With plans underway for a massive redevelopment of the sprawling Los Gatos Meadows complex, I thought it might be interesting to share a brief history of this property.
In 1886, workers put the finishing touches on the first structure to occupy the site, a magnificent 11-acre Victorian estate called “Lyndon Heights.” It was built for one of our earliest and most prominent citizens, John Weldon Lyndon, who many consider to be the “Father of Los Gatos.”
The grand three-story redwood home, with 24 rooms, six fireplaces and an elevator was painted dark red-orange on the bottom and light yellow-green above. It cost $12,000 to build (about $350,000 today).
J.W. Lyndon was born in Canada circa 1836 and his family relocated to Vermont soon thereafter. At age 23, like many ambitious young men of the era, he traveled West to seek his fortune. He arrived in San Francisco by way of Panama in 1859 with only 65 cents in his pocket.
Lyndon was too late for the Gold Rush so he took whatever odd jobs he could find, mostly in the San Jose area, working as a ranch hand, ox team driver and grocery store clerk. The enterprising young Lyndon eventually started a general store of his own in the town of Lexington. After selling his business in 1869, he had amassed enough of a nest egg to purchase 100 acres of land which today would encompass most of the downtown Los Gatos business district.
Although he had little formal education, Lyndon was a shrewd businessman who continued to develop and invest wisely in local real estate. He was also quite involved in his adopted community. He was a school trustee, major stockholder in both the Los Gatos Fruit Packing Company and the Los Gatos Bank, and was a founder of the Los Gatos Gas Company. He was one of the first five members of the Board of Trustees (now the Town Council) when Los Gatos was incorporated in 1887, and served as its President (now Mayor) from 1888-1892.
We know very little about Lyndon’s first wife who died at a young age. In 1872 he married Theresa Rector, daughter of W.H. Rector, one of the early settlers of Oregon. Their daughter, Irma, married J.D. Farwell in 1902 and Lyndon Heights remained in their family until shortly after her death in 1964. The current generation of Farwells still owns much of the commercial property in downtown Los Gatos.
J.W. Lyndon died of heart failure at age 75 in 1912, bringing to an end an amazing rags-to-riches life story. His magnificent home was bulldozed in 1969 to make way for the Los Gatos Meadows retirement complex at 110 Wood Road. All that remains is the carriage house cupola which was restored and placed atop the bandstand in Oak Meadow Park.
Content and photos from “Discover LOST Gatos” historical walking tours by Alan Feinberg, Peggy Conaway-Bergtold, and Sandy Decker. Download the free smartphone app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
