Doheny Memorial Library, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0189 Public Domain. Release under the CC BY Attribution license--http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/--Credit both “University of Southern California. Libraries” and “California Historical Society” as the source. Digitally reproduced by the USC Digital Library; From the California Historical Society Collection at the University of Southern California Send requests to address or e-mail given USC Libraries Special Collections specol@usc.edu
Description
Photograph of a view of the lush woods at Los Gatos, Santa Clara County, California, [s.d.]. A large arch, possibly man-made, stands in the middle of the path through the dense trees. The arch is covered in vines. Leaves cover the ground. "The first known settlers of Los Gatos were the Ohlone Indians. Thought to have inhabited the area for more than 10,000 years, they lived along the Los Gatos Creek near today's Vasona Park. The first white man entered the area on March 25, 1776 when Captain Juan Bautista de Anza and his expedition camped along Los Gatos Creek on their way to establish a presidio at San Francisco Bay. But homesteading didn't begin until the Spanish land grant era. In 1839, Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta were granted 6,631 acres called 'El Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos,' which translates as 'corner of the cats.' The rancho encompassed most of present day Los Gatos. Sparse settlers began farming and harvesting timber, but it wasn't until James Alexander Forbes built his flourmill in 1855 that an actual village was formed. Over the next 20 years, cattle and sheep ranching became prominent and the town became a favorite stop for lumber teamsters traveling along the new toll road between Santa Cruz and San Jose. Los Gatos incorporated as a town on August 10, 1887, encompassing one square mile on both sides of Los Gatos Creek." -- George G. Bruntz.
Type
image
Format
1 photograph : photoprint, b&w 8 x 10 in. photographic prints photographs
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