Guide to the Santa Clara Valley Local History Collection R.G. 102
Collection processed and encoded by Shannon Hartman in 2016. Reviewed by Erin Louthen.
Archives & Special Collections, Santa Clara University Library
© 2016
Santa Clara University Library
500 El Camino Real
Santa Clara, California 95053-0500
Email: specialcollections@scu.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Archives & Special Collections, Santa Clara University Library
Title: Santa Clara Valley Local History Collection
creator:
Santa Clara University (Calif.)
creator:
Spearman, Arthur D.
Identifier/Call Number: R.G. 102
Physical Description:
6.9 linear feet
(10 boxes, 2 items)
Date (inclusive): 1847-2006 (bulk 1890-1960)
Abstract: The Santa Clara Valley Local History Collection, 1847-2006 (bulk 1890-1960) documents the history of the Santa Clara Valley
after the arrival of European and overland settlers. The records consist of Chamber of Commerce publications promoting the
Santa Clara Valley as an idyllic place to live, work and visit; writings, reminiscences, photographs and ephemera documenting
the prominent pioneer and
Californio families of the Santa Clara Valley; and printed materials documenting some of the county’s historic landmarks, businesses,
organizations and religious institutions. The collection also includes a small selection of materials from San Francisco and
other neighboring communities. The collection is arranged into six series: Series I. Businesses & Organizations, 1847-1968;
Series II. 1906 Earthquake, 1906-2006 (bulk 1906); Series III. People & Places, 1896-1995 (bulk 1915-1975); Series IV. Promotional
Materials & Souvenirs, 1872-1978 (bulk 1872-1959); Series V. Religious Institutions, 1864-1989 (bulk 1891-1969); and Series
VI. Writings & Remembrances, 1886-1992 (bulk 1890-1960).
Physical Location: This collection is located in Santa Clara University Library's Archives & Special Collections.
Language of Material: English
Container: data_value_missing_ae467897c391c25fb6569b9fed2fbeb5
Access
The collection is open for research. There are no restrictions.
Publication Rights
Materials in Archives & Special Collections may be subject to copyright. All requests for permission to publish from manuscripts
must be submitted in writing to the University Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Archives & Special
Collections as the owner of the physical materials, and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder,
which must also be obtained. Copyright restrictions also apply to digital reproductions of the original materials.
Preferred Citation
Santa Clara Valley Local History Collection, Record Group 102, Santa Clara University Library, Archives & Special Collections.
Processing Information
Collection processed and encoded by Shannon Hartman in 2016. Reviewed by Erin Louthen. Folder-level descriptive information
added by Daniela Baez in 2018.
Organizational History
Santa Clara University was founded in 1851 by the Society of Jesus as Santa Clara College and is California’s oldest operating
institution of higher learning. It was established on the grounds of Mission Santa Clara de Asìs, the eighth of the original
21 California missions. The college originally operated as a preparatory school and did not offer courses of collegiate rank
until 1853. The institution became known as the University of Santa Clara in 1912, when the schools of engineering and law
were added. For 110 years, Santa Clara University was an all-male school. In 1961, women were accepted as undergraduates and
Santa Clara University became the first coeducational Catholic university in California. The number of students and faculty
tripled over the next decade and the university began the largest building program in school history with eight residence
halls, a student union, and an athletic stadium. In the early 1970s, the Board of Trustees voted to limit the size of the
undergraduate population, an action that was intended to preserve the character and ensure the quality of the university for
generations to come. In 1985, the university adopted Santa Clara University as its official name.
Bibliography: Santa Clara University. “About SCU – History.” www.scu.edu/about/history.cfm (Accessed Nov. 23, 2010) McKevitt, Gerald, S.J.
The University of Santa Clara: A History, 1851-1977. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 1979.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into six series: Series I. Businesses & Organizations, 1847-1968; Series II. 1906 Earthquake, 1906-2006
(bulk 1906); Series III. People & Places, 1896-1995 (bulk 1915-1975); Series IV. Promotional Materials & Souvenirs, 1872-1978
(bulk 1872-1959); Series V. Religious Institutions, 1864-1989 (bulk 1891-1969); and Series VI. Writings & Remembrances, 1886-1992
(bulk 1890-1960).
Scope and Content of the Collection
The Santa Clara Valley Local History Collection, 1847-2006 (bulk 1890-1960) documents the history of the Santa Clara Valley
after the arrival of European and overland settlers. The records consist of Chamber of Commerce publications promoting the
Santa Clara Valley as an idyllic place to live, work and visit; writings, reminiscences, photographs and ephemera documenting
the prominent pioneer and
Californio families of the Santa Clara Valley; and printed materials documenting some of the county’s historic landmarks, businesses,
organizations and religious institutions. The collection also includes a small selection of materials from San Francisco and
other neighboring communities.
Note: Many of the materials in this collection are believed to be research files assembled by Arthur D. Spearman, S.J., who
served as the university's unofficial archivist in the mid-twentieth century.
Related Materials
Inventory of Papers of Arthur Dunning Spearman, S.J., 1899-1977:
http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/tf6r29n8f2/
Additional oversize materials are housed in Santa Clara University Library, Archives and Special Collections, Map Drawer 27
and include lithographs, photographs, train schedules, posters and newspapers depicting the history of the Santa Clara Valley.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Santa Clara (Calif.) -- History, Local
San Jose (Calif.) -- History, Local
Santa Clara County (Calif.) -- History, Local
Santa Clara Valley (Santa Clara County, Calif.) -- History, Local
Series I
Santa Clara Valley Businesses & Organizations,
1847-1968
Scope and Content
This series documents business and civic organizations in the Santa Clara Valley. Included are organizational records of the
Fenian Brotherhood of Santa Clara; a Santa Clara Woman’s Club directory; printed materials documenting the Sunnyvale Historical
Society’s efforts to save the Martin Murphy, Sr. home; the constitution and by-laws of the Young Men’s Institute; a Commonwealth
publication on the California drought; business directories; a merchant ledger; and ephemera from local businesses.
Arrangement
This series is arranged topically.
box 1
Businesses & Organizations,
1847-1968
Folder 1: Fenian Brotherhood of Santa Clara,
1863-1866
Folder 2: Fenian Brotherhood of Santa Clara,
1863-1868
Folder 3: Sunnyvale Historical Society,
1959-1967
Folder 4: Other Organizations,
1895-1968
Folder 5: Business Directories,
1928-1950
Folder 6: Business Ledger,
c. 1847-1848
Folder 7: Business Ephemera,
c. 1873-1923
Series II
1906 Earthquake,
1906-2006 (bulk 1906)
Scope and Content
This series documents the aftermath of the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco and Santa Clara counties. Included is a series
of
San Francisco Examiner photographic supplements documenting earthquake damage to buildings in San Francisco; a mayoral proclamation establishing
a curfew in San Jose; a
Mercury-Herald Extra “San Francisco Reported Destroyed” from April 18, 1906; a photocopied version of
E Day 1906: Witness to an Earthquake by Ralph Rambo;
Palo Alto 1906 by Linda Dick; and a program from Santa Clara’s 1906 Earthquake Remembrance Ceremony, held in 2006.
Arrangement
This series is arranged chronologically.
box 2
1906 Earthquake,
1906-2006
Folder 1: Mayoral Proclamation, Mercury Herald Extra,
1906
Folder 2: San Francisco Examiner Supplement,
1906
Folder 3: Photograph,
1906
Folder 4: Publications,
1979-1987
Folder 5: 100 Year Anniversary,
2006
Series III
Santa Clara Valley People & Places,
1896-1995 (bulk 1915-1975)
Scope and Content
This series documents the Santa Clara Valley’s prominent pioneer and
Californio families and the valley's historic landmarks. Included is Isabel Argüello Den’s account of her family’s involvement in local
government and military affairs; a genealogy of the Castro family of California; Margaret Davidson Belton’s recollections
of the 1906 earthquake and fire in San Francisco; a memorial resolution for Reginaldo Francisco del Valle (53rd California
Legislature, 1939); New Testaments and devotional books belonging to the Berryessa family; and information about Martha Reed
Lewis, a survivor of the Donner Party. Also included are architectural and land surveys; printed materials depicting historic
landmarks (Peralta Adobe Historical Park, the Roberto Adobe, Villa Maria, Hotel Vendome, Pioneer Cemetery, and Santa Clara
City Cemetery); materials from the Historic Landmarks Committee in San Jose; and photographs of street scenes in Half Moon
Bay and San Francisco.
Arrangement
This series is arranged topically.
box 3
Prominent People,
1896-1981
Folder 1: Pioneers and Living Descendants,
1981
Folder 2: Pioneers and Living Descendants,
1934
Folder 3: Newspaper Clippings,
1926-1973
Folder 4: Arguello,
1951-1971, & undated
Folder 6: Belton - Davidson - O'Brien,
1966
Folder 7: Bernal,
c. 1935-1963
Folder 9: Campbell,
undated
Folder 10: Castro,
1958-1975
Folder 11: De Bretteville,
1915
Folder 12: Del Valle,
1939
Folder 13: Donner Party (Reed Lewis),
undated
Folder 14: Donner Party (Reed Lewis),
c. 1910-1920
Folder 15: Frampton,
c. 1940-1949
Folder 17: Mesa - Robles,
1896-1934
Folder 19: Pacheco,
c. 1960-1969
Folder 22: Stanford, Jr.,
undated
box 4
Berryessa Family New Testaments & Devotional Books,
1840-1883
box 5
Historical Landmarks,
circa 1896-1995
Folder 1: Cemeteries, Pioneer Cemetery,
1979
Folder 2: Cemeteries, Santa Clara City,
c. 1952-1973
Folder 3: Historic Landmarks,
undated
Folder 4: Historic Landmarks,
1977-1984
Folder 5: Hotels, De Anza Hotel,
undated
Folder 6: Hotels, Hotel Vendome,
undated
Folder 7: Peralta Adobe
undated
Folder 8: Roberto Adobe,
undated
Folder 9: San Jose Airport,
undated
Folder 10: Villa Maria,
1974
Folder 11: Architectural Survey,
1974
Folder 12: Map, Santa Clara Town and Sub-lots,
1995
Folder 13: Street Scenes, Half Moon Bay,
undated
Folder 14: Street Scenes, San Francisco,
undated
Folder 15: Sixteen Views of Del Monte,
c. 1890-1899
Series IV
Santa Clara Valley Promotional Materials & Souvenirs,
1872-1978 (bulk 1872-1959)
Scope and Content
The bulk of this series consists of Chamber of Commerce publications promoting the Santa Clara Valley as an idyllic place
to live, work and visit. Included are brochures, pamphlets and other printed materials published by the Chamber of Commerce,
San Jose Board of Trade, Santa Clara Commercial League, the Citizens’ Town Plan Committee (Santa Clara), and the Santa Clara
Valley Improvement Club. Postcards, souvenir books, and travel guides are also included.
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically by publishing agency.
box 6
Postcards & Souvenirs,
1897-1927
Folder 1: Postcards,
undated
Folder 2: Fiesta de las Rosas,
1927
Folder 3: Progressive Santa Clara,
1904
Folder 4: Santa Clara County,
1897
Folder 5: Sunshine, Fruit and Flowers,
1897
Folder 6: Views and Legends...Monterey,
1913
Folder 7: Election Tickets (Grant etc.),
1874
box 7
Promotional Materials,
1872-1978
Folder 1: San Francisco,
1934, & undated
Folder 2: San Jose Board of Trade,
1887-1890
Folder 3: COC, San Jose,
1904-1940
Folder 4: COC, San Jose,
c. 1912-1956
Folder 5: COC, San Jose Economic Survey,
1948-1955
Folder 6: COC, San Jose,
undated
Folder 7: San Jose Travel and Tourism,
1872-1904, & undated
Folder 8: COC, Santa Clara,
c. 1912-1959
Folder 9: COC, Santa Clara,
1963-1978
Folder 10: Santa Clara County Bond Measures,
1959
Folder 11: Santa Clara Commercial League,
1904
Folder 12: Santa Clara County Publications,
c. 1900-1929
Series V
Santa Clara Valley Religious Institutions,
1864-1989 (bulk 1891-1969)
Scope and Content
This series documents religious institutions in the Santa Clara Valley. Included are souvenir booklets, bulletins, liturgical
programs, and histories of Santa Clara Valley churches; photographs and prints of California missions and patron saints; and
photographs of the Jesuit Villa at Manresa.
Arrangement
This series is arranged topically.
box 8
Religious Institutions,
1864-1989
Folder 1: Missions, Photographs,
undated
Folder 2: Missions, Edwin Deakin Prints,
1899
Folder 3: Missions, Lecture Prints,
undated
Folder 4: Missions, Norman H. Camps Prints,
undated
Folder 5: Missions, Unidentified,
undated
Folder 6: Jesuit Villa at Manresa,
1906
Folder 7: Half Moon Bay,
1914, & undated
Folder 9: San Jose,
1864-1899
Folder 11: San Jose,
1900-1961
Folder 12:San Jose,
c. 1906-1969
Folder 13: San Jose,
1981
Folder 14: San Jose,
1989
Folder 15: Santa Clara,
1918-1925
Folder 16: Santa Clara,
1918-1986
Folder 17: Santa Clara,
undated
Series VI
Santa Clara Valley Writings & Remembrances,
1886-1992 (bulk 1890-1960)
Scope and Content
This series documents the settlement of the Santa Clara Valley. Included are published and unpublished histories and reminiscences
of life in San Jose; a volume of Dick Barrett’s
Historical Happenings in Old Santa Clara Valley (1967); a book of poetry by Charles Herman Allen (1900); an issue of
The Pioneer on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the state government in San Jose; a collection of drawings,
maps and prints entitled
Early Day San Jose; one (facsimile) scrapbook from the Santa Clara Woman's Club; and two large scrapbooks consisting of newspaper clippings
covering a broad range of California topics.
Arrangement
This series is arranged topically.
box 9
Writings & Remembrances,
1886-1992
Folder 1: SF, Chronicle Propaganda,
1886
Folder 2: SF, Vigilance Committee, 1890,
1890
Folder 3: San Jose, History
1894
Folder 4: San Jose, History,
1938-1949, & undated
Folder 5: San Jose, History,
c. 1949
Folder 6: San Jose, History,
1894
Folder 7: San Jose, First Legislature,
1930-1949
Folder 8: Santa Clara, Historical Sources Index,
1973
Folder 9: Santa Clara, History,
1977
Folder 10: Santa Clara, Reminiscence,
1960
Folder 11: Santa Clara Valley Weekly,
1992
box 10
Writings & Remembrances, Oversize,
1886-1992
Item 1
Scrapbook,
circa 1930-1950
Item 2
Scrapbook,
circa 1930-1950
