Community Corner

Historical Society's Walking Tours Showcase Hidden Gems of Old Gilroy

The historic tours occur every month.

By Regina Aquino

Residents and visitors of Gilroy can get a free dose of history, along with some fitness, every first Saturday of the month during the Gilroy Historical Society’s Monthly Walking Tour.  The tour meets in front of the Gilroy Museum at 10 a.m., unless otherwise specified, and a volunteer guides participants through Gilroy’s historic districts on foot. Destinations change every month, so participants are able to learn something new each time.

For the month of May, the walking tour took place in Old Gilroy, which is the area on the east side of town, and began on Martin and Monterey Road near OD’s Kitchen and Garlic City Books. 

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Connie Rogers, a volunteer at Gilroy Museum and President of the Historical Society, was in charge of the tour held on May 7.  She has been affiliated with the Gilroy Museum for about ten years–the length of time that the historical walking tours have been conducted in the city.

‘There’s a reason why I wanted to start the tour off at this particular spot,” Rogers said.  “This is actually an area where there is discussion about possibly building the high-speed railroad track, but who knows.  The issue is still under debate – some people are for it and others aren’t.”

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Gilroy’s historic district was determined in the 1980s, including areas surrounding downtown and the residential neighborhoods surrounding Monterey Street between 4th and 8th streets, as well as 5th West to Hannah Street, Rogers said.

As participants crossed the tracks of the Union Pacific Railroad, Rogers described what appeared to be an old, vacant building down the corner of the block.

“This is an important one,” she said.  “This building was erected as a creamery as kind of a co-op, and it produced one-fifth of all the butter and cheese in Northern California for about 20 years or so.”

Built in 1908 and founded by Col. O.E Learnard, the Live Oak Creamery still sits on Martin and Railroad Street, windowless and dilapidated with shades of grey and russet.  The building may be currently abandoned, but its rich historic value exemplifies a period of time where Gilroy was active and booming in the dairy industry.

Rogers continued to guide tour participants through the East side of town, specifically stopping to show historical homes that boasted various architectural styles including Italianate, Craftsman Bungalow and Neoclassical styles built by once-famous Californian architect, William Weeks. 

The significance of these homes was not only in their style, but they either represented social trends at the time or were once owned by prominent people of Gilroy history.

“This home and the one next to it were built in 1909 on behalf of the Gilroy Benevolent Society,” Rogers said of two cottage-style homes on Alexander Street.  “The society was an organization of prominent women who purchased property and built homes to be rented at low rates to poor and needy families.  They are a significant reminder of the concern that early Gilroy citizens showed for those less fortunate.”

Rogers described another home on Martin Street owned by David Wood, a traveler from Illinois who came to California in 1849 to try his fortune in the gold mines.  The home was passed onto Henry Hecker, a resident of Gilroy since 1883, after he married one of Woods’ daughters.

“And of course, he is also known as the man who Hecker Pass is named after,” Rogers said.  “Hecker was also instrumental in the purchase of Mt. Madonna as a county park in 1927.”

As the tour continued through the neighborhood to Lewis and Gennaro Street, up Forest Street and down to Sixth, Rogers stopped to share pieces of Gilroy history as she referred to documents created by the museum. 

“Another thing that people don’t know is that a lot of these homes had to be retrofitted because they didn’t have bathrooms inside the homes back then,” said Janice Krahenbuhl, another volunteer with the Historical Society who participated in the tour.  “They used to have outhouses.”

The Historic Walking Tour through Old Gilroy was an interactive history lesson, allowing participants to appreciate a neighborhood that is rich in authenticity, character and meaning.  While the neighborhood is now home to new residents of Gilroy’s present-day, it is noteworthy to understand its roots and tradition.

Each walking tour lasts for two hours and continues throughout the year.  For the full Walking Tour schedule, check out the Gilroy Museum's Web site or call (408) 846-0446.

This article was produced through a collaboration of PatchU and the School of Journalism & Mass Communication at San Jose State University. PatchU is a Patch Media initiative to build strong relationships with colleges and universities across the country. The mission of PatchU is to connect students and faculty to opportunities at Patch.


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