Los Gatos Remembered

From El Rancho de Los Gatos, the Mexican land grant of 1839, to 1854 when James Alexander Forbes built his flour mill, and to the era of the Valley of Heart’s Delight, an orchardist’s paradise, history has been recorded, and photographs still survive. The railroad arrived in 1877 and put Los Gatos on the map. The town burned down twice, in 1891 and 1901, but was rebuilt by residents who took pride in the matchless small town they called home. In the 1920s, Los Gatos attracted writers, painters, poets, and other assorted creative folk. The population expanded rapidly after World War II, and the orchards disappeared, replaced by homes and businesses. The October 17, 1989, Loma Prieta Earthquake devastated the town, with old unreinforced masonry buildings on Main Street and North Santa Cruz Avenue collapsing and at least 400 homes, including stately restored Victorians, damaged. Images of America: Los Gatos Remembered showcases the memories and history of this picturesque area of California.

Peggy Conaway Bergtold, MA, MLS, retired director of the Los Gatos Public Library, has gathered together photographs from many sources to help preserve the community’s collective memory.