History

Heavy rains are a rarity in Los Gatos, but last week saw the community get quite the natural wash. And it put a serious damper on holiday shopping. But by Friday evening, no more droplets were falling—though it was still wet and cool—and hundreds turned...

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...

The long-awaited arrival of the Parkside restaurant on the downtown dining scene is the perfect time for a story about the landmark building they’ll be calling home.  The Rankin Block was built in 1902 as income property by Clara and William Rankin who arrived in...

—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 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...

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...

Los Gatos has had a public library since 1898, with the Carnegie Library opening in 1903 and the current library built in 2012, each providing valuable resources and amenities to the community.

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...

While some believe that Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day, it’s actually just a minor Mexican holiday which commemorates their victory over an invading French army in 1862. In the U.S., the fifth of May is a popular occasion for celebrations of Mexican heritage...

Valentine’s Day is the perfect occasion for a love story But even though Los Gatos was the setting of a legendary romance that once captivated the nation, the story of Charles Erskine Scott Wood and Sara Bard Field has largely been forgotten by our community. C.E.S....