What's happening in California's oldest city?

San Jose Women's Club - City Landmark #32 San Jose Women's Club Presents - Naglee Park Homes Tour
Saturday April 26th, 10-2:30pm, 75 South 11th Street, San Jose
Support the preservation of City Landmark #32 when you visit five historic Naglee Park homes, within walking distance of the San Jose Woman's Club, culminating at the SJWC Clubhouse.

Home Tour: 10:00am-1:00pm, Refreshments and Club Tour: 10:00am-2:30pm
Tickets: $20.00 Advance Purchase, $25.00 day of the event at 246 South 13th Street or Willow Glen Home & Garden, 1123 Lincoln Avenue, San Jose.  A small boutique of antiques, dolls, glassware and other items will be sold inside the Clubhouse while refreshments of homemade cookies are served on the Club's silver from long ago.
Mail checks to SJWC at 75 South 11th Street, San Jose, CA 95112.  Online tour at www.nagleeparkneighbors.com.   For more information, call (408) 294-6919 or email info@sjwomansclub.org.  Free street parking available the day of event.

The San Jose Woman's Club is dedicated to supporting the City's cultural, educational, civic and community initiatives. It provides scholarships to San Jose State students and various local charities.  Proceeds from the Home Tour will benefit the Clubhouse preservation and beautification fund. The Club's wish list includes a new roof, updated heating system, lounge furniture, restaurant equipment, boardroom table and chairs, as well as landscaping and Brides' Room decor.

Concerned about global warming? So are we. Want to do something about it? Of course you do. Start by reading Sustainability and Historic Preservation, by Don Rypkema.  Don believes "The best green building is an historic building" and that "historic preservation is the ultimate in recycling."  

Demolition of a historic building wastes the valuable the materials and energy spent bulding it. The EPA has noted that building construction debris constitutes around a third of all waste generated in this country.  Preserving historic buildings fits well with Mayor Chuck Reed's Green Vision environmental plan to make San Jose a sustainable city. 

April 2008 - Gabriel Ibarra's photo exhibit THINK SANTA CLARA AND COYOTE VALLEY will be on display at Kaleid Gallery, 88 South 4th Street, San Jose. The gallery is open Tuesdays through Fridays Noon-7pm and Saturdays Noon-5pm.  Gabriel's focus is on capturing our local historical landmarks and what remains of the Valley of Hearts Delight on film.   Gabriel's website

July 8-12 - The Theatre Historical Society of America's Annual Conclave in San Jose.  THSA holds an annual Conclave, or theatre tour, every summer in a different city or area of the country. Usually lasting four to five days, the schedule includes visits to several historic theatres, along with many other activities.  Attendees are usually allowed to go backstage and sometimes up to the projection booth, or "crawl" around the many other nooks and crannies. Managers or owners are usually present to give the history of their theatre. If there's a pipe organ, it may be played by the resident organist.  This year's tour features 30 Bay Area theatres - 8 in San Jose, including the California Theatre (Fox), Jose Theatre (Improv) and San Jose Civic Auditorium.

Historic IBM Building 25 Severely Damaged by Fire San Jose (March 8, 2008). A fire on the site of the deserted IBM 25 Building has substantially damaged it. Arson is suspected. The irony of the timing is that after six years of controversy and legal battles--in which PAC-SJ has contended that a proposed new big box Lowe's store could share the 18-acre site with the historic building* or could build nearby-- the parties were on the verge of settlement. "This is devastating, in every sense of the word," said PAC-SJ Interim Executive Director Brian Grayson. "We have worked for years to save this iconic building that reflects not only architectural innovation and excellence but Silicon Valley's high-tech heritage. We are obviously very concerned at the recent losses of a number of the City's historic buildings by fire and look forward to working with the City to change this pattern."

The National Trust for Historic Preservation opposed the demolition of IBM Building 25 throughout the City approval processes for the Lowe's project, and was part of the successful court case, acting as an amicus. "We are saddened by the loss of this building of great architectural and cultural significance on a national level of importance," said Anthea Hartig, Director of the Western Office of the National Trust.

"Despite this terrible fire, the settlement that we have all been working on for months should proceed." said PAC-SJ attorney Susan Brandt-Hawley. "We expect that there will be a reconstruction of a portion of IBM Building 25 that can tell the story of its fascinating past. We know the City is making efforts to salvage the historic fabric from the fire site as much as is feasible."

Some Photos of the damage

* See PAC-SJ v. City of San Jose (2006) 141 Cal.App.4th 1336.

Our third annual FABULOUS HATS PARTY on Sunday, March 16th, 2008 was a smashing success!
We raised over $10,800 - our most successful Fabulous Hats! party to date. Guests toured Joan Bohnetts's early 1900's home in San Jose's Palm Haven which was beautifully decorated with collections of glass, native American handiwork and period art. They tried on and purchased vintage hats and clothing, and enjoyed a wine and dessert reception in the garden. Over 100 unique hats from the 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's, donated by members and the public were available for purchase. Also featured were vintage wooden hat blocks from the turn of the century, a collection of over 65 boxed collectors dolls, doll collecting books, and vintage luggage. 

Many thanks to Joan Bohnett and the other tireless volunteers who made this event so successful.  All  funds raised will support PAC*SJ's efforts in preserving San Jose's architectural history. 

The San Jose Fire Museum (SJFM), proposes exhibiting their rare collection of historical fire fighting equipment in the former Fire House #1 on Market Street. The SJFM is determined to save the 56-year-old Art Deco-style station. It has a high historical evaluation score and served the SJFD for one third of its great history. Its goal is to turn this site into the most complete fire museum in the country.  More on the proposed Fire Museum

Celebrating the Silicon Valley's Mid-Century Past - "SV Modern is a web site devoted to portraying the Santa Clara Valley during its years of transition from the Valley of Heart’s Delight to Silicon Valley, roughly 1945 to 1965." Created by PAC*SJ member Heather David, this site is full of interesting pictures and background on local modern architecture and worth the visit. 

Terry Thompson  is an SJSU graduate whose realistic paintings celebrate "Googy" style business signs, many in San Jose. He has painted signs of the Jose Theatre, De Anza Hotel, Andy's Pet Shop, Mexico Theatre and many other local landmarks.  His painting of the Stephen's Meat Products sign is part of the San Jose Museum of Art's permanent collection.  Perusing his website feels like driving around San Jose and beyond.  Interesting how these iconic signs and landmarks become part of our visual experience. 

Introducing the new book Touring Historic Willow Glen, published in a partnership between the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association and Preservation Action Council of San Jose.  The book costs $17.95 and can be purchased at Willow Glen Books, 1330 Lincoln Avenue, or by calling the PAC*SJ office - (408) 998-8105.  New or renewing members at or above the $100 level get a free copy of the book.  Join Now!

The Santa Clara County Photographers' Collection is now available for research.  The collection consists of over 57,000 black and white and color photographs chronicling the County's activities and development between 1950 and 1993.  Examples of subjects include aerial photographs of urban and rural parts of the county, portraits and activites of County employees and pictures of County facilities, including airports, schools, courts, and parks.  For further information on the collection or to schedule a research appointment, please call the Archives at 408-792-1895 or e-mail the County Archivist at Michael.griffith@rec.sccgov.org.

Alma Taylor, long time PAC*SJ member, has chronicled her experiences during WWII in this moving story about herself and all the "Rosies" who sacrificed for the war effort. In June 2004, the Rosie the Riveter / Home Front National Historical Park opened in Richmond, CA as a memorial to to these strong women and in May 2004 the 108th Congress made a resolution honoring their efforts.