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April 12, 2026

Discover LOST Gatos: How the ‘Almond Grove Historic District’ emerged from a scary chapter in our history

Almond Grove home at Halloween
Strolling through the Almond Grove neighborhood is a real treat this time of year, when you can see carefully restored Victorian homes adorned with elaborate Halloween decorations. Yet these charming tree-lined streets once faced something even more menacing than ghosts and goblins. Progress. During the...

Discover LOST Gatos: The railroad era pt. 1

locomotive group photo
Of all the events in Los Gatos’ history, none had a more lasting impact than the arrival of the railroad. In this two part series, we’ll explore how the “iron horse” became the driving force behind the transformation of our town from an obscure...

What a shoebox full of old papers taught me about my grandparents

composite of old photographs and documents
When I was a child in the 70s, Los Gatos was filled with Italians. I remember seeing the older women walking in town, dragging behind them their wire utility carts filled with groceries down Santa Cruz Avenue. My grandparents, Adam and Albina Contardo, were...

Writer tells of Italian uncle’s Los Gatos exploits

Archival photo of a house
One of my earliest memories is from the early 1970s when I visited my elderly Italian aunt, whom we called Zia Elisa.

Lyndon Heights: A lost landmark (Discover LOST Gatos)

historical photo of building
After five years of meetings, proposals, compromises, and design revisions, the Town Council has unanimously approved the new Los Gatos Meadows development. It’ll be situated on an 11 acre property that was the home of one of our earliest and most prominent citizens, John Weldon...

Standing Tall: The town has seen many phases

Model of the town in the past
*The following article first appeared in print as part of this feature on housing development in Los Gatos. From sporting the name of “Forbes Mill,” to earning the distinction of top destination for retirees in California a few years ago, to serving as a hotbed...

Our newest open space preserve has a rich and varied past

Alma College gate
Untouched for millennia, the hills above Los Gatos underwent a rapid transformation in the mid-19th century. Timber had become the new gold for fortune seekers, and loggers were attracted to the area by the seemingly endless groves of massive redwoods. Sawmills popped up along the...

Discover LOST Gatos: Remembering the railroad era pt. 2

railroad line through the mountains
Part 1 of this series told the story of aspiring railroad barons James “Slippery Jim” Fair and Alfred “Hog” Davis, who founded the South Pacific Coast Railroad (SPCRR) in 1876 to create an extensive rail network throughout the Bay Area and beyond. After the...

DISCOVER LOST GATOS: The Historic Hofstra Block

Hofstra block
The iconic La Cañada building on the corner of West Main Street and North Santa Cruz Avenue, with its circular bay window and signature “witches hat” turret, has been a prominent feature of our historic downtown business district almost since the day it was...

The stone house at 15 University Ave tells its tale

Have you ever wondered about the little stone house at 15 University Avenue? In the middle of downtown, it seems oddly out of place. In fact, it’s the only residence within the boundaries of the Los Gatos Historic Commercial District. The house is a 1906...

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