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History of Milpitas – 1900s
The Milpitas Monster was filmed in 1975 and 1976 and released to market in 1980, 80 Minutes, Color, Rated PG. Starring: Douglas A. Hagdohl, John “Pop” Kennedy, Scot A. Henderson, Daniel G. Birkhead, Scott Parker, Priscilla House, and William C. Guest. Screenplay by David E. Boston. Music by Robert R. Berry, Jr. Produced and Directed by Robert L. Burrill. Based on a story by David R. Kottas and Robert L. Burrill. Watch the trailer. On January 26, 1954, Milpitas residents incorporated as a city, including the Ford Factory. See what else happened in the 1900s. Milpitas in the 1900s On January 26, 1954, faced with getting swallowed up by a rapidly expanding San…
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Mission/Rancho Era – 1700s
Milpitas was along the route taken by the De Anza Expedition, and between Mission San Jose and Mission Santa Clara. There is a sign posted near the intersection of Calaveras and Milpitas Blvd., near City Hall, showing where the expedition passed through. Alviso Adobe Park The adobe’s history can be traced back to 1834, when its original owner, José Maria de Jesus Alviso, penned a petition describing what he had built: “two walled houses,” outside of which were 600 cattle, a 600-vine vineyard, and an orchard bearing 60 fruit trees. The function of the petition was for Alviso to gain formal ownership of the property, which he cited as “the…
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Harry Wu: His Legacy
Releasing Wu was a major embarrassment to the PRC government. And, where in the world did Wu live? You guessed it: Milpitas. In fact, a very big deal was made to welcome Harry Wu home to Milpitas when he returned to the United States. Dateline: 3/19/98, Updated 6/18/2023/ From his inauspicious Milpitas tract home, Harry Wu has been operating a center for international intrigue. Once again, the controversial Chinese human rights crusader has made his blow for the fate of imprisoned dissidents in China, and put Milpitas on the front page of papers around the world. Harry’s target this time: China’s practice of reselling the organs of executed prisoners for…
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Historical trivia: Milpitas’ history as the constant butt of nationwide jokes
By Eric Shapiro, June 17, 2023, in The Milpitas Beat The Milpitas Beat last Saturday caught up with Milpitas Historical Society President Bill Hare for a fun, quick chat about our city’s long yet forgotten history as the butt of endless jokes around the nation… According to Hare, for about a century, a comparable cultural sentiment was in circulation about a “man from Milpitas…” No man in particular, just a general, fictional Milpitas resident… The Milpitas Historical Society can trace the whole thing back to news articles from the 1860s. According to Hare, “In 1863, there was talk of California maybe leaving the union and becoming a slave state…There was…
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Sunnyhills Neighborhood History
Please join Executive Producers Donnie Eiland and David Mosqueda for a special virtual viewing of… 54: The Story Of The First Planned Integrated Community In The Country History of the Sunnyhills Neighborhood Association Sunnyhills was the first planned racially-integrated community in the United States in 1956, arranged by a Union co-op of the United Auto Workers. Today, Sunnyhills still has one of the highest levels of integration of any neighborhood. More detailed version. Sunnyhills Neighborhood Association June 2022 Breakfast Meeting K’Meyer related the story of how the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a Quaker social action organization, and the United Auto Workers union cooperated in the early 1950s to build…
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Indigenous People (Ohlone Indians) of Silicon Valley
History of the Ohlone Indians, the indigenous people who inhabited the south San Francisco Bay region of California. Bloody Island Massacre To this day, the US Army, State of California, or County of Lake, have made no attempt to apologize for nearly annihilating the innocent Pomo people of Bodanapotti. California Powwow Calendar Check here for powwows of indigenous people being held in California. California Cultures: Native Americans At the time of Spanish colonization in the late 1700s, California was home to more than 300,000 indigenous people in more than 200 tribes. Their centuries-old way of life was brought to an end relatively quickly: native Californians soon established regular trading relationships with…
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Mysterious Rock Walls
East Bay Mysterious Rock Walls are also known as the Berkeley Mystery Walls. These crude, stone walls are located in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. In places, they are up to a meter high and a meter wide; the walls run in sections anywhere from a few meters to over a half mile long. The rocks used to construct the East Bay Walls are a variety of sizes. Some are basketball-sized rocks, while others are large sandstone boulders weighing a ton or more. Parts of the wall seem to be just piles of rocks, but in other places it appears the walls were carefully constructed. The exact age…
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Ancient & Medieval History in the South Bay Area
You can find out more about ancient and medieval times right here in the South Bay Area. Learn about the mysterious rock wall formations, too. Paleontological Boy Paleontologists In the Irvington gravel pits, known as Bell Quarry, located off of Osgood Road from 1944 to 1960, the Boy Paleontologists of Hayward unearthed plant and animal fossils including mammoths, saber cats, horses, camels, and even rodents. A new species named Tetrameryx irvingtonensis, a four-pronged antelope, was the most significant find. Presently Freeway 680, between Washington Boulevard and Durham Road, covers this fossil field. Children’s Natural History Museum Including “Irvingtonian Fossils”, the “Boy Paleontologist” Room, “Bones of Vertebrates,” and “Environments through Time”…
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Main Street History Tour
Joann Souza narrates a tour of Main Street telling about the historic buildings and sites along the way. Created by MilpitasHistory
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Milpitas Historical Society April 14, 2021 with Mort Levine & Deva Luna
Milpitas Post founder Mort Levine, with his daughter Deva Luna, reflects on his family’s history in Milpitas, and talks about the life of his wife Elaine Levine, co-founder of The Milpitas Historical Society and original publisher of the Milpitas Post. Video from the Milpitas Historical Society.
