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Discover LOST Gatos: A toast to the historic novitiate winery
Tourists from around the world flock to the well publicized wine regions of Napa and Sonoma, but those of us who are fortunate enough to live in Los Gatos know that some of the best wines in the world can be found right here...
Discover LOST Gatos: The long lost Hotel Lyndon
The former Hotel Lyndon may be the most notable Los Gatos landmark lost to history. This magnificent hotel was built by one of our town’s earliest and most prominent citizens John Weldon Lyndon who many consider to be the “Father of Los Gatos.”
With velvet...
Discover LOST Gatos: The landmark La Cañada building
Let’s welcome the newest addition to our vibrant downtown dining scene, Heritage Pub & Chop House, with a brief look at the history of their iconic home.
With its second-story circular bay window topped by what’s known in architectural circles as a “witch’s hat” roof,...
Discover LOST Gatos: The Los Gatos Hotel and Soda Works story
It seems that hardly a month goes by without the launch of a new restaurant in our historic downtown. The latest addition to the dining scene is Dar Restaurant and Bar, located in the little house that formerly housed 11 College Avenue and Nick’s...
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...
The ‘Wild’ case of a woman placed at-risk due to sketchy Santa Clara County paperwork
The office of Harry Ryan was the place Jack London penned his seminal novel “the Call of the Wild,” about a dog that’s taken from the Santa Clara Valley to the Klondike, where he befriends wolves and leads a sled team.
Ryan, who met London...
Forbes Mill Annex is a monument to our history
The historic Forbes Mill Annex is the oldest remaining commercial structure in Los Gatos. Before the town got its current name, it was actually called Forbes Mill, then Forbestown. The initial mill was erected in 1854 and lasted until 1916. Its storage unit has...
Discover LOST Gatos: The railroad era pt. 1
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...
Discover LOST Gatos: A classic American success
Did you celebrate Groundhog Day last week? Me neither. But it’s a major media event back East, especially in Punxsutawney, Penn. where the tradition (based on an early European legend and immortalized in the classic comedy film by the same name) originated in 1887.
At...
What a shoebox full of old papers taught me about my grandparents
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...


















