. The property was a rental or vacant during most of the ‘30s and ‘40s but in the mid ‘50s the property became commercial as did much of the property near No. Santa Cruz Ave. In 1954, according to Polk’s Directories, the first commercial venture was a furniture and interior decorator establishment owned by John B. Sarles.  Two Canadian ladies operated a tea room furnished with bone china place settings and lace table cloths; then Cele and Elmer Cummings moved their restaurant from Village Square and 208 Bachman became Cranberry House with the Country Fare Dining Room. Known up and down the peninsula for its excellent home cooking it was well priced-----$6.95 for a 4 course dinner. Cranberry House was also famous for its collection of cranberry glassware and for Reed Whitlaw’s restoring, rebuilding and repairing of old music boxes. Chris Benson and Johnny Hannegan opened C.B. Hannegan’s in 1980 after discovering they both had the same goal-----to open a bar/restaurant with a friendly, community feel. They remodeled the Cranberry House by adding to the cafe, building a first class bar and adding a patio room for overflow crowds and special functions. The atmosphere is one of Irish tradition----green carpet, rich wood, lots of brick and stone and a welcoming fireplace. The watchwords are quality and service. C.B. Hannegan’s has a reputation for contributing food at times of disaster, as they did during the 1985 fire and the 1989 earthquake. They also serve the community by catering for service clubs and hospitals for fundraising and corporate events. |
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Due to flooding over the years the creek widened and created a big gravel area beyond the grammar school and below University Avenue. In 1940 a group of horse enthusiasts, which included the town police chief and other prominent citizens organized the Los Gatos Gymkhana Association and persuaded the town to allow them to build a gymkhana grounds on the wide gravel section. The grounds included a ring for horse shows and rodeo events, bleachers, and a quarter mile track. The Association held the annual rodeo and horse show in May. Before the event up to 400 horses would parade through town before going down onto the gymkhana grounds for the main event. During the war years from 1941 to 1945 access to the grounds was given to the army for emergency use. The Los Gatos Stables was located under what is now the Highway 9 overpass and near the gymkhana grounds. The manager of the stables trained and rented horses, gave riding lessons, and boarded horses for local residents. The stable was in the ideal location to begin a ride in any direction. Los Gatos Creek was not always a slow meandering stream. During some winters it became an angry torrent and caused damage to structures north of Los Gatos. In 1935 Vasona Dam was built to control the flow of the water . During heavy rains the dam filled but most of the year it was empty and was used as a gravel pit, a wonderful place for young boys to play and an area to ride horses. In the early 1960’s the county took over the area and developed Vasona Park when technology was developed to keep water in Vasona Lake year round much to the delight of fishermen and boaters. Now, 61 years after the building of Highway 17, although many things have changed some things have stayed the same. Now those who are driving to Santa Cruz on weekends are crawling through Los Gatos on Highway 17 and the town streets are still jammed with cars driven by those who have come to Los Gatos to shop, eat and play. Los Gatos has become a destination point. |
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Melissa Maglio
Librarian
History Collection
Volunteer Supervisor |
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 Lyn Dougherty
History Collection
Volunteer |
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 Betty Chase
History Collection
Volunteer |
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 Trish Smalling Goldfarb
History Collection
Volunteer |
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