Translate
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...
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...
Gridlock and Ghosts: Tales from the serpentine route to the sea
—This is the second in a two part series.
Last month, I explored what traveling “over the hill” was like in the second half of the 19th century, when stagecoach passengers faced long, bone-rattling, and often dangerous trips along dusty or muddy dirt roads.
Change came...
The long-lost Interurban Railroad (Discover LOST Gatos)
For this week's Discover LOST Gatos installment, contributor Alan Feinberg digs into the history of public transit...
For as long as I can remember, people have been wondering when (or if) the VTA might extend light rail service to Los Gatos. Imagine how convenient it...
Discover LOST Gatos: Remembering the railroad era pt. 2
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...
The strange saga of Holy City
While many of us recognize the name Holy City, the fascinating story of the former mountain community and the eccentric character who founded it has largely been forgotten.
Holy City was built over a period of several years beginning in 1919 by a charismatic cult...
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...
Discover LOST Gatos: The long lost Opera House
Like many small towns in the west, Los Gatos prospered in the late 19th century after the arrival of the railroad. Eager to shed their town’s rustic image, civic-minded citizens and businesspeople sought every opportunity to establish a more cosmopolitan reputation.
A performing arts center...
Our newest open space preserve has a rich and varied past
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...
Town creating calendar recognizing Native American Heritage Month
During its regularly scheduled meeting, Dec. 6, Mayor Rob Rennie asked Town Manager Laurel Prevetti for an update on the process to officially acknowledge Los Gatos’ earliest residents.
But her response—while delighting some First Nations advocates—left one group in particular feeling a little left out.
“We...


















