Tag: <span>Learn</span>

Private and Parochial Schools in or Near Milpitas

Milpitas has a good number of alternatives to public schools within the city limits or quite close by, including a homeschool group. Check out these private schools here in Milpitas and nearby.

In Milpitas or Very Close By

Merryhill School
We teach the core academics of reading, writing and math along with Spanish, technology, wellness and physical education. Owned and operated by Spring Education Group, a Chinese investment group.
1500 Yosemite Drive, Milpitas, CA 95035
408-945-9090

Milpitas/Berryessa Community Chinese School
To enrich the quality of life with Chinese heritage for our children. Classes held in several north San Jose locations.
P.O. Box 32988, San Jose, CA 95132
Voice Mail: 408-764-9648

North Valley Chinese School
NVCS provides an environment for youth in Milpitas and the surrounding areas to develop their Chinese language skills and experience the variety of the Chinese culture. Facebook Page.
Mailing address: P.O. Box 361856. Regular Classes are on every Saturday from 9am-11:30am, then Culture classes are from 11:40am -12:25pm. Location of all Classes:
Milpitas Christian School(MCS) Main Campus
3435 Birchwood Lane
San Jose, CA 95132
408-849-9421

Opportunity Youth Academy Sobrato
Charter school that offers high school students a blended learning program of teacher-directed instruction and online credit accrual and recovery options.
512 Valley Way
844-692-4888

Stratford School

Stratford School
The private Stratford School, which has campuses around the Bay Area serving preschool, elementary and middle school students, has submitted an application to operate a 55,600-square-foot school within the former Heald College site. Teachers wanted. Owned and operated by Spring Education Group, a Chinese investment group.
408-914-9000
341 Great Mall Parkway
and
25 Corning Ave

Homeschooling

In California, families homeschool by forming a small, private school. See a2zhomeschooling.com for more information.

Milpitas Homeschool Support
We’re a relaxed group, with no bylaws or dues: everything is free or pay as you go. We support all local homeschool families no matter how they choose to homeschool or why. Most families come from Milpitas, or close by in Berryessa (San Jose) or Warm Springs (Fremont) neighborhoods.

California Homeschooling
This is part of the A to Z Home’s Cool Homeschooling website, which I once owned. You can find out about state-wide associations, laws pertaining to homeschooling, events, and resources such as field trips. Resources here to help any family working academically with their children at home.

Non-Denominational Schools Nearby

Canyon Heights Academy
The rich content of our liberal arts-based curriculum allows our students to discover the world around them, think critically about it, and meet the challenges of life.
775 Waldo Road, Campbell, CA 95008
408-370-6727

Carden Academy of Almaden
Carden Academy of Almaden is a co-educational, non-sectarian, independent private elementary and middle school. Our spacious and newly remodeled campus is near Meridian Ave and Highway 85 in San Jose.
5200 Dent Avenue, San Jose, CA 95118
408-265-3392

Castilleja School
Castilleja is the only non-sectarian all-girls middle and high school in the San Francisco Bay Area. A college-preparatory school, we enroll 415 girls in grades six through twelve.
1310 Bryant Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301
650-328-3160

Challenger Schools
Challenger helps children become adults who are led by neither peer pressures nor common sentiment, but by the strength of their own thinking.
Several Locations Nearby. Put 95035 in search field.

French-American School of Silicon Valley
An academically excellent, integrated, French-American bilingual and bicultural education, infused with the principles of self-expression and differentiated pedagogy.
1522 Lewiston Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94087
408-746-0460

Harker School
We enroll 400 students and provide an exceptional education in science, math, history, literature, Jewish studies, Hebrew language, music, fine arts, sports, and technology.
Several Locations and Contact Numbers, San Jose, CA.

Hillbrook School
Hillbrook joins with parents in creating an environment which considers the development of empathy, compassion and caring for others as equal in importance to academic excellence and intellectual inquiry.
300 Marchmont Dr., Los Gatos, CA 95032
408-356-6110

Menlo School
An independent, coeducational college preparatory day school for students in grades 6-12.
50 Valparaiso Avenue, Atherton, CA 94027
650-330-2000

Oakwood
Beginning in preschool, students learn through a hands-on, multi-sensory approach, learning to work, play and share with others while developing self-esteem through many meaningful experiences.
105 John Wilson Way, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
408-782-7177

Silicon Valley International School
Students here learn more than just an additional language, they learn how to become agile, responsive, global thinkers. Our three bilingual programs (Chinese, French, or German) are strengthened through the IB (International Baccalaureate) framework that codifies our structured inquiry pedagogy.
151 Laura Lane, Palo Alto, CA 94303
650-251-8500

Parochial Schools

Catholic Parochial Schools
In Milpitas there is just one Catholic school, so often Catholic parents will enroll there children near one where they work.

Protestant
Both protestant christian schools are located at the south end of Milpitas. One just within the Milpitas border, and one a few blocks into San Jose.

Jewish

Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School
We enroll 400 students and provide an exceptional education in science, math, history, literature, Jewish studies, Hebrew language, music, fine arts, sports, and technology.
450 San Antonio Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94306
650-494-8200

Directories of Area Private Schools

The Bay Area Private School Guide
Explore private K-12 education in the San Francisco Bay Area. Choose a school for your child, research scholarships or special education programs, or look to find a teaching job.

Milpitas Camera Club

About the Milpitas Camera Club
Photographer Kaz (right) has organized local camera enthusiasts interested in meeting monthly or more often to share photography tips and occasionally go on photographic field trips. Ann Zeise was co-founder. The club was founded in 2004.Kaz

All are welcome to visit our meetings, and friends of members may go along on field trips. Membership allows you to join competitions and shows, and to get our newsletter and participate in our galleries.

Next Meeting:
Our meetings are
on the second Tuesday of each month
and usually held on Zoom, except for special events.

Recent Print Show Judging

Some definitions for photos entered for judging:

  • General-A and General-B: Members choose their category (A=advanced or B=beginner). Almost anything goes. Evaluation will be based primarily on pictorial content with the only restriction being that subject matter should not be offensive to the average adult audience.
  • Monochrome: black and white, sepia, or any other shades of one color and white
  • Travel: Expresses the feeling of a time and place, and portray a land, its people, or a culture in its natural state. Techniques that add to, relocate, replace or remove any element of the original image, except by cropping, are not permitted. Techniques that enhance the presentation of the image, without changing the photo travel content, are permitted. All adjustments must appear natural. Titles are part of the story and will be read during judging. They should be an accurate description of the subject.
  • Creative is an image of altered reality, produced by use of tools or techniques to manipulate the image during any part of the work flow. Emphasis in this Division is placed upon creativity and originality.
  • Mobile images must be taken and edited on a mobile device, such as a smart phone or tablet. Images taken on a GoPro or a drone would be in this category unless the topic fits well in one of the others.

Where to submit digital photos for meetings or shows:
Photo Pursuits
Members only with ID and password.

To Join or get More Information: Contact our membership chairs,
membership@milpitascamera.com


Milpitas Camera Club Photography Show 2010.
Music played by the Milpitas Community Band. Music from 1901. Recorded on my iPhone! Ann Zeise.

Milpitas Camera Club

Past Field Trip Reports
Look here if you would like to find interesting places to snap some great photos where we have gone before!

Milpitas Camera Club Favorite Links

MEMBERS’ GALLERIES

Robert Burrill
Over the years, Burrill’s vision was greatly sharpened, his technique refined with exceptional emphasis on composition and historical importance. Today he is busy digitally printing his own fine art photographs, wrote two books on local history, and makes and distributes films in DVD depicting the magic of art and the creative process.

Dave’s pictures
Our member Dave posts his photos from field trips here.

Jim Melton’s Photo Galleries
Jim has some instructional photos here, as well as lots of animals and flowers.

Ann Zeise’s Photos on Facebook
Photos posted on Ann’s Wall from newest to oldest. She shoots and edits mobile.

PHOTO CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENTS

CAMERA CLUBS

Fremont Art Association Digital Photography Group
Over the course of the next year we have 10 free field trips, a critique session, and an entry level photo class. These events occur on the 3rd Saturday of each month. Contact Cooksey, (510) 742-0548.

EXCLUSIVELY DIGITAL CAMERAS

Digital Outback Photo
Fine art outdoor photography using digital cameras.

Digital Photography Review
Where you’ll find all the latest in digital photography and imaging news, reviews of the latest digital cameras and accessories, the most active discussion forums, a large selection of sample images, a digital camera buyers guide, side-by-side comparisons and the most comprehensive database of digital camera features and specifications.

ETCETERA, colors, profiles, etc.
Digital camera profiles, colors, and more.

Steve’s Digicams
Digital camera reviews, amateur to professional, latest industry news, digital camera discussion board, Digital Photo of the Day, photo-quality printers, image scanners, digital video, video capture devices.

GENERAL PHOTOGRAPHY SITES

Photo.net
Learn and share photos and tips.

WHERE WE CAN’T STOOT PHOTOS

Stanford University Film, Photography and Video Requests
The University recently stepped up enforcement of its photography policy, leaving photographers uncertain about whether they are technically allowed to photograph Stanford landmarks. Security guards patrolling the Main Quad and other campus landmarks have been instructed to question the intent of individuals with professional camera equipment.

Ethnic History & Culture

“This [country] will in a few years become a…colony; instead of [their] learning our language, we must learn theirs, or live as in a foreign country.”
– Advice to German immigrants from Benjamin Franklin, publisher of die Philadelphische Zeitung, the first German newspaper in America, 1751.

Immigrants speaking other languages have been arriving in Santa Clara County for about 2 centuries contributing to our diverse ethnic history. Eventually they learn English, and begin to call themselves hyphenated-Americans, and become part of this wonderful melting pot. But is being a hyphenated-American a good thing? Does it imply not being 100% American?

Our Ethnic Heritage

Knowledge of Immigrant Nationalities of Santa Clara County
Unless we all start from the premise that we are innocently ignorant of the background and conditions of the rich cultures in our midst, and are challenged to rise to new levels of human understanding and humane relations, we suffer the possibility of engaging in insensitive or even discriminatory behaviors.

Silicon Valley Cultures Project
A fifteen year ethnographic study of the cultures living and working in the hi-tech communities of Silicon Valley.

Black Heritage

Manumission paper for Plim JacksonBlack History Community Resources
KQED has long list of resources in the Bay Area to assist you in studying Black History.

A History of Black Americans in California
Although Afro-American people were comparatively few in number before World War II, they were settled throughout the state and made significant contributions to its development and growth. National Park Service.

Two Years a Slave in the Santa Clara Valley: Sampson Gleaves and Plim Jackson
The manumission papers of Sampson Gleaves and Plim Jackson, preserved today at History San Jose, are rare in California, and provide clear evidence of African-American slavery in the Gold Rush state.

Chinese

Chinese in San Jose and the Santa Clara ValleyAngel Island: Immigrant Journeys of Chinese-Americans
Between 1910 and 1940, there were as many as 175,000 Chinese immigrants detained and processed at Angel Island, San Francisco Bay, California. Unlike Ellis Island in New York’s harbor, Angel Island is a visible reminder of a shameful period in U.S. immigration history.

Asian-Nation
Your one-stop information source on the historical, political, demographic, and cultural issues that make up today’s diverse Asian American community. You can almost think of Asian-Nation as an online version of “Asian Americans 101.”

Pacific Link: The KQED Asian Education Initiative
A complete study of the role of Asian immigrants in the history of California. From KQED.

Chinese Historical & Cultural Project
Based in Santa Clara County, California, it was founded in 1987 as a non-profit organization to promote and preserve Chinese American and Chinese history and culture through community outreach activities.

A History of Chinese Americans in California
Amid the increased numbers of Chinese immigrants in recent years, it should be remembered that not all Chinese Americans are recent arrivals.

Filipino

The colonial context of Filipino American immigrants’ psychological experiences
In Santa Clara County, 60% of randomly surveyed Filipinos cited economic problems as the main reason they left the Philippines. Fifty three percent also reported a desire to reunite with family. Similarly, 65% of public benefits recipients cited family reunification as the main reason they left their home country. The Filipino community is scattered in the suburbs of San Jose, Milpitas, Santa Clara, and Sunnyvale. While most speak English, many do not consider it their first nor most frequently used language.

Germans & Swiss

Die Deutschen in Kalifornien: Germans in Urban California, 1850-1860
A scholarly thesis by Carole Cosgrove Terry. The society that the European and American newcomers created in urban California was a combination of individual, ethnically-centered but unstructured cultural communities where the German-Californians were an influential and important segment of the citizenry.

Johann August Sutter
General Sutter, as he was generally known, was forced to flee his creditors in Switzerland at the age of 30. Ten years later, in California, he was the “ruler of the Saccramento Valley, founder of New Helvetia, a small sovereign.” After the discovery of gold on his land, he lost everything.

The Fatherland 1915The WWI Home Front: War Hysteria & the Persecution of German-Americans
Anglo-Saxons had their own definition of what was “American”, and anything that did not conform was an undesirable deviation, perhaps even dangerous. And they were having trouble understanding why German-Americans would not willingly give up their German culture.

Hispanic

Early History of Santa Clara County
Although Mexico broke with the Spanish crown in 1821, it was not until May 10, 1825, that San Jose acknowledged Mexican rule. On May 13, 1846, the United States declared war on Mexico. Captain Thomas Fallon, leading 19 men, entered San Jose on July 14, 1846, and raised the United States flag over the town hall.

A History of Mexican Americans in California
The roots of the Chicano experience stretched back some three centuries to 1519 when Spaniards and their Indian allies carried out the conquest of the Aztec Empire in central Mexico and established what they called “New Spain.” National Park Service.

Irish

Martin Murphy houseCalifornia and Bay Area Irish History: The Murphy Family
Martin and his family, Irish immigrants whose search for religious and educational freedom led them to California, were the first English speaking family to settle in Santa Clara Valley in 1849. From his home, Martin introduced the area’s first orchards and modern farm equipment and helped to establish the state’s first schools. In Milpitas we have a park named “Murphy.” The Shaughessy-Murphy Milk Shed still exists at the sewage pump facility near Coyote Creek.

The Irish in California
It is fashionable today, in some circles, to ignore, or at least minimize, the contributions of anyone from Europe. My intent is to point out, in a small way, how important the Irish were to the development of this state.

Japanese

History of Japantown, San Jose
Japanese, new to the country, eventually chose to build their wooden buildings next to Chinatown. Because the Chinese had already settled there, the environment was more familiar to them.

A History of Japanese Americans in California
How the National Park Service selects sites to show the history and contributions of Japanese in our state. A site both to find history and directions to historical sites.

Japanese American Museum of San Jose
Step into the past and help us honor our community’s stories of sacrifice, hardship and resilience. We invite you to come and engage with the firsthand experiences of Japanese Americans who experienced the racial tension and hysteria of WWII.

Japantown, San Jose
San Jose’s Japantown (Nihonmachi) developed from where the immigrant Japanese first settled in Santa Clara Valley. More than a century following its humble beginnings, it remains one of the last three historical Japantowns in the United States.

Native Americans

 

Indigenous People (Indians) of Silicon Valley
History of the Ohlone Indians who inhabited the south San Francisco Bay region of California.

User Groups in Silicon Valley

Geeks love to meet up and do coding together or share their knowledge of computing devices. Join one or more users group to learn and share about your area of interest.

Clubs and Places

Hacker Dojo
A collaborative hackerspace where tech enthusiasts gather to build, experiment and improve. Get 24/7 access to our training ground with your digital key. Work in our shared or quiet spaces, book meeting rooms, or tinker in our maker labs.
855 Maude Avenue
Mountain View, CA 94043

650-429-8605

Coders, Software Developers

IMUG: The Original Multilingual Computing User Group
The International Multilingual User Group has been a forum for GILT* professionals and language technology users since 1987. We meet regularly in Silicon Valley. If you work with or work on computers, smartphones, software, websites or other projects in more than one human language, please join us!

Open Source San José
An all-volunteer organization that works on civic innovation and government technology projects. Our mission is to make community services more transparent, accessible, and equitable by collaborating with local government and community-based organizations on open-source, free-to-use projects.

Silicon Valley Java User Group
This Java User Group (JUG) is for anyone interested in learning more about JEE web application development. We meet at Google in Mountain View, California, on the third Wednesday of the month.

Internet

Google Developer Group Silicon Valley
Meets on the first Wednesday of the month at the GooglePlex in Mountain View. Our meetings will always be free and open to the general public.

Linux

East Bay Linux Users Group
EBLUG meets at Hurricane Electric, 760 Mission Court, Fremont. For Linux enthusisasts who live between San Francisco and Silicon Valley who wish to participate once a month with other people who are also Linux and open source enthusiasts. All meetings are free and food and refreshments are provided by our host Hurricane Electric.

Professions

Society for Technical Communication
The Silicon Valley Chapter of the STC is a dynamic, exciting chapter with much to offer its members and the members of chapters around Northern California.

Dance Troops in Milpitas & Silicon Valley

Milpitas has a rich heritage of dance troops. Children can learn to dance, often in their own culture, and adults can find others and places to go dancing. Sometimes the library holds dances, too.

Aria Studio
Yelp. I’m a bit of an introvert so joining a dance class seemed intimidating at first, but it’s not at all. The owner and the staff here are very friendly.
1535 Landess Ave. Ste 106
(925) 997-3011

Fancy Dancers
A community-based youth dance company currently celebrating more than a decade of dance.
1491 N. Milpitas Blvd.
408-262-0770

Jensen’s School for the Performing Arts
The School features five state of the art studios under one roof. This large facility allows us to offer one of the most extensive and diverse programs in the area.
1491 N. Milpitas Blvd.
To register for classes, call 408-262-0770

Mona Khan Company
Bollywood Redefined. Unmatched quality, artistic and creative direction in the studio and on stage.
473 Jacklin Rd
408-826-8247

University of Silicon Andhra
Master of Arts in Bharatanatyam Dance. Bharatanatyam is one of the classical dance forms of India which has its roots in ancient culture and traditional practice.
1521 California Circle
844-872-8680

Veksler Academy of Music & Dance
We have music lessons & dance classes at a variety of times so that you can book classes for different children at the same time to save you hours of driving and waiting time.
91 S Abbott Ave
669-252-0277

Dance Events

Let’s go Salsa, Swing, and Blues dancing in San Francisco!
It’s simple, join THIS group to find Bay Area dance venues and events!

Salsa Dance Events SF Bay Area Salsa Dancing Clubs and Events
Join the SalsaCrazy SF Bay Area Salsa Dance Events group. This group covers events and news from all over the San Francisco Bay Area.

See also: Music in Milpitas
Whether you wish to learn to play an instrument or sing beautifully, or just come to hear some wonderful music or find a venue to play in, welcome to the world of Milpitas Music!

Bay Area and Silicon Valley Magazines

Magazines
Bay Area and Silicon Valley Magazines to keep you informed about business, technology, travel, garden, entertainment, and other trends.

Bay Area Family Travel
We will focus on a specific Bay Area locale for our monthly cover story. And in the How-to with Kidsdepartment, writers provide the essentials on how to ski with kids, camp with kids, visit museums with kids…you get the idea.

Bay Area Parent
Has great ideas of what is open for kids and what is not. Events calendar, articles of interest to parents. Childcare resources, plays, museums, field trip ideas.

Bay Nature
A quarterly magazine dedicated to the intelligent and joyful exploration of the natural places of the San Francisco Bay Area and the species that inhabit them.

Content Magazine
A bimonthly magazine promoting the people, events, and businesses of the South Bay. With headquarters in San Jose, Content Magazine articulates the innovative and creative culture that is unique to Silicon Valley.

Dr. Dobb’s
Software tools for the professional programmer. The premier geek magazine for Silicon Valley. Includes source code. Published in San Mateo. Now archived. No new content since 2014.

Metro
Silicon Valley’s weekly news magazine emphasizes arts, contemporary culture and politics.

SiliconBeat
Inside news, big ideas and small nuggets of info about technology innovation in Silicon Valley and the money that drives it. Now part of the Mercury News.

SiLiCoN vAlLeY dE-bUg
A collective of writers, artists, organizers, and workers based in San Jose, California. As we grew as a collective we began exploring all of the issues of our community – in the workplace, schools, streets, relationships, and everything else.

Wired News
The business, culture, technology and politics of the wired, Silicon Valley culture.

…more Bay Area-based Magazines.

Pioneer Era – 1800s in Silicon Valley

In the 1800s the Mexicans, the Gold Rush, the Civil War, and the Transcontental Railroad transformed the Bay Area from a bunch of sleepy cattle ranches to a booming economy.

Read More About the California Pioneer Era

Milpitas Images of AmericaMilpitas
Images of America
by Robert Burrill
$21.95 or $25 with author signature.
Call 263-5468 to order.
Robert L. Burrill, Milpitas filmmaker and photography teacher for more than 35 years, has combed the archives of the Milpitas Historical Society, private local collections, and his own works to find more than 200 vintage photographs chronicling the heritage, enterprise, and wit of Milpitas from the 1700s to the present day. Read first 31 pages of this book.

Little CornfieldsLittle Cornfields
Hardcover editions of Milpitas : The Century of Little Cornfields 1852 – 1952 by Patricia Loomis are available by making a donation of $18 (or more) to the Milpitas Historical Society. Paperback edition is available for $8.

You are invited to attend one of the Milpitas Historical Society meetings any 2nd Wednesday of each month in the Library at 7p when this book will also be available.

Family Chronicles and Biographies of Milpitas Pioneer Families

History of Local Pioneers in the 1800s

Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum
Mining operations in New Almaden first began in 1845 under the claim of Mexican Cavalry Officer Captain Andres Castillero. Castillero discovered that the red rock used by the local Ohlone Indians to paint them and the walls of the Santa Clara Mission was cinnabar, an ore containing mercury. The valuable mercury was needed to process silver in Mexican silver mines.

Alum Rock Park History
California’s first and oldest park. The park which was founded in 1872, was simply referred to as the “reservation.” The name Alum Rock was derived from a huge rock that was believed to contain a high percentage of alum.

Alviso Adobe Park History
The first story of the Alviso Adobe, which is located near the intersection of Piedmont Road and Calaveras Road, was built some time in 1835 by José Maria de Jesus Alviso, who had been granted title to the land on which it stands by the governor of Alta California, José Castro, on September 23,  1835.

Ardenwood Farm
In 1849 George Washington Patterson joined the stream of young men leaving the Midwest for California’s gold fields. His dreams left little room for failure, but after a year and a half of mining he was ill and broke. And so he turned to work he knew well — farming.

The Bear Flag Revolt
With Fremont’s “army” nearby, and belief in the rumor that Castro was gathering forces to expel the Americans, the local settlers became emboldened enough to steal some horses meant for Castro’s army, then to storm Vallejo’s “fort” at Sonoma June 14, 1846.

California As We Saw It
Exploring the California Gold Rush. By Gary F. Kurutz, Curator of Special Collections, California State Library.

California during the Civil War: 10 Facts
While no battles took place on Californian soil, the state has a rich Civil War history. Learn more about the state of California during the Civil War with these ten facts.

Discovery of Gold in California
It was in the first part of January, 1848, when the gold was discovered at Coloma, where John Sutter was then building a saw-mill. A first-hand account.

Fallon House
Restored to how homes looked during the Civil War era in California, you can easily see this home and the Peralta Adobe next door in one trip.

Frémont in the Conquest of California
In the autumn of 1845 Frémont came on his second exploring expedition to California.

Gold Rush – American Experience on PBS
See if you have what it takes to strike it rich in the gold rush! Choose a character and try to strike it rich in our online role-playing game.

Gold Rush Chronicles
Here before you, in a leather-bound book on an old wooden table, is a history of the great California Gold Rush. Discover the colorful stories that lie unfurled on these pages and unlock a taste of that famous era. Learn how the Gold Rush affected the world not so long ago.

Guadalupe River Park
Local historians have always been aware that a settlement known as the Woolen Mills Chinatown was located near Taylor Street between 1887 and 1902.

History of the Donner Party – C. F. McGlashan
The far-famed Donner Party were, in a peculiar sense, pioneer martyrs of California. Before the discovery of gold, before the highway across the continent was fairly marked out, while untold dangers lurked by the wayside, and unnumbered foes awaited the emigrants, the Donner Party started for California.

Felton Homes and History
Felton had its start in 1843 when Isaac Graham transferred his limber mill from the Zayante land grant to the San Lorenzo River at Fall Creek. Local Felton wiki.

Historic Niles
The community of Niles is rich in history and has gained recognition as a truly unique spot in the San Francisco Bay Area.

History of the University of California
The University of California became a “public trust” in 1879 as part of a larger revision of California’s Constitution approved by California voters. Download full text.

History in the Vines: Fremont’s Wine Legacy
From the Spanish-Mission era up to Prohibition, south Fremont (then called the Washington Township), had once been one of the first and most productive wine regions in California.

The Houghton Donner House
156 E. St. John Street, San Jose, and right in the way of the Civic Center expansion, is a late -Victorian Italianate style and was home to two historically important San Joseans, early mayor Sherman Houghton and his wife, Donner Party survivor Eliza Donner Houghton. “Suspicious” fire burns historic Donner Houghton house to the ground in July 2007. More on the Donner Blog./P>

How California Came to be Admitted
The first Legislature assembled on December 15th for temporary organization in San Jose, the new seat of government. Of more significance, doubtless, was the fact that on the following Thursday, December 20, 1849, the State government of California was formally established. By Rockwell D. Hunt, Ph. D

Joseph D. Grant County Park
In 1839, a 15,000-acre Mexican Land Grant was awarded to Jose de Jesus Bernal and was named Rancho Canada de Pala. Jose de Jesus and his two brothers built adobes around a spring-fed pond on a ridge overlooking the Santa Clara Valley.

Juana Briones
A long-living ranchera acquired a large spread in Santa Clara Valley and shared it with others.

Lighthouses of the United States: Northern California
These early lights, like the Point Pinos Light and the Battery Point Light were built in a what was then a typical New England style. Ironically, there are no examples of this style surviving in New England, so the only place to see these traditional New England lighthouses is in California.Laguna Schoolhouse, Milpitas, CA (1865-1943)

Mexican California
Under Mexican rule governors were encouraged to make more grants for individual ranchos, and these grants were to be outright.

Mexican Years: 1822 to 1846
The early 19th century saw growing discontent in New Spain’s society. Revolts started in 1810 and extended through 1821, when a revolution led to formation of the Mexican Republic.

Mt. View History
In 1851, the Castro family built their first home and, later, donated land to the railroad, creating Mountain View’s first flag stop.

Peralta Family and the Rancho San Antonio
The Peralta Family had a huge rancho that encompassed most of the East Bay from present day El Cerrito down to San Leandro.

Santa Clara Valley Mill & Lumber Company – 1870’s
The demand for firewood and building lumber by the citizens and towns of the Santa Clara Valley produced a road over the summit from Saratoga to the San Lorenzo Valley in 1870.

A short history on wine making in California
The story of wine in California begins with the story of the Spanish in California. Vineyard planting in the state began with the Spanish Franciscan Missionaries starting with California’s first mission: Mission San Diego de Alcalá in 1769. Just as palm trees were planted so there would be palm fronds for Palm Sunday, vineyards were planted so there would be wine for communion. That first variety, planted by Father Junípero Serra, became so ubiquitous that it became known as the Mission grape and was the preeminent variety until 1880.

Stanford History
The first parcel, bought in 1876, was 650 acres along San Francisquito Creek. Purchase of adjoining parcels ran the total to 8,180 acres, the whole of which was given to the University in the 1885 Grant of Endowment with the stipulation that it never be sold.

William T. Sherman and Early California History
Sherman arrives in California and describes the Monterey area in 1847. Additional links tell of his experiences during the Gold Rush.

The Winchester Mystery House Story
Not long after Sarah returned to her family and home, another tragedy struck. William, now heir to the Winchester empire, was struck down with pulmonary tuberculosis. He died on March 7, 1881. As a result of his death, Sarah inherited over $20 million dollars, an incredible sum, especially in those days. She also received 48.9 percent of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company and an income of about $1000 per day, which was not taxable until 1913.

Television Stations with Local Shows

This page has been updated to include the TV Guide for upcoming streaming TV. Consider watching favorite television stations right from their websites.

TV Guide
Get recommendations across all your streaming services and live TV
Find out what is coming soon.

2 – KTVU 2 – Sports
Your link for Stanford and 49er schedules, scores, discussion groups, interviews.

4 – KRON 4 – (NBC) News
KRON offers news and links to San Francisco events, sports, traffic and weather.

5 – KPIX 5 – (CBS) News
Here are breaking Bay Area News Stories that may be featured in tonight’s TV newscast.

7 – KGO 7 – (ABC) News
Tickertape news, sports and weather. Video, audio news and remote cameras.

9 – KQED 9 (PBS) What’s On
Find out or search for PBS programming on this page. Watch full episodes online.

11 – NBC Bay Area Top Local News
A busy page with news teasers for about everything going on.

12 – CBS All Access
Watch your favorite CBS Shows here.

13 – KBWB (WB)
The Warner Brothers network. Always shows today’s shows on the top page.

17 – In Demand
Movies, news, sports when you want to watch.

22 – CSPAN
Cable Satellite Public Affairs.

31 – HSN Home Page
Home Shopping Network program guide and online store.

41 – Ion Media Networks
Family viewing station.

48 – A& E Arts & Entertainment
Biography, Investigative Reports, Law & Order, The View, Nero Wolf, Behind Closed Doors, Mysteries, and more.

California History Overview

Milpitas once had an encampment of Ohlone Indians. Two adobe rancheros still stand from the early days of the Spanish. An early motto was “As goes Milpitas, so goes the State!” For centuries, Milpitas has often taken the lead in new ways of living and governance. If you want to live in the City of the Future, with a lively part in California history, too, come live in Milpitas.

About Milpitas

The Milpitas Historical Society
General meeting is the second Wednesday of each month, 7 PM, in the assembly room of the Milpitas Community Library.


A History of Main Street: A Trip Through Historic Milpitas
A live presentation with Host: Bill Hare, President and Speaker: Joseph Ehardt, Research Docent, Educational Outreach Program. This special presentation was held on Saturday, December 19, 2020, on Facebook and Zoom.

Milpitas: A look back
Outline of Milpitas History from the Mercury News story published on Aug. 27, 2006.

Portuguese Pioneers in Milpitas
Settlers from the Azores, a group of islands west of Portugal, began coming to California in Gold Rush times, and later for the economic opportunities. As they encouraged families and friends to join them, they became an important element in California and in the Santa Clara Valley as hard-working farmers and land owners.

About California

California History and Culture – State Symbols
Here’s where you find all that information for that state report, like state bird or flower.

California History
A major collection of documents from and about California’s rich history. The documents range from books, maps, newspapers, and periodicals, to pictorial materials (including daguerreotypes, lithographs, stereographs, and paintings) and ephemera (such as posters, programs, pamphlets, and sheet music).

California History Online
Lovely California Historical Society website includes geographic information, California natives, early explorers, to modern times.

California as I Saw It: First-Person Narratives of California’s Early Years, 1849 to 1900
The collection covers the dramatic decades between the Gold Rush and the turn of the twentieth century. It captures the pioneer experience; encounters between Anglo-Americans and the diverse peoples who had preceded them; the transformation of the land by mining, ranching, agriculture, and urban development; the often-turbulent growth of communities and cities; and California’s emergence as both a state and a place of uniquely American dreams.

Heyday Books
Publishing books about California history, culture, and literature.


Mark Hylkema: California during the Spanish and Mexican Colonial Periods
Mark begins with the first Spanish explorers conquering the Aztecs, and tells about the Portolá expedition in 1769, when California suddenly went from prehistory to history, like “the flip of a switch.”

Santa Clara County Historical Landmarks
My mother used to call these hunks of stone with metal plaques “Hysterical Landmarks” because so often there is nothing left at the site but the stone! But you’ll find one at the garage where H-P got started and where Noyce invented his first semiconductor. None in Milpitas…hmmmm.

Historical Figures in Early California

Cabrillo
On June 27, 1542, an explorer under Spanish command, named Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, left the port of Navidad on the Pacific Coast of what is now Mexico and headed north.

Juan Bautista de Anza
Juan Bautista de Anza was the first European to establish an overland route from Mexico, through the Sonoran Desert, to the Pacific coast of California. New World Spanish explorers had been seeking such a route through the Desert Southwest for more than two centuries.

Governors of California
A tribute to the individuals who have served as chief executive of the State of California from 1849 to present.

Notable People of Milpitas
The “Notable People” project adds to our knowledge about the history of Milpitas. For more information, please click on a link located on the right sidebar of the Historical Society’s page.

History of Russian America
So moved was Rezanov by the misery of the colonists that he purchased a vessel from Americans in Alaska and sailed to San Francisco Bay early in 1806 to purchase grain and, if possible, to establish trade relations with the Spanish in Upper California on a continuing basis.

Sir Francis Drake
The British explorer, Sir Francis Drake, sailed up the coast of California in 1579. Could he have discovered Milpitas?

Grant Writing Help

Below is a list of organizations that provide technical assistance, consulting, classes and research materials in the San Francisco Bay Area. My thanks to the Community Foundation for allowing me to reproduce this information from one of their seminars.

Grant Writing

Technical Assistance

Elements of a Grant Proposal
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting evaluates hundreds of proposals each year for a variety of funding purposes. This publication is an easy guide to the basic elements of grant writing and is offered to assist applicants to CPB and to other funding sources. It offers guideposts to help you through each stage of the process.

The Peninsula Community Foundation
McClellan Library
1700S. El Camino Real
San Mateo, CA 94402
415-358-9369
 
Foundation Center
312 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA
415-397-0902
415-397-0903 (Librarian)

Websites for Grant Research

Council on Foundations
See what role foundations play in your community, how to start your own foundation, and what the Council does to support foundations.

The Foundation Center
News and profiles of the top philanthropic foundations.

Foundation Directory On-line
Directory of home pages of charitable grantmakers that may contain downloadable information such as grant applications, periodical and financial reports, and e-mail capabilities.

Arts Foundations Based in San Francisco Bay Area

California Arts Council
The mission of the CAC is to make available and accessible quality art reflecting all of California’s diverse cultures.

Community Foundation
Grants are available only to nonprofit organizations benefiting Santa Clara County and southern San Mateo County, California. Good overview of the whole grant process.

The David and Lucille Packard Foundation
The goals of the Arts Program are to ensure that a vibrant network of nonprofit arts institutions continues to exist and that children are well educated in the arts. Grants concentrated in the Northern California counties of San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and Monterey.

The Nathan Cummings Foundation
The Foundation pays particular attention to arts institutions whose mission and practices include service to the poor, disadvantaged and underserved.

Writing the Grant

Basic Elements of Grant Writing
This publication is an easy guide to the basic elements of grant writing and is offered to assist applicants.

EPA Grant Writing Tutorial
Primarily for those looking for grants to aid in environmental projects.

Grant Writing: Seven Deadly Sins of Grant Writing
Too often grant writers fall into these traps when applying for community grants.

Learning Lab – A Proposal Writing Short Course
This process is grounded in the conviction that a partnership should develop between the nonprofit and the donor. When you spend a great deal of your time seeking money, it is hard to remember that it can also be difficult to give money away.

Related page: Grant Writing
Too often grant writers fall into these traps when applying for community grants.

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