Item 2 - North 40 Phase 1TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
110 E. Main Street, Los Gatos, CA 95032
Phone : (408) 354-6874 Fax: (408) 354-7593
1. PROJECT DETAIL
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
PROJECT DATA SHEET
Project address : North 40 Specific Plan Area (Phase 1) various addresses
Project description: Demolition of eight pre -1941 residence within the Phase 1 development area .
2. PROPERTY DETAIL
Date structures were built 1927-1940
Town of Los Gatos Historic Status Code None
Does property have an LHP Overlay zone? NO
Is structure in a historic district? NO
If yes , what district?
If yes, is it a contributor?
Findings required? YES
If yes , see back page of this document.
Considerations required?
If yes, see back page of this document.
Comments : A Historic report (previously provided} was prepared for the EIR for the North 40 Specific
Plan and considered by the HPC in 2014 . The applicant is looking for a recommendation on the
demolition of the eight pre-1941 structures within the Phase 1 development area. If the Committee needs
additional information please direct the applicant as to what information (structural condition reports , etc) is
needed .
Additionally , the North 40 Specific Plan included direction for the applicant(s) to work with the HPC to
effectively incorporate/document the agrarian history of the site into the new development. The applicant
is looking for feedback or a recommendation to the Planning Commission and Town Council.
E)OiiBlT l
Required Findings
_X_As required by Section 29.10.09030(e)(2) ofthe Town Code for th e demolition
of a single family residence (Preservation of historically or architecturally significant
buildings) and the Secretary of Interior Standards of any historic structure.
1. The building is not associated with any events that have made a significant
contribution to the Town.
2. No significant persons are associated with the site.
3. There are no distinctive characteristics of type, period or method of construction
or representation of work of a master.
4 . The structure does not yield information to Town history.
5. Structural integrity of the building.
Required Considerations
Sec. 29.80.290. Standards for review.
In evaluating applicati o ns, the deciding body shall consider the architectural style,
design , arrangement, texture, materials and color, and any other pertinent factors.
Applications shall not be granted unless:
On landmark sites, the proposed work will neither adversely affect the
exterior architectural characteristics or other features of the landmark (and,
where specified in the designating ordinance for a publicly owned
landmark, its major interior architectural features) nor adversely affect the
character of hi storical , architectural or aesthetic interest or va lu e of the
landmark and its site.
2 In historic district s, the proposed work will neither adversely affect the
exterior architectural characteristics or other features of the property
which is the subject of the application, nor adversely affect its
relationship, in terms ofharmony and appropriateness , with its
surroundings, including neighboring structures, nor adversely affect the
character, or the hi storical, architectural or aesthetic interest or value of
the district.
3 For pre-1941 structures, the proposed work will neither adversely affect
the exterior architectural characteristics or other features of the property
which is the subject of the application.
Town Policy
That the work proposed is compatible with the neighborhood.
January 8, 2016
Joel Paulson
Interim Community Development Director
Town of Los Gatos Planning Department
110 E. Main St.
Los Gatos, California 95031
Dear Mr. Paulson,
Enclosed are materials for the North 40 HPC Meeting on January 27th, 2016. Included in this
submittal is:
• 10 11x17 copies Project Application Story Sheets
• 10 11x17 copies of the Approved EIR Historic Resources Reports, Appendix G to EIR,
Dated November 21, 2011 and November 12, 2013
• 10 11x17 copies of Illustrative Orchard and Vineyard Plan
• 10 11x17 copies of Agrarian Walk-Through
• 10 11x17 copies of Agrarian Framework
We have also transmitted the above electronically to the Town for their records.
Sincerely,
A. Don Capobres Linda Mandolini Wendi Baker
Senior Vice President President Vice President of Development
Grosvenor Eden Housing SummerHill Homes
40NorthTOWN OF LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA
PHASE I
RESIDENTIAL & MIXED-USE NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT
ARCHITECTURE AND SITE PLANNING APPLICATION
OCTOBER 14, 2015
Developer:
Contact:
Project Team
Grosvenor
Don Capobres
Steve O'Connell
One California Street, Suite 2500
San Francisco, CA 94111
P: 415.268.4045
E: don.capobres@grosvenor.com
E: steve.oconnell@grosvenor.com
Architect:
Contact:
BAR Architects
Paula Krugmeier
Debra Lehtone
901 Battery Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
P: 415.293.5700
E: pkrugmeier@bararch.com
E: dlehtone@bararch.com
Landscape Architect:
Contact:
SWA Group
Jim Lee
301 Battery Street
Two Mezzanine North
San Francisco, CA 94111
P: 415.836.8770
E: jlee@swagroup.com
Developer:
Contact:
SummerHill Homes
Wendi Baker
3000 Executive Pkwy, Suite 450
San Ramon, CA 94583
P: 925.244.7534
E: wbaker@shhomes.com
Architect:
Contact:
Dahlin Group
Sean Reynolds
5865 Owens Drive
Pleasanton, CA 94588
P: 925.251.7200
E: sean.reynolds@dahlingroup.com
Landscape Architect:
Contact:
Van Dorn Abed
Zeki Abed
81 14th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
P: 415.864.1921
E: zeki@valainc.com
Developer:
Contact:
Eden Housing, Inc.
Andrea Papanastassiou
22645 Grand Street
Hayward, CA 94541
P: 510.582.1460
E: apapanastassiou@edenhousing.org
Civil Engineer:
Contact:
Master Plan / Transition District Master Plan / Transition District Master Plan / Transition District
Lark District Lark District Lark District
Affordable Housing
MacKay & Somps
Chris Ragan
5142 Franklin Dr # B
Pleasanton, CA 94588
P: 925.225.0690
E: cragan@msce.com
Los Gatos North 40 Phase I
Project Description
Vicinity Map
Community Gardens Advisor:
Contact:
Sustainable Horticulture
Les Kishler
P.O. Box 321083
Los Gatos, CA 95032
E: AgroEcology@aol.com
Architecture and Site Planning Application
Phase I of the North 40 is a comprehensive proposal by Grosvenor, SummerHill Homes and Eden Housing for the Lark and Transition Districts. Together, the proposal is for a master plan that will provide continuity
with the development of future phases, including the Northern District. The Town's Draft Specific Plan, including the Specific Plan Vision Statement, has been brought to life without compromising thoughtful design.
Approximately 50,000 square feet of retail and restaurant offerings, including an intimate 16,000 square foot Market Hall, are proposed in the Transition District to serve this new community as well as the existing
surrounding neighborhoods.
The 317 units proposed include diverse residences that target the Town's unmet needs: for young professionals, couples and seniors. These include 50 senior affordable apartments directly above Market Hall,
providing convenient access to goods and services; 77 condominiums adjacent to the senior housing; and 190 homes designed with the young professional or couple in mind.
A network of paseos, parks and gathering spaces linked by orchard trees and community gardens provide over 30% of the project area as open space, with beautiful view corridors and places for residents to come
together.
Sheet Index (Continued)Sheet Index
Lighting / Photometrics:
Contact:
Interface Engineering
Kristina Santi
717 Market Street, Suite 500
San Francisco, CA 94103
E: kristinas@interfaceeng.com
NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
09039C O P Y R I G H TCSTCETIHCRARABProject Information and Sheet Index
0.1010.14.15
[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\LG-A01-PROJECT INFO SHEET INDEX.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR ] [ October 13 - Tuesday 2015 - 9:21am ] [ Plotted by : ZCHEN ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]
NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
SCRABRA EIH T C T 09039C O P Y R I G H TCSTCETIHCRARAB[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\LG-A33-AREAA-01.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR (2) ] [ November 06 - Wednesday 2013 - 3:36pm ] [ Plotted by : RBATH ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :ACAD-AERIAL-FADED: :ACAD-DTP-19756: :ACAD-PWS-19756IP: :ACAD-PWS-19756TM: :CC_8 PLEX: :DETACHED_P1: :GC_5 PLEX: :GC_7 PLEX_A: :GC_7 PLEX_B: :GC_8 PLEX_A: :GC_8 PLEX_B: :GVES301_B_LAYOUT L1: :GVES301_B_PLANTING TREE: :LG-FP-BLDGA1-01: :LG-FP-BLDGA1-02: :LG-FP-BLDGA2-01: :LG-FP-BLDGB1-01: :LG-FP-BLDGB2-01: :LG-FP-BLDGC1-01: :LG-SP-BAR: :LG-SP-DG: :LG-SP-MASTER: :LG_SITE CONTEXT WB: :RH_5 PLEX: :RH_6 PLEX: :V1301-VDA-BASE: :V1301-VDA-PLANTING: :W3422PER: :W3422PERLOG: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
09039COPYRIGHTCSTCETIHCRARAB 010.04.13
[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\INDESIGN TB 24X36.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR ] [ March 11 - Wednesday 2015 - 9:16am ] [ Plotted by : RBATH ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]LOS GATOS, CA
10.14.15
The Nor T h 40
Celebrating
the los gatos
lifestyle
ToWN CoUNCIL
VISIoN STATeMeNT
the north 40 reflects the special
nature of our hometown. it
celebrates our history, agricultural
heritage, hillside views and small
town character. the north 40 is
seamlessly woven into the fabric
of our community, complementing
other los gatos residential and
business neighborhoods. it is
respectful of precious community
resources and offers unique
attributes that enrich the quality of
life of all our residents.
1
NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
SCRABRA EIH T C T 09039C O P Y R I G H TCSTCETIHCRARAB[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\LG-A33-AREAA-01.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR (2) ] [ November 06 - Wednesday 2013 - 3:36pm ] [ Plotted by : RBATH ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :ACAD-AERIAL-FADED: :ACAD-DTP-19756: :ACAD-PWS-19756IP: :ACAD-PWS-19756TM: :CC_8 PLEX: :DETACHED_P1: :GC_5 PLEX: :GC_7 PLEX_A: :GC_7 PLEX_B: :GC_8 PLEX_A: :GC_8 PLEX_B: :GVES301_B_LAYOUT L1: :GVES301_B_PLANTING TREE: :LG-FP-BLDGA1-01: :LG-FP-BLDGA1-02: :LG-FP-BLDGA2-01: :LG-FP-BLDGB1-01: :LG-FP-BLDGB2-01: :LG-FP-BLDGC1-01: :LG-SP-BAR: :LG-SP-DG: :LG-SP-MASTER: :LG_SITE CONTEXT WB: :RH_5 PLEX: :RH_6 PLEX: :V1301-VDA-BASE: :V1301-VDA-PLANTING: :W3422PER: :W3422PERLOG: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
09039COPYRIGHTCSTCETIHCRARAB 010.04.13
[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\INDESIGN TB 24X36.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR ] [ March 11 - Wednesday 2015 - 9:16am ] [ Plotted by : RBATH ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]LOS GATOS, CA
10.14.15
WALKING
TOUR
THE nor T H 40
PH a sE I
REALIZING THE VISION
After years of working with the Town
of Los Gatos, Grosvenor, SummerHill
Homes and Eden Housing believe we
have captured the essence of the Town
Council’s Vision Statement and Guiding
Principles in an authentic Los Gatos
village. Our plan features a mix of
housing opportunites tailored to meet
the Town’s unmet needs for places for
young professionals, empty nesters,
and seniors to live. The residences are
tied together with an open space plan
that embraces the site’s agricultural
history through functioning community
gardens and orchard treatments.
Finally, the heart of the project comes
alive with a specialty market and
neighborhood retail where neighbors,
friends and families can gather and
celebrate the Los Gatos quality of life.
2
HEART OF THE DISTRICT
SPECIALTY MARKET/ MARKET HALL
LIVE, MEET, RELAX
A DIVERSE AND VIBRANT
NEIGHBORHOOD
WALKABLE TRANSITIONS
THE LARK AND TRANSITION
DISTRICTS CONNECT AS ONE
KEEPING THE NEXT
GENERATION IN LOS GATOS
GARDEN CLUSTER RESIDENTIAL
EMBRACING THE OUTDOOR
LIFESTYLE
CONNECT, GATHER, GROW
KEEPING THE NEXT
GENERATION IN LOS GATOS
ROWHOME RESIDENTIAL
KEEPING THE NEXT
GENERATION IN LOS GATOS
CONDOMINIUM CLUSTER
RESIDENTIAL
KEEPING THE NEXT
GENERATION IN LOS GATOS
CONDOMINIUM CLUSTER
RESIDENTIAL
NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
SCRABRA EIH T C T 09039C O P Y R I G H TCSTCETIHCRARAB[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\LG-A33-AREAA-01.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR (2) ] [ November 06 - Wednesday 2013 - 3:36pm ] [ Plotted by : RBATH ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :ACAD-AERIAL-FADED: :ACAD-DTP-19756: :ACAD-PWS-19756IP: :ACAD-PWS-19756TM: :CC_8 PLEX: :DETACHED_P1: :GC_5 PLEX: :GC_7 PLEX_A: :GC_7 PLEX_B: :GC_8 PLEX_A: :GC_8 PLEX_B: :GVES301_B_LAYOUT L1: :GVES301_B_PLANTING TREE: :LG-FP-BLDGA1-01: :LG-FP-BLDGA1-02: :LG-FP-BLDGA2-01: :LG-FP-BLDGB1-01: :LG-FP-BLDGB2-01: :LG-FP-BLDGC1-01: :LG-SP-BAR: :LG-SP-DG: :LG-SP-MASTER: :LG_SITE CONTEXT WB: :RH_5 PLEX: :RH_6 PLEX: :V1301-VDA-BASE: :V1301-VDA-PLANTING: :W3422PER: :W3422PERLOG: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
09039COPYRIGHTCSTCETIHCRARAB 010.04.13
[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\INDESIGN TB 24X36.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR ] [ March 11 - Wednesday 2015 - 9:16am ] [ Plotted by : RBATH ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]LOS GATOS, CA
10.14.15
heart of the
district
an inviting
suggestion of
historic
structure
3
I
03.12.15
Area C North ‘A’ Street‘C2’ Street
Los Gatos Blvd.Los Gatos Blvd.Lark AvenueLark Avenue‘R2’ StreetNeighborhood Street‘R2’ Street
Lark District Transition District
Area A Area B
Specialty Market / Market Hall
Move-Down
Condominiums
Senior Affordable
Restaurant
Restaurant
Retail
Retail
Retail
Retail
Garden
Cluster
Garden
Cluster
Retail
Rowhome
Rowhome
Grand Paseo
Courtyard Cluster
Market Plaza
Vineyard
Lark District Transition District ‘R2’ StreetSouth ‘A’-StreetSouth ‘A’-Street
Area D
Community
ParkOrchard
OrchardCommunity Farm
Residential Above ‘B’-Street1.20
reaLiZiNG the VisioN
• The two buildings that face Los
Gatos Boulevard make noteable
reference to the site’s and to Los
Gatos’ agricultural root
• The building designs will create a
place that feels genuine and that
speaks “neighborhood” rather than
“project”.
toWN coUNciL VisioN
GUiLdiNG PriNciPLes
the north 40 will
• Look and feel like Los gatos
• embrace hillside views, trees
and open space
• address the town’s residential
and/ or commercial unmet
needs
• Minimize or mitigate impacts
on the town’s infrastructure,
schools and other community
services
NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
SCRABRA EIH T C T 09039C O P Y R I G H TCSTCETIHCRARAB[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\LG-A33-AREAA-01.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR (2) ] [ November 06 - Wednesday 2013 - 3:36pm ] [ Plotted by : RBATH ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :ACAD-AERIAL-FADED: :ACAD-DTP-19756: :ACAD-PWS-19756IP: :ACAD-PWS-19756TM: :CC_8 PLEX: :DETACHED_P1: :GC_5 PLEX: :GC_7 PLEX_A: :GC_7 PLEX_B: :GC_8 PLEX_A: :GC_8 PLEX_B: :GVES301_B_LAYOUT L1: :GVES301_B_PLANTING TREE: :LG-FP-BLDGA1-01: :LG-FP-BLDGA1-02: :LG-FP-BLDGA2-01: :LG-FP-BLDGB1-01: :LG-FP-BLDGB2-01: :LG-FP-BLDGC1-01: :LG-SP-BAR: :LG-SP-DG: :LG-SP-MASTER: :LG_SITE CONTEXT WB: :RH_5 PLEX: :RH_6 PLEX: :V1301-VDA-BASE: :V1301-VDA-PLANTING: :W3422PER: :W3422PERLOG: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
09039COPYRIGHTCSTCETIHCRARAB 010.04.13
[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\INDESIGN TB 24X36.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR ] [ March 11 - Wednesday 2015 - 9:16am ] [ Plotted by : RBATH ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]LOS GATOS, CA
10.14.15
heart of the
district
grow local,
eat local
reaLiZiNG the VisioN
• A specialty market will provide
quality artisan products consistent
with the Los Gatos lifestyle
• A shopping experience unlike
anything offered in the Town
will complement Downtown’s
boutiques and Los Gatos
Boulevard’s commercial strip
centers, and provide an anchor for
North Los Gatos
• Informal gathering spots will offer
the opportunity to slow down, meet
neighbors and spend time with
family
4
toWN coUNciL VisioN
GUiLdiNG PriNciPLes
the North 40 will
• look and feel like los gatos
• embrace hillside views, trees
and open space
• address the town’s residential
and/ or commercial unmet
needs
• Minimize or mitigate impacts
on the town’s infrastructure,
schools and other community
services
LaYoUt for eXaMPLe oNLY
NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
SCRABRA EIH T C T 09039C O P Y R I G H TCSTCETIHCRARAB[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\LG-A33-AREAA-01.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR (2) ] [ November 06 - Wednesday 2013 - 3:36pm ] [ Plotted by : RBATH ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :ACAD-AERIAL-FADED: :ACAD-DTP-19756: :ACAD-PWS-19756IP: :ACAD-PWS-19756TM: :CC_8 PLEX: :DETACHED_P1: :GC_5 PLEX: :GC_7 PLEX_A: :GC_7 PLEX_B: :GC_8 PLEX_A: :GC_8 PLEX_B: :GVES301_B_LAYOUT L1: :GVES301_B_PLANTING TREE: :LG-FP-BLDGA1-01: :LG-FP-BLDGA1-02: :LG-FP-BLDGA2-01: :LG-FP-BLDGB1-01: :LG-FP-BLDGB2-01: :LG-FP-BLDGC1-01: :LG-SP-BAR: :LG-SP-DG: :LG-SP-MASTER: :LG_SITE CONTEXT WB: :RH_5 PLEX: :RH_6 PLEX: :V1301-VDA-BASE: :V1301-VDA-PLANTING: :W3422PER: :W3422PERLOG: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
09039COPYRIGHTCSTCETIHCRARAB 010.04.13
[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\INDESIGN TB 24X36.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR ] [ March 11 - Wednesday 2015 - 9:16am ] [ Plotted by : RBATH ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]LOS GATOS, CA
10.14.15
heart of the
district
SPECIALTY
MARKET/
MARKET hALL
5
reaLiZiNG the VisioN
• A walkable neighborhood with
cafes, restaurants and personal
services will connect the lifestyles
of today’s empty nesters and young
professionals
• Produce, flowers and artisan goods
will flow out onto the sidewalks,
exhibiting a strong connection to
the area’s agrarian roots
toWN coUNciL VisioN
GUiLdiNG PriNciPLes
The North 40 will
• Look and feel like Los Gatos
• Embrace hillside views, trees
and open space
• Address the Town’s residential
and/ or commercial unmet
needs
• Minimize or mitigate impacts
on the Town’s infrastructure,
schools and other community
services
See landscape drawings for additional information on trees and planting;
some proposed landscaping may not be shown in this rendering for clarity
NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
SCRABRA EIH T C T 09039C O P Y R I G H TCSTCETIHCRARAB[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\LG-A33-AREAA-01.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR (2) ] [ November 06 - Wednesday 2013 - 3:36pm ] [ Plotted by : RBATH ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :ACAD-AERIAL-FADED: :ACAD-DTP-19756: :ACAD-PWS-19756IP: :ACAD-PWS-19756TM: :CC_8 PLEX: :DETACHED_P1: :GC_5 PLEX: :GC_7 PLEX_A: :GC_7 PLEX_B: :GC_8 PLEX_A: :GC_8 PLEX_B: :GVES301_B_LAYOUT L1: :GVES301_B_PLANTING TREE: :LG-FP-BLDGA1-01: :LG-FP-BLDGA1-02: :LG-FP-BLDGA2-01: :LG-FP-BLDGB1-01: :LG-FP-BLDGB2-01: :LG-FP-BLDGC1-01: :LG-SP-BAR: :LG-SP-DG: :LG-SP-MASTER: :LG_SITE CONTEXT WB: :RH_5 PLEX: :RH_6 PLEX: :V1301-VDA-BASE: :V1301-VDA-PLANTING: :W3422PER: :W3422PERLOG: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
09039COPYRIGHTCSTCETIHCRARAB 010.04.13
[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\INDESIGN TB 24X36.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR ] [ March 11 - Wednesday 2015 - 9:16am ] [ Plotted by : RBATH ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]LOS GATOS, CA
10.14.15
live, meet
relax
Neighborhood
servi N g retail
6
tOWN COUNCil viSiON
GUilDiNG PriNCiPleS
the North 40 will
• look and feel like los gatos
• embrace hillside views, trees
and open space
• address the town’s residential
and/ or commercial unmet
needs
• Minimize or mitigate impacts
on the town’s infrastructure,
schools and other community
services
realiZiNG tHe viSiON
• Walkable neighborhood-scale
retailers, restaurants and cafes will
provide opportunities for residents
to meet, socialize and satisfy their
needs for everyday goods and
services
• Transition District retail will be
designed to complement future
retail development in the Northern
District
See landscape drawings for additional information on trees and planting;
some proposed landscaping may not be shown in this rendering for clarity
NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
SCRABRA EIH T C T 09039C O P Y R I G H TCSTCETIHCRARAB[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\LG-A33-AREAA-01.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR (2) ] [ November 06 - Wednesday 2013 - 3:36pm ] [ Plotted by : RBATH ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :ACAD-AERIAL-FADED: :ACAD-DTP-19756: :ACAD-PWS-19756IP: :ACAD-PWS-19756TM: :CC_8 PLEX: :DETACHED_P1: :GC_5 PLEX: :GC_7 PLEX_A: :GC_7 PLEX_B: :GC_8 PLEX_A: :GC_8 PLEX_B: :GVES301_B_LAYOUT L1: :GVES301_B_PLANTING TREE: :LG-FP-BLDGA1-01: :LG-FP-BLDGA1-02: :LG-FP-BLDGA2-01: :LG-FP-BLDGB1-01: :LG-FP-BLDGB2-01: :LG-FP-BLDGC1-01: :LG-SP-BAR: :LG-SP-DG: :LG-SP-MASTER: :LG_SITE CONTEXT WB: :RH_5 PLEX: :RH_6 PLEX: :V1301-VDA-BASE: :V1301-VDA-PLANTING: :W3422PER: :W3422PERLOG: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
09039COPYRIGHTCSTCETIHCRARAB 010.04.13
[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\INDESIGN TB 24X36.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR ] [ March 11 - Wednesday 2015 - 9:16am ] [ Plotted by : RBATH ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]LOS GATOS, CA
10.14.15
live, meet,
relax
A DIVERSE AND
VIBRANT
NEIGHBORHOOD
7
tOWN COUNCil viSiON
GUilDiNG PriNCiPleS
The North 40 will
• Look and feel like Los Gatos
• Embrace hillside views, trees
and open space
• Address the Town’s residential
and/ or commercial unmet
needs
• Minimize or mitigate impacts
on the Town’s infrastructure,
schools and other community
services
realiZiNG tHe viSiON
• Smaller senior affordable
apartments will be located
alongside high-end condominiums
for empty nesters and homes for
young professionals, creating
a diverse and sustainable
neighborhood
• Pedestrian-oriented open spaces,
community gardens and plazas will
provide additional opportunities for
relaxation and activity
• Proximity to goods and services
will enhance the attractiveness and
financial feasibility of the senior
affordable residences
NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
543 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94105, T. 415 293 5700, F. 415 293 5701 WWW.BARARCH.COM
SCRABRA EIH T C T
09039C O P Y R I G H TCSTCETIHCRARAB0
[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\INDESIGN TB 24X36.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR ] [ September 18 - Wednesday 2013 - 10:33am ] [ Plotted by : PHEDGCOCK ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]LOS GATOS, CA
REALIZING THE VISION
TOWN COUNCIL VISION
GUILDING PRINCIPLES
The North 40 will
• Look and feel like Los Gatos
• Embrace hillside views, trees
and open space
• Address the Town’s residential
and/ or commercial unmet
needs
• Minimize or mitigate impacts
on the Town’s infrastructure,
schools and other community
services
E mbR ACING
T HE OUTDOOR
LIfEST yLE
CoMMuNi T y
pA r ks &
G A r dEN s
• Centralized community gardens to
come together, learn, and grow
• Multiple gathering spaces for
residents to dine, unwind, and
unplug
• Bocce court for interactive fun
between neighbors
• Continued orchard treatment and
connectivity to paseos
8
C
o
N
N
E
C
T
G
A
T
h
E
r
G
r
o
w
SOUTH ‘A’ STREET
COMMUNITY
PARK
09.22.15192-072
NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
543 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94105, T. 415 293 5700, F. 415 293 5701 WWW.BARARCH.COM
SCRABRA EIH T C T
09039C O P Y R I G H TCSTCETIHCRARAB0
[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\INDESIGN TB 24X36.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR ] [ September 18 - Wednesday 2013 - 10:33am ] [ Plotted by : PHEDGCOCK ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]LOS GATOS, CA
TOWN COUNCIL VISION
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
The North 40 will
• Look and feel like Los Gatos
• Embrace hillside views, trees
and open space
• Address the Town’s residential
and/ or commercial unmet
needs
• Minimize or mitigate impacts
on the Town’s infrastructure,
schools and other community
services
REALIZING THE VISION
9
E mbR ACING
T HE OUTDOOR
LIfEST yLE
G r A N d pA s E o
L iNk iNG s ou T h
A s T rEET To
L os G AT os
BouLEVA r d
• Grand Paseo complete with fire
pits, area to lounge, shade sails,
and continued orchard treatment
• Interwoven paseos throughout
the neighborhoods with orchard
trees, intimate gathering
spaces, and view corridors
• Dog park and walking trail for
our best friend to play in and enjoy
LOS GATOS BOULEVARD
GRAND
PASEO
SOUTH ‘A’ STREET
09.22.15192-072
NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
543 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94105, T. 415 293 5700, F. 415 293 5701 WWW.BARARCH.COM
SCRABRA EIH T C T
09039C O P Y R I G H TCSTCETIHCRARAB0
[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\INDESIGN TB 24X36.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR ] [ September 18 - Wednesday 2013 - 10:33am ] [ Plotted by : PHEDGCOCK ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]LOS GATOS, CA
TOWN COUNCIL VISION
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
The North 40 will
• Look and feel like Los Gatos
• Embrace hillside views, trees
and open space
• Address the Town’s residential
and/ or commercial unmet
needs
• Minimize or mitigate impacts
on the Town’s infrastructure,
schools and other community
services
REALIZING THE VISION
E mbR ACING
T HE OUTDOOR
LIfEST yLE
C oMMuNi T y
pA rk & GA rdENs
See landscape drawings for additional information on trees and planting;
some proposed landscaping may not be shown in this rendering for clarity
• Mid-block central Community Park
with a diverse offering of
innovative amenities to attract the
“unmet needs” buyer
• Garden plots to be adopted and
grown by Lark and Transition
District residents
• Continued orchard trees
• Pedestrian and inter-district
connectivity through a network of
paseos
09.22.15192-072 10
NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
543 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94105, T. 415 293 5700, F. 415 293 5701 WWW.BARARCH.COM
SCRABRA EIH T C T
09039C O P Y R I G H TCSTCETIHCRARAB0
[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\INDESIGN TB 24X36.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR ] [ September 18 - Wednesday 2013 - 10:33am ] [ Plotted by : PHEDGCOCK ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]LOS GATOS, CA
REALIZING THE VISION
TOWN COUNCIL VISION
GUILDING PRINCIPLES
The North 40 will
• Look and feel like Los Gatos
• Embrace hillside views, trees
and open space
• Address the Town’s residential
and/ or commercial unmet
needs
• Minimize or mitigate impacts
on the Town’s infrastructure,
schools and other community
services
E mbR ACING
T HE OUTDOOR
LIfEST yLE
B i k E pAT h s
& BiC y C LE
A MENi T iE s
• Primary Bike Routes along Lark,
Los Gatos Boulevard and A Street
• 8’ wide detached South-North
Multi-Modal Path that connects
the distinctive and complimentary
open spaces throughout the
community
• Unique bicycle amenities
including repair vending machines,
repair stations, tune up stations
and abundant bicycle parking
11
PRImARy bIkE
ROUTE
RoUTe MARkeRS
AmENITy
GUeST BICyCLe PARkING
AmENITy
RePAIR veNDING MAChINeS
PRImARy bIkE ROUTE
ShARRowS
PRImARy bIkE ROUTE
8’ MULTI-PURPoSe TRAIL
SUPPLEmENTAL ROUTE
SoUTh-NoRTh
8’ MULTI-MoDAL PATh
AmENITy
RePAIR STATIoN
AmENITy
GUeST BICyCLe PARkING
09.22.15192-072
NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
543 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94105, T. 415 293 5700, F. 415 293 5701 WWW.BARARCH.COM
SCRABRA EIH T C T
09039C O P Y R I G H TCSTCETIHCRARAB0
[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\INDESIGN TB 24X36.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR ] [ September 18 - Wednesday 2013 - 10:33am ] [ Plotted by : PHEDGCOCK ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]LOS GATOS, CA
TOWN COUNCIL VISION
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
The North 40 will
• Look and feel like Los Gatos
• Embrace hillside views, trees
and open space
• Address the Town’s residential
and/ or commercial unmet
needs
• Minimize or mitigate impacts
on the Town’s infrastructure,
schools and other community
services
REALIZING THE VISION
• An inviting and warm pedestrian and
vehicular corridor that joins the
existing and new
• A walkable neighborhood street
that seamlessly connects the districts
• A tapestry of residential offerings
to meet the unmet needs of the town
woven together with paseos, and
common landscape treatments
• Moving from the lower intensity
residential Lark District to a range
of uses including residential,
neighborhood-serving stores, and a
specialty market
WAL k AbLE
TRANSITIONS
T hE L A rk &
T r A N si T ioN
disTriCTs
C oNNECT A s oNE
See landscape drawings for additional information on trees and planting;
some proposed landscaping may not be shown in this rendering for clarity
09.22.15192-072 12
NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
543 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94105, T. 415 293 5700, F. 415 293 5701 WWW.BARARCH.COM
SCRABRA EIH T C T
09039C O P Y R I G H TCSTCETIHCRARAB0
[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\INDESIGN TB 24X36.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR ] [ September 18 - Wednesday 2013 - 10:33am ] [ Plotted by : PHEDGCOCK ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]LOS GATOS, CA
TOWN COUNCIL VISION
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
The North 40 will
• Look and feel like Los Gatos
• Embrace hillside views, trees
and open space
• Address the Town’s residential
and/ or commercial unmet
needs
• Minimize or mitigate impacts
on the Town’s infrastructure,
schools and other community
services
REALIZING THE VISION
k EEPING
T HE NE x T
G ENERATION
IN LOS G ATOS
GA rdEN CL us T Er
r E s idE NT i A L
• homes with media spaces and
rooms, open floor plans, loft living,
large screen walls for gaming or
viewing
• Access to terraces and creative
outdoor space (on select plans) that
provide room for Fido and Spot
• Large windows to maximize interior
light and elevations, and variety of
roof pitches for exterior diversity
by Dan Nelson, Designs Northwest Architects
Seattle, WA, US 98102 · 968 photos
Courtyard kitchen with door up.
http://www.designsnw.com/
Page 1 of 1Courtyard kitchen with door up.
8/7/2013http://www.houzz.com/photos/1436306/Courtyard-kitchen-with-door-up--contemporary-kitchen-se...
See landscape drawings for additional information on trees and planting;
some proposed landscaping may not be shown in this rendering for clarity
09.22.15192-072 13
NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
543 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94105, T. 415 293 5700, F. 415 293 5701 WWW.BARARCH.COM
SCRABRA EIH T C T
09039C O P Y R I G H TCSTCETIHCRARAB0
[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\INDESIGN TB 24X36.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR ] [ September 18 - Wednesday 2013 - 10:33am ] [ Plotted by : PHEDGCOCK ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]LOS GATOS, CA
TOWN COUNCIL VISION
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
The North 40 will
• Look and feel like Los Gatos
• Embrace hillside views, trees
and open space
• Address the Town’s residential
and/ or commercial unmet
needs
• Minimize or mitigate impacts
on the Town’s infrastructure,
schools and other community
services
REALIZING THE VISION
k EEPING
T HE NE x T
G ENERATION
IN LOS GATOS
rowhoME
r E s idE NT i A L
• Satisfying the unmet needs buyer:
work from home, Play from home
with home offices and gaming/
media rooms.
• Floor plans that bring the fantastic
Los Gatos weather inside with
gracious level terraces
See landscape drawings for additional information on trees and planting;
some proposed landscaping may not be shown in this rendering for clarity
09.22.15192-072 14
NORTH FORTY LOS GATOS, CA
543 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94105, T. 415 293 5700, F. 415 293 5701 WWW.BARARCH.COM
SCRABRA EIH T C T
09039C O P Y R I G H TCSTCETIHCRARAB0
[ FILE NAME :: Z:\09039 LOS GATOS NORTH FORTY\6 DRAWINGS\6.40 CAD-CURRENT\PLOT FILES\INDESIGN TB 24X36.DWG ] [ TAB : 36X24 PR ] [ September 18 - Wednesday 2013 - 10:33am ] [ Plotted by : PHEDGCOCK ] [ Pen Setting : Full 096 ][ XREF FILE NAME :: :W3624PER: :W3624PERLOG ]LOS GATOS, CA
TOWN COUNCIL VISION
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
The North 40 will
• Look and feel like Los Gatos
• Embrace hillside views, trees
and open space
• Address the Town’s residential
and/ or commercial unmet
needs
• Minimize or mitigate impacts
on the Town’s infrastructure,
schools and other community
services
REALIZING THE VISION
k EEPING
T HE NE x T
G ENERATION
IN LOS G ATOS
C oNdoMiNiu M
CL us T E r
r E sidE NT i A L
by d'apostrophe design, inc.
New York, NY, US 10013 · 167 photos
Kitchen
http://www.dapostrophe.com/
Page 1 of 1Kitchen
8/7/2013http://www.houzz.com/photos/807641/Kitchen-contemporary-kitchen-new-york
• exterior design and finishes that
complement the project’s agrarian
open spaces
• Inspired interior floor plans
including open plan flats and
bright and fun spaces
• First floor porches and second
level terraces to relax and grill
with friends
See landscape drawings for additional information on trees and planting;
some proposed landscaping may not be shown in this rendering for clarity
09.22.15192-072 15
NORTH 40 - LOS GATOS, CA DECEMBER 2015PHASE 1 AGRICULTURAL FRAMEWORK
VINEYARDS VINEYARDS
ORCHARD TREES ORCHARD TREES
ORCHARD TREES
PRESERVED OAK
PRESERVED OAKS
PRESERVED OAKPRESERVED OAK
PRESERVED OAK ORCHARD TREES
ORCHARD GROVEORCHARD GROVE
COMMUNITYGARDEN
ORCHARDTREES+COMMUNITYGARDENORCHARD TREES
ORCHARD TREES
ORCHARD TREES
ORCHARD TREES
ORCHARD GROVE
ORCHARD GROVE
MARKETHALL
PHASE I:
2.7 ACRES AGRICULTURAL USE
- ORCHARD/VINEYARDS: 2.2 ACRES
- COMMUNITY GARDENS: 0.2 ACRES
- MARKET HALL: 0.3 ACRES
1100 EXISTING TREES (APPROXIMATE)
544 PROPOSED ORCHARD TREES
1921 PROPOSED TREES TOTAL
RAISEDGARDENPLANTERS
HARVEST GARDENSEATING AREA
PRESERVED OAKS
ORCHARDTREES
Wood decking
Future Phases II and III
JANUARY 2016
NORTH 40 - LOS GATOS, CA
Phase I: Lark District
6 Prunus avium ‘Bing’
Bing cherry
9 citrus x limon ‘meyer’
meyer lemon
20 Prunus Blireiana
PurPle leaf Plum
(flowering, not fruiting)
13 Juglans californica hindsii
california Black walnut
24 Prunus avium ‘Bing’
Bing cherry
69 Prunus domestica
‘french Prune’
euroPean Plum
38 Prunus domestica
‘french Prune’
euroPean Plum
74 Prunus Persica
nuciPersica
nectarine
39 Pyrus calleryana
callery Pear
(flowering, not fruiting)
4 Pyrus communis ‘Bartlett’
Bartlett Pear
4 Prunus Persica ‘red Baron’
red Baron Peach
4 Prunus armeniaca ‘moorPark’
moorPark aPricot
4 Prunus avium ‘Bing’
Bing cherry
4 Prunus avium ‘rainer’
rainer cherry
4 Prunus domestica ‘french Plum’
french Plum
10 citrus x aurantifolia ‘Bears lime’
10 citrus x limon ‘meyer’
10 citrus x tangelo ‘minneola’
10 citrus x Paradise ‘oroBlanco’
10 diosPyros kaki ‘fuyu’, Persimmon
10 Prunica granatum ‘california sunset’
Pomegranate
10 ficus carica ‘mission’, mission fig
overall:
166 Prunus Persica nuciPersica, nectarine
111 Prunus domestica ‘french Prune’, euroPean Plum
55 Prunus armeniaca ‘moorPark’, moorPark aPricot
39 Pyrus calleryana, callery Pear
34 Prunus avium ‘Bing’, Bing cherry
19 citrus x limon ‘meyer’, meyer lemon
20 Prunus Blireiana, PurPle leaf Plum
13 Juglans californica hindsii, california Black walnut
10 citrus x aurantifolia ‘Bears lime’
10 citrus x tangelo ‘minneola’
10 citrus x Paradise ‘oroBlanco’
10 diosPyros kaki ‘fuyu’, Persimmon
10 Prunica granatum ‘california sunset’, Pomegranate
10 ficus carica ‘mission’, mission fig
9 Pyrus communis ‘Bartlett’, Bartlett Pear
5 malus x ‘fuJi’, fuJi aPPle
5 malus x ‘granny smith’, granny smith aPPle
4 Prunus Persica ‘red Baron’, red Baron Peach
4 Prunus avium ‘rainer’, rainer cherry
vitis vinifera, common graPe vine
485 fruiting trees
59 flowering only (not fruiting) trees
544 trees total
46 Prunus armeniaca ‘moorPark’
moorPark aPricot
vineyard: vitis vinifera
common graPe vine
Illustrative Orchard and Vineyard Plan
January 2016North Forty Los Gatos, CA
92 Prunus Persica
nuciPersica
nectarine
5 malus x ‘fuJi’
fuJi aPPle
5 malus x ‘granny smith’
granny smith aPPle
5 Prunus armeniaca ‘moorPark’
moorPark aPricot
5 Pyrus communis ‘Bartlett’
Bartlett Pear
APPENDIX G
H ISTORIC R ESOURCES R EPORTS
North 40 Specific Plan
Los Gatos, California
D R A F T
November 21, 2011
Reconnaissance Survey
HISTORIC RESOURCES EVALUATION REPORT
Prepared by:
Carey & Co., Inc.
San Francisco, California
Prepared for:
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Monterey, California
and
Town of Los Gatos
Los Gatos, California
2
North 40 Specific Plan
Los Gatos, California
D R A F T
November 21, 2011
Reconnaissance Survey
HISTORIC RESOURCES EVALUATION REPORT
SURVEY METHODOLOGY
A field survey of the North 40 property was conducted on 27 June 2011 by an architectural historian
qualified under the Secretary of the Interior's Professional Qualification Standards for Architectural
History. Each property within the project area bounded by the SR85 Freeway, Highway 17, Los Gatos
Boulevard and Lark Avenue was documented through digital photography. The surveyor accessed the
private property belonging to the Yuki family and photographed all buildings present there. In other
areas, along Bennett Way, Burton Road, Los Gatos Boulevard and Lark Avenue, only buildings visible
from the public right-of-way were observed and photographed.
Archival research was performed at a number of repositories in an effort to gain historical information
and property data pertaining to the North 40 site. Locally, the Los Gatos Building Department was
consulted for building permit records, although most were relatively recent due to the fact that the
North 40 property was not annexed into the Town of Los Gatos until the 1990s. The Los Gatos Public
Library provided information from their historical files, which included information about the Yuki
family. The library also holds the “Los Gatos Historic Resources Inventory” completed by Ann
Bloomfield in 1991. This document identifies a number of potential historic districts and individual
resources in central Los Gatos, but does not address the North 40 property. Likewise, 1941 tax
assessment records held by the library do not identify the property, which was located on rural county
land at the time.
Because the property was in the county for much of its history, county archives and governmental
offices, located in San Jose, were also consulted. At the Santa Clara County Archives, the J.G. & Percy
W. McMillan Surveyor Records and the Henry B. & Raymond W. Fisher Surveys Collection were
consulted for property ownership records and surveyor maps. Research at the Santa Clara County
Public Library's California Room yielded town directory information and various maps of the Los
Gatos area. Property ownership data was consulted at the Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder's Office,
however, lack of availability of records prior to 1980 resulted in little historical information about the
ownership of the property. The Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development Building
Inspection Office provided “Pocket Area Reports” listing older building permit records filed with the
county before the North 40 property was annexed.
Remotely, a records search at the Northwest Information Center (NWIC) was performed by Mary
Doane of Archeological Consulting and the results were consulted for this cultural resources study. The
search results indicated no historic properties in the immediate vicinity of the project area listed in
either the California Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) Historic Properties Directory or the
3
California Inventory of Historic Resources.1 Additionally, online resources and databases were
consulted for Federal Census and other public records, biographical information about the Yuki family,
and other data.
Assessor's maps, aerial photographs, and the project sponsor's site plan2 were consulted to determine
accurate addressing, Assessor's Parcel Numbering (APN), and the configuration of lots and locations of
buildings. The property matrix comprises a list of these addresses or other identifying descriptors and
their assigned APNs. It also contains information derived from the sources above and professional
expertise and opinion. In the case of construction dates, exact dates are listed if known, but otherwise
shown as approximate and are based on visual observation of architectural styles and features. Because
building permits are filed both with the County of Santa Clara and the Town of Los Gatos, depending
on their date, original building permits (and subsequently construction dates) were difficult to trace.
Presumably, original permits for any buildings older than fifty years would be filed with the County;
however, the County's “Pocket Area Reports” showing permits filed for properties along certain streets
are vague at best, showing a number of un-addressed properties that may or may not be those within
the North 40 area.
Preliminary Historic Status for each property was determined using the California Historic Resources
Status Codes system, which denotes eligibility for designation on national, state, and local historical
registers. Eligibility is determined by a property's ability to meet certain criteria that, for both national
and state registers, includes association with important events or people, high architectural merit, or the
ability to yield information. Recommendations are then provided that synthesize the information
comprised in this report to prescribe goals for future research that will elaborate on the significance of
potentially eligible properties on the North 40 property. (An explanation of local, state, and national
regulations and eligibility evaluation criteria is found in the Regulatory & Planning Framework
Section.)
PROPERTY HISTORY
The North 40 Property
The North 40 property was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was
established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian
Fabian Peralta. The 6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno,
and portions of Campbell. It's major feature was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the
property. The North 40 property eventually came to be located to the southeast of the creek, where it
runs through Los Gatos.
By 1876, a Thompson & West map shows the land around the future North 40 property parceled up and
labeled with the names of many Anglo-American land owners. Two of these were Parr and Walker. The
Parrs, likely lead by patriarch Jonathan W. Parr, are known to have held a large property in the area
prior to this time. This was referred to as the Parr Partition. Jonathan Parr died in 1867 and the family
land was subdivided among his six children, including a parcel (referred to as lot 4 in some deed
records) that was inherited by Robert and Eliza Jane (Parr) Walker. Thereafter, the Walker's parcel was
called the Walker Partition.
1 Lisa Hagel to Mary Doane, NWIC File No. 10-1274, 27 June 2011.
2 The North Forty Site Plan was prepared for Grosvenor (December 21, 2010). It shows the footprints of the existing
structures, proposed buildings, parcel boundaries, and boundaries of land within and outside of the proposed project site.
4
The Walker Partition was much larger than the boundaries of the current North 40 property. It was
eventually divided into two sections, with the future North 40 property lying on the dividing line of the
two sections. The southwestern section was known as the Walker Tract Subdivision and came as far
northeast as present-day Bennett Way. It also included land southwest of Lark Avenue, which was then
known as Walker Road. This portion of the land was subdivided, as its name suggests, with ten smaller
lots occupying the area between Lark Avenue and Bennett Way. The northeastern portion of land
retained the name Walker Partition and included the portion of today's North 40 property that is
northeast of Bennett Way. This section does not appear to have been as actively subdivided, although
by 1914 it was broken into a number of larger lots and Noddin Avenue had been established, as shown
on a Santa Clara County Northwest Quadrangle map of that date.
Census records from 1880 indicate that Robert Walker had immigrated from Canada in 1862 and ran a
farm on the property, where he, his brother and a third man all contributed to the farming the land. In
1892, the Walkers were granted rights to divert water from Los Gatos Creek across their property,
likely for irrigation purposes.3 The situation is confirmed by A.T. Hermann's survey map of the Walker
Tract of the Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos, which was created in 1895 when the tract was officially
filed. By 1900, Robert Walker had been widowed, but still ran the farm with the help of his son,
widowed daughter, and daughter's brother-in-law. He died later the same year. Walker's daughter,
Myrtle, and sons, Leslie and Vivian, maintained the family farm through 1910, when they are listed in
the census as fruit farmers living on the Los Gatos and San Jose Road (now Los Gatos Boulevard).
Myrtle appears to have continued living on the property through 1930, where she resided alone, and
continued to be listed as a fruit farmer. Many of Myrtle's neighbors, including the Japanese-American
Uka family, John T. Noddin (after whom Noddin Avenue is presumably named), James Watson,
Anthony Copace, and Oswald Schlueter are also listed as fruit farmers and were possibly active on the
North 40 property. The Schlueter name appears on deed records that indicate the family lived on a
parcel at the south corner of the property as early as 1918 and retained it through 1962. Myrtle Walker
Johnson died in 1941, which may have been when the Walker family property was finally sold outside
of the family.
It appears that the lots on the southwestern portion of the North 40 property were sold by the Walkers
to various parties, who held, subdivided, and sold them over the years. The Walker family relinquished
their ownership of the other portions of the property sometime after 1930 and likely after the death of
Myrtle Walker Johnson in 1941. The Yuki family ultimately purchased the land in the later half of the
1940s. A 1957 deed record shows that they then purchased lots within the Walker Tract Subdivision to
append to their larger holding, possibly starting with a physically adjacent lot, which they purchased
from Joe G. and Mary E. Perry (July 31, 1957). In 1958, they obtained another portion from Nick and
Carla DeCarlo. Both parcels fronted on today's Los Gatos Boulevard (originally known as the San
Jose-Los Gatos Road). By 1962, a survey map shows that the Yuki family owned most of the land
within the Walker Tract Subdivision portion of the property. Only two parcels at the corner of Los
Gatos Boulevard and Lark Avenue belonged to another owner, Berth M. Schleuter, whose family had
lived there since before 1918 and who may have occupied the house that still stands at 16399 Lark
Avenue.
A deed record from 1956, shows that a portion of the land in the Walker Tract Subdivision was sold by
then owners, Patrick A. and Betty A. Tracy, to the State of California for the purpose of building a
freeway. Although Highway 17 had been routed through Los Gatos in 1940, this was the year that it
3 San Jose Abstract & Title Co., “Preliminary Report for Policy of Title Insurance,” 6 December 1954.
5
was routed around the town's downtown, necessitating the purchase of land from owners along the new
route. Thus, Highway 17 came to run along the northwestern boundary of the North 40 property. State
Route 85, which runs along the northeastern boundary of the property was not completed until 1994.
The Yuki Family
The Yuki family began farming the North 40 property in the late 1940s, after the end of World War II.4
The property included the proposed project site, as well as farmland on the west side of Highway 17.
Over the years, “Yuki Farms” has primarily functioned as an orchard for growing apricots, prunes,
almonds and walnuts. In 2007, it was noted to be the last orchard of any significant size in Los Gatos.5
The family patriarch, Takeo Yuki, was originally from Salinas and had worked previously as a lettuce-
grower there. He was married to Miyoko Yuki, who also came from a farming family that operated in
Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Santa Clara County. The couple were both Nisei, or second-generation
Japanese Americans. Takeo's family hailed from Hiroshima, while Miyoko's was from Kumamoto.
They were married in 1931 and continued their families' trade of farming in the Salinas Valley,
becoming the largest Japanese farm enterprise in the region.6 The Yukis eventually had four children.
Three of the children, Emie, Thomas, and Peni were born prior to World War II. When Japanese
Internment took effect after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Yuki family went to the assembly point in
Salinas and were subsequently interned at a camp in Poston, Arizona. It was after their return to
California, that they purchased and settled on the North 40 property in Los Gatos. They were also
deeded joint tenancy of farm property in Santa Cruz County.7 Their fourth child, Herbert, was born in
Los Gatos in 1950.8
Miyoko Yuki was known to be very active in the Japanese American community in Santa Clara
County; including involvement with the San Jose Buddhist Church, Nisei Buddhist Society, Bando
Mitsusa Kai Japanese Classical Dancing School and Japanese American National Museum in Los
Angeles. She also had culturally related hobbies such as bonsai, ikebana and doll-making.9 As adults,
the Yuki children all married and are later referred to as Emie and Minoru Yamate, Thomas and Carol
Yuki, Peni and Edward Morimoto, and Herbert and Barbara Yuki. Takeo Yuki died in 1967 and Miyoko
died in 2009, leaving the farm property to the four Yuki children and their families.
4 “Los Gatos' Yuki family sells 32 acres, mixed-use planned,” Business Journal, 11 July 2010.
5 “5-Story hotel proposed at Lark/Hwy 17,” Los Gatos Observer, 13 June 2007.
6 Frank J. Taylor, “The People Nobody Wants,” The Saturday Evening Post, 9 May 1942.
7 Joint tenancy deed No. 38574, County of Santa Cruz, 17 March 1947.
8 Obituary: Miyoko Yuki, San Jose Mercury News, 21 May 2009.
9 Ibid.
6
SURVEY MATRIX
Address/APN Photograph Property Type/
Date
Determinations
16370 Bennett Way
424-07-037
Single-family
house and
garage
ca 1940
Integrity: Good; chimney
altered
Prelim. Historic Status*:
6Z
*See Appendix
16378 Bennett Way
424-07-036
Single-family
house
ca 1950
Integrity: Fair; siding and
windows replaced
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
16386 Bennett Way
424-07-035
Single-family
house
ca 1960
Integrity: Good; windows
replaced
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
7
16394 Bennett Way
424-07-034
Single-family
house and large
garage
ca 1920
Integrity: Poor; siding,
windows, chimney
replaced
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
16415 Bennett Way
424-07-025
Two single-
family houses
and garage
ca 1940
Integrity: Poor; siding,
windows replaced
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
16418 Bennett Way
424-07-031
Single-family
house and
garage
ca 1940
Integrity: Good; windows
replaced
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
16319 Bennett Way
424-07-024
Single-family
house
ca 1930
Integrity: Good; windows
replaced
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
8
16425 Bennett Way
424-07-026
Single-family
house and
sheds
ca 1930
Integrity: Good; misc.
additions
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
16434 Bennett Way
424-07-070
Single-family
house, garage
and shed
ca 1950
Integrity: Fair; additions,
windows and siding
replaced.
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
16435 Bennett Way
424-07-085
Single-family
house
ca 1940
Integrity: Fair; addition,
porch added, windows
replaced
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
16439 Bennett Way
424-07-085
Single-family
house and
garage
ca 1920
Integrity: Fair; siding and
windows replaced
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
9
16442 Bennett Way
424-07-100
Single-family
house
ca. 1945
Integrity: Fair; windows
and some siding replaced
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
16210 Burton Rd.
424-07-054
Single-family
house and
garage
ca 1925
Integrity: Fair; siding and
windows replaced
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
16240 Burton Rd.
424-07-010
Single-family
house and
garage
ca 1920
Integrity: Fair; siding and
windows replaced
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
16245 Burton Rd.
424-06-115
Single-family
house and
garage
ca 1940
Integrity: Good; windows
replaced, possible addition
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
10
16250 Burton Rd.
424-07-009
Single-family
house and
garage
ca 1940
Integrity: Excellent;
compatible rear addition
(1955)
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
16260 Burton Rd.
424-07-053
Single-family
house
ca 1971
Integrity: Good; windows
replaced
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
16399 Lark Ave.
424-07-100
Single-family
house
ca 1910
Integrity: Excellent; no
visible alterations
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
11
16483 Lark Ave.
424-07-100
House
Machine Shed
Single-family
house and
machine shed
ca 1920
Integrity: Poor; additions,
windows and some siding
replaced
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
14823 Los Gatos
Blvd
424-07-065
House
Barn and shed
Single-family
house, barn,
sheds
ca 1925
Integrity: Poor; siding
replaced, mics.
window/door alterations,
possible porch infill
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
12
14831 Los Gatos
Blvd
424-07-063
Single-family
house, garage
and shed
ca 1945
Integrity: Good; windows
replaced
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
14849 Los Gatos
Blvd
424-07-064
Single-family
house,
outbuildings
ca 1910
Integrity: Excellent; no
visible alterations
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
14859 Los Gatos
Blvd
424-07-094
Single-family
house
ca 1960
Integrity: Excellent; no
visible alterations
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
15111 Los Gatos
Blvd.
424-07-100
Single-family
house, garage,
and shed
ca 1915
Integrity: Excellent; no
visible alterations
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
13
15133 Los Gatos
Blvd.
424-07-090
Single-family
house
ca 1960
Integrity: Good; windows
replaced
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
Orchard
Outbuilding
424-07-081
Outbuilding
ca 1940
Integrity: Good; some
windows replaced
Prelim. Historic Status:
3CD
Machine Shed
424-07-082
Machine shed
ca 1940
Integrity: Good; garage
door and, skylights added
Prelim. Historic Status:
3CD
14
15171 Los Gatos
Blvd.
424-07-060
Gas station
1956
Integrity: Good; gas pump
islands/canopies added
Prelim. Historic Status: 6Z
14917 Noddin Ave.
424-07-081
House
Cottage
Single-family
house and
cottage
House ca
1970/Cottage
ca 1940
Integrity: Good; rear
addition and deck (1973)
Prelim. Historic Status:
House - 6Z
Cottage - 3CD
15
14919 Noddin Ave.
424-07-082
Single-family
house and
garage
ca 1940
Integrity: Excellent;
compatible addition (1973)
Prelim. Historic Status:
3CD
14923 Noddin Ave.
424-07-082
Small barn
ca 1940
Integrity: Good; window,
garage door replaced
Prelim. Historic Status:
3CD
14927 Noddin Ave.
424-07-082
Single-family
house and
garage
ca 1940
Integrity: Good; rear
addition
Prelim. Historic Status:
3CD
16
14929 Noddin Ave.
424-07-081
Single-family
house and
garage
ca 1940
Integrity: Good; windows
replaced
Prelim. Historic Status:
3CD
Large Barn
424-07-082
Barn
ca 1940
Integrity: Good; rear
addition, some windows
replaced
Prelim. Historic Status:
3CD
Some buildings that appear older than fifty years are included in the above matrix even though their
exact dates of construction are unknown. Buildings within the North 40 project boundaries with known
construction dates more recent than 1961 and not appearing in the matrix are as follows:
• 16270 Burton Road; APN 424-07-099; constructed 1971
• 14777 Los Gatos Boulevard; APN 424-06-129; constructed 2003
• 15047 Los Gatos Boulevard; APN 424-07-099; constructed 2004
• 15055 Los Gatos Boulevard; APN 424-07-096; constructed 1999
• 15057 Los Gatos Boulevard; APN 424-07-096; constructed ca. 1999
REGULATORY & PLANNING FRAMEWORK
The regulatory background outlined below offers an overview of federal and state laws, regulations,
and guidelines and the criteria used to assess the historic significance and eligibility of a building,
structure, object, site or district for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) or the
California Register of Historical Resources (CRHR).
Federal Regulations and Criteria
National Historic Preservation Act, as Amended (1966)
The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) defines the Federal Government’s role in historic
17
preservation and establishes partnerships between states, local governments, Indian tribes, and private
organizations and individuals. It authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to expand and maintain the
National Register of Historic Places and establishes the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
(ACHP) and state and tribal historic preservation offices. It also requires federal agencies to consider
the effects of their undertakings on historic resources and to give the Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation (ACHP) a reasonable opportunity to comment on those undertakings. A lead federal
agency will be responsible for project compliance with Section 106 of the NHPA and its implementing
regulations, set forth by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation at 36 CFR 800.
National Register of Historic Places
National Register Bulletin Number 15, How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation,
describes the Criteria for Evaluation as being composed of two factors. First, the property must be
“associated with an important historic context.”10 The National Register identifies four possible context
types, of which at least one must be applicable at the national, state, or local level. As listed under
Section 8, “Statement of Significance,” of the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form,
these are:
A. Property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad
patterns of our history.
B. Property is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past.
C. Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of
construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or
represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack individual
distinction.
D. Property has yielded, or is likely to yield, information important to prehistory or history.11
Certain resources are not usually considered for listing in the National Register:
• religious properties
• moved properties
• birthplaces and graves
• cemeteries
• reconstructed properties
• commemorative properties
• properties that have achieved significance within the past fifty years
These properties can be eligible for listing, however, if they meet special requirements, called Criteria
Considerations (A-G), in addition to meeting the regular requirements (that is, being eligible under one
or more of the four significance criteria and possessing integrity). Generally, such properties will
qualify for the National Register if they fall within the following seven criteria considerations:
a) A religious property deriving primary significance from architectural or artistic distinction or
historical importance; or
10 U. S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, National Register Bulletin: How to Apply the National
Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin 15 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office,
1997), 3.
11 U. S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, How to Complete the National Register Registration
Form,
National Register Bulletin 16A (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1997), 75.
18
b) A building or structure removed from its original location but which is significant primarily
for
architectural value, or which is the surviving structure most importantly associated with a
historic person or event; or
c) A birthplace or grave of a historical figure of outstanding importance if there is no
appropriate site
or building directly associated with his or her productive life; or
d) A cemetery which derives its primary significance from graves of persons of transcendent
importance, from age, from distinctive design features, or from association with historic events;
or
e) A reconstructed building when accurately executed in a suitable environment and presented
in a
dignified manner as part of a restoration master plan, and when no other building or structure
with the same association has survived; or
f) A property primarily commemorative in intent if design, age, tradition, or symbolic value has
invested it with its own exceptional significance; or
g) A property achieving significance within the past 50 years if it is of exceptional importance.
Second, for a property to qualify under the National Register’s Criteria for Evaluation, it must
also retain “historic integrity of those features necessary to convey its significance.”12
While a property’s significance relates to its role within a specific historic context, its integrity refers to
“a property’s physical features and how they relate to its significance.”13 To determine if a property
retains the physical characteristics corresponding to its historic context, the National Register has
identified seven aspects of integrity:
Location is the place where the historic property was constructed or the place where the historic
event occurred.
Design is the combination of elements that create the form, plan, space, structure, and style of a
property.
Setting is the physical environment of a historic property.
Materials are the physical elements that were combined or deposited during a particular period
of time and in a particular pattern or configuration to form a historic property.
Workmanship is the physical evidence of the crafts of a particular culture or people during any
given period in history or prehistory.
Feeling is a property’s expression of the aesthetic or historic sense of a particular period of
time.
Association is the direct link between an important historic event or person and a
historic property.14
Since integrity is based on a property’s significance within a specific historic context, an evaluation of
a property’s integrity can only occur after historic significance has been established.15
State Regulations, Guidelines, and Criteria
California Environmental Quality Act Statute and Guidelines
12 National Park Service, How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, 3.
13 Ibid., 44.
14 National Park Service, How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, 44-45.
15 Ibid., 45.
19
When a proposed project may cause a substantial adverse change to a historical resource, CEQA
requires the lead agency to carefully consider the possible impacts before proceeding (Public Resources
Code Sections 21084 and 21084.1). CEQA equates a substantial adverse change in the significance of a
historical resource with a significant effect on the environment (Section 21084.1). The Act explicitly
prohibits the use of a categorical exemption within the CEQA Guidelines for projects which may cause
such a change (Section 21084).
A “substantial adverse change” is defined in Guidelines Section 15064.5(b) as “physical demolition,
destruction, relocation, or alteration of the resource or its immediate surroundings such that the
significance of a historical resource would be materially impaired.” Furthermore, the “significance of
an historic resource is materially impaired when a project “demolishes or materially alters in an adverse
manner those physical characteristics of a historical resource that convey its historical significance and
that justify its inclusion in, or eligibility for inclusion in the California Register of Historical
Resources;” or “demolishes or materially alters in an adverse manner those physical characteristics that
account for its inclusion in a local register of historical resources...” or “demolishes or materially alters
in an adverse manner those physical characteristics of a historical resource that convey its historical
significance and that justify its eligibility for inclusion in the California Register of Historical
Resources as determined by a lead agency for purposes of CEQA.”
For the purposes of CEQA (Guidelines Section 15064.5), the term “historical resources” shall include
the following:
1. A resource listed in, or determined to be eligible by the State Historical Resources
Commission, for listing in the CRHR (Public Resources Code §5024.1, Title 14 CCR, Section
4850 et seq.).
2. A resource included in a local register of historical resources, as defined in Section 5020.1(k)
of the Public Resources Code or identified as significant in a historical resource survey meeting
the requirements of Section 5024.1(g) of the Public Resources Code, shall be presumed to be
historically or culturally significant. Public agencies must treat any such resource as significant
unless the preponderance of evidence demonstrates that it is not historically or culturally
significant.
3. Any object, building, structure, site, area, place, record, or manuscript which a lead agency
determines to be historically significant or significant in the architectural, engineering,
scientific, economic, agricultural, educational, social, political, military, or cultural annals of
California, may be considered to be a historical resource, provided the lead agency’s
determination is supported by substantial evidence in light of the whole record. Generally, a
resource shall be considered by the lead agency to be “historically significant” if the resource
meets the criteria for listing in the CRHR (Public Resources Code Section 5024.1, Title 14
CCR, Section 4852) as follows:
A. Is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad
patterns of California’s history and cultural heritage;
B. Is associated with the lives of persons important in our past;
C. Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, region, or method of
construction, or represents the work of an important creative individual, or possesses
high artistic values; or
D. Has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.
(Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act) Under CEQA §15064.5,
“generally, a project that follows the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the
20
Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating,
Restoring and Reconstructing Historic Buildings or the Secretary of the Interior’s
Standards for Rehabilitation with Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings shall
be considered as mitigated to a level of less than a significant impact on the historical
resource.”
California Register of Historical Resources
The California Office of Historic Preservation’s Technical Assistance Series #6, California Register
and National Register: A Comparison, outlines the differences between the federal and state processes.
The context types to be used when establishing the significance of a property for listing on the
California Register of Historical Resources are very similar, with emphasis on local and state
significance. They are:
1. It is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of
local or regional history, or the cultural heritage of California or the United States; or
2. It is associated with the lives of persons important to local, California, or national history; or
3. It embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or
represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values; or
4. It has yielded, or is likely to yield, information important to prehistory or history of the local
area, California, or the nation.16
Like the NRHP, evaluation for eligibility to the CRHR requires an establishment of historic
significance before integrity is considered. California’s integrity threshold is slightly lower than the
federal level. As a result, some resources that are historically significant but do not meet NRHP
integrity standards may be eligible for listing on the CRHR.17
California’s list of special considerations is shorter and more lenient than the NRHP. It includes some
allowances for moved buildings, structures, or objects, as well as lower requirements for proving the
significance of resources that are less than 50 years old and a more elaborate discussion of the
eligibility of reconstructed buildings.18
In addition to separate evaluations for eligibility for the CRHR, the state automatically lists on the
CRHR resources that are listed or determined eligible for the NRHP through a complete evaluation
process.19
California Historical Resource Status Codes
The California Historic Resource Status Codes (status codes) are a series of ratings created by the
California Office of Historic Preservation to quickly and easily identify the historic status of resources
listed in the state’s historic properties database. These codes were revised in August 2003 to better
reflect the historic status options available to evaluators. The following are the seven major status code
16 State of California, Department of Parks and Recreation, Office of Historic Preservation, California Register and
National Register: A Comparison, Technical Assistance Series 6 (Sacramento: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, 2001), 1.
17 Ibid.
18 Ibid., 2.
19 All State Historical Landmarks from number 770 onward are also automatically listed on the California Register.
[California Office of Historic Preservation, California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process,
Technical
Assistance Series 5 (Sacramento: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n. d.), 1.
21
headings:
1. Properties listed in the National Register or the California Register.
2. Properties determined eligible for listing in the National Register or the California Register.
3. Appears eligible for National Register or California Register through Survey Evaluation.
4. Appears eligible for National Register or California Register through other evaluation.
5. Properties recognized as historically significant by local government.
6. Not eligible for listing or designation.
7. Not evaluated for National Register or California Register or needs revaluation.
Local Regulations
The Town of Los Gatos does not maintain a historical register or list of designated properties, therefore
there are no regulations, guidelines or criteria for evaluating the significance of properties on a local
level.
FINDINGS
The majority of the properties in the above matrix do not appear to exhibit the level of architectural
merit to make them eligible for listing on national or state registers, even at the local level of
significance. Additionally, the historical information revealed by preliminary archival research does not
indicate that most buildings within the North 40 have associations with important events or people.
They appear to have been inhabited and used by members of the Los Gatos community who were
common farmers that worked the fruit orchards on the North 40 property, but were not notably
significant to national, state, or local history. Likewise, no important events appear to have occurred on
these properties aside from general agricultural use, which was extremely common throughout Santa
Clara County. For this reason these buildings have been assigned preliminary California Historical
Resource Status Codes of 6Z, indicating that they are potentially ineligible for National Register,
California Register, or local listing. It is unlikely that further research will reveal additional information
about these properties, most of which lack physical integrity to some extent. However, if further
research into the Yuki family's ownership of the property reveals important associations for any of the
other properties on the project site, the current 6Z status codes should be reassessed. Of note, houses at
16250 Burton Road, 16399 Lark Avenue, 14849 Los Gatos Boulevard, and 15111 Los Gatos Boulevard
and a barn at 14823 Los Gatos Boulevard seem to pre-date the 1940s and/or have better physical
integrity than others on the site. It is possible that they could prove significant, if additional information
is discovered about their ownership or use.
The exception is a grouping of buildings at the heart of the large agricultural parcel, which have been
assigned status codes of 3CD, indicating that they appear to be potentially eligible for the California
Register as contributors to a potentially-eligible California Register historic district. It appears that
these eight buildings are all related. They appear to have been constructed around the same time – circa
1940 – and are associated with the Yuki family's ownership of the property. Therefore, they may be
significant for their association with fruit farming and post-war Japanese American settlement in Santa
Clara County, the locally prominent Yuki family, and agricultural building types and styles of the time
and geographic region. Although the buildings do not appear to be individually significant or eligible
for historical designation, they may represent an intact grouping that could be eligible as a small
district.
POTENTIAL IMPACTS
Carey & Co. has preliminarily identified a grouping of buildings that could be a historic district eligible
22
for listing in the California Register of Historical Resources. We feel this finding results in a fair
argument that potential historic resources exist on the proposed project site. Based on this preliminary
finding, the proposed project, which would remove all of these contributory buildings, would have a
significant adverse impact on historic resources.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Additional research should be done to determine, or verify, the exact construction dates of all the
buildings, but especially those that could form a historic district. Establishing a chronology of these
latter buildings' construction would aid in understanding how the site developed and their association
with particular themes and people. It is also recommended that further research, which would likely
include consultation with members of the Yuki family, be undertaken to determine the occupancy and
use of these eight buildings. Determining how these buildings functioned in the operation of the fruit
farm, as well as what members of the Yuki family inhabited which houses (if any did), would create a
better context for the grouping of buildings and make official a determination of their eligibility as a
district.
We would also recommend exploring the wider historic context of fruit farming and Japanese American
history from which a more concise historic context statement for Nikkei farming in the Santa Clara
Valley can be prepared. Such a context statement is essential for evaluating the significance of the
historic district. Sources of information include the San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and
Historic Resource Survey (Carey & Co., Inc. 2004) and Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community
Life in California's Santa Clara Valley. It may also be fruitful to interview Jimi Yamaichi, Joseph
Yasutake, Stephen Fugita, or others associated with the Japanese American Museum of San Jose.
23
Maps & Images
The Walker property, 1876. Buildings no longer extant.
(Ancestry.com)
Historical Atlas Map by Thompson & West, 1876. R. Walker and C.H. Parr properties at top center.
(Northwest Information Center)
24
Surveyors map of Walker Tract Subdivision by A.T. Hermann, 1895.
(Santa Clara County Archives)
25
North 40 property parcel map. Entire block is within North 40 project area.
(Santa Clara County Assessor's Office)
APPENDIX
California State Office of Historic Preservation
Technical Assistance Bulletin #8
User’s Guide to the
California Historical Resource Status Codes
&
Historic Resources Inventory Directory
Note: Only the section pertaining to the California Historical Resource Status Codes (Pages 1-
11) is included in this appendix.
CALIFORNIA STATE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION
Department of Parks & Recreation
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE BULLETIN #8
User’s Guide to the
California Historical Resource Status Codes
&
Historic Resources Inventory Directory
This Technical Assistance Bulletin #8 provides guidance on use of the California
Historical Resource Status Codes (adopted by the Office of Historic Preservation in
August 2003, formerly known as the National Register Status Codes) and provides a
key to the programmatic and evaluation codes used in the Statewide Historical
Resources Inventory (HRI) database maintained by the Office of Historic Preservation
(OHP) and the California Historical Resources Information System (CHRIS).
This publication has been financed in part with Federal funds from the National Park Service, Department
of the Interior, under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, and administered by the
California Office of Historic Preservation. The contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or
policies of the Department of the Interior, nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products
constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Department of the Interior. Under Title VI of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the U.S. Department of the Interior
strictly prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, or handicap in its
federally- assisted programs. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, activity,
or facility as described above, or if you desire further information, please write to Office for Equal
Opportunity, U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Box 37127, Washington DC 20013-
7127.
November 2004
Technical Assistance Bulletin 8 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS..................................................................................................2
GUIDE TO THE CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL RESOURCE STATUS CODES................3
CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL RESOURCE STATUS CODES………………………………4
Using Status Codes .....................................................................................................5
Assigning Status Codes...............................................................................................6
Highlights of Status Codes Revisions..........................................................................7
Code Conversions .......................................................................................................8
GUIDE TO THE HISTORIC RESOURCES INVENTORY DIRECTORY.......................12
Information Centers...................................................................................................12
Historical Resources Inventory..................................................................................13
Additional Sources of Historical Resources Information............................................13
Historical Resources Inventory Directory...................................................................14
Sample Page from Historic Resources Inventory Directory.......................................16
Historical Resources Inventory Individual Property Printout......................................18
APPENDICES...............................................................................................................21
Appendix 1 - Historic Resources Inventory Directory & Printout Key........................21
Appendix 2 - Evaluator Codes...................................................................................24
Appendix 3 – Numbering Conventions for Historical Resources ...............................26
Appendix 4 - Numbering Conventions for Transaction Logs.....................................28
Appendix 5 - CHRIS County Codes...........................................................................29
Technical Assistance Bulletin 8 3
GUIDE TO THE
CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL RESOURCE STATUS CODES
Background
The Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) initially created the National Register Status
Codes in 1975 as a database tool to classify historical resources in the state’s inventory
which had been identified through a regulatory process or local government survey. In
the early 1990s, a system of complex elaborations on the code groups was adopted
which resulted in nearly 150 individual codes. Many were ambiguously defined; others
were never even used. Implicit within the status codes was a hierarchy reflecting the
level of identification, evaluation and designation to which a property had been
subjected which did not always convey the significance of the resource for purposes of
the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
The California Register of Historical Resources was created in 1998 by an act of the
State Legislature. Under the provisions of that legislation, the following resources are
automatically included in the California Register:
• Resources formally determined eligible for, or listed in, the National Register of
Historic Places through federal preservation programs administered by the Office
of Historic Preservation, including the National Register program; the Tax
Certification program; National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 reviews of
federal undertakings;
• State Historical Landmarks (SHL) numbered 770 or higher; and
• Points of Historical Interest (PHI) recommended for listing in the California
Register by the State Historical Resources Commission.
For the purposes of CEQA, resources eligible for or listed in the California Register are,
by definition, “historical resources.” Additionally, resources included in a local register of
historical resources or deemed significant, i.e., given a status code 3-5 in a survey
meeting OHP’s requirements, are presumed to be historically or culturally significant for
purposes of CEQA.
In spite of the need to identify resources eligible for the California Register for CEQA
purposes, the NRHP codes only addressed National Register and local eligibility. As a
consequence, by failing to address California Register eligibility, environmental review
and local land use planning decisions which relied on the status codes assigned prior to
2004 may have been made on the basis of incomplete information.
Effective August 2003, in order to simplify and clarify the identification, evaluation, and
understanding of California’s historic resources and better promote their recognition and
Technical Assistance Bulletin 8 4
preservation, the (former) National Register status codes were revised to reflect the
application of California Register and local criteria and the name was changed to “California
Historical Resource Status Codes.”
CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL RESOURCE STATUS CODES
(effective as of August 2003)
Available online in a single page format at http://www.ohp.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=1069
1 Properties listed in the National Register (NR) or the California Register (CR)
1D Contributor to a district or multiple resource property listed in NR by the Keeper. Listed in the CR.
1S Individual property listed in NR by the Keeper. Listed in the CR.
1CD Listed in the CR as a contributor to a district or multiple resource property by the SHRC
1CS Listed in the CR as individual property by the SHRC.
1CL Automatically listed in the California Register – Includes State Historical Landmarks 770 and above and Points of
Historical Interest nominated after December 1997 and recommended for listing by the SHRC.
2 Properties determined eligible for listing in the National Register (NR) or the California Register (CR)
2B Determined eligible for NR as an individual property and as a contributor to an eligible district in a federal
regulatory process. Listed in the CR.
2D Contributor to a district determined eligible for NR by the Keeper. Listed in CR.
2D2 Contributor to a district determined eligible for NR by consensus through Section 106 process. Listed in CR.
2D3 Contributor to a district determined eligible for NR by Part I Tax Certification. Listed in CR.
2D4 Contributor to a district determined eligible for NR pursuant to Section 106 without review by SHPO. Listed in CR.
2S Individual property determined eligible for NR by the Keeper. Listed in CR.
2S2 Individual property determined eligible for NR by a consensus through Section 106 process. Listed in CR.
2S3 Individual property determined eligible for NR by Part I Tax Certification. Listed in CR.
2S4 Individual property determined eligible for NR pursuant to Section 106 without review by SHPO. Listed in CR.
2CB Determined eligible for CR as an individual property and as a contributor to an eligible district by the SHRC.
2CD Contributor to a district determined eligible for listing in the CR by the SHRC.
2CS Individual property determined eligible for listing in the CR by the SHRC.
3 Appears eligible for National Register (NR) or California Register (CR) through Survey Evaluation
3B Appears eligible for NR both individually and as a contributor to a NR eligible district through survey evaluation.
3D Appears eligible for NR as a contributor to a NR eligible district through survey evaluation.
3S Appears eligible for NR as an individual property through survey evaluation.
3CB Appears eligible for CR both individually and as a contributor to a CR eligible district through a survey evaluation.
3CD Appears eligible for CR as a contributor to a CR eligible district through a survey evaluation.
3CS Appears eligible for CR as an individual property through survey evaluation.
4 Appears eligible for National Register (NR) or California Register (CR) through other evaluation
4CM Master List - State Owned Properties – PRC §5024.
Technical Assistance Bulletin 8 5
5 Properties Recognized as Historically Significant by Local Government
5D1 Contributor to a district that is listed or designated locally.
5D2 Contributor to a district that is eligible for local listing or designation.
5D3 Appears to be a contributor to a district that appears eligible for local listing or designation through
survey evaluation.
5S1 Individual property that is listed or designated locally.
5S2 Individual property that is eligible for local listing or designation.
5S3 Appears to individually eligible for local listing or designation through survey evaluation.
5B Locally significant both individually (listed, eligible, or appears eligible) and as contributor to a district
that is locally listed, designated, determined eligible, or appears eligible through survey evaluation.
6 Not Eligible for Listing or Designation as specified
6C Determined ineligible for or removed from California Register by SHRC.
6J Landmarks or Points of Interest found ineligible for designation by SHRC.
6L Determined ineligible for local listing or designation through local government review process; may warrant
special consideration in local planning.
6T Determined ineligible for NR through Part I Tax Certification process.
6U Determined ineligible for NR pursuant to Section 106 without review by SHPO.
6W Removed from NR by the Keeper.
6X Determined ineligible for the NR by SHRC or Keeper.
6Y Determined ineligible for NR by consensus through Section 106 process – Not evaluated for CR or Local Listing.
6Z Found ineligible for NR, CR or Local designation through survey evaluation.
7 Not Evaluated for National Register (NR) or California Register (CR) or Needs Revaluation
7J Received by OHP for evaluation or action but not yet evaluated.
7K Resubmitted to OHP for action but not reevaluated.
7L State Historical Landmarks 1-769 and Points of Historical Interest designated prior to January 1998 –
Needs to be reevaluated using current standards.
7M Submitted to OHP but not evaluated - referred to NPS.
7N Needs to be reevaluated (Formerly NR Status Code 4)
7N1 Needs to be reevaluated (Formerly NR SC4) – may become eligible for NR w/restoration or when
meets other specific conditions.
7R Identified in Reconnaissance Level Survey: Not evaluated.
7W Submitted to OHP for action – withdrawn.
Using Status Codes
Users of the California Historic Resource Status Codes should keep in mind that
the status codes are broad indicators which, in most cases, serve as a starting
place for further consideration and evaluations. Because the assigned status code
reflects an opinion or action taken at a specific point in time, the assigned status code
may not accurately reflect the resource’s eligibility for the National Register, California
Register, or local listing or designation at some later time.
Technical Assistance Bulletin 8 6
Individuals and agencies attempting to identify and evaluate historical resources need to
consider the basis for evaluation upon which a particular code was assigned, i.e., date
of evaluation, the reason and criteria applied for evaluation, the age of the resource at
the time of evaluation, and any changes that may have been made to the resource that
would impact its integrity. Keep in mind that:
• Older surveys and evaluations were biased towards architectural values (Criteria
C (NR) and 3 (CR)). Resources may not have been evaluated for significance for
their association with important event or people or their information potential.
• Identification and evaluation of resources in compliance with Section 106 does
not involve evaluations for the California Register or any local designations.
• Because the California Register was not implemented before 1999, relatively few
resources in the HRI have been evaluated for eligibility for the California Register.
• Because the National Register generally excludes resources less than fifty years
old, resources that were once determined ineligible for the National Register
because they were less than 50 years of age, need to be reevaluated for
eligibility after they have aged.
• Our understanding of historical significance changes over time. In 2004, there is
a greater appreciation and understanding of social and cultural history than in
earlier years. Understanding of the importance of cultural landscapes and
resources of the recent past is evolving as historic preservationists are grappling
with how to recognize and characterize these types of resources.
Assigning Status Codes
In many cases, more than one status code logically could be assigned. Since resources
listed in or determined eligible for the National Register are automatically listed in the
California Register, it is not necessary to use codes for both the National register and
the California Register.
Resources identified and evaluated in local government surveys may appear to be
eligible for the National Register or the California Register as well as be a locally
designated landmark or eligible for local designation. For local government purposes, it
may be desirable to show more than one code. However, when the data is incorporated
into the HRI, the code with the lowest initial number (1-5) will be used.
Example:
Codes assigned in survey - 3S/5S1
Code assigned in data base – 3S
Technical Assistance Bulletin 8 7
Because resources may meet the criteria for multiple designations, it is important to
include that information in the significance statements on the DPR 523B forms or in a
narrative evaluation.
Highlights of Status Codes Revisions
The codes revision undertaken in 2003 clarified definitions, consolidated groups of
closely related codes, and created new codes to reflect the evaluation of resources for
the California Register. Note that the code elaborations, i.e., 2D2 or 5D1, serve OHP’s
data management purposes. For CEQA purposes, it is the initial code, 1- 5, that is
relevant.
• Under the broad definition for status code 1, “Properties listed in the National
Register (NR) or the California Register (CR),” 1D and 1S will continue to signify
National Register listing as they have in the past. Additions of 1CD, 1CS, and
1CL will denote resources listed on the California Register by the State Historical
Resources Commission, paralleling formal listing on the National Register by the
Keeper. Because properties listed in or formally determined eligible for listing in
the NR are automatically listed in the California Register, there is no need to
assign dual codes.
• The definition of status code 2 is broadened to “Properties determined eligible for
listing in the National Register (NR) or the California Register (CR).” Just as 2s
were previously used and will continue to be used to identify resources formally
determined eligible for the National Register through a regulatory process, 2Cs
will identify resources formally determined eligible for the California Register by
the State Historical Resources Commission.
• The parallel between the resources identified through a survey as appearing
eligible for the National Register and those which appear eligible for the California
Register are reflected in the 3 codes which are broadly defined as “Appears
eligible for National Register (NR) or California Register (CR) through Survey
Evaluation.”
• Formerly, 4s were assigned through surveys to properties that had the potential,
if some circumstance or event was to happen in the future, to become eligible for
the National Register. Thus by definition, resources identified as 4s were not
eligible for the National Register. Yet under CEQA, they were presumed to be
historical resources. OHP will convert all former 4s to either a 7N or 7N1,
whichever is appropriate, to signify that these resources need to be reevaluated
using current standards and applying both National Register and California
Register criteria. Henceforth, a status code of 4 will be broadly defined as
“Appears eligible for National Register (NR) or California Register (CR) through
other evaluation,” and will be used to denote those state owned properties
evaluated pursuant to Public Resources Code §5024.
Technical Assistance Bulletin 8 8
• To facilitate their CEQA reviews and making other land use planning decisions,
local governments asked for codes that more clearly identified locally significant
properties that are not eligible for either NR or CR. The 5 status codes are
broadly defined as “Properties Recognized as Historically Significant by Local
Government.”
Formerly, status codes 5S3 and 5D3 were used to identify properties that were
not eligible for the California Register, National Register or local listing but
warranted special consideration in local planning, will be converted to 6L,
“Determined ineligible for local listing or designation through local government
review process; may warrant special consideration in local planning.”
Under the CHRS codes, 5D3 and 5S3 now will be used to identify resources
which appear eligible for local designation through a historic resources survey
evaluation. 5B is used to identify resources that are locally significant both
individually (listed, designated, eligible for listing or designation, or appears
eligible for local listing through a survey evaluation) and as a contributor to a
district that is locally listed or designated, determined eligible, or appears eligible
for local listing through a survey evaluation.
• The broad definition of status code 6 is now “Not Eligible for Listing or
Designation as specified.” Several of the 6 status codes denote only that a
resource was evaluated and determined ineligible for the National Register
through a regulatory process; as the resource was not evaluated for the
California Register or local significance, it should be evaluated, using current
standards, for the California Register and/or local designations. Resources
formerly identified as not eligible for the National Register may be eligible for the
California Register or meet locally established criteria and thus still warrant
consideration under CEQA or at a local level under a local ordinance.
• Similarly, resources given a status code 7, have either not been evaluated for the
National Register (NR) or the California Register (CR) or need revaluation. It can
not be assumed that they are not historic resources; they need to be evaluated
using current standards and criteria.
Code Conversions
At some point in the future, National Register Status Codes entered into the Historic
Resources Inventory data base prior to August 2003 will be converted to the revised
California Historical Resource Status Codes. In cases where the status code assigned
in the past can be converted to more than one new code, the program code will be used
to help determine the new status code. (Note: Until the conversion is complete, the old
codes will continue to appear in the inventory.)
Technical Assistance Bulletin 8 9
Old NR
Status
Code DESCRIPTION of former NR Status Codes
NEW CHR
STATUS
CODE
1 Property is listed on the Nat. Register. 1S OR 1D
1B Listed in NR as an individual property and as a Contributor. 1S OR 1D
1D Listed in NR as a Contributor to a district or multi. resource property. 1D
1S Listed in NR as an individual property. 1S
2 Determined elig. for Nat. Register in a formal process. 2S, 2D, 2B
2B Deter. elig. for NR as separate and as a contributor. 2B
2B1 Determined elig. by the Keeper for separate and as a contributor. 2B
2B2 Det. elig. by Keeper as separate & as a contributor by consensus. 2B
2B3 Det. elig. as separate by consensus and as contributor by Keeper. 2B
2B4 Determined elig. by consensus as separate and as a contributor. 2B
2D Determined elig. for Nat. Reg. as a contributor to a district. 2D
2D1 Determined elig. for listing as a contributor by the Keeper. 2D
2D2 Determined elig. for listing as a contributor by consensus det. 2D
2D3 Det. elig. for NR list as a contrib. by other than cons. det. or keeper. 2D
2D4 Det. elig. for NR as a contrib. by MOA Participant w/o review by OHP 2D
2S Determined elig. for Nat. Reg. as separate listing. 2S
2S1 Determined elig. for separate listing by the Keeper. 2S
2S2 Det. elig. for separate listing by a consensus determination. 2S
2S3 Det. elig. for NR list as individ. by other than cons. det. or keeper. 2S
2S4 Det. elig. for separate listing by MOA Participant without review by OHP 2S
3 Appears elig. for NR to person completing or reviewing form. 3S, 3D, 3B
3B Appears elig. as sep. and as contributor to a documented district. 3B
3D Appears elig. as contributor to a fully documented district. 3D
3S Appears eligible for listing in NR as a separate property. 3S
4 Might become eligible for listing on the Nat. Register. 7N
4B May become elig. for NR as separate and as a contributor. 7N
4B1 May become elig. for NR under 4S1 and 4D1-4D8 or 4M1-4M8. 7N
4B2 May become elig. for NR under 4S2 and 4D1-4D8 or 4M1-4M8. 7N
4B3 May become elig. for NR under 4S3 and 4D1-4D8 or 4M1-4M8. 7N
4B4 May become elig. for NR under 4S4 and 4D1-4D8 or 4M1-4M8. 7N
4B5 May become elig. for NR under 4S5 and 4D1-4D8 or 4M1-4M8. 7N
4B6 May become elig. for NR under 4S6 and 4D1-4D8 or 4M1-4M8. 7N
4B7 May become elig. for NR under 4S7 and 4D1-4D8 or 4M1-4M8. 7N
4B8 May become elig. for NR under 4S8 and 4D1-4D8 or 4M1-4M8. 7N
4D May become elig. for NR as a contributing property. 7N
4D1 May become elig. for NR as contrib. when Dist. becomes old enough. 7N
4D2 May become elig. for NR as contributor with more research on Dist. 7N1
4D3 May become elig. for NR as contrib. if context info. is expanded. 7N1
4D4 May become elig. for NR as contrib. if approp. prop. type defined. 7N1
4D5 May become elig. for NR as contrib. when prop. types are clarified. 7N1
4D6 May become elig. NR as contrib. if Dist. is eval. in diff. context. 7N1
4D7 May become elig. for NR as contrib. if integrity of Dist. is restored. 7N1
4D8 May become elig. for NR as contrib. when other like Dist. are lost. 7N1
4M May become elig. for NR as a contributor. 7N
4M1
May become elig. NR as contrib. if restored and Dist. becomes old
enough. 7N1
Technical Assistance Bulletin 8 10
Old NR
Status
Code DESCRIPTION of former NR Status Codes
NEW CHR
STATUS
CODE
4M2 May become elig. for NR as contrib. if restrd & more research on Dist. 7N1
4M3 May become elig. for NR as contrib. if restrd & context is expanded. 7N1
4M4 May become elig. NR as contrib. if restrd & approp. prop. type is defined. 7N1
4M5 May become elig. NR as contrib. if restrd & prop. types are clarified. 7N1
4M6 May become elig. NR as contrib. if rstrd & Dist. eval. in diff. context. 7N1
4M7 May become elig. NR as contrib. if rstrd & integ.of Dist. is rstrd. 7N1
4M8 May become elig. NR as contrib. if rstrd & oth like Dist. are lost. 7N
4R May become a contributor to a listed/elig./appears. elig. dist. 7N
4S May become elig. for NR as a separate property. 7N
4S1 May become elig. for NR as separate when it becomes old enough. 7N1
4S2 May become elig. for NR as separate with more research. 7N1
4S3 May become elig. for NR as separate if context info. is expanded. 7N1
4S4 May become elig. for NR as sep. if more approp. prop. type is def. 7N1
4S5 May become elig. for NR as sep. when regis.requirements are clarified. 7N1
4S6 May become elig. for NR as separate when eval. in another context. 7N1
4S7 May become elig. for NR as sep. when its integrity is restored. 7N1
4S8 May become elig. for NR as sep. when other like prop. are lost. 7N
4X May become elig. for NR as contrib. to District that has not been doc. 7N
5 Ineligible for the NR but still of local interest.
5D1, 5D2,
5S, 5S2
5B Elig. for Loc List only - Both as separate property and as contrib. 5B
5B1 Eligible for Local Listing only - Both 5S1 and 5D1. 5B
5B2 Eligible for Local Listing only - Both 5S2 and 5D2. 5B
5B3 Not Elig. Loc List but for spec. consid. in Loc Plan - Both 5S3 and 5D3. 6L
5B4 Elig. for Loc List only - Both 5S1 and 5D2. 5B
5B5 Elig. for Loc List only - Both 5S1 and 5D3. 6L
5B6 Elig. for Loc List only - Both 5S2 and 5D1. 5B
5B7 Elig. for Loc List only - Both 5S2 and 5D2. 5B
5B8 Elig. for Loc List only - Both 5S3 and 5D1. 5B
5B9 Elig. for Loc List only - Both 5S3 and 5D2. 5B
5D Elig. for Local Listing as contributor only. 5D2
5D1
Elig. for Local Listing only-contributor to District listed or eligible
under Local Ordinance
5D1
5D2
Elig. for Local Listing only-contributor to District listed or eligible
under possible Local Ordinance
5D2
5D3
Not Elig. for Local Listing-contributor to District eligible for special
consideration in Local Planning
6L
5N Not Elig. for anything but Needs special consid. for other reasons. 6L
5S Eligible for Local Listing only. 5S2
5S1 Elig for Local Listing only-listed or elig separately under Local Ordinance 5S1
5S2
Eligible for Local Listing only-likely to become eligible under Local
Ordinance 5S2
5S3 Not Elig for Local Listing-is elig for special consid in Local Planning 6L
5X Unknown not used
6 Det. inelig. for National Register listing.
6T, 6U, 6X,
6Y, or 6Z
6CW Removed from the Cal. Register by the SHRC 6C
Technical Assistance Bulletin 8 11
Old NR
Status
Code DESCRIPTION of former NR Status Codes
NEW CHR
STATUS
CODE
6CX Determined ineligible for listing in the Cal. Register by the SHRC 6C
6U Determined inelig. for NR by MOA Participant without review by SHPO 6U
6U1 Determined inelig. for NR pursuant to a PA. 6U
6U2 Det. inelig. for NR pursuant to Part 800 without review by SHPO. 6U
6W Removed from Nat. Reg. by Keeper. 6W
6W1 Removed from Nat. Reg. by Keeper - Listed Property destroyed. 6W
6W2 Removed from NR by Keeper - Property still extant - not re-evaluated. 6W
6W3 Dist. Rmvd from NR by Kpr - Prop. extant - Appears individually elig. 6W
6X Determined inelig. for NR by Keeper. 6X
6X1 Det. inelig. for NR by Keeper with no potential for any listing. 6X
6X2 Det. inelig. NR by Keeper, no potential for NR, n/eval for Loc List. 6X
6X3 Det. inelig. NR by Kpr, n/eval potential NR, n/eval Loc List. 6X
6Y Det. inelig. for NR by consensus. 6Y
6Y1 Det. inelig. for NR by consensus with no potential for any listing. 6Y
6Y2 Det. Inelig. NR by consensus, no potential NR, n/eval for Loc List. 6Y
6Y3 Det. inelig. NR by consen., n/eval potential NR, n/eval Loc List. 6Y
6Y4
Det. inelig. NR/consensus, appears elig. for Loc. List or may become elig.
for NR 6Y
6Z Found inelig. for NR.
6Z, 6U, 6X,
6Y, or 6Z
6Z1 Found inelig. for NR with no potential for any listing.
6T, 6U, 6X,
6Y, or 6Z
6Z2 Found inelig. for NR, no potential for NR, n/eval for Loc List.
6T, 6U, 6X,
6Y, or 6Z
6Z3 Found.inelig. NR, n/eval for potential for NR, n/eval for Loc Lst.
6T, 6U, 6X,
6Y, or 6Z
7 Not evaluated.
7W, 7R, or
possible 6s
7C SUBMITTED TO AN INFORMATION CENTER - NOT EVALUATED removed
7CD1 Contributor to a district listed in the Cal. Register by the SHRC 1CD
7CD2 Contributor to a district det elig for listing in the Cal Reg by the SHRC 2CD
7CRD
CR district contributor automatically by being NR-listed, det. elig. for NR,
SHL > 770, or SPHI after 1/1/1998
1CL, 2B,
2S, or 2D
7CRS
CR Individual property listed automatically by being NR-listed, det. elig.
for NR, SHL > 770, or SPHI after 1/1/1998
1CL, 2B,
2S, or 2D
7CS1 Individual property listed in the Cal Register by the SHRC 1CS
7CS2 Individual property det elig for listing in the Cal Register by the SHRC 2CS
7J Received by OHP for evaluation or action but not yet evaluated. 7J, 7K, 7W
7K Resubmitted to OHP for action but not reevaluated. 7K
7L Evaluated for a Register other than the National Register. 7L, 1CL
7M Submitted to OHP for eval. but not evaluated - referred to NPS. 7M
7R Submitted as Part of a Recon Level Survey: NOT EVALUATED! 7R
None Property without evaluation status (Mistakes) evaluate
NORTH 40 SPECIFIC PLAN
HISTORIC RESOURCES TECHNICAL REPORT
Los Gatos, California
November 12, 2013
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush Street
San Francisco, California
Prepared by
Kimberly Butt, AIA
Hisashi Sugaya
NORTH 40 SPECIFIC PLAN
HISTORIC RESOURCES TECHNICAL REPORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................... 1
METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................................................... 1
HISTORIC CONTEXT ............................................................................................................................. 2
REGULATORY AND PLANNING FRAMEWORK .................................................................................. 11
SIGNIFICANCE AND EVALUATION .................................................................................................... 16
IMPACTS AND MITIGATIONS ............................................................................................................. 36
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 1
INTRODUCTION
A proposed project south of the intersection of Highways 17 and 85 in Los Gatos would include
new construction involving approximately 44 acres of developed land, orchards and streets.
Carey & Co. prepared an initial evaluation of the associated properties in November 2011. The
previous report found that the majority of the properties appeared to be ineligible for national,
state or local listing as historical resources. However, eight properties were identified as being
potentially eligible for the California Register as contributors to a potentially-eligible California
Register historic district due to the districts potential association with Nikkei1 farming in the
Santa Clara Valley. The report recommended that additional research be undertaken in order to
determine the final eligibility of all the properties associated with the proposed project. Based on
the previous recommendations additional research on and an objective evaluation of the subject
properties were completed, and a historic context statement focusing on the post-war Nikkei
farming the Santa Clara Valley was developed.
CEQA requires that as part of a project’s EIR process a study must consider potential impacts to
any existing cultural resources. Therefore, the purpose of the following historic resource
technical report is to first identify any existing historical resources , as define by CEQA
regulations, within the project area and evaluate the project’s potential impacts to those
resources. Additionally, the report summarizes the history and significance of the project site and
identifies the regulatory framework to which the project must adhere.
METHODOLOGY
The following report is based on an area survey, extensive archival research, previously
completed reports and context statements, and oral interviews. A field survey of the North 40
property was conducted on January 24, 2013 by an architectural historian qualified under the
Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards for Architectural History. Each
property was documented by digital photography. Most properties were observed and
photographed from the public right-of-way, however access was provided to the Yuki Farms
properties located between Los Gatos Boulevard and Highway 17.
Archival research was conducted at multiple repositories and online to determine the histories of
the properties. The Los Gatos Building Department was consulted for property records, however
the properties were not annexed from the County until the 1990s. Therefore, building permit and
planning document searches were also completed at the Santa Clara County Department of
Planning and Development. The County maintains building permit records beginning in 1946,
however their records are not comprehensive. The County also keeps planning files on several of
the properties within the plan area. Additionally, property ownership records were consulted at
the Santa Clara Clerk-Recorder’s Office. Research was also carried out at the Los Gatos Public
Library, which maintains historical files, city directories, a historic resources inventory, and
general histories of the area. Further, the Santa Clara County Public Library’s California Room
provided maps and aerial photographs. No Sanborn maps of the plan area were located, as the
1. The term Nikkei refers to all generations of Japanese immigrants and their descendants.
Carey & Co. Inc. November 12, 2013
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 2
property fell outside of any city limits for most of its history.
Due to the overall lack of original building permit records, construction dates were typically
determined from visual observation and from a study of historic aerial photographs. The earliest
aerial photograph found of the area is from 1939.
Previous works consulted includes the North 40 Specific Plan Reconnaissance Survey and
Hist oric Resources Evaluation Report (Carey & Co., Inc. 2011), the San Jose Japantown Historic
Context Statement and Historic Resource Survey (Carey& Co., Inc. 2004), and the County of
Santa Clara Historic Context Statement (Archives & Architecture, LLC. 2012.) Finally,
interviews were conducted both in person and via email with Yuki family members and Jimi
Yamaichi of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose.
Previously a records search at the Northwest Information Center (NWIC) was performed by
Mary Doane of Archeological Consulting. The search results indicated that no historic properties
in the immediate vicinity of the project area listed in either the California Office of Historic
Preservation (OHP) Historic Properties Directories or the California Inventory of Historic
Resources.2
HISTORIC CONTEXT
NORTH 40 PROPERTY HISTORY
The North 40 property lies within incorporated Los Gatos in central Santa Clara County east of
the Santa Cruz Mountains and just southwest of the San Jose city limits. The plan area remained
in unincorporated county lands until the early 1990s, when various parcels began to be annexed
into the town limits. The Town of Los Gatos, similar to other Santa Clara Valley communities,
developed a robust agricultural economy beginning in the mid-nineteenth century due to its mild
climate and abundant artisan wells and creeks. Fruit orchards soon came to dominate the
landscape surrounding Los Gatos, including the North 40 property.
North 40 Ownership
The North 40 was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was
established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and
Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The 6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos,
Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature was Los Gatos Creek, which ran
through the center of the property.
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert
Walker on a Thompson & West map. Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and
moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose father owned 3,000 acres of
land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza received much of her father’s land
which was located just north of Los Gatos. In 1888, Robert Walker is listed as running a 415 acre
2. Lisa Hagel to Mary Doane, NWIC File No. 10-1274, June 27, 2011.
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 3
farm with 260 acres devoted to barley, 20 acres to vegetables and the remainder was used for
pasture. Robert Walker was quite prominent in the Los Gatos community having been both the
director of the Bank of Los Gatos and of the Los Gatos Fruit Packing Company.3
Following the death of Eliza in 1893, the Walker family estate was subdivided between her
husband and three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and Vivian. The Los Gatos Creek bordered the
Walker family properties to the west and San Jose-Los Gatos Road (known today as Los Gatos
Boulevard, but also known as South Bascom Avenue in the mid-1900s) served as the eastern
boundary. Robert Walker’s 50 acre parcel and residence were located to the northeast of the
North 40 site. He remained there until his death in 1900. The three children, Vivian, Myrtle, and
Leslie were each given a rectangular parcel between 54 to 60 acres in size. Leslie Walker
received the southwestern most plot of land, with Myrtle Walker Johnson’s piece directly
northeast and Vivian Walker’s property sandwiched between Myrtle Johnson and Robert
Walker’s. Directly south of Leslie Walker’s land an area known as the Walker Tract Subdivision
was recorded in 1895. Presumably, this was a portion of Eliza Walker’s land that was subdivided
into 4 and 8 acres parcels and sold off following her death in 1893.4 The North 40 site primarily
consists of the land once owned by Leslie Walker, as well as the northeastern section of the
Walker Tract Subdivision.
In 1900, a widowed Myrtle Walker Johnson is noted to have been running an orchard for prunes
and apricots on her land.5 Her brothers, Vivian and Leslie were also listed as running fruit farms
in the census records. Leslie died in 1910, followed shortly by his wife Mary Elizabeth Moffitt
Walker in 1911. Deed records indicate that Leslie Walker’s land was subdivided among various
property owners by 1920 and that the property ran from the northeasterly line of the Walker
Tract Subdivision to southwestern border of Myrtle Johnson’s property and from San Jose-Los
Gatos Road to the Los Gatos Creek.
Prior to World War II several families were noted as owning property within the North 40 site,
and many of those families were listed as living on or running farms in the 1920, 1930 and 1940
censuses. One family, the Schlueters were listed as orchardists and owned the property at the
southeast corner of the North 40. Other family names listed as farmers or orchardists on the
North 40 or in the area included: Noddin, Benzo, DeCarlo, Lester, Cilker, Tissler, Phillip, Roger,
Giampoli and Wretman. An aerial photograph from 1939 shows the entire area from Los Gatos
Boulevard to Los Gatos Creek essentially covered in orchards.
Post War Era
Post World War II, Takeo Yuki, a prominent farmer and Nisei6 from the Salinas area, relocated
his family from Salinas to Los Gatos and began purchasing properties within the Walker Tract
and the Walker Partition. The first recorded deed documenting the Yuki family’s purchase of
property in the Los Gatos area was in July 1945. Takeo Yuki purchased two parcels of land from
Victor and Rose Gianandrea on San Jose-Los Gatos Road. In the 1940 census Victor Gianandrea
is listed as an Italian living on and operating a farm. Over the next decade the Yuki family
3 . History of Santa Clara County, 981.
4. Surveyor’s map of Walker Tract Subdivision by AT Hermann, 1895, Santa Clara County Archives
5. History of Santa Clara County, 955.
6. The term Nisei refers to a second-generation Japanese American who were born in America.
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 4
quickly purchased much of the surrounding property that had previously been part of the Walker
Subdivision and Leslie Walker’s land. The family also purchased a significant amount of
property on the other side of Los Gatos Creek as well. Some of the family names they purchased
land from between 1945 – 1963 included: Benzo, Stevens, Noddin, Libby, Fawkner, Sanfilippo,
Pasetta, Perry, Scianna, Tracy, Volz, DeCarlo, Demevi, Greco, and Nigl.7 Several of the listed
property owners were Italian farmers, who likely were instrumental in developing the walnut
orchard. Walnuts were not a common crop for Japanese farmers and had not been a crop in
which Takeo Yuki had previously been engaged in growing.8
Additionally, a small portion of the North 40 site was developed postwar for single family
housing. Along both Bennett Way and Burton Road numerous small houses were constructed in
the Minimal Traditional style. While the maintained two pockets of growth reflecting the
national postwar trend of suburban housing development, the majority of the site remained
covered by orchards.
Beginning in 1999 several new commercial developments on the North 40 site were constructed
along Los Gatos Boulevard. In most cases it appears that small residential structures were
demolished for the construction of the commercial buildings and adjacent parking lots.9
North 40 Roads
The North 40 property is generally bound by Lark Avenue, Los Gatos Boulevard, Highway 17
and Highway 85. Los Gatos Boulevard was originally known as San Jose-Los Gatos Road from
the late 1880s through to around 1950. This name derived simply because the road connected
San Jose to Los Gatos. Around 1950 the road name was changed to South Bascom Avenue. By
the early 1970s the road name was changed again to Los Gatos Boulevard. As the road continues
north into the San Jose city limits and past State Route 85 the name remains South Bascom
Avenue. Lark Avenue was originally known as Walker Avenue and served to bisect the Walker
Tract Subdivision. Two roads, Burton Road and Bennett Way, run from Los Gatos Boulevard
across the North 40 to the west. Both roads appear to have been laid in the mid-1940s when the
surrounding land was subdivide for single-family homes. Two other private drives access the
orchard property from the Los Gatos Boulevard; one is identified as Noddin Avenue. In 1956,
Highway 17 was routed around downtown Los Gatos and through the former Walker family
properties. In the early 1990s the construction of SR18 began and an access road from Highway
17 to SR85 was constructed at the west end of the North 40.
The Yuki Family
Takeo (Tom) Yuki, the family patriarch was a second-generation Japanese Americans, or Nisei,
hailing from the Salinas area in Monterey County. His parents, T. and R. Yuki were originally
7. Santa Clara County Recorder’s Office, deed records for area properties.
8. Personal communications with Jimi Yamaichi, Japanese American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator,
March 14, 2013.
9. 15055 Los Gatos Blvd; APN 424-07 -096; constructed 1999, Los Gatos Building Permit B99-000611
15075 Los Gatos Blvd; APN 424-07 -096 ; constructed 1999, Los Gatos Building Permit B99-000446
14777 Los Gatos Blvd; APN 424-06 -129; constructed 2003,Los Gatos Building Permit B03-000299
15047 Los Gatos Blvd; APN 424-07 -099 ; constructed 2004, Los Gatos Building Permit B04-000395 and B04 -0650
(Residential Demolition)
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 5
from Hiroshima, Japan and immigrated to California circa 1899.10 Takeo was raised in a rural
area east of Salinas known as Alisal, where his father worked as a farm laborer. In 1931, two
years after establishing his produce business, he married Miyoko Abe and the couple remained in
the Salinas area. Miyoko, who was born in nearby Watsonville in 1913, was also a Nisei with her
family originally coming from Kumamoto, Japan. She and her siblings spent their childhood as
migrant farm workers moving often and working jobs in lettuce, strawberries, and apricots.11 The
1940 census lists the Takeo Yuki as owning his home and farm on Spring School Road in Alisal,
which had previously been listed as Takeo and his family’s place of residence in prior censuses.
It is also noted that he worked as a lettuce grower and shipper.12 Takeo Yuki built his business
on growing and marketing iceberg lettuce, a relatively unfamiliar vegetable in the 1930s.13 Soon
he had developed what was to become the largest Japanese farm enterprise in the region.14
When Japanese Internment took effect the Yuki family, with three children at the time, went to
the assembly point in Salinas in the spring of 1942, and was subsequently interned at a camp in
Poston, Arizona near the city of Parker. The family spent three years in the camp, where Takeo
Yuk i, unable to farm became a cook.15 Toward the end of the war in late 1945, the families were
released from the camps. The Yuki family had been fortunate that Takeo Yuki’s business partner
Tom Bun was “an honest Caucasian” who had kept the business going during the war. The two
had corresponded throughout the internment by mail.16
Postwar the Yuki family retained ownership of their land in Salinas, however the area was
known to be hostile to Japanese Americans because many of the local residents had fought or
died in battle in Japan during the war. Therefore, the Yuki family purchased property and settled
in Los Gatos. The Los Gatos area was close enough for Takeo Yuki to travel frequently to his
property in Salinas and in general the Santa Clara Valley was more welcoming to Japanese
American families returning from the internment camps.17
The family’s property in Los Gatos included what is known as the North 40 area, as well as
farmland on the west side of Highway 17. In the early 1960s Takeo Yuki donated a portion of his
land on Oka Road for the construction of Ralph O. Berry Elementary School. (The school
remained part of the Los Gatos School District through 1980 and is currently home to the
Yavneh Day School.) Over the years, “Yuki Farms” has primarily functioned as an orchard for
growing apricots, prunes, almonds and mostly walnuts. In 2007, it was noted to be the last
orchard of any significant size in Los Gatos.18
10. US Census 1910, Soledad, Monterey, California.
11. Obituary: Miyoko Yuki, San Jose Mercury News, 21 May 2009.
12. US Census, 1940 Salinas, California.
13. Emie Yuki Yamate, “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past,” Mountain Network News, (December
2012):6.
14. Frank J. Taylor, “The People Nobody Wants,” The Saturday Evening Post (May 9, 1942): 24.
15. Yamate, 7.
16. Ibid.; and Taylor.
17. Yamaichi and Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985): 123.
18. “5-Story hotel proposed at Lark/Hwy 17,” Los Gatos Observer (June 13, 2007.)
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 6
The orchard in Los Gatos was the family home, but not the main family enterprise. Takeo Yuki
was primarily involved in the produce business, in particular iceberg lettuce. In Salinas he was
co-owner of the Salinas Valley Vegetable Exchange. While he owned a lot of land in Los Gatos,
which served primarily as a walnut orchard, this property was not where his significant wealth
came from. Takeo Yuki owned farm land in Salinas, Imperial Valley and near Phoenix,
Arizona.19 He was instrumental in developing technology to preserve and ship lettuces. When he
died in a car accident in 1967, Takeo Yuki was thought to have been one of the ten wealthiest
men in Santa Clara County.20 In addition to his agricultural activities he helped found the San
Jose Savings and Loan Association and was a member of the Buddhist Temple of San Jose and
the Japanese-American Citizens League.21 Miyoko Yuki passed away in 2009. Their children
have continued to run the Yuki family enterprises and still own much land in Los Gatos.
Two other prominent Japanese families maintained farms in the Los Gatos area: the Oka family
and the Nishimura family. Much of the Oka family land was near the Yuki family property, and
much of it was lost for the construction of Highway 17. The Nishimura family has long ties to
the Los Gatos area and returned to farm postwar. They farmed until Vasona Reservoir was
created c.1950, and their property was submerged under it.
Additionally, as the Yuki family continued to increase their landholdings surrounding their
family residence in the Los Gatos, a significant portion of their property was taken away for the
construction of Highway 17. In 1956, Highway 17 was rerouted to bypass downtown Los Gatos.
In that year the State purchased right of ways from property owners along the route, including
the Yuki family. Then in the early 1990s, Highway 85 was constructed and a new off ramp
further encroached on the family’s property. Due to the new ramp, a cottage was demolished and
two barns were relocated.
Horticulture in the Santa Clara Valley
After first being a Spanish colony and then a Mexican territory, the region was officially
acquired by the United States in 1848 following the war with Mexico. Shortly after, in 1850,
California achieved statehood, Santa Clara was established as a county, and the largest
development within Santa Clara County, San Jose, was named the state capital. The region began
developing rapidly both as a political and commercial center, after the discovery of gold in
California in 1849. Santa Clara County offered the last urban area on the route to the southern
Mother Lode.
Prior to the California Gold Rush of 1849 the sparsely settled Santa Clara Valley landscape was
one of the Mexican-era land grant system with missions and ranchos. The vastly undeveloped
land was used primarily to graze cattle, and the only farms of note were small subsistence
gardens kept by residents or missionaries. Organized farming in the area began as Americans
took control of the land and realized its commercial potential.22 Further, with the discovery of
gold at Sutter’s Mill many local settlers first left for the mountains to mine, and then soon
19. “Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer, (November 24, 1967): 1.
20. Yamaichi
21. “Tom Yuki”
22. Clyde Arbuckle, History of San Jose (San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986): 153.
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 7
realized they could additionally profit from feeding the masses of miners. Property owners began
raising grains and quickly discovered the rich quality of soil available to them within the Santa
Clara Valley. Over the next two decades the land was subdivided from the large family-held
tracts into smaller parcels for individual settlements and farms. At the end of the 19th century the
number of small farms in Santa Clara County exploded from approximately 700 in 1880 to over
3,000 by 1900.23
Grains, namely wheat, barley, and oats, were the primary investment crop during the valley’s
first agricultural phase. Wheat was very easy to cultivate with little capital investment due to the
high fertility of the soil in the valley. By 1854, Santa Clara County was producing thirty percent
of California’s total wheat crop.24
In the subsequent decades several factors led to the transition from grains to fruit. First, through
various farmers experimenting in growing fruit trees, it became increasingly evident that the soil
and climate were favorable to producing these more delicate and profitable crops. Second, the
development of the railroad in the 1860s allowed for the shipping of produce to distant markets.
Third, the establishment of canning methods and canneries allowed for the product to be
preserved. Finally, the abundant and accessible water supply throughout the valley was
fundamental in growth of orchards. By the beginning of the Twentieth Century, fruit farming had
replaced the majority of grain farms in Santa Clara County.25
Fruit farming in the Santa Clara Valley was an enormous success. The area became known as the
“Valle y of Heart’s Delight” and reached its agricultural peak in the late 1920s. During this period
the number of fruit orchards rapidly increased. Large farms that evolved in the nineteenth
century out of the ranchos were no longer necessary with the increased ratio to crop value to land
unit. Large farmlands were subdivided into highly specialized farms that were significantly
smaller in scale than the previous ranches and grain fields. The typical fruit farm ranged from
just three to fifty acres, thereby affording the opportunity to farm to a greater population.26
Interest in fruit farming, and agriculture in general, in the area began to decline in the 1930s.27
The trend away from agriculture came in part from Great Depression and in part from rise in new
high -technology research in the region that would escalate through World War II and the home
front mobilization effort. The business community began actively campaigning to attract new
non-agricultural related industries, and soon numerous industries established plants within the
County. The establishment of these companies necessitated new residential and commercial
construction. Suburban growth quickly took over the agricultural lands. The focus on high-
technology, electronics, and industry has continued through to today and Santa Clara County is
now known worldwide as “Silicon Valley” for its significant technological advancements.
Horticulture and the North 40
23. Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in California’s Santa
Clara Valley (Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985): 15.
24. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement, 38.
25. Ibid., 15 -16.
26. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement, 59.
27. Arbuckle, 163.
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 8
Following the historical trend of the rest of the Santa Clara Valley, the North 40 area was
transformed into a thriving orchard by the Walker family in the late 1800s. The use of the land
for orchards continued after the land was subdivided into smaller parcels in the 1910s and 1920s.
During the 1920s the Valley’s fruit production peaked and it appears that the orchards at the
North 40 were also successful prior to the onset of the depression. Unlike the rest of the Valley,
the postwar suburban growth of the North 40 site did not completely engulf the existing
orchards. While a small portion of area was developed for single-family homes, the majority of
the area remained orchards for the rest of the twentieth century, due to the Yuki family’s
stewardship. Several notable developments have encroached on the site including the
construction of the Highway 17, State Route 85 and numerous commercial projects along Los
Gatos Boulevard. Nonetheless, the majority of the North 40 site maintains one of the last
vestiges of the heyday of the “Valley of Heart’s Delight.” Remaining resources from the era
include the orchard which covers a majority of the site and approximately ten buildings which
appears to date to the sites prewar era.
Japanese American Farming in the Santa Clara Valley
Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the role of the Nikkei farmers in the Santa Clara Valley
agricultural industry grew significantly. Nisei were the first generation of Japanese Americans
able to legally own land, due to the restrictions places on Issei28 farmers by the Alien Land
Laws, and thereby have the ability to develop permanent agricultural settlements as land owners
rather than as tenants or migrant workers.29 Also, it was a common practice for Issei farmers to
put land in the children’s name in order to secure a property.
Japanese American farmers, both first and second generation, brought many benefits to the
existing landholders, such as: an invaluable knowledge about fruit farming; the practice of inter-
cropping, in which vegetables would be planted between rows young fruit trees, thereby
increasing the value of the land; and the ability to convert vacant pasture or hilly land into
productive level gardens. However, the ability and success of the Issei farmer was tenuous, since
the threat of eviction always loomed and they typically maintained no property rights. Still
Japanese farming clusters or communities begin to develop around the valley, primarily during
the 1910s. The primary clusters that have been noted include: Mountain View, Agnew, Alvisio,
Milpitas, Trimble Road, Berryessa, Santa Clara, Cupertino, North First Street, Saratoga, and Los
Gatos.30 Each community consisted of several farming families and many created their own
cultural and education institutions. The crop production typically ranged from berries to
vegetables to fruit and nut orchards.
During this period the Japanese farms in the valley became known for their produce around the
state. To help develop a stronger economic position in the market many farmers formed
agricultural cooperatives. The associations were often based on the produce type, such as the
Celery Growers Association or the San Jose Bushberry Association, and served to unite the
disparate farming clusters, increase profits and reduce costs. Additionally, some families began
forming corporations to help protect their assets. By the onset of World War II Japanese farmers
28. The term Issei refers to first generation Japanese-Americans who were born in Japan.
29. Lukes and Okihiro, 61 -62.
30. Ibid. 63 -64.
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 9
in the valley had made significant progress toward landownership; were supplying the majority
of vegetables to local canneries; were selling produce nationally; and were becoming a
significant part of the valley’s politica l economy.31
The Japanese American advancements were halted by their displacement during World War II.
When the farmers returned to the valley they not only found that overwhelmingly their personal
property had been lost or destroyed, but also they returned to a more diversified political
economy that was not based wholly on agriculture. Many Japanese Americans returned to the
status of migrant laborers. Several fortunate families had non-Japanese business partners or
friends who were able to maintain their land and businesses while they were interned. Those
families returned to their land and were inundated with Japanese labor after the war. Working on
Japanese farms helped many to regain their financial footing and allowed them time to plan an
alternate future.
Postwar the valley’s economic landscape transformed rapidly from an agricultural based
economy to one of high-technology and electronics. Still, several Japanese American families
were able to reestablish themselves in the diminishing agricultural industry. Throughout the
1940s and 1950s many Japanese farmers began again by planting strawberries.32 The
reestablished farms typically needed to be smaller and highly specialized in order to survive. As
agricultural opportunities began diminishing new non-farming career paths began to open up to
valley’s Nisei. After the war many young Japanese moved from rural areas to San Jose to attend
college and start a professional career. San Jose State University had an open admissions policy
and encouraged Japanese American enrollment. Further, companies, such as Lockhead began to
hire Japan Americans, thereby creating opportunities that had previously been unavailable.33
Postwar industrial growth, the mass construction of residential suburbs, and the expansion of
numerous highways have overtaken much of the valley’s previously agricultural lands. Many
Japanese American families sold their landholdings for a profit and moved to urban areas. Today
the northern valley has become almost completely urbanized and no major Japanese family
farms remain.34 While the southern valley remains agricultural, urban growth is rapidly
encroaching.35
The Yuki Family and the North 40
The Yuki family in Los Gatos was an exception to the traditional path of the Japanese American
family postwar, because the family did not sell all of their land for development during the
postwar construction boom and the children have continued to run the family farm decades after
the passing of the family patriarch. However, the majority of the family’s wealth came from land
holdings and investments outside of Los Gatos, and not from the North 40 property itself. The
North 40 property served as the family’s postwar home, and Miyoko Yuki continued to live in
the house she constructed on the site in 1970 for several decades..
31. Ibid. 137.
32. Ibid. 126.
33. Carey & Co, San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement, 28.
34. Personal communications with Jimi Yamaichi, Japanese American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator,
March 14, 2013.
35. Walker 99.
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 10
The Yuki family has maintained the orchard they purchased piecemeal in the postwar decades,
but they did not create it. Rather than exemplifying the influence of a Japanese American farmer,
the property is more reminiscent of the mostly Italian families that likely developed the walnut
orchard in the prewar decades. Walnuts were not a typical crop for Japanese American farmers,
or even common in the Valley.
Further, the existing buildings, with the exception of the 1970 residence and the two circa 1965
barns, were constructed prior to the Yuki family’s tenure on the property. The majority of the
prewar era building are simple vernacular residential and agricultural structures. However, the
remaining original farmhouse was constructed in the Monterey style which maintains Spanish
Eclectic influences such as stucco walls, a second-story balcony, brick patio, and paired
windows.
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 11
REGULATORY AND PLANNING FRAMEWORK
The regulatory background outlined below offers an overview of federal and state laws,
regulations, and guidelines and the criteria used to assess the historic significance and eligib ility
of a building, structure, object, site or district for listing in the National Register of Historic
Places (NRHP) or the California Register of Historical Resources (CRHR).
FEDERAL REGULATIONS AND CRITERIA
National Register of Historic Places
The National Historic Preservation Act was adopted in 1966 and most recently amended in 2000.
One of the most important provisions of the Act is the establishment of the National Register of
Historic Places (National Register), the official record of historical resources. Districts, sites,
buildings, structures and objects are eligible for listing in the National Register. The N ational
Register is administered by the National Park Service (NPS). To be listed in the National
Register, a property must be significant under one of the following criteria:
A. Is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our
history; or
B. Is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past; or
C. Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or that
represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic values, or that represent a significant
and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or
D. Has yielded , or may be likely to yield, information important in history or prehistory.
Certain resources are not usually considered for listing in the National Register:
• religious properties
• moved properties
• birthplaces and graves
• cemeteries
• reconstructed properties
• commemorative properties
• properties that have achieved significance within the past fifty years
These properties can be eligible for listing, however, if they meet special requirements, called
Criteria Considerations (A-G), in addition to meeting the regular requirements (that is, being
eligible under one or more of the four significance criteria and possessing integrity). Generally,
such properties will qualify for the National Register if they fall within the following seven
criteria considerations:
a) A religious property deriving primary significance from architectural or artistic
distinction or historical importance; or
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 12
b) A building or structure removed from its original location but which is significant
primarily for architectural value, or which is the surviving structure most importantly
associated with a historic person or event; or
c) A birthplace or grave of a historical figure of outstanding importance if there is no
appropriate site or building directly associated with his or her productive life; or
d) A cemetery which derives its primary significance from graves of persons of transcendent
importance, from age, from distinctive design features, or from association with historic
events; or
e) A reconstructed building when accurately executed in a suitable environment and
presented in a dignified manner as part of a restoration master plan, and when no other
building or structure with the same association has survived; or
f) A property primarily commemorative in intent if design, age, tradition, or symbolic value
has invested it with its o wn exceptional significance; or
g) A property achieving significance within the past 50 years if it is of exceptional
importance.
Second, for a property to qualify under the National Register’s Criteria for Evaluation, it must
also retain “historic integrit y of those features necessary to convey its significance.”36 While a
property’s significance relates to its role within a specific historic context, its integrity refers to
“a property’s physical features and how they relate to its significance.”37 To determine if a
property retains the physical characteristics corresponding to its historic context, the National
Register has identified seven aspects of integrity:
Location is the place where the historic property was constructed or the place where the
historic event occurred.
Design is the combination of elements that create the form, plan, space, structure, and
style of a property.
Setting is the physical environment of a historic property.
Materials are the physical elements that were combined or deposited during a particular
period of time and in a particular pattern or configuration to form a historic property.
Workmanship is the physical evidence of the crafts of a particular culture or people
during any given period in history or prehistory.
36. National Park Service, How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, 3.
37. Ibid 44
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 13
Feeling is a property’s expression of the aesthetic or historic sense of a particular period
of time.
Association is the direct link between an important historic event or person and a
historic property.38
Since integrity is based on a property’s significance within a specific historic context, an
evaluation of a property’s integrity can only occur after historic significance has been
established.39
STATE REGULATIONS
California Register of Historical Resources
The California Register of Historical Resources (California Register) is “an authoritative listing
and guide to be used by state and local agencies, private groups and citizens in identifying the
existing historical resources of the state and to indicate which resources deserve to be protected,
to the extent prudent and feasible, from substantial adverse change” (PRC Section 5024.1[a]).
The criteria for eligibility to the California Register are based on National Register criteria (PRC
Section 5024.1[b]). Certain resources are determined by the statute to be automatically included
in the California Register, including California properties formally determined eligible for or
listed in the National Register. To be eligible for the California Register as a historical resource,
a prehistoric, or historic-period resource must be significant at the local or state level under one
or more of the following criteria:
1. It is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of
local or regional history, or the cultural herit age of California or the United States; or
2. It is associated with the lives of persons important to local, California or national history; or
3. It embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, region, or method of construction,
or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values; or
4. It h as yielded, or has the potential to yield, information important to the prehistory or history
of the local area, California, or the nation.
For a resource to be eligible for the California Register, it must also retain enough integrity to be
recognizable as a historical resource and to convey its significance. The seven aspects of
integrity are: location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association. A
resource that does not retain sufficient integrity to meet the National Register criteria may still be
eligible for listing in the California Register. A resource that has lost its historic character or
appearance may still have sufficient integrity for the California Register if it maintains the
potential to yield significant scientific or historical information or specific data.
38. National Park Service, How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, 44 -45.
39. Ibid. 45
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 14
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
When a proposed project may cause a substantial adverse change to a historical resource, CEQA
requires the lead agency to carefully consider the possible impacts before proceeding (Public
Resources Code Sections 21084 and 21084.1). CEQA equates a substantial adverse change in the
significance of a historical resource with a significant effect on the environment (Section
21084.1). The Act explicitly prohibits the use of a categorical exemption within the CEQA
Guidelines for projects which may cause such a change (Section 21084).
A “substantial adverse change” is defined in Guidelines Section 15064.5(b) as “physical
demolition, destruction, relocation, or alteration of the resource or its immediate surroundings
such that the significance of a historical resource would be materially impaired.” Furthermore,
the “significance of an historic resource is materially impaired when a project “demolishes or
materially alters in an adverse manner those physical characteristics of a historical resource that
convey its historical significance and that justify its inclusion in, or eligibility for inclusion in the
California Register of Historical Resources;” or “demolishes or materially alters in an adverse
manner those physical characteristics that account for its inclusion in a local register of historical
resources...” or “demolishes or materially alters in an adverse manner those physical
characteristics of a historical resource that convey its historical significance and that justify its
eligibility for inclusion in the California Register of Historical Resources as determined by
a lead agency for purposes of CEQA.”
For the purposes of CEQA (Guidelines Section 15064.5), the term “historical resources” shall
include the following:
1. A resource listed in, or determined to be eligible by the State Historical Resources
Commission, for listing in the CRHR (Public Resources Code §5024.1, Title 14 CCR,
Section 4850 et seq.).
2. A resource included in a local register of historical resources, as defined in Section 5020.1(k)
of the Public Resources Code or identified as significant in a historical resource survey
meeting the requirements of Section 5024.1(g) of the Public Resources Code, shall be
presumed to be historically or culturally significant. Public agencies must treat any such
resource as significant unless the preponderance of evidence demonstrates that it is not
historically or culturally significant.
3. Any object, building, structure, site, area, place, record, or manuscript which a lead agency
determines to be historically significant or significant in the architectural, engineering,
scientific, economic, agricultural, educational, social, political, military, or cultural annals of
California, may be considered to be a historical resource, provided the lead agency’s
determination is supported by substantial evidence in light of the whole record. Generally, a
resource shall be considered by the lead agency to be “historically significant” if the resource
meets the criteria for listing in the CRHR (Public Resources Code Section 5024.1, Title 14
CCR, Section 4852) (see above).
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 15
Under CEQA §15064.5, “generally, a project that follows the Secretary of the Interior’s
Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving,
Rehabilitating, Restoring and Reconstructing Historic Buildings or the Secretary of the Interior’s
Standards for Rehabilitation with Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings shall be
considered as mitigated to a level of less than a significant impact on the historical resource.”
CEQA Section 15064.5(3) states that any object, building, structure, site, area, place, record, or
manuscript that a lead agency determines to be historically significant or significant in the
architectural, engineering, scientific, economic, agricultural, educational, social, political,
military, or cultural annals of California may be considered a historical resource, provided the
lead agency’s determination is supported by substantial evidence in light of the whole record.
Generally, a lead agency considers a resource to be “historically significant” if the resource
meets the criteria for listing in the California Register (PRC Section 5024.1, Title 14 of the
California Code of Regulations, Section 4852[b])
TOWN OF LOS GATOS REGULATIONS
The Town of Los Gatos’ Zoning Ordinance (Chapter 29) of the Town Code provides a definition
of a “historic structure” in section 29.01.020 as follows:
(1) Any structure that is located within an historic district; or
(2) Any structure that is historically designated; or
(3) Any primary structure constructed prior to 1941, unless the deciding body has determined
that the structure has no historic significance and should not be included in the Town Historic
Resources Inventory.
The Town’s “Historic Preservation and LHP or Landmark and Historic Preservation Overlay
Zone” regulations (Section 29.80.215‐315) are applied to individual sites and structures or areas
that have historical, architectural or aesthetic value. The Los Gatos Town Council may designate
by ordinance, one or more individual structures or other features, or integrated groups of
structures and features on one or more lots or sites, having “a special character or special
historical, architectural or aesthetic interest or value, as landmarks”. The Council by ordinance
may also designate one or more areas containing a number of structures having special character
or special historical, architectural or aesthetic interest or value, and constituting distinct sections
of the Town, as historic districts. Each designating ordinance shall include a description of the
characteristics of the landmark or historic district which justify its designation and shall specify
the location and boundaries of the landmark site or historic district. There are currently five
historic districts in Los Gatos; all properties within these districts are designated with a
Landmark Historic Preservation (LHP) overlay.
The historic preservation and landmark regulations in the Town Code requires planning approval
(29.80.260) for exterior and in several instances interior alterations to a designated landmark,
property in an historic district or a pre‐1941 structure. Planning approval also is required for
construction of any type on a landmark site or within a historic district unless excepted by the
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 16
designating ordinance, or of a type which does not affect the exterior appearance of the site,
district or any structure on the site or in the district.
In October 2006, the Town Council adopted the “Single and Two Family Residential Design
Guidelines”, which are applicable to all residential development within the Town that requires a
discretionary approval or a building permit with some specified exceptions. The guidelines are
intended to: provide guidance to Town staff, property owners and their design professionals in
designing new houses and remodeling existing structures; ensure that new development is
compatible with its surrounding neighborhood; establish a high level of design quality; and
reinforce the special qualities of the Town’s visual character, among others. The guidelines
address neighborhood patterns, building design and historic resources.
SIGNIFICANCE AND EVALUATION
After an evaluation of all properties within the North 40, it appears that the majority of the
properties would not be eligible for listing as historical resources in the national, state or local
registries. The majority of the buildings are not associated with events that have made a
significant contribution to the broad patterns of local or regional history, or the cultural heritage
of California or the United States, nor are they associated with the lives of persons important to
local, California, or national history. Additionally most of the properties do not embody the
distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or represents the work of a
master, or possesses high artistic values.
Many of the single-family properties were constructed postwar and exemplify typical Minimal
Traditional/residential vernacular style construction that was very common during the period.
The properties do not represent exceptional examples of the type nor do they possess high artistic
value. Additionally most of the houses have undergone numerous alterations and appear to retain
minimal integrity.
However, it does appears that several of the properties related to the orch ard maintain a strong
association with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of horticultural production from 1910-1929 and
together form a historic district potentially eligible for listing in the CRHP at the local level of
significance.
CALIFORNIA REGISTER OF HISTORICAL RESOURCES
Criterion A: It is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad
patterns of local or regional history, or the cultural heritage of California or the United States.
The initial evaluation of the plan area (Carey & Co, 2011) found that there was potentially a
group of buildings associated with the Yuki family that appeared potentially eligible for listing in
the California Register as contributors to a potentially-eligible California Register historic
district. After preparing a historic context statement focusing on Postwar Japanese American
Farming in the Santa Clara and conducting extensive archival research on the plan area, it
appears that there is a district potentially eligible for the California Register within the North 40
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 17
site, however it is not for the properties’ associations with the Yuki family, but for the properties’
associations with the peak era of horticultural production in the Santa Clara Valley in the 1910s
and 1920s.
While the Yuki family are a locally prominent Japanese American family, and Takeo Yuki was a
very successful Nisei in the Santa Clara Valley, the North 40 site appears more representative of
the early orchardists who developed it in the 1910s and 1920s. The Yuki family moved to the site
postwar, having already established themselves as successful lettuce growers in Salinas. Takeo
Yuki found the Los Gatos area to be more accommodating to Japanese Americans than Salinas,
even though the family still owned property there. The Yuki family moved into existing
structures and maintained the existing walnut orchard created by previous owners. The family
eventually constructed two barns circa 1965 (which were relocated in 1991) and a residence in
1970, none of which appear to be eligible for listing as historical resources.
The orchard property appears to maintain a strong association with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era
of horticultural production from 1910-1929. During this period the area was known as “The
Valley of Heart’s Delight,” and orchards covered the area surrounding Los Gatos and the Valley
in general. Aerial photographs and census records indicate that the North 40 region was
primarily made up of orchards and small farms. Prior to World War II only a few residential and
agricultural structures were present in the area, and most were located on Los Gatos Boulevard.
Structures that appear to date to the era include:
• 16399 Lark Avenue (APN 424-07-100)
• 14823 Los Gatos Boulevard (House and barns) (APN 424-07-65)
• 14849 Los Gatos Boulevard (House, garage, and cottage) (APN 424-07-64)
• The Red Barn at 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard (APN 424-07-82)
• The Cottage at 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard (this building has been moved)
(APN 424-07 -81)
• The Green Cottage at 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard (this building has been moved)
(APN 424-07 -81)
• 14919 Los Gatos Boulevard (the original farmhouse on the Yuki property)
(APN 424-07 -82)
• 14975 Los Gatos Boulevard (house and garage) (APN 424-07-84)
• 15111 Los Gatos Boulevard (APN 424-07-100)
• The Walnut Orchard (covering APNs 424-07-081, 424-07 -082, 424-07 -083, 424-07-094,
424-07-095, and 424-07 -100)
The properties listed above appear to be eligible for listing in the California Register at a local
level of significance as contributors to a potentially-eligible district due to the properties
association with the significant horticultural history of the Santa Clara Valley and specifically
the Los Gatos area. During the period of significance these properties were not all under the
same ownership or constructed by the family, but as a whole represent the period in which land
in the valley was subdivided into smaller partitions for the development of fruit and nut farming
which could be financially successful at a much smaller scale than the previous era of grain
production.
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 18
As described above in the sections on the National Register of Historic Places and California
Register of Historical Resources, the evaluation of historic significance is a two-step process.
The properties identified above as potential historic resources will be subject not only to whether
they can be considered historic resources under one or more of the criteria for listing, but also the
degree to which they retain their integrity. The following evaluations of significance consider
both.
Significance of Contributing Resources within the Potential District
16399 Lark Avenue (A on the Map and Figure 2)
Description
The property at 16399 Lark Avenue is not readily visible from the public right-of-way, as it is set
at the intersection of Lark Avenue and Los Gatos Boulevard directly behind a service station.
Additionally, numerous trees surround the residence. The raised one-story-over-basement single
family residential building is L-shaped in plan with an asphalt shingle clad hipped roof. Narrow,
horizontal wood siding clads the exterior walls that are punctuated by both original double-hung
wood windows and replacement vinyl windows. Finally, a gravel driveway leads from Lark
Avenue along the western edge of the gas station parking lot to the subject property.
Significance
Lark Avenue, formerly known at Walker Avenue, bisected the Walker Tract Subdivision and ran
from San Jose – Los Gatos Road (Los Gatos Blvd., also formerly known Bascom Ave.) to Los
Gatos Creek. The northern lot at the intersection of Walker Avenue and Los Gatos Road was
identified as Lot 4 in the 1895 subdivision and appears to have been purchased by Oswald
Schlueter an orchardist. The property passed on to his daughter Bertha Schlueter, who
maintained ownership at least through the mid-1950s and is listed in the 1940 census as being the
manager of a farm and poultry operation. In 1955 a portion of the property was sold to Ray
Adams, who subsequently developed a gas station. The subject property stands at the western
end of the Lot 4.
No building records have been located for the subject property, but the property appears to date
to c.1910, and was likely the Schlueter family home. The property is currently owned by the
Yuki family, but records have not been located to determine when the family purchased the
property.
As a contributing structure to a potentially eligible historic district, the building at 16399 Lark
Avenue appears eligible under Criterion A/1. The property maintains a strong association with
Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of horticultural production from 1910-1929. This house was part
of the early development of the North Forty property when it was subdivided into smaller four
and eight acre lots that were developed into family orchards. During this time period larger farms
and ranches in the Valley were being replaced by smaller specialized farms which were able to
sustain due to the high value of the fruit and nut crops. The building maintains fair integrity,
although there have been several significant changes including new windows and building
additions.
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 19
14823 Los Gatos Boulevard (Figures 3 and 4)
Description
The single-family residence stands at the intersection of Los Gatos Boulevard and Burton Road.
Los Gatos Blvd is a busy four-lane street, that serves as one of the primary corridors through Los
Gatos, and Burton Road is a narrow dead-end street featuring mostly small residential buildings.
The site gently slopes down to the west and maintains a single family residence at the east end
and a barn and small shed at the west end of the property. The site features little vegetation and is
delineated by a worn wood fence. The single-story residence is essentially rectangular in plan
with small volumes extending out to the east and out to the west. The eastern extension appears
to be an alteration of the original front porch. The cross-gable roof is clad in asphalt shingles and
features wood knee braces at the gable end walls. A brick chimney stands at the east end of the
south façade. Stucco clads the exterior walls and numerous original multi-lite-over-one-lite
double-hung wood windows punctuate the facades. Additionally, there are several types of
replacement windows and doors found throughout the building.
The two rectangular, gable-roofed outbuildings stand next to each other at the back of the parcel.
Both structures are clad in vertical board and batten siding, however the single-story storage shed
maintains a corrugated metal roof, while the two-story barn features wood shingles. A single
story shed-roof addition extends from the back of the barn and its roof is partially protected by
sheet of corrugated metal.
Significance
Burton Road appears to have been at or near the boundary between Leslie Walker and Myrtle
Johnson’s properties. Leslie Walker died in 1910 and was followed shortly by his wife Mary
Elizabeth Moffitt. Deed records indicate that Leslie Walker’s land was subdivided among
various owners by 1920. No building permits were located for the subject property, but it does
appear on an aerial photograph from 1939 before any other development had occurred on Burton
Road. The lands surrounded the property were all planted with orchards. The property is
currently owned by Alexander S. Moiseno.
As a contributing structure to a potentially eligible historic district the building at 14823 Los
Gatos Boulevard appears eligible under Criterion A/1. The property maintains a strong
association with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of horticultural production from 1910-1929. This
house was part of the early development of the North Forty property when it was subdivided into
smaller parcels that were developed into family orchards. However, the residence itself maintains
poor integrity, due to the numerous alterations of the windows, siding, and doors, as well as the
infill of the original entry porch. The barn and shed appear to maintain fair integrity, with the
exception of the shed’s new corrugated metal roof. Overall, it appears that the property does not
maintain sufficient integrity to be included within the potential historic district.
14849 Los Gatos Boulevard (B on the map and Figure 5)
Description
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 20
The property at 14849 Los Gatos Boulevard (formerly South Bascom Ave.) features a single-
family residence, a rear cottage, a detached garage, and a small storage shed. The site slopes
gently to the west, and most of the exterior surfaces are covered in gravel with the exception of a
small landscaped area surrounded by a wood fence in front of the main house. The one-story
single-family home is not readily visible from the four-lane Los Gatos Boulevard because it is
set back far from the road behind a wood fence and a significant amount of vegetation. The main
house is essentially rectangular in plan, with a small addition extending west at the rear and a
small covered porch extending north from the northwest corner. Asphalt shingles clad the steep
gable roof with exposed rafter tails, and narrow shiplap wood siding clads the exterior walls. The
front façade is accented by a dentilated band above four multi-lite wood-frame windows that
enclose an entry porch. At least one window has been replaced with an aluminum slider, and at
the back of the house several double-hung wood windows punctuate the exterior walls.
The single-story, gable-roofed garage clad in narrow shiplap wood siding stands at the west end
of the driveway along the property’s southern edge. The garage is punctuated by a single garage
door on the east façade. At the rear of the main house and along the northern edge of the property
stands a small, rectangular, gable-roofed cottage clad in narrow shiplap wood siding. The single
story building appears to have been constructed around the same time as the main house and
features a small covered entry porch. Finally, a small storage shed, that does not appear to date to
the construction of the main house, is located directly west of the rear cottage.
Significance
The subject parcel appears to have been in the northeastern section of Leslie Walker’s former
land holdings which were subdivided among various owners by 1920. The earliest building
permit located for the property is from 1994, however the residence is visible on a 1939 aerial.
The architectural style of the building indicates it most likely constructed c. 1910. The property
is currently owned by the Dewey Ventura family.
As a contributing structure to a potentially eligible historic district the building at 14849 Los
Gatos Boulevard appears eligible under Criterion A/1. The property maintains a strong
association with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of horticultural production from 1910-1929. This
house was part of the early development of the North Forty property when it was subdivided into
smaller parcels that were developed into family orchards. The re sidence, cottage and garage all
appear to maintain good integrity with few alterations.
The Red Barn at 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard (C on the map and Figure 6)
Description
The large one- and two- story barn stands centrally located in the northern section of the large
walnut orchard. Three single-family residential buildings surround the barn; one to the
northwest, one to the northeast and one to the east. The site directly in front of the barn is paved
in asphalt and paved asphalt lanes run along the north and west sides of the barn. Two orange
trees and small grassy patch occupy the area directly to south. The building features a divided
gable roof with exposed rafter tails clad in corrugated aluminum. Painted vertical wood boards
clad the building’s exterior walls. The front, east façade, features a central modern roll-up garage
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 21
door flanked by two multi-lite pedestrian doors, two multi-lite windows, and two more doors and
windows each beneath its own awning. A shed roof, single-story addition extends out to the
west. Some original windows have been replaced with modern aluminum ones.
Significance
The subject parcel appears to have been within Leslie Walker’s former land holdings which were
subdivided among various owners by 1920. No building permits were located for the barn,
however it is visible on the earliest aerial photograph from 1939 and appears to have been
constructed c. 1920. The barn was most likely constructed by one the Italian farming families
listed in the area on census and deed records. It is unclear which family owned the property, but
it was potentially Victor and Rose Gianandrea. Takeo Yuki purchased his first piece of property
in the area from the Gianandrea family in July 1945. The Barn is on property that is currently
owned by the Yuki family.
As a contributing structure to a potentially eligible historic district the red barn at 14917 Los
Gatos Boulevard appears eligible under Criterion A/1. The property maintains a strong
association with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of horticultural production from 1910-1929. This
barn was part of the early development of the North Forty property when it was subdivided into
smaller parcels that were developed into family orchards. The barn appears to maintain fair
integrity with an addition at the rear and several windows having been replaced.
The Cottage at 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard (Figure 7)
Description
The cottage/storage building at 14917 Los Gatos Blvd. (formerly known as 14927 South Bascom
Ave.) stands centrally located within the northern section of a large walnut orchard and directly
behind the main single-family residence. Two additional residences are located to the southeast
and another stands to the northwest. The cottage was moved to its current location sometime
after the main house was constructed in 1971. The small building is rectangular in plan and
features a wood shingle-clad gable roof over the main section with a shed roof addition at the
southeast corner. Horizontal wood siding clads the exterior walls and several paired three-lite
casement windows and one aluminum slider punctuate the exterior. An eight-lite over three-
panel wood door is located in the center of the north façade.
Significance
The subject building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR because
it was moved from its original location and it does not appear to meet Criteria Consideration B
which would allow a structure to still be considered primarily for its architectural value, or if it is
the surviving structure most importantly associated with a historic person or event. The cottage is
a simple vernacular type, and while it maintains some characteristic of the Minimal Traditional
style, it does not truly exemplify an architectural type. Nor does it appear that this building is
most importantly associated with a historic person or event. Although, the building maintains an
association with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of horticultural production from 1910-1929, it
remains ineligible as a contributor to the potential historic district because it was moved.
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 22
The Green Cottage at 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard (Figure 8)
Description
The vacant former single family house at 14917 Los Gatos Blvd. (formerly known as 14927
South Bascom Ave.) stands within the northeastern section of a large walnut orchard which
maintains several other residential and agricultural buildings to the west. The single-story
building is rectangular in plan with an asphalt shingle-clad gable roof and two small gable-roofed
projections over the front and side entrances. Horizontal wood siding of varying widths clads the
exterior walls. Numerous original wood double-hung and casement windows, as well as
aluminum replacement windows, punctuate the building facades, and three wood doors of
varying types open into the building on all but the north façade. Overall, the building is in very
poor condition.
Significance
The subject building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR because
it is thought to have been moved from its original location 40 and it does not appear to meet
Criteria Consideration B which would allow a structure to still be considered primarily for its
architectural value, or if it is the surviving structure most importantly associated with a historic
person or event. The cottage is a simple vernacular type, and it does not truly exemplify an
architectural type. Nor does it appear that this building is most importantly associated with a
historic person or event. Although, the building maintains an association with Santa Clara
Valley’s peak era of horticultural production from 1910-1929, it remains ineligible as a
contributor to the potential historic district because it was moved.
14919 Los Gatos Boulevard (the original farmhouse on the Yuki property) (D on the map and
Figure 9)
Description
The single family residence at 14919 Los Gatos Blvd. (formerly known as 14919 South Bascom
Ave.) stands centrally located within the northern section of a large walnut orchard. Two
additional residences are located to west and another stands to the northwest. Several other
agricultural and residential buildings are located nearby. The house stands on a flat site with a
landscaped front (eastern) patio enclosed with a low brick wall.
The residence was most likely the original farmhouse on the orchard constructed c.1925 and
appears to be in the Monterey, or vernacular Mission, architectural style. The two-story building
is L -shaped in plan with a covered second story balcony featuring a wood railing on the east side.
Textured stucco clads the building in conjunction with wide horizontal board at the gable eaves.
An asphalt shingle clad gable roof covers the building and multi-lite steel casement windows in a
variety of sizes punctuate the exterior walls. The main entrance at the southeast corner features a
raised brick porch covered by an extensive shed roof. Two aluminum awnings cover both a
40. Personal communications with the Yuki family via email through their property manager, March 6, 2013.
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 23
window and a door at the ground floor of the rear, west façade. In 1973, a compatible 230
square-foot addition was constructed at the northern end of the building which features a brick
wall and stair to a second story entry.
A two-car garage stands just to the southwest and is access by an asphalt drive that runs along
the back of the house. The single-story building is clad in textured stucco and maintains a gable
roof clad in asphalt shingle on the north and corrugated metal on the south. A flat roof open
carport with a wood frame structure is attached to the south side of the garage. Finally, a modern
roll-up garage door occupies the large opening in the north façade.
Significance
The subject parcel appears to have been within Leslie Walker’s former land holdings which were
subdivided among various owners by 1920. No original construct permits were located for this
building, but it appears to date to c. 1920. A county permit for the construction of a residential
addition was issued to T. Yuki in 1973. Through property deed records it appears likely that the
Gianandrea family, or one of the early Italian farming families, may have constructed the subject
residence. Based on the building’s appearance and communications with the Yuki family, the
subject residence was already constructed when they purchased the property and the Yuki family
did live in the house at one time.
As a contributing structure to a potentially eligible historic district the house at 14919 Los Gatos
Boulevard appears eligible under Criterion A/1. The property maintains a strong association with
Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of horticultural production from 1910-1929. This house was part
of the early development of the North Forty property when it was subdivided into smaller parcels
that were developed into family orchards. The house appears to maintain good integrity with a
compatible addition having been constructed at the northern end and the installation of some
aluminum awnings on the west side.
14975 Los Gatos Boulevard (E on the map and Figure 10)
Description
The property at 14975 Los Gatos Boulevard (formerly South Bascom Avenue) maintains three
buildings: a single family residence, a garage, and a storage building. The buildings stand on a
relatively flat site, overlooking the walnut orchard to the north and west. From Los Gatos
Boulevard the buildings are hardly visible due to a wood privacy fence and dense vegetation. A
gravel drive provides access from Los Gatos Boulevard. The main residence, at the eastern
portion of the site, is rectangular in plan with an asphalt shingle-clad gable roof and a small
covered entry porch. Narrow wood shiplap siding clads the building’s exterior. A small brick
chimney penetrates the roof on the east side. The garage at the rear of the site features one gable
roof section with matching narrow shiplap siding and wide out-swinging wood garage doors. An
addition to the building to the west maintains a second gable roof and is clad in wider shiplap
siding. Finally, the storage building at the southwestern corner of the site is rectangular in plan
with a gable roof, and is clad in wide horizontal wood dropped siding. An aluminum slider
punctuates the building’s east wall.
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 24
In earlier aerial photographs from the 1940s it appears that there were two additional structures
to the northwest of this property. These building were demolished by 1956.
Significance
No construction permits were located for the subject property. Likely, this property was
previously owned by the J. T. Noddin family. Although Noddin Avenue is now shown on maps
as the driveway within the adjacent Yuki property, the assessors’ parcel map shows Noddin
Avenue as having been on the southwestern boundary of the subject property. The Yuki family
purchased land from the Noddin family in June 1946. Little is currently kn own about the Noddin
family, but they were listed as farmers in the census records.
As contributing structures to a potentially eligible historic district, the buildings at 14975 Los
Gatos Boulevard appear eligible under Criterion A/1. The property maintains a strong
association with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of horticultural production from 1910-1929. This
property was part of the early development of the North Forty property when it was subdivided
into smaller parcels that were developed into successful family orchards. During this time period
larger farms and ranches in the Valley were being replaced by smaller specialized farms which
were able to sustain due to the high value of the fruit and nut crops. The buildings maintains fair
integrity, with only minor visible alterations.
15111 Los Gatos Boulevard (F on the map and Figure 11)
Description
The property at 15111 Los Gatos Boulevard, a busy four lane thoroughfare, is barely visible
from the street, as it is set behind a wood privacy fence and has a large tree growing directly in
front of the buildings. The building stands on a flat site with a gravel driveway and a narrow
lawn to the south side. The one story, single family residence is L-shaped in plan with a cross
gable roof clad in asphalt shingles. Narrow wood shiplap siding clads the exterior walls that are
punctuated with double-hung wood windows with flat wood surrounds. A rectangular garage
with a gable roof stands at the west end of the drive south of the main residence. A vertical wood
board sliding door occupies the east façade of the garage. A small stock storage shed stands at
the rear of the house and a chain link fence with privacy slats lines the property at the north end.
Significance
The Walker Tract Subdivision was laid out in 1895 and the subject property is located within
what was identified in 1895 as Lot 3. This 4 acre tract allowed for small scale family farming to
take place on what had previously been the expansive Walker family property. No construction
permits were located for the subject property. The building appears on the earliest available
aerial photographs from 1939 and appears to have been constructed c. 1920. The exact date that
the Yuki family purchased the subject property has not been determined.
As contributing structures to a potentially eligible historic district, the buildings at 15111 Los
Gatos Boulevard appear eligible under Criterion A/1. The property maintains a strong
association with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of horticultural production from 1910-1929. This
property was part of the early development of the North Forty property when it was subdivided
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 25
into smaller parcels that were developed into successful family orchards. The buildings
maintains fair integrity, with no visible alterations.
The Walnut Orchard (G on the map and Figure 12)
Description
The existing walnut orchard bound by Lark Avenue, Los Gatos Boulevard, Burton Road and
Highway 17 currently covers almost 30 acres of land. Typical of an orchard layout, the walnut
trees are organized in linear row and columns of equal spacing. Three single-lane roads cross the
orchard to provide access and most of the structures are clustered in order to leave more land to
the orchard.
Significance
The walnut orchard at the North 40 appears to be the largest remaining vestige of the once
prominent horticultural industry on the lands in and around Los Gatos. The land originally
owned be the Walker family was farmed primarily for barely and the rest used for pasture in the
mid -1800s. Toward the end of the 1800s and the early 1900s the land was progressively
subdivided down to significantly smaller parcels and orchards were developed. During this
period throughout the Santa Clara Valley it had been discovered that the specialty crops such as
fruits and nuts flourished in the area’s climate and soil. Families were able to make a living off
smaller parcels of land with cro ps that produced higher incomes. The orchards at the North Forty
appear to have been developed primarily by individual families, many Italian immigrants,
although some earlier orchard were noted as having been planted by the Walker family. A
historic aeria l photograph from 1939 shows that orchards covered the entire region surrounding
the property.
Postwar the Yuki family purchased land and made their home on the North Forty property. Over
the course of the next several decades the family purchased most of the surrounding orchards and
continued to maintain the crops.
As contributing resource to a potentially eligible historic district , the walnut orchard appears to
be eligible under Criterion A/1. The property maintains a strong association with Santa Clara
Valley’s peak era of horticultural production from 1910-1929. The orchard was part of the early
development of the North Forty property and provided the economic basis for the early families
who resided on the property.
The orchard has been scaled down in size, primarily by the construction of the Highway 17
which divided the once larger property north to south. Further, both Burton Road and Bennett
Way were developed postwar with small residences that replaced some of the original orchard
lands. More recently a significant amount of commercial development has occurred along Los
Gatos Boulevard that has changed the character of sections of the property. Overall however the
orchard itself appears to maintain sufficient integrity in order to convey it original feeling,
design, association, and setting as related to the significant period of horticultural growth in the
Santa Clara Valley from 1910-1929.
Integrity
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 26
Location: The majority of the listed properties remain at their original location with the
exception of two cottages at 14917 Los Gatos Road.
Design: The overall form an layout of the orchard remains similar to its historical appearance as
evident through aerial photographs. The majority of the building appear to maintain the majority
of their original design intent and integrity with the exception of 14823 Los Gatos Boulevard,
which appears to have undergone a significant amount of alterations including the likely
enclosure of the front porch.
Setting: Several aspect of the properties original setting has been altered including the
construction of multiple single-family homes along Bennett Way and Burton Road; the
construction of numerous large-scale commercial buildings along Los Gatos Boulevard; and the
construction of Highway 17 and State Route 85. However, enough of the original setting remains
to successfully convey the historical sense of place with the extant orchard and buildings.
Materials : Overall the properties appear to maintain their integrity of materiality.
Workmanship: The workmanship is evident within the orchard itself and in the details of many
of the structures.
Feeling: Similar to setting, the amount of development around and within the North 40 site has
somewhat altered the feeling of the site, still the overall consistency and scale of the remaining
orchard and associated period buildings provided sufficient integrity of feeling.
Association : The association with the Valley’s horticultural era and the property is evident in the
extant orchard, barn and residential structures.
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
The preservation of the Town’s historic resources is the subject of the Town Code, Division 3 of
Article VIII of Chapter 29, Sections 29.80.215 through 29.80.315 – “Historic Preservation and
LHP or Landmark and Historic Preservation Overlay Zone.” Section 29.80.215 finds that
“structures, sites and areas of special character or special historical, architectural or aesthetic
interest or value have been and continue to be unnecessarily destroyed or impaired, despite the
feasibility of preserving them.” The section further states that the purpose of “historic
preservation is to promote the health, safety and general welfare of the public through:
(1) The protection, enhancement, perpetuation and use of structures, sites and areas that are
reminders of past eras, events and persons important in local, State, or National history, or which
provide significant examples of architectural styles of the past or are landmarks in the history of
architecture, or which are unique and irreplaceable assets to the Town and its neighborhoods, or
which provide for this and future generations examples of the physical surroundings in which
past generations lived.
(2) The development and maintenance of appropriate settings and environment for such
structures.
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 27
(3) The enhancement of property values, the stabilization of neighborhood and areas of the
Town, the increase of economic and financial benefits to the Town and its inhabitants, and the
promotion of tourist trade and interest.
(4) The enrichment of human life in its educational and cultural dimensions by serving aesthetic
as well as material needs and fostering knowledge of the living heritage of the past.”
In accordance with section 29.80.227, the Town’s Historic Preservation Committee reviews
development permits for properties with a LHP overlay zone or structures which were built prior
to 1941, although there are occasional exceptions. The Planning Commission is empowered to
make recommendations to the Town Council concerning designation of landmarks and historic
dist ricts. Under Section 29.80.230, the Council may by ordinance designate: “One or more
individual structures or other features, or integrated groups of structures and features on one or
more lots or sites, having a special character or special historical, architectural or aesthetic
interest or value, as landmarks, and shall designate a landmark site for each landmarks….” These
regulations provide that each designating ordinance shall include a description of the
characteristics of the landmark or historic district which justify its designation.
The Town considers designation of landmark sites that meet the stated purposes of historic
preservation, but the Town has not adopted specific evaluation criteria. The 1991 Historic
Resources Inventory utilized criteria developed for the Town at that time as part of the Inventory
was prepared, but this has not been codified. The Town utilizes the Inventory in its review of
applications for removal, remodeling or additions to structures constructed prior to 1941. The
To wn’s Historic Preservation Committee also reviews minor development permit applications
for structures constructed prior to 1941.
The Town’s adopted “Single and Two Family Residential Design Guidelines” (2008) indicate
that historic resources include many homes constructed prior to 1941, and may be found
throughout Los Gatos as well as within the Town’s four designated residential historic districts.
It is Town policy to preserve these resources whenever possible and practicable, and to require
special care in the remodeling of and additions to them. As stated in the Guidelines, all pre-1941
structures have the potential to be historically significant, although the Guidelines also state that
not all will necessarily be classified as historic. Requests to d emolish, modify, or expand these
structures must receive approval by the Town. Pre ‐1941 structures
and all construction within the historic districts will receive additional design review scrutiny
pursuant to the Town’s adopted development review process. The Guidelines are used by the
Town staff, Development Review Committee, Planning Commission, Historic Preservation
Committee and Town Council in evaluating changes to existing structures and for new
construction.
The project site currently is not subject to the LHP overlay, and it is not in a historic district. The
Town of Los Gatos has not initiated proceedings for local designation for the project property as
a landmark site. The Town, or the property owner, would have to initiate a rezoning process to
place an LHP overlay on the property. That would only be done if the property had defining
characteristics that are called out for protection in the Town’s ordinance to justify its protection.
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 28
However, given that a portion of the proposed project site property does appear eligible for
listing on the California Register of Historical Resources, the specific site would be considered
suitable for landmark or LHP overlay designation under Town regulations, and thus, would also
be deemed a historical resource for purposes of CEQA.
CONCLUSION
The walnut orchard on the North 40 site is one of the only remaining properties within the Santa
Clara Valley that maintains its physical heritage from the Valley’s era of peak horticultural
production. Orchards covered the Valley prior to World War II and the abundant crops were
shipped nationwide. Postwar most of the Valley’s agricultural land was developed into
commercial areas and housing subdivisions. The North 40 property has remained an active
orchard for a century and several period buildings that were initially associated with small family
orchards from the 1910s and 1920s remain extant on the site. Those buildings that maintain
integrity and appear to be associated with the early family orchards include: (A) 16399 Lark
Avenue, (B) 14849 Los Gatos Boulevard, (C) the red barn at 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard, (D)
14919 Los Gatos Boulevard, (E) 14975 Los Gatos Boulevard, and (F) 15111 Los Gatos
Boulevard, (G) the walnut orchard is a historic resource integral to the understanding a potential
historic district.
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 29
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
Legend
--Project Bovnd ory D C orlfribv ling Bvilding D Non-Historic Bv ild ing
• • • Potential Historic District Bovndory
Source:Google E<l rth Xlll
~ ~0 iiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiii4))ii!!!i!ifeiiiilet Figure 1
Potential Historic District
~ ~ ~-------------------------------(L_e_t_te_rs_i_d_e_n_ti_~_c_o_n_tr_i_bu_t_in_g __ Re_s_o_u_rc_e_s_)
W W W North Forty Specific Plan EIR
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 30
Figure 2: 16399 Lark Avenue (A)
Figure 3: 14823 Los Gatos Boulevard (House)
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 31
Figure 4: 14823 Los Gatos Boulevard (Rear view of house and barns)
Figure 5: 14849 Los Gatos Boulevard (B)
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 32
Figure 6: 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard, the Red Barn (C)
Figure 7: The Cottage at 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 33
Figure 8: The Green Cottage at 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard
Figure 9: 14919 Los Gatos Boulevard (D)
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 34
Figure 10: 14975 Los Gatos Boulevard (E)
Figure 11: 15111 Los Gatos Boulevard (F)
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 35
Figure 12: The Walnut Orchard (G)
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 36
IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES
CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING SIGNIFICANCE
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), State CEQA Guidelines
(including Appendix G), Town of Los Gatos plans, policies and/or guidelines, and agency and
professional standards, a project impact would be considered significant if the project were to
cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource as defined in
Section 15064.5 to include physical demolition, destruction, relocation, or alteration of historic
resources, or of the immediate surroundings of historic resources, such that the significance of
the resources would be materially impaired as defined in CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.5(b).
IMPACT ANALYSIS
The proposed project could result in the creation of numerous new residential and commercial
structures, parking areas, landscaping and other related new development. Although no
construction is planned at this time, it is likely that implementation of the proposed Specific Plan
would result in impacts to the historic resources identified above.
A. Demolition of Historic Resources
For properties within proposed development sites that appear to possess historic significance,
demolition would constitute a significant adverse impact under CEQA. As the physical
destruction or demolition of a historic resource is a substantial adverse change in the significance
of an historical resource, the proposed project would have a significant effect on the
environment. The proposed mitigation measures below would not reduce the impact to less than
significant, and therefore the impact would remain significant.
A. Recommended Mitigation Measures
Documentation
Documentation of a historical resource, including resources identified as contributors to a
historic district or as individually significant, prior to demolition or removal is a standard
mitigation measure. Such documentation is often tied to meeting the documentation standards of
the Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record (HABS/HAER).
The publication Recording Historic Structures: Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic
American Engineering Record (Burns, 1989) provides four levels of documentation
corresponding to the level of importance of the historic resource to be documented. For the
purpose of this PEIR, the standards for photography in Documentation Levels III and IV have
been modified to allow for the use of digital photographs instead of large-format negatives.
Documentation Level I:
1. Drawings: a full set of measured drawings depicting existing or historic conditions.
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 37
2. Photographs: photographs with large-format negatives of exterior and interior views;
photocopies with large-format negatives of select existing drawings or historic views where
available. Photographs would follow the HABS/HAER Photographic Specifications.
3. Written data: history and description.
Documentation Level II:
1. Drawings: select existing drawings, where available, should be photographed with large-
format negatives or photographically reproduced on Mylar.
2. Photographs: photographs with large-format negatives of exterior and interior views, or
historic views, where available. Photographs would follow the HABS/HAER Photographic
Specifications.
3. Written data: history and description.
Documentation Level III:
1. Drawings: sketch plan.
2. Photographs: digital photographs of exterior and interior views.
3. Writt en data: architectural data form.
Documentation Level IV:
1. Drawings: sketch plan.
2. Photographs: digital photographs of exterior and interior views.
3. HABS/HAER inventory cards.
Digital photography for Documentation Levels III and IV shall follow the standards in the
National Register Photo Policy Factsheet
(http://www.nps.gov/nr/publications/guidance/Photo_Policy_final.pdf)
The project sponsor shall prepare, or retain a qualified professional who meets the standards for
architectural historian and/or historical architect set forth by the Secretary of the Interior
(Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards, 36 CFR 61) to prepare
documentation of historic resources prior to any construction work associated with demolition or
removal. The appropriate level of documentation will be selected by the Town of Los Gatos. The
Town of Los Gatos will identify appropriate repositories for housing the historical
documentation at the time of the project-level analysis.
Create an Interpretive Program
The project sponsor shall create an interpretive program about the historic resource. The exact
nature of the interpretive program shall be developed by the project sponsor’s consultant and the
Town of Los Gatos. Consideration shall be given to how best to present the history and
significance of the historic resource through photographs, written material, drawings, or other
media. Consideration shall be given to an appropriate physical location for display and exhibits
within the Specific Plan area and to developing an interpretive program at the Japanese
American Museum of San Jose. Use of social media, web sites, or apps shall only complement
the on-site exhib it and not be a substitute.
B. Relocation of Historic Resources
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 38
If a project proposes to demolish or remove a historical resource, including individual historic
resources and/or historic districts, the Town of Los Gatos will attempt to identify feasible project
alternatives that eliminate or reduce the need for demolition or removal to the greatest extent
possible. Relocation of a resource will always be preferable to demolition, although relocation
might not mitigate impacts to a less-than-significant le vel. If preservation of the affected
historical resource at the current site is determined to be infeasible, the structure shall, if feasible,
be stabilized and relocated to other nearby sites appropriate to their historic setting and general
environment, although this may not be possible in some cases.
B. Recommended Mitigation Measure
Relocate the Historic Resource
As required by the Town of Los Gatos, the following measures shall be implemented for any
historic resource proposed for relocation as a result of a project within the Specific Plan.
Documentation. See Documentation in A. Recommended Mitigation Measures.
Relocation site selection . The structure shall be relocated to an environment similar to its
existing location in setting and feeling. The Town of Los Gatos shall approve the receiver site.
Existing condition study. A qualified Historical Architect and structural engineer shall undertake
an existing condition study of the structure to be relocated. The purpose of the study shall be to
establish the baseline condition of the building prior to relocation. The study shall include
drawings, photographs and written descriptions of the building, including those character-
defining physical features that convey its historic significance and must be protected and
preserved. The structural engineer shall determine if the structure needs to be
reinforced/stabilized for purposes of the move. The study shall be reviewed and approved by the
Town of Los Gatos prior to the structure being moved.
Qualified mover. To protect the structure during its relocation, the project sponsor shall engage
the services of a building mover who has experience moving similar historic buildings.
Repair and rehabilitation following relocation. After relocation, the resource shall be treated
according to preservation, rehabilitation, or restoration standards, as appropriate, that follow the
Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. This will ensure
that the building, structure, object, site, or district retains historic integrity and its historic
significance. The Town of Los Gatos shall review and approve the rehabilitation plans prepared
by a qualified Historical Architect.
C. Rehabilitation of the Historic Resource
For properties within proposed development sites that possess or appear to possess historic
significance, rehabilitation could constitute a significant adverse impact under CEQA if the
proposed project materially alters in an adverse manner those physical characteristics that define
their historic significance. “Generally, a project that follows the Secretary of the Interior’s
Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving,
Rehabilitating, Restoring, and Reconstructing Historic Buildings or the Secretary of the
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 39
Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings shall
be considered as mitigated to a level of less than a significant impact on the historic resource”
[CEQA, Section 15064.5(b)(3)].
C. Recommended Mitigation Measures
Prepare Historic Structures Report and Rehabilitation Plans
Prior to undertaking a rehabilitation project, the project sponsor shall prepare a historic
structure(s) report (HSR) for the historic resource. The HSR would set forth the history of the
resource, describe its existing condition, make recommendations for repair, rehabilitation,
replacement, reconstruction, and other treatments based on the Secretary of the Interior’s
Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving,
Rehabilitating, Restoring, and Reconstructing Historic Buildings or the Secretary of the
Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings. The
HSR would act as a guide to the rehabilitation plan for the building(s). The HSR shall be
prepared by a licensed architect who meets the qualifications for Historical Architect as set forth
in the Secretary of the Interior’s Historic Preservation Professional Qualification Standards,
published in the Federal Register, June 20, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 119).
The project sponsor shall retain the services of a Historical Architect as a member of the design
team for the proposed rehabilitation project. The Historical Architect could be the same historical
Architect who prepared the HSR, without encountering a conflict of interest.
The Town of Los Gatos would review the rehabilitation plans prepared by the project architect
for compliance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic
Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring, and Reconstructing
Historic Buildings or the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines
for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings. The town may choose to retain the services of a qualified
Historical Architect to assist in its review of the rehabilitation plans.
Monitoring During Construction
A qualified Historical Architect shall prepare a plan that specifies procedures for protecting
historic resources and a monitoring method to be employed by the contractor while working
near these resources. At a minimum, the plan shall address the operation of construction
equipment near adjacent historical resources, storage of construction materials away from
adjacent resources, and education/training of construction workers about the significance of the
historical resources.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public
Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 40
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA:
County of Santa Clara Department of Planning and Development, December 2004,
revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western
Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic
Preservation Technical Assistance Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department
of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic
Preservation Technical Assistance Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department
of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San
Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los
Gatos, CA: Infospect Press, 1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge.
A Guide to the Architecture of San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara
and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bull etin, no. 16A.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic
Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University
Press, 2002.
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 41
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March
2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed -Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia
Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf,
1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm
(accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.:
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San
Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging
from 1947-1991. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of
the Clerk Recorder.
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
North 40 Historic Resources Technical Report Page 42
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara
County Department of Planning and Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record
Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory
Directory. California State Office of Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin,
no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreat ion, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network
News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanese American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
END
Carey & Co. Inc. March 28, 2014
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 5 *Resource Name or #: 16370 Bennett Way
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 16370 Bennett Way City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-037 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The western half of Bennett Way is lined with small single-family residential structures and dead ends into the surrounding
walnut orchard. Large, modern commercial buildings stand at the east end of the block at the intersection with Los Gatos Blvd.
16370 Bennett Way stands on the south side of the road and features a one-story, single family residence with a detached garage at
the rear of the site. The building is essentially rectangular in plan with a small section, half the width of the house, extending out to
the front. The building features an asphalt shingle-clad gable roof and a recessed entry porch. The exterior, including the chimney
at the east side, is clad in horizontal dropped wood siding. Two original six-lite wood windows punctuate the front elevation.
The single-story, gable-roof, detached garage stands at the southeast corner of the site and is also clad in horizontal dropped wood
siding. The site is flat with a concrete paved driveway at the east side. A single family home occupies the site to the west, a large
modern commercial building stands to the east, and the property backs up to a large walnut orchard.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Building HP4
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo: (View,
date, accession #) Front elevation,
January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1945
*P7. Owner and Address:
Elizabeth K. Dodson
15585 Los Gatos Blvd
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 5 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 16370 Bennett Way
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/Postwar vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed circa 1945; The building has a modern door and an altered chimney, date of alterations unknown.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features:
Detached garage
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1945 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The small parcel at 16370 Bennett Way was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was
established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The
6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature
was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16370 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. The southwesternmost
section of the Walker landholdings (formerly known as Lot 4 of the Parr Partition) was subdivided in 1895 into 400 and 800
acres lots and was named the Walker Tract Subdivision. 1
Bennett Way and its surrounding parcels appear to have originally been parcel 3 of the Walker Tract. The subdivision of parcel 3
occurred most likely in the mid-1940s, as most of the houses appear to date roughly to this era and Bennett Way is not indicated
in the census records up through 1940.
The Walker Tract remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various parcels
were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building records
until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. Therefore construction and alteration documentation for the
properties on Bennett Way does not begin until 1947, after the majority of the buildings were already constructed. The only
permits found for the subject building include a county building permit for the installation of solar hot water in 1981 and for a
new fireplace in 1990. The property is currently owned by Elizabeth K. Dodson, and was previously owned by Mildred McCreo.
The building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It did not play a significant
role in the Agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley. Additionally, it does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR
Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or
national history. Constructed c.1945, the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The simple
house is indicative of postwar traditional vernacular single family residential construction. Lastly, the house does not appear to
possess the potential to yield information important to the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. Although the
home retains a fair level of integrity, including its overall form and wood-sash windows it does not appear to be eligible for the
NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599; and Surveyor’s map of Walker Tract Subdivision by A. T. Herman, 1895, on file at the
County of Santa Clara Recorder’s Office.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16370 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16370 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 5 *Resource Name or #: 16378 Bennett Way
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 16378 Bennett Way City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-036 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The western half of Bennett Way is lined with small single-family residential structures and dead ends into the surrounding
orchard. Large, modern commercial buildings stand at the east end of the block at the intersection with Los Gatos Blvd. 16378
Bennett Way stands on the south side of the road and features a one-story, single family residence. The building is essentially
square in plan with an attached garage addition extending out at the northeast corner. The exterior is clad in a combination of
stucco and dropped horizontal wood siding. The building maintains modern vinyl windows and a modern paneled entry door. A
horizontal wood paneled garage door framed by whimsical wood trim pierces the center of the garage’s front elevation.
The site is flat with a concrete paved driveway at the east side, a small wood storage shed at the northwest corner, and a low,
privacy fence at the street. Single family homes flank the site on the east and west, and the property backs up to a large walnut
orchard.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2: Ancillary Building HP4
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo: Front
Elevation, January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c.1945
*P7. Owner and Address:
William F. Hirschman
15585 Los Gatos Blvd.
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 4 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 16378 Bennett Way
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/Postwar vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed circa 1945. The kitchen was remodeled in 1984. New windows and exterior doors were installed at an unknown
date. The detached storage shed is not contemporary to the house.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: Storage shed
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1945 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The small parcel at 16378 Bennett Way was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was
established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The
6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature
was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16378 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. The southwesternmost
section of the Walker landholdings (formerly known as Lot 4 of the Parr Partition) was subdivided in 1895 into 400 and 800
acres lots and was named the Walker Tract Subdivision. 1
Bennett Way and its surrounding parcels appear to have originally been parcel 3 of the Walker Tract. The subdivision of parcel 3
occurred most likely in the mid-1940s, as most of the houses appear to date roughly to this era and Bennett Way is not indicated
in the census records up through 1940.
The Walker Tract remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various parcels
were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building records
until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. Therefore construction and alteration documentation for the
properties on Bennett Way does not begin until 1947, after the majority of the buildings were already constructed. The only
permit found for the subject building was a county building permit for a interior kitchen remodel in 1984. The property is
currently owned by William F. Hirchmann, and was previously owned by L. Nunez in the 1980s.
The building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It did not play a significant
role in the Agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley. Additionally, it does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR
Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or
national history. Constructed c.1945, the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The simple
house is somewhat indicative of the Minimal Traditional style/postwar traditional vernacular single family residential
construction; however it is not an outstanding example of the type. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess the potential to
yield information important to the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. Although the home retains a fair
level of integrity, including its overall form and wood-sash windows it does not appear to be eligible for the NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599; and Surveyor’s map of Walker Tract Subdivision by A. T. Herman, 1895, on file at the
County of Santa Clara Recorder’s Office.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16378 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16378 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 5 *Resource Name or #: 16386 Bennett Way
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 16386 Bennett Way City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-035 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The western half of Bennett Way is lined with small single-family residential structures and dead ends into the surrounding
orchard. Large, modern commercial buildings stand at the east end of the block at the intersection with Los Gatos Blvd. 16386
Bennett Way stands on the south side of the road and features a one-story, single family residence. The building is essentially
rectangular in plan with metal porch awnings extending from both the front and the back. The stucco-clad exterior is punctuated
by modern vinyl windows and vertical wood siding at the upper section of the gable end.
The site is flat with a concrete paved driveway at the west side and a low, privacy fence at the street. Single family homes flank the
site on the east and west, and the property backs up to a large walnut orchard.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo: Front
Elevation and fence, January 24,
2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1945 with addition in 1964
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
Los Gatos, CA 95033
*P8. Recorded by: (Name, affiliation,
and address)
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 5 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 16386 Bennett Way
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Residence B4. Present Use: Residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/Postwar vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c. 1945 with an addition completed in 1964 and a patio cover installed in1987. New vinyl windows werer
installed at an unknown date and the exterior siding has been altered.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: none
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1945 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The small parcel at 16386 Bennett Way was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was
established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The
6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature
was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16386 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. The southwesternmost
section of the Walker landholdings (formerly known as Lot 4 of the Parr Partition) was subdivided in 1895 into 400 and 800
acres lots and was named the Walker Tract Subdivision. 1
Bennett Way and its surrounding parcels appear to have originally been parcel 3 of the Walker Tract. The subdivision of parcel 3
occurred most likely in the mid-1940s, as most of the houses appear to date roughly to this era and Bennett Way is not indicated
in the census records up through 1940.
The Walker Tract remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various parcels
were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building records
until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. Therefore construction and alteration documentation for the
properties on Bennett Way does not begin until 1947, after the majority of the buildings were already constructed. The only
permits found for the subject building include a county building permit for a remodel in 1964 and for a patio cover in 1987. The
property is currently owned by the Yuki family, and was previously owned by L. Nunez during the 1960s-1980s.
The building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It did not play a significant
role in the Agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley. Additionally, it does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR
Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or
national history. Constructed c.1945, the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The simple
house is indicative of the Minimal Traditional style/postwar traditional vernacular single family residential construction; but it not
an outstanding example of the type. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to
the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. Although the home some aspects of integrity, including its overall
form and location, numerous features have been significantly altered such as the exterior siding and windows, and the building
does not appear to be eligible for the NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599; and Surveyor’s map of Walker Tract Subdivision by A. T. Herman, 1895, on file at the
County of Santa Clara Recorder’s Office.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16386 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16386 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 5 *Resource Name or #: 16391 Bennett Way
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 16391 Bennett Way City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-024 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The western half of Bennett Way is lined with small single-family residential structures and dead ends into the surrounding
orchard. Large, modern commercial buildings stand at the east end of the block at the intersection with Los Gatos Blvd. 16391
Bennett Way features a small single-family house, a storage building, and a rear shed on a flat lot with gravel parking at the
southwest side. The parcel is surrounded by a paved parking lot to the east, orchard lands to the north, and single family
residences to the west. The house is rectangular in plan with a gable roof. Dropped wood siding clads the exterior walls, and
asphalt shingles protect the roof and awning over the front door. Several original windows have been replaced, but a few double-
hung wood windows remain. The single story structures at the rear of the lot were not readily visible from the public right of way,
but appear to post-date the original house from a review of historic aerial photos.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Buildings HP4
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Southwest corner and fence,
January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c.1945, 1948 Aerial Map
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 5 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 16391 Bennett Way
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family Residence B4. Present Use: Single-family Residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/Postwar vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c. 1945 with a kennel completed in 1961. Other outbuildings at the rear of the site were constructed at
unknown dates. New vinyl windows werer installed at an unknown date.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: Ancillary storage buildings at the rear (north) end of the site.
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1945 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The small parcel at 16391 Bennett Way was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was
established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The
6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature
was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16391 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. The southwesternmost
section of the Walker landholdings (formerly known as Lot 4 of the Parr Partition) was subdivided in 1895 into 400 and 800
acres lots and was named the Walker Tract Subdivision. 1
Bennett Way and its surrounding parcels appear to have originally been parcel 3 of the Walker Tract. The subdivision of parcel 3
occurred most likely in the mid-1940s, as most of the houses appear to date roughly to this era and Bennett Way is not indicated
in the census records up through 1940.
The Walker Tract remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various parcels
were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building records
until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. Therefore construction and alteration documentation for the
properties on Bennett Way does not begin until 1947, after the majority of the buildings were already constructed. The only
permits found for the subject building include a county building permit for a kennel and a fence in 1961. The property is
currently owned by the Yuki family, and was previously owned by D. Veverka in 1961.
The building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It did not play a significant
role in the Agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley. Additionally, it does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR
Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or
national history. Constructed c.1945, the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type, although it
does appear to be one of the earliest houses on Bennett Way. The simple house is indicative of the Minimal Traditional
style/postwar traditional vernacular single family residential construction; but it not an outstanding example of the type. Lastly,
the house does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to the prehistory or history of the local area,
state, or the nation. Although the building maintains some aspects of integrity, including its overall form, location and materiality
in its siding, numerous features have been significantly altered such as the windows, and the building does not appear to be
eligible for the NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599; and Surveyor’s map of Walker Tract Subdivision by A. T. Herman, 1895, on file at the
County of Santa Clara Recorder’s Office.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16391 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16391 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township;1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township;1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 5 *Resource Name or #: 16394 Bennett Way
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 16394 Bennett Way City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-034 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The western half of Bennett Way is lined with small single-family residential structures and dead ends into the surrounding
orchard. Large, modern commercial buildings stand at the east end of the block at the intersection with Los Gatos Blvd. 16434
Bennett Way stands on the south side of the road and features a one-story, single family house at the front of the lot and a
detached garage at the rear. The house is rectangular in plan and is clad in vertical wood boards. Vinyl windows punctuate the
elevations and asphalt shingle cover the gable roof. A shed awning protects the front entrance and a stucco clad chimney runs up
the right side of the entry porch. A rectangular, one-story, gable roof, stucco-clad garage stands perpendicular to the main house at
the rear of the site. The site is flat with a concrete paved driveway at the east and west side of the house. A single family home
stands to the east and an empty lot is directly west. The property backs up to a large walnut orchard to the south.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Building, HP4
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo: Front
Looking southwest to the house
with the garage at the rear,
January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
House c.1945; Garage 2002
*P7. Owner and Address:
William Fales
236 Bean Ave.
Los Gatos, CA 95033
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 5 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # (Assigned by recorder) 16394 Bennett Way
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/Postwar vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed circa 1945. Replacement windows and sididng installed at an unknown date. Detached garage constructed 2002.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features:
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1945 Property Type: : Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The small parcel at 16394 Bennett Way was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was
established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The
6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature
was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet.
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16394 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. The southwesternmost
section of the Walker landholdings (formerly known as Lot 4 of the Parr Partition) was subdivided in 1895 into 400 and 800
acres lots and was named the Walker Tract Subdivision. 1
Bennett Way and its surrounding parcels appear to have originally been parcel 3 of the Walker Tract. The subdivision of parcel 3
occurred most likely in the mid-1940s, as most of the houses appear to date roughly to this era and Bennett Way is not indicated
in the census records up through 1940.
The Walker Tract remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various parcels
were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building records
until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. Therefore construction and alteration documentation for the
properties on Bennett Way does not begin until 1947, after the majority of the buildings were already constructed. The only
permit found for the subject building is a city building permit for a new detached garage constructed 2002. The property is
currently owned by the William Fales, and was previously owned by Neil Fales.
The building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It did not play a significant
role in the Agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley. Additionally, it does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR
Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or
national history. Constructed c.1945, the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The simple
house is indicative of the Minimal Traditional style/postwar traditional vernacular single family residential construction; but it not
an outstanding example of the type. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to
the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. The building maintains only a few aspects of integrity, including its
overall form and location , as numerous features have been significantly altered such as the windows and exterior siding; the
building does not appear to be eligible for the NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599; and Surveyor’s map of Walker Tract Subdivision by A. T. Herman, 1895, on file at the
County of Santa Clara Recorder’s Office.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16394 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16394 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara.
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 5 *Resource Name or #: 16415 Bennett Way
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 16415 Bennett Way City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-025 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The western half of Bennett Way is lined with small single-family residential structures and dead ends into the surrounding
orchard. Large, modern commercial buildings stand at the east end of the block at the intersection with Los Gatos Blvd. The
property at 16415 Bennett Way features two single family residential buildings and a small storage shed, and is located on the
north side of the road. The original house stands at the front, south end of the parcel and the newer building occupies the rear,
northern section with a small storage shed to its west side.
The front building is L-shaped in plan and features a cross-gable roof clad in asphalt shingles. Non-original vertical board and
batten cladding covers the exterior walls, and aluminum sliding window punctuate the front elevation. A shed awning clad in
asphalt shingles protects the front entry. The house at the rear of the parcel is rectangular in plan with a gable roof and features a
small gable porch at the entrance. Aluminum sliding windows pierce the elevations and one skylight in visible on the roof. The
small wooden shed with a gable roof at northwest end of the parcel appears to have been commercially available storage building.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Building, HP4 (shed)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo: Front
Elevation and fence, January 24,
2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c.1945 (front house)
c. 1970 (rear building)
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
Los Gatos, CA 95033
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 5 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 16415 Bennett Way
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family Residence B4. Present Use: Single-family Residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/Postwar vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1945. The detached building at the rear (north) end of the parcel was constructed c.1970.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: Ancillary storage buildings at the rear (north) end of the site.
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1945 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The small parcel at 16415 Bennett Way was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was
established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The
6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature
was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16415 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. The southwesternmost
section of the Walker landholdings (formerly known as Lot 4 of the Parr Partition) was subdivided in 1895 into 400 and 800
acres lots and was named the Walker Tract Subdivision. 1
Bennett Way and its surrounding parcels appear to have originally been parcel 3 of the Walker Tract. The subdivision of parcel 3
occurred most likely in the mid-1940s, as most of the houses appear to date roughly to this era and Bennett Way is not indicated
in the census records up through 1940.
The Walker Tract remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various parcels
were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building records
until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. Therefore construction and alteration documentation for the
properties on Bennett Way does not begin until 1947, after the majority of the buildings were already constructed. The only
permit found for the subject building is a county building permit for an addition in 1959. No permit was located, but from a
review of aerial photographs the rear building appears to have been constructed after 1960. The property is currently owned by
the Yuki family, and was previously owned by Joseph and Sisson in 1959, and Patrick Dornan in the early 1990s.
The building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It did not play a significant
role in the Agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley. Additionally, it does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR
Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or
national history. Constructed c.1945, the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The simple
house is indicative of the Minimal Traditional style/postwar traditional vernacular single family residential construction; but it not
an outstanding example of the type. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to
the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. Although the building maintains some aspects of integrity,
including its overall form and location, numerous features have been significantly altered such as the windows and exterior
siding, and the building does not appear to be eligible for the NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599; and Surveyor’s map of Walker Tract Subdivision by A. T. Herman, 1895, on file at the
County of Santa Clara Recorder’s Office.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16415 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16415 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township; 1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township; 1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 5 *Resource Name or #: 16418 Bennett Way
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 16418 Bennett Way City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-031 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The western half of Bennett Way is lined with small single-family residential structures and dead ends into the surrounding
orchard. Large, modern commercial buildings stand at the east end of the block at the intersection with Los Gatos Blvd. 16418
Bennett Way stands on the south side of the road and features a one-story, single family house, a carport, and a detached storage
building or garage. The main house is rectangular in plan and is clad in clapboard siding with vertical boards at the gable ends.
Asphalt shingles cover the gable roof. Vinyl windows punctuate the elevations. Corrugated metal protects the adjacent wood
frame carport just east of the main house. At the rear of the lot, and not visible from the public right-of-way, is a detached single
story storage building that is L-shaped in plan with a flat roof.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Building, HP4 (Storage building and carport)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo: Front
Elevation and side fence, January
24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1945; Storage building c. 1965
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
Los Gatos, CA 95033
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 5 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 16418 Bennett Way
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/Postwar vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1945. Storage building at the rear (south) was constructed c.1965.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: Ancillary building
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1945 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The small parcel at 16418 Bennett Way was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was
established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The
6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature
was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet.
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16418 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. The southwesternmost
section of the Walker landholdings (formerly known as Lot 4 of the Parr Partition) was subdivided in 1895 into 400 and 800
acres lots and was named the Walker Tract Subdivision. 1
Bennett Way and its surrounding parcels appear to have originally been parcel 3 of the Walker Tract. The subdivision of parcel 3
occurred most likely in the mid-1940s, as most of the houses appear to date roughly to this era and Bennett Way is not indicated
in the census records up through 1940.
The Walker Tract remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various parcels
were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building records
until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. Therefore construction and alteration documentation for the
properties on Bennett Way does not begin until 1947, after the majority of the buildings were already constructed. No building
permits were located for this property. The property is currently owned by the Yuki family, but it has not yet been determined
exactly when the family purchased the property.
The building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It did not play a significant
role in the Agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley. Additionally, it does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR
Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or
national history. Constructed c.1945, the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The simple
house is indicative of the Minimal Traditional style/postwar traditional vernacular single family residential construction; but it not
an outstanding example of the type. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to
the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. The building maintains some aspects of integrity, including its
overall form, location, and materiality with its siding, however the windows and roofing material have been replaces and the
building does not appear to be eligible for the NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599; and Surveyor’s map of Walker Tract Subdivision by A. T. Herman, 1895, on file at the
County of Santa Clara Recorder’s Office.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16418 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16418 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township; 1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township; 1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara.
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 5 *Resource Name or #: 16425 Bennett Way
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 16425 Bennett Way City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-026 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The western half of Bennett Way is lined with small single-family residential structures and dead ends into the surrounding
orchard. Large, modern commercial buildings stand at the east end of the block at the intersection with Los Gatos Blvd. 16425
Bennett Way stands on the north side of the road and features a single family home with numerous haphazard additions and a
shed. The building appears to have had several additions constructed over time. The central section of the building features a
gable roof and wood double-hung windows. There are several shed and low-slope roof addition at the side and rear of the original
section. The entire house is clad in vertical wood boards and maintains a variety of roofing materials. A small metal, stock shed
stands at the east side of the parcel.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Buildings, HP4 (shed)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo: (View,
date, accession #) Front of house
through gate looking north,
January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1945
*P7. Owner and Address:
Grosvenor USA Ltd.
1 California St. Unit Ste 2500
San Francisco, CA 94111
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 5 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 16425 Bennett Way
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family Residence B4. Present Use: Single-family Residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/Postwar vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1945. The various building additions and alterations were completed at an unknown date. The shed was
constructed at an unknown date.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: Ancillary storage buildings at the rear (north) end of the site.
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1945 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The small parcel at 16425 Bennett Way was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was
established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The
6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature
was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16425 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. The southwesternmost
section of the Walker landholdings (formerly known as Lot 4 of the Parr Partition) was subdivided in 1895 into 400 and 800
acres lots and was named the Walker Tract Subdivision. 1
Bennett Way and its surrounding parcels appear to have originally been parcel 3 of the Walker Tract. The subdivision of parcel 3
occurred most likely in the mid-1940s, as most of the houses appear to date roughly to this era and Bennett Way is not indicated
in the census records up through 1940.
The Walker Tract remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various parcels
were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building records
until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. Therefore construction and alteration documentation for the
properties on Bennett Way does not begin until 1947, after the majority of the buildings were already constructed. The only
permits found for the subject property is a county building permit to abate a violation in 1983. The property is currently owned
by the Grovesnar Corporation, and was previously owned by Peter Brutche from at least 1983 to 2011.
The building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It did not play a significant
role in the Agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley. Additionally, it does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR
Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or
national history. Constructed c.1945, the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The simple
house is indicative of the Minimal Traditional style/postwar traditional vernacular single family residential construction; but it not
an outstanding example of the type. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to
the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. The building maintains very little integrity with numerous features
have been significantly altered such as the windows, siding, and form; and the building does not appear to be eligible for the
NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599; and Surveyor’s map of Walker Tract Subdivision by A. T. Herman, 1895, on file at the
County of Santa Clara Recorder’s Office.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16425 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16425 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara.
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 5 *Resource Name or #: 16434 Bennett Way
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 16434 Bennett Way City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-070 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The western half of Bennett Way is lined with small single-family residential structures and dead ends into the surrounding
orchard. Large, modern commercial buildings stand at the east end of the block at the intersection with Los Gatos Blvd. 16434
Bennett Way stands on the south side of the road and features a one-story, single family house at the rear of the lot and a detached
garage at the front. The house is L-shaped in plan with a small addition on the southeast side. The gable-roofed building is clad in
stucco with vertical board at the gable ends. Replacement aluminum windows punctuate the elevations. The garage is the most
prominent building from the street front and features a double-gable roof, a sliding aluminum window and a wood garage door.
The site is flat with a concrete paved driveway at the west side. Single family homes flank the site on the east and west, and the
property backs up to a large walnut orchard.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Building, HP4
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo: (View,
date, accession #) Looking south to
the garage (left) and house (right),
January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
House c.1945
Garage c. 1960
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 5 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 16434 Bennett Way
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/Postwar vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1945. Detached garage constructed c.1960.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features:
Detached garage
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1945 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The small parcel at 16434 Bennett Way was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was
established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The
6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature
was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet.
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16434 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. The southwesternmost
section of the Walker landholdings (formerly known as Lot 4 of the Parr Partition) was subdivided in 1895 into 400 and 800
acres lots and was named the Walker Tract Subdivision.1
Bennett Way and its surrounding parcels appear to have originally been parcel 3 of the Walker Tract. The subdivision of parcel 3
occurred most likely in the mid-1940s, as most of the houses appear to date roughly to this era and Bennett Way is not indicated
in the census records up through 1940.
The Walker Tract remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various parcels
were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building records
until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. Therefore construction and alteration documentation for the
properties on Bennett Way does not begin until 1947, after the majority of the buildings were already constructed. No building
permits were located for the subject property. The property is currently owned by the Yuki family, but it has not been determined
when the family purchased the property.
The building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It did not play a significant
role in the Agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley. Additionally, it does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR
Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or
national history. Constructed c.1945, the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The simple
house is indicative of the Minimal Traditional style/postwar traditional vernacular single family residential construction; but it not
an outstanding example of the type. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to
the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. The building maintains only a few aspects of integrity, including its
overall form and location, as numerous features have been significantly altered such as the windows and exterior siding; the
building does not appear to be eligible for the NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599; and Surveyor’s map of Walker Tract Subdivision by A. T. Herman, 1895, on file at the
County of Santa Clara Recorder’s Office.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16434 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16434 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township; 1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township; 1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara.
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 5 *Resource Name or #: 16435 Bennett Way
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 16435 Bennett Way City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-027 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The western half of Bennett Way is lined with small single-family residential structures and dead ends into the surrounding
orchard. Large, modern commercial buildings stand at the east end of the block at the intersection with Los Gatos Blvd. 16435
Bennett Way stands on the north side of the road and features a one-story, single family house that is L-shaped in plan. A
combination gable and flat roof protects the exterior walls clad in both horizontal dropped wood siding and vertical boards. An L-
shaped porch addition extends out from the front elevation. Several segments of the building appear to have later additions. The
majority of the windows are aluminum sliders.
A gable-roofed, rectangular stock storage shed stands at the east edge of the gravel parking area in front of the house. The house
shares the parcel with a second single family home and garage at its west side. The adjacent house is listed as 16439 Bennett Way.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Structure, HP4
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo: View of
the front elevation of the house,
note the storage shed to the right
January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c.1945; Additions c.1960
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 5 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 16435 Bennett Way
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family Residence B4. Present Use: Single-family Residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/Postwar vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1945 with rear additions c.1960. Detached storage shed was constructed at an unknown date.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: The single family residence at 16439 Bennett Way shares the same APN as the subject building and is
located directly to the west.
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1945 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The small parcel at 16435 Bennett Way was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was
established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The
6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature
was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16435 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. The southwesternmost
section of the Walker landholdings (formerly known as Lot 4 of the Parr Partition) was subdivided in 1895 into 400 and 800
acres lots and was named the Walker Tract Subdivision. 1
Bennett Way and its surrounding parcels appear to have originally been parcel 3 of the Walker Tract. The subdivision of parcel 3
occurred most likely in the mid-1940s, as most of the houses appear to date roughly to this era and Bennett Way is not indicated
in the census records up through 1940.
The Walker Tract remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various parcels
were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building records
until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. Therefore construction and alteration documentation for the
properties on Bennett Way does not begin until 1947, after the majority of the buildings were already constructed. No permits
were located for the subject building. Aerial photographs indicate that the house was construction c.1940 with an addition
construction c.1960. The property is currently owned by the Yuki family, and was previously owned by Alvin Haller in the
1960s.
The building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It did not play a significant
role in the Agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley. Additionally, it does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR
Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or
national history. Constructed c.1945 the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The simple
house is indicative of the Minimal Traditional style/postwar traditional vernacular single family residential construction; but it not
an outstanding example of the type. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to
the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. The building maintains some integrity, but features numerous
alterations such as a building addition, a front porch addition, and new windows; and the building does not appear to be eligible
for the NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599; and Surveyor’s map of Walker Tract Subdivision by A. T. Herman, 1895, on file at the
County of Santa Clara Recorder’s Office.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16435 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16435 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara.
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 5 *Resource Name or #: 16439 Bennett Way
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 16439 Bennett Way City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-027 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The western half of Bennett Way is lined with small single-family residential structures and dead ends into the surrounding
orchard. Large, modern commercial buildings stand at the east end of the block at the intersection with Los Gatos Blvd. 16439
Bennett Way stands on the north side at the west end of road and features a one-story, single family house with a detached garage.
The gable-roofed building is rectangular in plan with a front entry that extends out from the front elevation and provides a small
covered entry porch with a knee brace. Stucco clads the exterior walls and aluminum sliding windows punctuate the elevations.
Asphalt shingles clad both the gable roof of the main house and the detached garage. The simple, rectangular garage is sited
perpendicular to the main house. The garage is stucco clad and maintains a wood garage door that opens out to the east.
The house shares the parcel with a second single family home and storage building at its east side. The adjacent house is listed as
16435 Bennett Way.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking north to the front of the
house and side of the detached
garage, January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c.1945
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 5 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 16439 Bennett Way
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family Residence B4. Present Use: Single-family Residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/Postwar vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1945
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: The single family residence at 16435 Bennett Way shares the same APN as the subject building and is
located directly to the east. The property also feature a detached garage that appears to date to the construction of the house.
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1945 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The small parcel at 16439 Bennett Way was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was
established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The
6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature
was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16439 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. The southwesternmost
section of the Walker landholdings (formerly known as Lot 4 of the Parr Partition) was subdivided in 1895 into 400 and 800
acres lots and was named the Walker Tract Subdivision. 1
Bennett Way and its surrounding parcels appear to have originally been parcel 3 of the Walker Tract. The subdivision of parcel 3
occurred most likely in the mid-1940s, as most of the houses appear to date roughly to this era and Bennett Way is not indicated
in the census records up through 1940.
The Walker Tract remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various parcels
were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building records
until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. Therefore construction and alteration documentation for the
properties on Bennett Way does not begin until 1947, after the majority of the buildings were already constructed. One county
building permit was located for repairs to a fire in 1961. The property is currently owned by the Yuki family, and was previously
owned by Alvin Haller in the 1960s.
The building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It did not play a significant
role in the Agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley. Additionally, it does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR
Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or
national history. Constructed c.1945, the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The simple
house is indicative of the Minimal Traditional style/postwar traditional vernacular single family residential construction; but it not
an outstanding example of the type. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to
the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. The building maintains some integrity, but features numerous
alterations such as replacement siding and windows; and the building does not appear to be eligible for the NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599; and Surveyor’s map of Walker Tract Subdivision by A. T. Herman, 1895, on file at the
County of Santa Clara Recorder’s Office.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16439 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16439 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara.
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 5 *Resource Name or #: 16442 Bennett Way
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 16442 Bennett Way City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-100 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The western half of Bennett Way is lined with small single-family residential structures and dead ends into the surrounding
walnut orchard. Large, modern commercial buildings stand at the east end of the block at the intersection with Los Gatos Blvd.
16442 Bennett Way stands on the south side of the road and is the last residential structure at the west end. The property features a
one-story, single family residence that is rectangular in plan and is sited at a 45 degree angle to road, unlike the other residential
buildings on the block. Two small additions project out to the east side. An asphalt shingle clad gable roof protects the
combination horizontal wood siding and stucco cladding on the exterior walls. Modern vinyl windows punctuate the facades. The
residence stands on a flat parcel behind a low wood privacy and is hidden behind several trees. A single family residence stands to
the east of the parcel and a walnut orchard surrounds the site to the south and west.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking south to the front of the
house, January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1945
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 5 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 16442 Bennett Way
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family Residence B4. Present Use: Single-family Residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/Postwar vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1945
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: The subject building is located on APN 424-07-100 which is the largest parcel in the study area and
contains numerous buildings that are not necessarily directly related.
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1945 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The property on which stands the small residence at 16442 Bennett Way was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los
Gatos. The rancho was established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian
Fabian Peralta. The 6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell.
Its major feature was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16442 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. The southwesternmost
section of the Walker landholdings (formerly known as Lot 4 of the Parr Partition) was subdivided in 1895 into 400 and 800
acres lots and was named the Walker Tract Subdivision1.
Bennett Way and its surrounding parcels appear to have originally been parcel 3 of the Walker Tract. The subdivision of parcel 3
occurred most likely in the mid-1940s, as most of the houses appear to date roughly to this era and Bennett Way is not indicated
in the census records up through 1940.
The Walker Tract remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various parcels
were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building records
until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. Therefore construction and alteration documentation for the
properties on Bennett Way does not begin until 1947, after the majority of the buildings were already constructed. The subject
property appears to be one of the earliest residences on Bennett Way because it does not align with the road like the others, but
appears to have been constructed in relation to the surrounding orchard. No building permits were located for the subject
property. The property is currently owned by the Yuki family, but it has not yet been determined exactly when the family
purchased the property.
The building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It did not play a significant
role in the Agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley. Additionally, it does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR
Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or
national history. Constructed c.1945, the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The simple
house is indicative of the Minimal Traditional style/postwar traditional vernacular single family residential construction; but it not
an outstanding example of the type. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to
the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. The building maintains some integrity, but features numerous
alterations such as replacement siding and windows; and the building does not appear to be eligible for the NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599; and Surveyor’s map of Walker Tract Subdivision by A. T. Herman, 1895, on file at the
County of Santa Clara Recorder’s Office.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16442 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16442 Bennett Way
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township; 1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township; 1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara.
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 6 *Resource Name or #: 16210 Burton Rd.
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 16210 Burton Rd City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-054 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The single-family residence with a detached garage stands on a flat parcel with an asphalt driveway on the south side of the
mostly residential Burton Road. At its east end, narrow Burton Road connects to the five-lane Los Gatos Boulevard, and at its west
end the road is stopped by a freeway wall. The small, single story residence is clad is stucco with a brick veneer at the base of the
front elevation and features modern vinyl windows, a brick chimney, and gable roofs. At the rear of the lot stands a detached
garage also clad in stucco with a brick veneer base and a large metal-frame shed for a recreation vehicle.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Building, HP4 (detached garage)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking south to the front of the
house, January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c.1950
*P7. Owner and Address:
Hans Matte Trust
1050 Graham Hill Rd
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 6 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 16210 Burton Road
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/Postwar vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed circa 1950. The property has several detached sheds and a small addition at the rear of the residence; the dates
of these alterations are unknown.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features:
Detached garage
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1950 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The small parcel at 16210 Burton Road was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was
established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The
6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature
was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 6 *Resource Name or # 16210 Burton Road
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. Leslie Walker’s 54 acre
parcel was located directly north of the Walker Tract Subdivision and south of Myrtle Walker Johnson’s 55 acre parcel.1
Burton Road appears to have been at or near the boundary between Leslie Walker and Myrtle Johnson’s properties. Leslie
Walker died in 1910 and was followed shortly by his wife Mary Elizabeth Moffitt. Deed records indicate that Leslie Walker’s
land was subdivided among various owners by 1920. An aerial photograph from 1948 shows the south side of Burton Road as
having approximately ten small single family residences extending up roughly to the location of present day Highway 17. The
north side of the road featured only one residence, likely that of Myrtle Johnson. Burton Road is not specifically indicated in the
census records up through 1940; most likely the addresses were identified as San Jose-Los Gatos Road (Los Gatos Boulevard), as
Burton was initially considered an easement.
The Walker Partition remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various
parcels were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building
records until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. Construction and alteration documentation for the
properties on Burton Road does not appear until 1955, after the majority of the buildings were already constructed. Only one
county building permit was located for this property for repair to fire damage in 1970. The property is currently owned by the
Hans Mattes Trust. Frieda and John C. Mattes were listed as living on San Jose-Los Gatos Road in the 1940 census and likely
lived in the house directly east of the subject property. John C. Mattes was not listed as being associated with farming.
The building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It did not play a significant
role in the agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley. Additionally, it does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR
Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or
national history. Constructed c.1950, the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The simple
house is indicative of the Minimal Traditional style/postwar traditional vernacular single family residential construction; but it not
an outstanding example of the type. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to
the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. Although the home retains a fair level of integrity, despite the
alteration of the windows and siding, it does not appear to be eligible for the NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; and Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 6 *Resource Name or # 16210 Burton Road
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 6 *Resource Name or # 16210 Burton Road
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 6 *Resource Name or # 16210 Burton Road
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 6 *Resource Name or #: 16240 Burton Rd.
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 16240 Burton Rd City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-010 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The single-family residence with a detached garage stands on a flat parcel with an asphalt horse-shoe driveway on the south side
of the mostly residential Burton Road. At its east end, narrow Burton Road connects to the five-lane Los Gatos Boulevard, and at
its west end the road is stopped by a freeway wall. The single story house is rectangular in plan and features a simple, asphalt
shingle-clad gable roof. The stucco-clad building maintains a recessed entry porch cuts into the western half of the front elevation.
Modern vinyl windows punctuate the building elevations. A detached garage. that appears to post-date the house, stands at the
rear of the site.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Building, HP4 (detached garage)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking southwest to the front of
the house, January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c.1945
*P7. Owner and Address:
William Mattes
16240 Burton Rd
Los Gatos, CA
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 6 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 16240 Burton Road
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/Postwar vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1945.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features:
Detached garage
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1945 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The small parcel at 16240 Burton Road was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was
established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The
6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature
was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 6 *Resource Name or # 16240 Burton Road
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. Leslie Walker’s 54 acre
parcel was located directly north of the Walker Tract Subdivision and south of Myrtle Walker Johnson’s 55 acre parcel.1
Burton Road appears to have been at or near the boundary between Leslie Walker and Myrtle Johnson’s properties. Leslie
Walker died in 1910 and was followed shortly by his wife Mary Elizabeth Moffitt. Deed records indicate that Leslie Walker’s
land was subdivided among various owners by 1920. An aerial photograph from 1948 shows the south side of Burton Road as
having approximately ten small single family residences extending up roughly to the location of present day Highway 17. The
north side of the road featured only one residence, likely that of Myrtle Johnson. Burton Road is not specifically indicated in the
census records up through 1940; most likely the addresses were identified as San Jose-Los Gatos Road (Los Gatos Boulevard), as
Burton was initially considered an easement.
The Walker Partition remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various
parcels were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building
records until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. Construction and alteration documentation for the
properties on Burton Road does not appear until 1955, after the majority of the buildings were already constructed. No permits
were located for this property. The property is currently owned by William P. Mattes. Frieda and John C. Mattes were listed as
living on San Jose-Los Gatos Road in the 1940 census and likely lived in the house directly east of the subject property. John C.
Mattes is not listed as being associated with farming. The subject parcel appears to have been acquired by the Mattes in the 1987.
The building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It did not play a significant
role in the Agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley. Additionally, it does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR
Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or
national history. Constructed c.1945, the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The simple
house is indicative of the Minimal Traditional style/postwar traditional vernacular single family residential construction; but it not
an outstanding example of the type. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to
the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. Although the home retains a fair level of integrity, despite the
alteration of the windows and siding, it does not appear to be eligible for the NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; and Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 6 *Resource Name or # 16240 Burton Road
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 6 *Resource Name or # 16240 Burton Road
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 6 *Resource Name or # 16240 Burton Road
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 6 *Resource Name or #: 16245 Burton Rd.
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 16245 Burton Rd City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-06-115 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The single-family residence with a detached garage stands alone on the north side of the mostly residential Burton Road. At the
east end Burton Road connects to Los Gatos Boulevard, a main thoroughfare in Los Gatos; to the west the road ends into a wall
separating it from the freeway interchange. The one-story house is essentially H-shaped in plan with an asphalt shingle clad cross
gable roof. Modern vinyl windows punctuate the buildings horizontal wood shiplap clad exterior walls. A small detached single-
car garage with a gable roof and horizontal wood siding stands at the northeast corner of the parcel.
The flat site maintains several trees, some grassy areas, a horseshoe drive in front of the house and a paved drive to the garage.
The freeway wall curves around the rear of the house coming within feet of both the house and garage’s rear walls. Finally, a
wood privacy fence to the east separates the property from the gravel parking lot and the new commercial structure fronting Los
Gatos Boulevard.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Building HP4 (detached garage)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking south to the front
elevation, January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1950
*P7. Owner and Address:
C. Barron Swenson Trust
777 N 1st St. Unit FL 5
San Jose, CA 95112
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 6 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 16245 Burton Road
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/Postwar vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1950.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features:
Detached garage
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1950 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The parcel at 16245 Burton Road was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was established by
an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The 6,631-acre land
grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature was Los Gatos
Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 6 *Resource Name or # 16245 Burton Road
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. Leslie Walker’s 54 acre
parcel was located directly north of the Walker Tract Subdivision and south of Myrtle Walker Johnson’s 55 acre parcel.1
Burton Road appears to have been at or near the boundary between Leslie Walker and Myrtle Johnson’s properties. Leslie
Walker died in 1910 and was followed shortly by his wife Mary Elizabeth Moffitt. Deed records indicate that Leslie Walker’s
land was subdivided among various owners by 1920. An aerial photograph from 1948 shows the south side of Burton Road as
having approximately ten small single family residences extending up roughly to the location of present day Highway 17. The
north side of the road featured only one residence, likely that of Myrtle Johnson. Burton Road is not specifically indicated in the
census records up through 1940; most likely the addresses were identified as San Jose-Los Gatos Road (Los Gatos Boulevard), as
Burton was initially considered an easement.
The Walker Partition remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various
parcels were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building
records until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. Construction and alteration documentation for the
properties on Burton Road does not appear until 1955, after the majority of the buildings were already constructed. No permits
were located for this property, but aerial photographs indicate the building was not constructed until after 1948. The property is
currently owned by the C. Barron Swenson Trust. No previous ownership records have been located, but most likely the property
was once part of Myrtle Johnson’s land.
The building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It did not play a significant
role in the Agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley. Additionally, it does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR
Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or
national history. Constructed c.1950, the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The simple
house is indicative of the Minimal Traditional style/postwar traditional vernacular single family residential construction; but it not
an outstanding example of the type. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to
the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. Although the home retains a fair level of integrity, despite the
alteration of the windows and significant changes to the surroundings, it does not appear to be eligible for the NRHP or the
CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; and Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 6 *Resource Name or # 16245 Burton Road
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 6 *Resource Name or # 16245 Burton Road
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 6 *Resource Name or # 16245 Burton Road
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 6 *Resource Name or #: 16250 Burton Rd.
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 16250 Burton Rd City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-009 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The single-family residence with a detached garage stands on a flat parcel on the south side of the mostly residential Burton Road.
At the east end Burton Road connects to Los Gatos Boulevard, a main thoroughfare in Los Gatos; to the west the road ends into a
wall separating it from the freeway interchange. The raised, single storybungalow is essentially T-shaped in plan with an open,
partial porch across the northern half of the front elevation. The building is clad in narrow clapboard siding with a brick veneer
base on the front elevation and features a cross-gable roof clad in asphalt shingles. Original wood double and fixed multi-lite
windows surrounded by flat wood trim punctuate the elevations. The compatible, single story rear addition is rectangular in plan
with a gable roof and was constructed in 1955. Finally, a detach single story garage stands west of th e main house at the end of the
asphalt diveway and is also rectangular in plan with a gable roof.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Building, HP4 (detached garage)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking southeast to the front
corner the house, January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c.1945
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
Los Gatos, CA
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 6 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 16250 Burton Road
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/Postwar vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1945 with a rear addition constructed 1955.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features:
Detached garage
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1945 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The parcel at 16250 Burton Road was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was established by
an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The 6,631-acre land
grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature was Los Gatos
Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 6 *Resource Name or # 16250 Burton Road
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. Leslie Walker’s 54 acre
parcel was located directly north of the Walker Tract Subdivision and south of Myrtle Walker Johnson’s 55 acre parcel.1
Burton Road appears to have been at or near the boundary between Leslie Walker and Myrtle Johnson’s properties. Leslie
Walker died in 1910 and was followed shortly by his wife Mary Elizabeth Moffitt. Deed records indicate that Leslie Walker’s
land was subdivided among various owners by 1920. An aerial photograph from 1948 shows the south side of Burton Road as
having approximately ten small single family residences extending up roughly to the location of present day Highway 17. The
north side of the road featured only one residence, likely that of Myrtle Johnson. Burton Road is not specifically indicated in the
census records up through 1940; most likely the addresses were identified as San Jose-Los Gatos Road (Los Gatos Boulevard), as
Burton was initially considered an easement.
The Walker Partition remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various
parcels were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building
records until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. Construction and alteration documentation for the
properties on Burton Road does not appear until 1955, after the majority of the buildings were already constructed. One county
building permit was located for the subject property for the construction of an addition to the house in 1955. The property is
currently owned by the Yuki family and was previously owned by H. D. Childs in 1955 and by the Vick family through the
1980s and early 1990s.
The building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It did not play a significant
role in the Agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley. Additionally, it does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR
Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or
national history. Constructed c.1945, the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The simple
house is indicative of the Minimal Traditional style/postwar traditional vernacular single family residential construction; but it not
an outstanding example of the type. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to
the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. Although the home retains a most of its integrity, it does not appear
to be eligible for the NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; and Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 6 *Resource Name or # 16250 Burton Road
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 6 *Resource Name or # 16250 Burton Road
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 6 *Resource Name or # 16250 Burton Road
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 6 *Resource Name or #: 16260 Burton Rd.
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 16260 Burton Rd City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-053 Elevation:
*P3a. Description: (Describe resource and its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size, setting, and boundaries)
The single-family residence stands at the rear of a flat parcel with an gravel driveway on the south side of the mostly residential
Burton Road. To the west the narrow road ends into wall separating it from the freeway interchange. The single story building is
essential T-shaped in plan with a low-slope roof, brick chimney, and vertical board and batten siding.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking south to the front
elevation, January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c.1970
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95031
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 6 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 16260 Burton Road
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Contemporary
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1970.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features:
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: N/A Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The small parcel at 16260 Burton Road was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was
established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The
6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature
was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 6 *Resource Name or # 16260 Burton Road
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. Leslie Walker’s 54 acre
parcel was located directly north of the Walker Tract Subdivision and south of Myrtle Walker Johnson’s 55 acre parcel.1
Burton Road appears to have been at or near the boundary between Leslie Walker and Myrtle Johnson’s properties. Leslie
Walker died in 1910 and was followed shortly by his wife Mary Elizabeth Moffitt. Deed records indicate that Leslie Walker’s
land was subdivided among various owners by 1920. An aerial photograph from 1948 shows the south side of Burton Road as
having approximately ten small single family residences extending up roughly to the location of present day Highway 17. The
north side of the road featured only one residence, likely that of Myrtle Johnson. Burton Road is not specifically indicated in the
census records up through 1940; most likely the addresses were identified as San Jose-Los Gatos Road (Los Gatos Boulevard), as
Burton was initially considered an easement.
The Walker Partition remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various
parcels were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building
records until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. Construction and alteration documentation for the
properties on Burton Road does not appear until 1955, after the majority of the buildings were already constructed. Two city
electrical permits were located for the property dating to 1987 and 2006/ The property is currently owned by the Yuki family.
The building does not apper to be old enough to qualitfy for either register. Nor does the building appear to be eligible for listing
in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It did not play a significant role in the Agricultural growth of the Santa Clara
Valley. Additionally, it does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been
identified that appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or national history. Constructed c.1970, the house
does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The simple house is indicative of the Contemporary style, but
is not exceptional. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to the prehistory or
history of the local area, state, or the nation. Although the home retains a most of its integrity, it does not appear to be eligible for
the NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; and Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 6 *Resource Name or # 16260 Burton Road
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 6 *Resource Name or # 16260 Burton Road
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 6 *Resource Name or # 16260 Burton Road
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 7 *Resource Name or #: 16399 Lark Avenue
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 16399 Lark Ave. City: Los Gatos Zip: 95032
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-100 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The property at 16399 Lark Avenue is not readily visible from the public right-of-way, as it is set at the intersection of Lark Avenue
and Los Gatos Boulevard directly behind a service station. Additionally, numerous trees surround the residence. The raised one-
story-over-basement single family residential building is L-shaped in plan with an asphalt shingle clad hipped roof. Narrow,
horizontal wood siding clads the exterior walls that are punctuated by both original double-hung wood windows and replacement
vinyl windows. A gravel driveway leads from Lark Avenue along the western edge of the gas station parking lot to the subject
property.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking north to southwest corner
of the house, January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c.1910
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
May 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 7 *NRHP Status Code 3CD
*Resource Name or # 16399 Lark Avenue
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family Residence B4. Present Use: Single-family Residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Folk Victorian
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1910
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: The subject building is located on APN 424-07-100 which is the largest parcel in the study area and
contains numerous buildings that are not necessarily directly related.
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Horticulture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: 1910-1929 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: A/1
The property on which the residence at 16399 Lark Avenue stands was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los
Gatos. The rancho was established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian
Fabian Peralta. The 6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell.
Its major feature was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: May 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 7 *Resource Name or # 16399 Lark Avenue
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. The southwesternmost
section of the Walker landholdings (formerly known as Lot 4 of the Parr Partition) was subdivided in 1895 into 4 and 8 acre lots
and was named the Walker Tract Subdivision. 1
Lark Avenue, formerly known at Walker Avenue, bisected the Walker Tract Subdivision and ran from San Jose – Los Gatos
Road (Los Gatos Blvd., also formerly known Bascom Ave.) to Los Gatos Creek. The northern lot at the intersection of Walker
Avenue and Los Gatos Road was identified as Lot 4 and appears to have been purchased by Oswald Schlueter an orchardist. The
property passed on to his daughter Bertha Schlueter, who maintained ownership at least through the mid-1950s and is listed in the
1940 census as being the manager of a farm and poultry operation. In 1955 a portion of the property was sold to Ray Adams, who
subsequently developed a gas station. The subject property stands at the western end of the Lot 4.
The Walker Tract remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various parcels
were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building records
until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. No building records have been located for the subject property,
but the property appears to date to c.1910, and was likely the Schlueter family home. The property is currently owned by the
Yuki family, but records have not been located to determine when the family purchased the property.
Horticulture in the Santa Clara Valley
After first being a Spanish colony and then a Mexican territory, the region was officially acquired by the United States in 1848
following the war with Mexico. Shortly after, in 1850, California achieved statehood, Santa Clara was established as a county, and
the largest development within Santa Clara County, San Jose, was named the state capital. The region began developing rapidly
both as a political and commercial center, after the discovery of gold in California in 1849. Santa Clara County offered the last
urban area on the route to the southern Mother Lode.
Prior to the California Gold Rush of 1849 the sparsely settled Santa Clara Valley landscape was one of the Mexican‐era land grant
system with missions and ranchos. The vastly undeveloped land was used primarily to graze cattle, and the only farms of note
were small subsistence gardens kept by residents or missionaries. Organized farming in the area began as Americans took control
of the land and realized its commercial potential.2 Further, with the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill many local settlers first left
for the mountains to mine, and then soon realized they could additionally profit from feeding the masses of miners. Property
owners began raising grains and quickly discovered the rich quality of soil available to them within the Santa Clara Valley. Over
the next two decades the land was subdivided from the large family‐held tracts into smaller parcels for individual settlements and
farms. At the end of the 19th century the number of small farms in Santa Clara County exploded from approximately 700 in 1880 to
over 3,000 by 1900.3
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599; and Surveyor’s map of Walker Tract Subdivision by A. T. Herman, 1895, on file at the
County of Santa Clara Recorder’s Office.
2 Clyde Arbuckle, History of San Jose (San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986): 153.
3 Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in California’s Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino,
CA: California History Center, 1985): 15.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 7 *Resource Name or # 16399 Lark Avenue
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Grains, namely wheat, barley, and oats, were the primary investment crop during the valley’s first agricultural phase. Wheat was
very easy to cultivate with little capital investment due to the high fertility of the soil in the valley. By 1854, Santa Clara County
was producing thirty percent of California’s total wheat crop.4
In the subsequent decades several factors led to the transition from grains to fruit. First, through various farmers experimenting in
growing fruit trees, it became increasingly evident that the soil and climate were favorable to producing these more delicate and
profitable crops. Second, the development of the railroad in the 1860s allowed for the shipping of produce to distant markets.
Third, the establishment of canning methods and canneries allowed for the product to be preserved. Finally, the abundant and
accessible water supply throughout the valley was fundamental in growth of orchards. By the beginning of the Twentieth Century,
fruit farming had replaced the majority of grain farms in Santa Clara County.5
Fruit farming in the Santa Clara Valley was an enormous success. The area became known as the “Valley of Heart’s Delight” and
reached its agricultural peak in the late 1920s. During this period the number of fruit orchards rapidly increased. Large farms that
evolved in the nineteenth century out of the ranchos were no longer necessary with the increased ratio to crop value to land unit.
Large farmlands were subdivided into highly specialized farms that were significantly smaller in scale than the previous ranches
and grain fields. The typical fruit farm ranged from just three to fifty acres, thereby affording the opportunity to farm to a greater
population.6
Interest in fruit farming, and agriculture in general, in the area began to decline in the 1930s.7 The trend away from agriculture
came in part from Great Depression and in part from rise in new high‐technology research in the region that would escalate
through World War II and the home front mobilization effort. The business community began actively campaigning to attract new
non‐agricultural related industries, and soon numerous industries established plants within the County. The establishment of
these companies necessitated new residential and commercial construction. Suburban growth quickly took over the agricultural
lands. The focus on high‐technology, electronics, and industry has continued through to today and Santa Clara County is now
known worldwide as “Silicon Valley” for its significant technological advancements.
Horticulture and the North Forty
Following the historical trend of the rest of the Santa Clara Valley, the North Forty area was transformed into a thriving orchard by
the Walker family in the late 1800s. The use of the land for orchards continued after the land was subdivided into smaller parcels
in the 1910s and 1920s. During the 1920s the Valley’s fruit production peaked and it appears that the orchards at the North 40 were
also successful prior to the onset of the depression. Unlike the rest of the Valley, the postwar suburban growth of the North 40 site
did not completely engulf the existing orchards. While a small portion of area was developed for single‐family homes, the majority
of the area remained orchards for the rest of the twentieth century, due to the Yuki family’s stewardship. Several notable
developments have encroached on the site including the construction of the Highway 17, State Route 85 and numerous
commercial projects along Los Gatos Boulevard. Nonetheless, the majority of the North 40 site maintains one of the last vestiges of
the heyday of the “Valley of Heart’s Delight.” Remaining resources from the era include the orchard which covers a majority of
the site and approximately ten buildings which appear to date to the sites prewar era.
4 County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement, 38.
5 Ibid., 15‐16.
6 County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement, 59.
7 Arbuckle, 163.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 7 *Resource Name or # 16399 Lark Avenue
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Findings
The building does not appear to be individually eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR, but does appear to be eligible as a
contributing structure to a potentially eligible historic district under Criterion A/1. The property maintains a strong association
with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of horticultural production from 1910-1929. During this period the area was known as “The
Valley of Heart’s Delight,” and orchards covered the land surrounding Los Gatos and the Valley in general. This house was part
of the early development of the North Forty property when it was subdivided into smaller four and eight acre lots that were
developed into family orchards. During this time period larger farms and ranches in the Valley were being replaced by smaller
specialized farms which were able to sustain due to the high value of the fruit and nut crops.
The property does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that
appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or national history. Constructed c.1910, the house does not appear
to be a significant example of an architectural type. The simple house is somewhat indicative of the Folk Victorian style, but is
not an outstanding example of its type. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to
the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. The building maintains fair integrity, although there have been
several significant changes including new windows and building additions.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 7 *Resource Name or # 16399 Lark Avenue
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 7 of 7 *Resource Name or # 16399 Lark Avenue
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 5 *Resource Name or #: 16483 Lark Ave.
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 16483 Lark Ave. City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-100 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The property at 16483 Lark Avenue stands at the southern boundary of a large walnut orchard. The single family residence is sited
perpendicular to Lark Avenue, a busy, four-lane thoroughfare and just over 100 feet away from an on-ramp to Highway 17. The
single story residence is a cross shap in plan with an asphalt shingle clad gable roof. Horizontal wood dropped siding clads the
exterior walls and modern vinyl windows punctuate the building’s facades. A small, hipped roofed addition stands at the south
end of the house and a second shed roofed addition and a covered carport stand at the north end.
A single story machine shed stands northwest of the residence. The building is long and rectangular in plan with a shed roof.
Wide, rough-hewn wood boards clad the shed’s exterior. Aerial photographs and the remnants of concrete foundations indicated
that the building was originally twice its current length and that a second storage building also stood north of the house and east
of the machine shed. It appears that the northern section of the machine shed was demolished c.1995 and that the second storage
building was demolished c. 1975.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Building HP4 (machine shed)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo: View
of the west side of the house,
January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c.1940
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 5 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 16483 Lark Avenue
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family Residence B4. Present Use: Single-family Residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/Prewar vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1940
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: The subject building is located on APN 424-07-100 which is the largest parcel in the study area and
contains numerous buildings that are not necessarily directly historically related, apart from being on or next to the existing
walnut orchard.
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1940 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The property on which the residence at 16483 Lark Avenue stands was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los
Gatos. The rancho was established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian
Fabian Peralta. The 6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell.
Its major feature was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16483 Lark Avenue
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. The southwesternmost
section of the Walker landholdings (formerly known as Lot 4 of the Parr Partition) was subdivided in 1895 into 400 and 800
acres lots and was named the Walker Tract Subdivision. 1
Lark Avenue, formerly known at Walker Avenue, bisected the Walker Tract Subdivision and ran from San Jose – Los Gatos
Road (Los Gatos Blvd., also formerly known Bascom Ave.) to Los Gatos Creek. The northern lot at the intersection of Walker
Avenue and Los Gatos Road was identified as Lot 4 and appears to have been owned by Oswald Schlueter an orchardist. The
property then passed on to his daughter Bertha Schlueter, who maintained the property at least through the mid-1950s and is
listed in the 1940 census as being the manager of a farm and poultry operation. In 1955 a portion of the property was sold to Ray
Adams, who subsequently developed a gas station. The subject property stands at the western end of the Lot 4.
The Walker Tract remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various parcels
were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building records
until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. No building records have been located for the subject property,
but several alterations appear recent. Aerial photos indicate the adjacent agricultural shed was partially demolished c.1995 and
that a second shed was demolish c.1975. The property is currently owned by the Yuki family, but documentation has not been
located to determine when the family purchased the subject property.
The building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It did not play a significant
role in the Agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley. Additionally, it does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR
Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or
national history. Constructed c.1940, the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The simple
house is indicative of the Minimal Traditional style/prewar traditional vernacular single family residential construction; but it not
an outstanding example of the type. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to
the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. The building maintains some integrity, but features several
significant changes including new windows and building additions; and the building does not appear to be eligible for the NRHP
or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599; and Surveyor’s map of Walker Tract Subdivision by A. T. Herman, 1895, on file at the
County of Santa Clara Recorder’s Office.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16483 Lark Avenue
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 5 *Resource Name or # 16483 Lark Avenue
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 6 *Resource Name or #: 14823 Los Gatos Blvd.
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 14823 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-065 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The single-family residence stands at the intersection of Los Gatos Blvd. and Burton Road. Los Gatos Blvd. is a busy four-lane
street, that serves as one of the primary corridors through Los Gatos and Burton Road is a narrow dead-end street featuring mostly
small residential buildings. The site gently slopes down to the west and maintains a single family residence at the east end and a
barn and small shed at the west end of the property. The site features little vegetation and is delineated by a worn wooden fence.
The single-story residence is essentially rectangular in plan with small volumes extending out to the east and out to the west. The
eastern extension is likely an enclosed front porch. The cross-gable roof is clad in asphalt shingles and features wood knee braces
at the gable end walls. A brick chimney stands at the east end of the south façade. Stucco clads the exterior walls and numerous
original multi-lite-over-one-lite double-hung wood windows punctuate the facades. Additionally, there are several types of
replacement windows and doors found throughout the building.
The two rectangular, gable-roofed outbuildings stand next to each other at the back of the parcel. Both structures are clad in
vertical board and batten siding, however the single-story storage shed maintains a corrugated metal roof, while the two-story
barn features wood shingles. A single story shed-roof addition extends from the back of the barn and its roof is partially protected
by sheet of corrugated metal.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Building, HP4 (Barn and shed)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking west to the front of the
house, January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1930
*P7. Owner and Address:
Alexander S. Moiseno
PO Box 235
Groveland, CA
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 6 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 14823 Los Gatos Boulevard
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Craftsman bungalow
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1930. The property has a detached shed and barn at the rear of the residence that appear to date to the
constructed of the house
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features:
Detached barn and shed.
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1930 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The small parcel at 14823 Los Gatos Boulevard was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was
established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The
6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature
was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 6 *Resource Name or # 14823 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. Leslie Walker’s 54 acre
parcel was located directly north of the Walker Tract Subdivision and south of Myrtle Walker Johnson’s 55 acre parcel.1
The subject parcel is located at the southwest corner of Burton Road and Los Gatos Boulevard. Burton Road appears to have
been at or near the boundary between Leslie Walker and Myrtle Johnson’s properties. Leslie Walker died in 1910 and was
followed shortly by his wife Mary Elizabeth Moffitt. Deed records indicate that Leslie Walker’s land was subdivided among
various owners by 1920. An aerial photograph from 1948 shows the south side of Burton Road as having approximately ten small
single family residences extending up roughly to the location of present day Highway 17. The north side of the road featured only
one residence, likely that of Myrtle Johnson. Burton Road is not specifically indicated in the census records up through 1940;
most likely the addresses were identified as San Jose-Los Gatos Road (Los Gatos Boulevard), as Burton was initially considered
an easement.
Los Gatos Boulevard was known as San Jose-Los Gatos Road from the late 1880s through to around 1950. This name derived
simply because the road connected San Jose to Los Gatos. Around 1950 the road name was changed to South Bascom Avenue.
By the early 1970s the road name was changed again to Los Gatos Boulevard. As the road continues north into the San Jose city
limits and past Highway 85 the name remains South Bascom Avenue.
The Walker Partition remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various
parcels were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building
records until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. No building permits were located for the subject
property, but it does appear on an aerial photograph from 1948. The property is currently owned by Alexander S. Moiseno.
The building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It did not play a significant
role in the Agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley. Additionally, it does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR
Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or
national history. Constructed c.1930, the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The simple
house is indicative of a craftsman style single family residence; evident in the form, the knee braces, and some of the remaining
windows. However it is not an outstanding or even very clear example of the style. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess
the potential to yield information important to the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. The property retains
little integrity due to the alteration of the windows, the siding, and the infill of the entry porch and it does not appear to be eligible
for the NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; and Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 6 *Resource Name or # 14823 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 6 *Resource Name or # 14823 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 6 *Resource Name or # 14823 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 6 *Resource Name or #: 14831 Los Gatos Blvd.
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 14831 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-063 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The property at 14831 Los Gatos Boulevard (formerly Bascom Ave.) features a single-family residence, a detached two-car garage,
and a small storage shed. The site slopes gently to the west and primary hardscaped in poured concrete with minimal landscaping
at Los Gatos Boulevard. The one-story single-family home is visible but significantly set back from the busy four-lane Los Gatos
Boulevard. The house is L-shaped in plan, with an asphalt shingle- clad hipped roof and is clad in a combination of horizontal
wood siding and stucco. Modern vinyl windows punctuate the exterior walls and a brick clad stair and porch lead to awning-
covered entrance on the east side.
A single-story garage with a gable roof stands at the west end of the site behind the main house. Finally, a small shed is located
between the garage and the house along the southern property line.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Building HP4
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking north to the front of the
house, January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c.1945
*P7. Owner and Address:
Hans Matte Trust
1050 Graham Hill Rd
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 6 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 14823 Los Gatos Boulevard
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal traditional
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed circa 1945. The property has a detached garage which appear to date to the construction of the house.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features:
Detached garage and outbuilding
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1945 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The small parcel at 14831 Los Gatos Boulevard was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was
established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The
6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature
was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 6 *Resource Name or # 14831 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. Leslie Walker’s 54 acre
parcel was located directly north of the Walker Tract Subdivision and south of Myrtle Walker Johnson’s 55 acre parcel.1
The subject parcel is L-shaped and fronts both Burton Road and Los Gatos Boulevard. Burton Road appears to have been at or
near the boundary between Leslie Walker and Myrtle Johnson’s properties. Leslie Walker died in 1910 and was followed shortly
by his wife Mary Elizabeth Moffitt. Deed records indicate that Leslie Walker’s land was subdivided among various owners by
1920. An aerial photograph from 1948 shows the south side of Burton Road as having approximately ten small single family
residences extending up roughly to the location of present day Highway 17. The north side of the road featured only one
residence, likely that of Myrtle Johnson. Burton Road is not specifically indicated in the census records up through 1940; most
likely the addresses were identified as San Jose-Los Gatos Road (Los Gatos Boulevard), as Burton was initially considered an
easement.
Los Gatos Boulevard was known as San Jose-Los Gatos Road from the late 1880s through to around 1950. This name derived
simply because the road connected San Jose to Los Gatos. Around 1950 the road name was changed to South Bascom Avenue.
By the early 1970s the road name was changed again to Los Gatos Boulevard. As the road continues north into the San Jose city
limits and past Highway 85 the name remains South Bascom Avenue.
The Walker Partition remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various
parcels were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building
records until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. No building permits were located for the subject
property, but it does appear on an aerial photograph from 1948. The property is currently owned by the Hans Mattes Trust.
Frieda and John C. Mattes were listed as living on San Jose-Los Gatos Road in the 1940 census and likely lived in the subject
house. John C. Mattes is not listed as being associated with farming.
The building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It did not play a significant
role in the Agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley. Additionally, it does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR
Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or
national history. Constructed c.1945, the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The simple
house is indicative of the Minimal Traditional style/postwar traditional vernacular single family residential construction; but it not
an outstanding example of the type. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to
the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. The property retains fair integrity, but features modern windows
and likely some exterior alterations; it does not appear to be eligible for the NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; and Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 6 *Resource Name or # 14831 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 6 *Resource Name or # 14831 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 6 *Resource Name or # 14831 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 7 *Resource Name or #: 14849 Los Gatos Blvd.
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 14849 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip: 95032
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-064 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The property at 14849 Los Gatos Boulevard (formerly South Bascom Ave.) features a single-family residence, a rear cottage, a
detached garage, and a small storage shed. The site slopes gently to the west, and most of the exterior surfaces are covered in
gravel with the exception of a small landscaped area surrounded by a wood fence in front of the main house. The one-story single-
family home is not readily visible from the four-lane Los Gatos Boulevard because it is set back far from the road behind a wood
fence and a significant amount of vegetation. The main house is essentially rectangular in plan, with a small addition extending
west at the rear and a small covered porch extending north from the northwest corner. Asphalt shingles clad the steep gable roof
with exposed rafter tails, and narrow shiplap wood siding clads the exterior walls. The front façade is accented by a dentilated
band above four multi-lite wood-frame windows that enclose an entry porch. At least one window has been replaced with an
aluminum slider, and at the back of the house several double-hung wood windows punctuate the exterior walls.
The single-story, gable-roofed garage clad in narrow shiplap wood siding stands at the west end of the driveway along the
property’s southern edge. The garage is punctuated by a single garage door on the east façade. At the rear of the main house and
along the northern edge of the property stands a small, rectangular, gable-roofed cottage clad in narrow shiplap wood siding. The
single story building appears to have been constructed around the same time as the main house and features a small covered entry
porch. Finally, a small storage shed, that does not appear to date to the construction of the main house, is located directly west of
the rear cottage.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Buildings HP4 (Garage, Storage Shed, and Cottage)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking north to the front of the
house, January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c.1910
*P7. Owner and Address:
Pamela Swallow/Deborah and
Brent Ventura
4042 Cranford Cl
San Jose, CA 95124
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
May 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 7 *NRHP Status Code 3CD
*Resource Name or # 14849 Los Gatos Boulevard
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Victorian
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1910. The property has a detached garage which appears to date to the construction of the house, and a
detached cottage which may have been constructed slightly later.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features:
Detached garage and outbuilding
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Horticulture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: 1910-1929 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: A/1
The small parcel at 14849 Los Gastos Boulevard was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was
established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The
6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature
was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: May 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14849 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. Leslie Walker’s 54 acre
parcel was located directly north of the Walker Tract Subdivision and south of Myrtle Walker Johnson’s 55 acre parcel.1 The
subject parcel appears to have been in the northeastern section of Leslie Walker’s former land holdings and fronts Los Gatos
Boulevard.
Los Gatos Boulevard was known as San Jose-Los Gatos Road from the late 1880s through to around 1950. This name derived
simply because the road connected San Jose to Los Gatos. Around 1950 the road name was changed to South Bascom Avenue.
By the early 1970s the road name was changed again to Los Gatos Boulevard. As the road continues north into the San Jose city
limits and past Highway 85 the name remains South Bascom Avenue.
The Walker Partition remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various
parcels were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building
records until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. Two Los Gatos building permits were located for the
subject property; one for an electrical service in 1994 and one for re-roofing in 2002. The property is currently owned by the
Ventura family. A listing for Dewey Ventura as ever having lived at this address has not been located.
Horticulture in the Santa Clara Valley
After first being a Spanish colony and then a Mexican territory, the region was officially acquired by the United States in 1848
following the war with Mexico. Shortly after, in 1850, California achieved statehood, Santa Clara was established as a county, and
the largest development within Santa Clara County, San Jose, was named the state capital. The region began developing rapidly
both as a political and commercial center, after the discovery of gold in California in 1849. Santa Clara County offered the last
urban area on the route to the southern Mother Lode.
Prior to the California Gold Rush of 1849 the sparsely settled Santa Clara Valley landscape was one of the Mexican‐era land grant
system with missions and ranchos. The vastly undeveloped land was used primarily to graze cattle, and the only farms of note
were small subsistence gardens kept by residents or missionaries. Organized farming in the area began as Americans took control
of the land and realized its commercial potential.2 Further, with the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill many local settlers first left
for the mountains to mine, and then soon realized they could additionally profit from feeding the masses of miners. Property
owners began raising grains and quickly discovered the rich quality of soil available to them within the Santa Clara Valley. Over
the next two decades the land was subdivided from the large family‐held tracts into smaller parcels for individual settlements and
farms. At the end of the 19th century the number of small farms in Santa Clara County exploded from approximately 700 in 1880 to
over 3,000 by 1900.3
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; and Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599.
2 Clyde Arbuckle, History of San Jose (San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986): 153.
3 Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in California’s Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino,
CA: California History Center, 1985): 15.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14849 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Grains, namely wheat, barley, and oats, were the primary investment crop during the valley’s first agricultural phase. Wheat was
very easy to cultivate with little capital investment due to the high fertility of the soil in the valley. By 1854, Santa Clara County
was producing thirty percent of California’s total wheat crop.4
In the subsequent decades several factors led to the transition from grains to fruit. First, through various farmers experimenting in
growing fruit trees, it became increasingly evident that the soil and climate were favorable to producing these more delicate and
profitable crops. Second, the development of the railroad in the 1860s allowed for the shipping of produce to distant markets.
Third, the establishment of canning methods and canneries allowed for the product to be preserved. Finally, the abundant and
accessible water supply throughout the valley was fundamental in growth of orchards. By the beginning of the Twentieth Century,
fruit farming had replaced the majority of grain farms in Santa Clara County.5
Fruit farming in the Santa Clara Valley was an enormous success. The area became known as the “Valley of Heart’s Delight” and
reached its agricultural peak in the late 1920s. During this period the number of fruit orchards rapidly increased. Large farms that
evolved in the nineteenth century out of the ranchos were no longer necessary with the increased ratio to crop value to land unit.
Large farmlands were subdivided into highly specialized farms that were significantly smaller in scale than the previous ranches
and grain fields. The typical fruit farm ranged from just three to fifty acres, thereby affording the opportunity to farm to a greater
population.6
Interest in fruit farming, and agriculture in general, in the area began to decline in the 1930s.7 The trend away from agriculture
came in part from Great Depression and in part from rise in new high‐technology research in the region that would escalate
through World War II and the home front mobilization effort. The business community began actively campaigning to attract new
non‐agricultural related industries, and soon numerous industries established plants within the County. The establishment of
these companies necessitated new residential and commercial construction. Suburban growth quickly took over the agricultural
lands. The focus on high‐technology, electronics, and industry has continued through to today and Santa Clara County is now
known worldwide as “Silicon Valley” for its significant technological advancements.
Horticulture and the North 40
Following the historical trend of the rest of the Santa Clara Valley, the North 40 area was transformed into a thriving orchard by
the Walker family in the late 1800s. The use of the land for orchards continued after the land was subdivided into smaller parcels
in the 1910s and 1920s. During the 1920s the Valley’s fruit production peaked and it appears that the orchards at the North 40 were
also successful prior to the onset of the depression. Unlike the rest of the Valley, the postwar suburban growth of the North 40 site
did not completely engulf the existing orchards. While a small portion of area was developed for single‐family homes, the majority
of the area remained orchards for the rest of the twentieth century, due to the Yuki family’s stewardship. Several notable
developments have encroached on the site including the construction of the Highway 17, State Route 85 and numerous
commercial projects along Los Gatos Boulevard. Nonetheless, the majority of the North 40 site maintains one of the last vestiges of
the heyday of the “Valley of Heart’s Delight.” Remaining resources from the era include the orchard which covers a majority of
the site and approximately ten buildings which appear to date to the sites prewar era.
4 County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement, 38.
5 Ibid., 15‐16.
6 County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement, 59.
7 Arbuckle, 163.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14849 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Findings
The building does not appear to be eligible for individual listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. However it does
appear to be eligible as a continbutor to a potentially eligible historic district under Criterion A/1. The property maintains a strong
association with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of horticultural production from 1910-1929. This house was part of the early
development of the North Forty property when it was subdivided into smaller parcels that were developed into family orchards.
During this time period larger farms and ranches in the Valley were being replaced by smaller specialized farms which were able
to sustain due to the high value of the fruit and nut crops.
The property does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that
appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or national history. Constructed c.1910, the house does not appear
to be a significant example of an architectural type. The simple house is indicative of Folk Victorian single family residential
construction, however it does not appear to be an outstanding example. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess the potential
to yield information important to the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation.
The property retains good integrity, with few visible alterations, still it does not appear to be eligible for the NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14849 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 7 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14849 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 7 *Resource Name or #: 14859 Los Gatos Blvd.
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 14859 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-094 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The property at 18459 Los Gatos Boulevard, a busy four lane thoroughfare, is barely visible from the street, as it is set behind a
wood privacy fence and at a slightly lower elevation. The raised, single-story house is essentially rectangular in plan and features
an asphalt shingle clad hipped roof and stucco clad exterior walls. Vinyl windows punctuate the facades. The site consists of a
landscaped front garden and a gravel drive and lot at the rear the house. A slatted chain-link privacy fence separate the parcel
from the walnut orchard located to the south and west. Finally, a detached stock storage shed stands at the northwest corner of the
house. The house was constructed at the same time as the single family residence directly to the south and the two share several
design characteristics such as: scale, height, roof type, and exterior cladding.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking west to the front of the
house, Image from google maps,
accessed January 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1955
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 7 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 14859 Los Gatos Boulevard
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/postwar vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1955.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: The house stands on the same parcel as a similar adjacent house and a portion of a walnut orchard
occupies the remainder of the large parcel.
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1955 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The property on which the small residence at 14859 Los Gatos Boulevard is located was once part of Mexican-era Rancho
Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria
Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The 6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno,
and portions of Campbell. Its major feature was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14859 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. Leslie Walker’s 54 acre
parcel was located directly north of the Walker Tract Subdivision and south of Myrtle Walker Johnson’s 55 acre parcel.1 The
subject parcel appears to have been within Leslie Walker’s former land holdings and fronts Los Gatos Boulevard.
Los Gatos Boulevard was known as San Jose-Los Gatos Road from the late 1880s through to around 1950. This name derived
simply because the road connected San Jose to Los Gatos. Around 1950 the road name was changed to South Bascom Avenue.
By the early 1970s the road name was changed again to Los Gatos Boulevard. As the road continues north into the San Jose city
limits and past Highway 85 the name remains South Bascom Avenue.
Prior to World War II several families were listed as owning property that was formerly part of Leslie Walker’s landholdings,
also known at Lot D of the Walker Partition and many of those families were listed as living on or running farms in the 1930 and
1940 censuses. Post World War II, Takeo Yuki relocated his family from Salinas to Los Gatos and began purchasing properties
within the Walker Tract and the Walker Partition.
The first recorded deed documenting the Yuki family’s purchase of property in the Los Gatos area was in July 1945. Takeo Yuki
purchased two parcels of land from Victor and Rose Gianandrea on San Jose-Los Gatos Road. In the 1940 census Victor
Gianandrea is listed as an Italian living on and operating a farm. Over the next decade the Yuki family quickly purchased much
of the surrounding property that had previously been part of the Walker Subdivision and Leslie Walker’s land. The family also
purchased a significant amount of property on the other side of Los Gatos Creek as well. Some of the family names they
purchased land from between 1945 – 1963 included: Benzo, Stevens, Noddin, Libby, Fawkner, Sanfilippo, Pasetta, Perry,
Scianna, Tracy, Volz, DeCarlo, Demevi, Greco, and Nigl.2 Several of the listed property owners were Italian farmers, who likely
were instrumental in developing the walnut orchard. Walnuts were not a common crop for Japanese farmers and had not been a
crop in which Takeo Yuki had previously been engaged in growing.3
The Walker Partition remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various
parcels were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building
records until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. No original construction permits were located for the
subject property, but the building does appear on a 1956 aerial photograph. Only recent Los Gatos building permits were located
for the subject property for electrical work, alterations, and new windows. The building appears to have been constructed by the
Yuki family at the same time as the adjacent residence and remains in their ownership.
The Yuki Family
Takeo (Tom) Yuki, the family patriarch was a second-generation Japanese Americans, or Nisei, hailing from the Salinas area in
Monterey County. His parents, Tsurmstsu and Reva Yuki were originally from Hiroshima, Japan and immigrated to California
circa 1899.4 Takeo was raised in a rural area east of Salinas known as Alisal, where his father worked as a farm laborer. In 1931,
two years after establishing his produce business, he married Miyoko Abe and the couple remained in the Salinas area. Miyoko,
who was born in nearby Watsonville in 1913, was also a Nisei with her family originally coming from Kumamoto, Japan. She
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; and Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599. 2 Santa Clara County Recorders Office, deed records for area properties. 3 Personal communications with Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator, March 14, 2013.
4 US Census 1910, Soledad, Monterey, California.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14859 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
and her siblings spent their childhood as migrant farm workers moving often and working jobs in lettuce, strawberries, and
apricots.5 The 1940 census lists the Takeo Yuki as owning his home and farm on Spring School Road in Alisal, which had
previously been listed as Takeo and his family’s place of residence in prior censuses. It is also noted that he worked as a lettuce
grower and shipper.6 Takeo built his business on growing and marketing iceberg lettuce, a relatively unfamiliar vegetable in the
1930s.7 Soon he had developed what was to become the largest Japanese farm enterprise in the region.8
When Japanese Internment took effect the Yuki family, with three children at the time, went to the assembly point in Salinas in
the spring of 1942, and were subsequently interned at a camp in Poston, Arizona near the city of Parker. The family spent three
years in the camp, where Takeo, unable to farm became a cook.9 Toward the end of the war in late 1945, the families were
released from the camps. The Yuki family had been fortunate that Takeo’s business partner Tom Bun was “an honest Caucasian”
who had kept the business going during the war. The two had corresponded throughout the internment by mail.10
Postwar the Yuki family retained ownership of their land in Salinas, however the area was known to be hostile to Japanese
Americans because many of the local residents had fought or died in battle in Japan during the war. Therefore, the Yuki family
purchased property and settled in Los Gatos. The Los Gatos area was close enough for Takeo Yuki to travel frequently to his
property in Salinas and in general the Santa Clara Valley was more welcoming to Japanese American families returning from the
internment camps.11
The family’s property in Los Gatos included what is known as the North 40 area, as well as farmland on the west side of
Highway 17. In the early 1960s Takeo donated a portion of his land on Oka Road for the construction of Ralph O. Berry
Elementary School. (The school remained part of the Los Gatos School District through 1980 and is currently home to the
Yavneh Day School.) Over the years, “Yuki Farms” has primarily functioned as an orchard for growing apricots, prunes, almonds
and mostly walnuts. In 2007, it was noted to be the last orchard of any significant size in Los Gatos.12
The orchard in Los Gatos was the family home, but not the main family enterprise. Takeo Yuki was primarily involved in the
produce business, in particular iceberg lettuce. In Salinas he was co-owner of the Salinas Valley Vegetable Exchange. While he
owned a lot of land in Los Gatos, which served primarily as a walnut orchard, this property was not where his significant wealth
came from. Takeo Yuki owned farm land in Salinas, Imperial Valley and near Phoenix, Arizona.13 He was instrumental in
developing technology to preserve and ship lettuces. When he died in a car accident in 1967, Takeo Yuki was thought to have
been one of the ten wealthiest men in Santa Clara County.14 In addition to his agricultural activities he helped found the San Jose
Savings and Loan Association and was a member of the Buddhist Temple of San Jose and the Japanese-American Citizens
League.15 Miyoko Yuki passed away in 2009. Their children have continued to run the Yuki family enterprises and still own
much land in Los Gatos.
5 Obituary: Miyoko Yuki, San Jose Mercury News, 21 May 2009.
6 US Census, 1940 Salinas, California. 7 Emie Yuki Yamate, “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past,” Mountain Network News, (December 2012):6.
8 Frank J. Taylor, “The People Nobody Wants,” The Saturday Evening Post (May 9, 1942): 24. 9 Yamate, 7. 10 Ibid.; and Taylor. 11 Yamaichi and Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in California’s Santa
Clara Valley (Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985): 123.
12 “5-Story hotel proposed at Lark/Hwy 17,” Los Gatos Observer (June 13, 2007.)
13 “Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer, (November 24, 1967): 1. 14 Yamaichi 15 “Tom Yuki”
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14859 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Findings
The subject building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It does not appear
to have played a significant role in the agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley or in the Japanese American farming context
in the valley. Although the Yuki family was a significant Japanese American farming family living within the valley, their
primary holdings and business ventures were in the Salinas, Monterey County and southern California areas, and while they
maintained the walnut orchard through the years, they did not originally establish it and the majority of the buildings associated
with the orchard were already constructed by 1945. The family does appear to have constructed the subject building, however the
residence does not appear to be directly tied to any significant agricultural context. Likely the home was constructed as a rental
property.
Additionally, the building does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. Takeo Yuki does appear
to have been a significant Japanes American farmer within the Santa Clara Valley, however his primary contributions were not to
the Los Gatos region. Constructed c.1955, the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The
simple house is somewhat indicative of minimal traditional/postwar vernacular single family residential construction, however it
does not appear to be an outstanding example. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess the potential to yield information
important to the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. The property retains fair integrity, with several
alterations including new windows and a possible addition; still it does not appear to be eligible for the NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14859 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 7 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14859 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 7 *Resource Name or #: 14861 Los Gatos Blvd.
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 14861 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-094 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The property at 18461 Los Gatos Boulevard, a busy four lane thoroughfare, is barely visible from the street, as it is set behind a
wood privacy fence and at a slightly lower elevation. The raised, single-story house is L-shaped in plan and features an asphalt
shingle clad hipped roof and stucco clad exterior walls. Vinyl windows punctuate the facades and a small wood deck extends off
the back of the house. The site consists of a landscaped front garden and a gravel drive and lot at the rear the house. A slatted
chain-link privacy fence separate the parcel from the walnut orchard located to the south and west. Finally, a detached stock
storage shed stands at the northeast corner of the lot int eh front yard. The house was constructed at the same time as the single
family residence directly to the north and the two share several design characteristics such as: scale, height, roof type, and exterior
cladding.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking north to the rear corner of
the house from the orchard,
January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c.1955
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 7 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 14861 Los Gatos Boulevard
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/postwar vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1955.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: The house stands on the same parcel as a similar adjacent house and a portion of a walnut orchard
occupies the remainder of the large parcel.
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1955 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The property on which the small residence at 14861 Los Gatos Boulevard is located was once part of Mexican-era Rancho
Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria
Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The 6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno,
and portions of Campbell. Its major feature was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14861 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. Leslie Walker’s 54 acre
parcel was located directly north of the Walker Tract Subdivision and south of Myrtle Walker Johnson’s 55 acre parcel.1 The
subject parcel appears to have been within Leslie Walker’s former land holdings and fronts Los Gatos Boulevard.
Los Gatos Boulevard was known as San Jose-Los Gatos Road from the late 1880s through to around 1950. This name derived
simply because the road connected San Jose to Los Gatos. Around 1950 the road name was changed to South Bascom Avenue.
By the early 1970s the road name was changed again to Los Gatos Boulevard. As the road continues north into the San Jose city
limits and past Highway 85 the name remains South Bascom Avenue.
Prior to World War II several families were listed as owning property that was formerly part of Leslie Walker’s landholdings,
also known at Lot D of the Walker Partition and many of those families were listed as living on or running farms in the 1930 and
1940 censuses. Post World War II, Takeo Yuki relocated his family from Salinas to Los Gatos and began purchasing properties
within the Walker Tract and the Walker Partition.
The first recorded deed documenting the Yuki family’s purchase of property in the Los Gatos area was in July 1945. Takeo Yuki
purchased two parcels of land from Victor and Rose Gianandrea on San Jose-Los Gatos Road. In the 1940 census Victor
Gianandrea is listed as an Italian living on and operating a farm. Over the next decade the Yuki family quickly purchased much
of the surrounding property that had previously been part of the Walker Subdivision and Leslie Walker’s land. The family also
purchased a significant amount of property on the other side of Los Gatos Creek as well. Some of the family names they
purchased land from between 1945 – 1963 included: Benzo, Stevens, Noddin, Libby, Fawkner, Sanfilippo, Pasetta, Perry,
Scianna, Tracy, Volz, DeCarlo, Demevi, Greco, and Nigl.2 Several of the listed property owners were Italian farmers, who likely
were instrumental in developing the walnut orchard. Walnuts were not a common crop for Japanese farmers and had not been a
crop in which Takeo Yuki had previously been engaged in growing.3
The Walker Partition remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various
parcels were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building
records until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. No original construction permits were located for the
subject property, but the building does appear on a 1956 aerial photograph. Only recent Los Gatos building permits were located
for the subject property for electrical work, alterations, and new windows. The building appears to have been constructed by the
Yuki family at the same time as the adjacent residence and remains in their ownership.
The Yuki Family
Takeo (Tom) Yuki, the family patriarch was a second-generation Japanese Americans, or Nisei, hailing from the Salinas area in
Monterey County. His parents, Tsurmstsu and Reva Yuki were originally from Hiroshima, Japan and immigrated to California
circa 1899.4 Takeo was raised in a rural area east of Salinas known as Alisal, where his father worked as a farm laborer. In 1931,
two years after establishing his produce business, he married Miyoko Abe and the couple remained in the Salinas area. Miyoko,
who was born in nearby Watsonville in 1913, was also a Nisei with her family originally coming from Kumamoto, Japan. She
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; and Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599. 2 Santa Clara County Recorders Office, deed records for area properties. 3 Personal communications with Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator, March 14, 2013.
4 US Census 1910, Soledad, Monterey, California.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14861 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
and her siblings spent their childhood as migrant farm workers moving often and working jobs in lettuce, strawberries, and
apricots.5 The 1940 census lists the Takeo Yuki as owning his home and farm on Spring School Road in Alisal, which had
previously been listed as Takeo and his family’s place of residence in prior censuses. It is also noted that he worked as a lettuce
grower and shipper.6 Takeo built his business on growing and marketing iceberg lettuce, a relatively unfamiliar vegetable in the
1930s.7 Soon he had developed what was to become the largest Japanese farm enterprise in the region.8
When Japanese Internment took effect the Yuki family, with three children at the time, went to the assembly point in Salinas in
the spring of 1942, and were subsequently interned at a camp in Poston, Arizona near the city of Parker. The family spent three
years in the camp, where Takeo, unable to farm became a cook.9 Toward the end of the war in late 1945, the families were
released from the camps. The Yuki family had been fortunate that Takeo’s business partner Tom Bun was “an honest Caucasian”
who had kept the business going during the war. The two had corresponded throughout the internment by mail.10
Postwar the Yuki family retained ownership of their land in Salinas, however the area was known to be hostile to Japanese
Americans because many of the local residents had fought or died in battle in Japan during the war. Therefore, the Yuki family
purchased property and settled in Los Gatos. The Los Gatos area was close enough for Takeo Yuki to travel frequently to his
property in Salinas and in general the Santa Clara Valley was more welcoming to Japanese American families returning from the
internment camps.11
The family’s property in Los Gatos included what is known as the North 40 area, as well as farmland on the west side of
Highway 17. In the early 1960s Takeo donated a portion of his land on Oka Road for the construction of Ralph O. Berry
Elementary School. (The school remained part of the Los Gatos School District through 1980 and is currently home to the
Yavneh Day School.) Over the years, “Yuki Farms” has primarily functioned as an orchard for growing apricots, prunes, almonds
and mostly walnuts. In 2007, it was noted to be the last orchard of any significant size in Los Gatos.12
The orchard in Los Gatos was the family home, but not the main family enterprise. Takeo Yuki was primarily involved in the
produce business, in particular iceberg lettuce. In Salinas he was co-owner of the Salinas Valley Vegetable Exchange. While he
owned a lot of land in Los Gatos, which served primarily as a walnut orchard, this property was not where his significant wealth
came from. Takeo Yuki owned farm land in Salinas, Imperial Valley and near Phoenix, Arizona.13 He was instrumental in
developing technology to preserve and ship lettuces. When he died in a car accident in 1967, Takeo Yuki was thought to have
been one of the ten wealthiest men in Santa Clara County.14 In addition to his agricultural activities he helped found the San Jose
Savings and Loan Association and was a member of the Buddhist Temple of San Jose and the Japanese-American Citizens
League.15 Miyoko Yuki passed away in 2009. Their children have continued to run the Yuki family enterprises and still own
much land in Los Gatos.
5 Obituary: Miyoko Yuki, San Jose Mercury News, 21 May 2009.
6 US Census, 1940 Salinas, California. 7 Emie Yuki Yamate, “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past,” Mountain Network News, (December 2012):6.
8 Frank J. Taylor, “The People Nobody Wants,” The Saturday Evening Post (May 9, 1942): 24. 9 Yamate, 7. 10 Ibid.; and Taylor. 11 Yamaichi and Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in California’s Santa
Clara Valley (Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985): 123.
12 “5-Story hotel proposed at Lark/Hwy 17,” Los Gatos Observer (June 13, 2007.)
13 “Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer, (November 24, 1967): 1. 14 Yamaichi 15 “Tom Yuki”
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14861 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Findings
The subject building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It does not appear
to have played a significant role in the agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley or in the Japanese American farming context
in the valley. Although the Yuki family was a significant Japanese American farming family living within the valley, their
primary holdings and business ventures were in the Salinas, Monterey County and southern California areas, and while they
maintained the walnut orchard through the years, they did not originally establish it and the majority of the buildings associated
with the orchard were already constructed by 1945. The family does appear to have constructed the subject building, however the
residence does not appear to be directly tied to any significant agricultural context. Likely the home was constructed as a rental
property.
Additionally, the building does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. Takeo Yuki does appear
to have been a significant Japanes American farmer within the Santa Clara Valley, however his primary contributions were not to
the Los Gatos region. Constructed c.1955, the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The
simple house is somewhat indicative of minimal traditional/postwar vernacular single family residential construction, however it
does not appear to be an outstanding example. Lastly, the house does not appear to possess the potential to yield information
important to the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. The property retains fair integrity, with several
alterations including new windows and a possible addition; still it does not appear to be eligible for the NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14861 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 7 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14861 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 8 *Resource Name or #: 14917 Los Gatos Blvd./Red Barn
P1. Other Identifier: Barn
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 14917 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip: 95032
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-082 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The large one- and two- story barn stands centrally located in the northern section of a large walnut orchard. Three single-family
residential buildings surround the barn; one to the northwest, one to the northeast and one to the east. The site directly in front of
the barn is paved in asphalt and paved asphalt lanes run along the north and west sides of the barn. Two orange trees and small
grassy patch occupy the area directly to south. The building features a divided gable roof with exposed rafter tails clad in
corrugated aluminum. Painted vertical wood boards clad the building’s exterior walls. The front, east façade, features a central
modern roll-up garage door flanked by two multi-lite pedestrian doors, two multi-lite windows, and two more doors and
windows each beneath its own awning. A shed roof, single-story addition extends out to the west. Some original windows have
been replaced with modern aluminum ones.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Ancillary Buildings HP4 (Barns)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking southeast toward the
garage (right) and house (left),
January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1920
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
May 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 8 *NRHP Status Code 3CD
*Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Blvd./Red Barn
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name: Barn
B3. Original Use: Barn B4. Present Use: Barn
*B5. Architectural Style: Early Twentieth Century Agricultural Vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1920
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: The barn stands within a walnut orchard and several other structures are located on the property
including argricultural outbuildings and residences.
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Horticulture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: 1910-1929 Property Type: Barn Applicable Criteria: A/1
The property on which the barn at 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard is located was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de
Los Gatos. The rancho was established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and
Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The 6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of
Campbell. Its major feature was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: May 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 8 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Red Barn
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. Leslie Walker’s 54 acre
parcel was located directly north of the Walker Tract Subdivision and south of Myrtle Walker Johnson’s 55 acre parcel.1 The
subject parcel appears to have been within Leslie Walker’s former land holdings along Los Gatos Boulevard.
Los Gatos Boulevard was known as San Jose-Los Gatos Road from the late 1880s through to around 1950. This name derived
simply because the road connected San Jose to Los Gatos. Around 1950 the road name was changed to South Bascom Avenue.
By the early 1970s the road name was changed again to Los Gatos Boulevard. As the road continues north into the San Jose city
limits and past Highway 85 the name remains South Bascom Avenue.
Prior to World War II several families were listed as owning property that was formerly part of Leslie Walker’s landholdings,
also known at Lot D of the Walker Partition and many of those families were listed as living on or running farms in the 1930 and
1940 censuses. Post World War II, Takeo Yuki relocated his family from Salinas to Los Gatos and began purchasing properties
within the Walker Tract and the Walker Partition.
The first recorded deed documenting the Yuki family’s purchase of property in the Los Gatos area was in July 1945. Takeo Yuki
purchased two parcels of land from Victor and Rose Gianandrea on San Jose-Los Gatos Road. In the 1940 census Victor
Gianandrea is listed as an Italian living on and operating a farm. Over the next decade the Yuki family quickly purchased much
of the surrounding property that had previously been part of the Walker Subdivision and Leslie Walker’s land. The family also
purchased a significant amount of property on the other side of Los Gatos Creek as well. Some of the family names they
purchased land from between 1945 – 1963 included: Benzo, Stevens, Noddin, Libby, Fawkner, Sanfilippo, Pasetta, Perry,
Scianna, Tracy, Volz, DeCarlo, Demevi, Greco, and Nigl.2 Several of the listed property owners were Italian farmers, who likely
were instrumental in developing the walnut orchard. Walnuts were not a common crop for Japanese farmers and had not been a
crop in which Takeo Yuki had previously been engaged in growing.3
The Walker Partition remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various
parcels were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building
records until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. No construction permits were located for the subject
building, but the barn does appear on a 1948 aerial photograph. According to Yuki family the barn was already constructed when
they purchased the property in the late 1940s.4
The Yuki Family
Takeo (Tom) Yuki, the family patriarch was a second-generation Japanese Americans, or Nisei, hailing from the Salinas area in
Monterey County. His parents, Tsurmstsu and Reva Yuki were originally from Hiroshima, Japan and immigrated to California
circa 1899.5 Takeo was raised in a rural area east of Salinas known as Alisal, where his father worked as a farm laborer. In 1931,
two years after establishing his produce business, he married Miyoko Abe and the couple remained in the Salinas area. Miyoko,
who was born in nearby Watsonville in 1913, was also a Nisei with her family originally coming from Kumamoto, Japan. She
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; and Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599. 2 Santa Clara County Recorders Office, deed records for area properties. 3 Personal communications with Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator, March 14, 2013. 4 Personal communications with the Yuki family via email through their property manager, March 6, 2013.
5 US Census 1910, Soledad, Monterey, California.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 8 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Red Barn
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
and her siblings spent their childhood as migrant farm workers moving often and working jobs in lettuce, strawberries, and
apricots.6 The 1940 census lists the Takeo Yuki as owning his home and farm on Spring School Road in Alisal, which had
previously been listed as Takeo and his family’s place of residence in prior censuses. It is also noted that he worked as a lettuce
grower and shipper.7 Takeo built his business on growing and marketing iceberg lettuce, a relatively unfamiliar vegetable in the
1930s.8 Soon he had developed what was to become the largest Japanese farm enterprise in the region.9
When Japanese Internment took effect the Yuki family, with three children at the time, went to the assembly point in Salinas in
the spring of 1942, and were subsequently interned at a camp in Poston, Arizona near the city of Parker. The family spent three
years in the camp, where Takeo, unable to farm became a cook.10 Toward the end of the war in late 1945, the families were
released from the camps. The Yuki family had been fortunate that Takeo’s business partner Tom Bun was “an honest Caucasian”
who had kept the business going during the war. The two had corresponded throughout the internment by mail.11
Postwar the Yuki family retained ownership of their land in Salinas, however the area was known to be hostile to Japanese
Americans because many of the local residents had fought or died in battle in Japan during the war. Therefore, the Yuki family
purchased property and settled in Los Gatos. The Los Gatos area was close enough for Takeo Yuki to travel frequently to his
property in Salinas and in general the Santa Clara Valley was more welcoming to Japanese American families returning from the
internment camps.12
The family’s property in Los Gatos included what is known as the North 40 area, as well as farmland on the west side of
Highway 17. In the early 1960s Takeo donated a portion of his land on Oka Road for the construction of Ralph O. Berry
Elementary School. (The school remained part of the Los Gatos School District through 1980 and is currently home to the
Yavneh Day School.) Over the years, “Yuki Farms” has primarily functioned as an orchard for growing apricots, prunes, almonds
and mostly walnuts. In 2007, it was noted to be the last orchard of any significant size in Los Gatos.13
The orchard in Los Gatos was the family home, but not the main family enterprise. Takeo Yuki was primarily involved in the
produce business, in particular iceberg lettuce. In Salinas he was co-owner of the Salinas Valley Vegetable Exchange. While he
owned a lot of land in Los Gatos, which served primarily as a walnut orchard, this property was not where his significant wealth
came from. Takeo Yuki owned farm land in Salinas, Imperial Valley and near Phoenix, Arizona.14 He was instrumental in
developing technology to preserve and ship lettuces. When he died in a car accident in 1967, Takeo Yuki was thought to have
been one of the ten wealthiest men in Santa Clara County.15 In addition to his agricultural activities he helped found the San Jose
Savings and Loan Association and was a member of the Buddhist Temple of San Jose and the Japanese-American Citizens
League.16 Miyoko Yuki passed away in 2009. Their children have continued to run the Yuki family enterprises and still own
much land in Los Gatos.
6 Obituary: Miyoko Yuki, San Jose Mercury News, 21 May 2009.
7 US Census, 1940 Salinas, California. 8 Emie Yuki Yamate, “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past,” Mountain Network News, (December 2012):6.
9 Frank J. Taylor, “The People Nobody Wants,” The Saturday Evening Post (May 9, 1942): 24. 10 Yamate, 7. 11 Ibid.; and Taylor. 12 Yamaichi and Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in California’s Santa
Clara Valley (Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985): 123.
13 “5-Story hotel proposed at Lark/Hwy 17,” Los Gatos Observer (June 13, 2007.)
14 “Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer, (November 24, 1967): 1. 15 Yamaichi 16 “Tom Yuki”
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 8 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Red Barn
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Horticulture in the Santa Clara Valley
After first being a Spanish colony and then a Mexican territory, the region was officially acquired by the United States in 1848
following the war with Mexico. Shortly after, in 1850, California achieved statehood, Santa Clara was established as a county, and
the largest development within Santa Clara County, San Jose, was named the state capital. The region began developing rapidly
both as a political and commercial center, after the discovery of gold in California in 1849. Santa Clara County offered the last
urban area on the route to the southern Mother Lode.
Prior to the California Gold Rush of 1849 the sparsely settled Santa Clara Valley landscape was one of the Mexican‐era land grant
system with missions and ranchos. The vastly undeveloped land was used primarily to graze cattle, and the only farms of note
were small subsistence gardens kept by residents or missionaries. Organized farming in the area began as Americans took control
of the land and realized its commercial potential.17 Further, with the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill many local settlers first left
for the mountains to mine, and then soon realized they could additionally profit from feeding the masses of miners. Property
owners began raising grains and quickly discovered the rich quality of soil available to them within the Santa Clara Valley. Over
the next two decades the land was subdivided from the large family‐held tracts into smaller parcels for individual settlements and
farms. At the end of the 19th century the number of small farms in Santa Clara County exploded from approximately 700 in 1880 to
over 3,000 by 1900.18
Grains, namely wheat, barley, and oats, were the primary investment crop during the valley’s first agricultural phase. Wheat was
very easy to cultivate with little capital investment due to the high fertility of the soil in the valley. By 1854, Santa Clara County
was producing thirty percent of California’s total wheat crop.19
In the subsequent decades several factors led to the transition from grains to fruit. First, through various farmers experimenting in
growing fruit trees, it became increasingly evident that the soil and climate were favorable to producing these more delicate and
profitable crops. Second, the development of the railroad in the 1860s allowed for the shipping of produce to distant markets.
Third, the establishment of canning methods and canneries allowed for the product to be preserved. Finally, the abundant and
accessible water supply throughout the valley was fundamental in growth of orchards. By the beginning of the Twentieth Century,
fruit farming had replaced the majority of grain farms in Santa Clara County.20
Fruit farming in the Santa Clara Valley was an enormous success. The area became known as the “Valley of Heart’s Delight” and
reached its agricultural peak in the late 1920s. During this period the number of fruit orchards rapidly increased. Large farms that
evolved in the nineteenth century out of the ranchos were no longer necessary with the increased ratio to crop value to land unit.
Large farmlands were subdivided into highly specialized farms that were significantly smaller in scale than the previous ranches
and grain fields. The typical fruit farm ranged from just three to fifty acres, thereby affording the opportunity to farm to a greater
population.21
Interest in fruit farming, and agriculture in general, in the area began to decline in the 1930s.22 The trend away from agriculture
came in part from Great Depression and in part from rise in new high‐technology research in the region that would escalate
through World War II and the home front mobilization effort. The business community began actively campaigning to attract new
non‐agricultural related industries, and soon numerous industries established plants within the County. The establishment of
17 Clyde Arbuckle, History of San Jose (San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986): 153.
18 Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in California’s Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino,
CA: California History Center, 1985): 15.
19 County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement, 38.
20 Ibid., 15‐16.
21 County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement, 59.
22 Arbuckle, 163.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 8 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Red Barn
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
these companies necessitated new residential and commercial construction. Suburban growth quickly took over the agricultural
lands. The focus on high‐technology, electronics, and industry has continued through to today and Santa Clara County is now
known worldwide as “Silicon Valley” for its significant technological advancements.
Horticulture and the North 40
Following the historical trend of the rest of the Santa Clara Valley, the North 40 area was transformed into a thriving orchard by
the Walker family in the late 1800s. The use of the land for orchards continued after the land was subdivided into smaller parcels
in the 1910s and 1920s. During the 1920s the Valley’s fruit production peaked and it appears that the orchards at the North 40 were
also successful prior to the onset of the depression. Unlike the rest of the Valley, the postwar suburban growth of the North 40 site
did not completely engulf the existing orchards. While a small portion of area was developed for single‐family homes, the majority
of the area remained orchards for the rest of the twentieth century, due to the Yuki family’s stewardship. Several notable
developments have encroached on the site including the construction of the Highway 17, State Route 85 and numerous
commercial projects along Los Gatos Boulevard. Nonetheless, the majority of the North 40 site maintains one of the last vestiges of
the heyday of the “Valley of Heart’s Delight.” Remaining resources from the era include the orchard which covers a majority of
the site and approximately ten buildings which appear to date to the sites prewar era.
Findings
The subject building appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1 as a contributing structure to
a potentially eligible historic district. The property maintains a strong association with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of
horticultural production from 1910-1929. This barn was part of the early development of the North Forty property when it was
subdivided into smaller parcels that were developed into family orchards.
The building does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. The Gianandrea family does not
appear to be of significant importance to the Los Gates region. Further, Takeo Yuki does appear to have been a significant
Japanese American farmer within the Santa Clara Valley, however his primary contributions were not to the Los Gatos region.
Constructed c.1920, the barn does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The barn represents a typical
vernacular agricultural building of the early twentieth century. Lastly, the barn does not appear to possess the potential to yield
information important to the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation.
The building retains a fair level of integrity, with an addition at the rear and several windows having been replaced.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 7 of 8 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Red Barn
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 8 of 8 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Red Barn
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 7 *Resource Name or #: 14917 Los Gatos Blvd./Barns
P1. Other Identifier: Barns
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 14917 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-082 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
Two single-story barns, both rectangular in plan, stand at the western edge of a large walnut orchard near a freeway off-ramp. The
two buildings were relocated in 1991 to accommodate the new freeway off-ramp to the west. Both wood-frame buildings feature
gable roofs clad in corrugated aluminum and exterior wall clad in vertical board and batten siding. Open bays punctuate both
buildings on the eastern sides. The smaller barn to the north maintains fixed aluminum frame windows in several locations and a
modern roll-up garage door in its northern façade
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Ancillary Buildings HP4 (Barns)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking southeast toward the
garage (right) and house (left),
January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1965; Moved 1991
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 7 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Blvd./Barns
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name: Barn
B3. Original Use: Barn B4. Present Use: Barn
*B5. Architectural Style: Mid Twentieth Century Agricultural vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1965.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: 1991 Original Location: Northwest on the same property
*B8. Related Features: The barns stands at the west end of a walnut orchard and several other structures are located on the
property including argricultural outbuildings and residences.
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture/Japanese American Farming Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1965 Property Type: Barn Applicable Criteria: N/A
The property on which the barns at 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard is located was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de
Los Gatos. The rancho was established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and
Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The 6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of
Campbell. Its major feature was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Barns
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. Leslie Walker’s 54 acre
parcel was located directly north of the Walker Tract Subdivision and south of Myrtle Walker Johnson’s 55 acre parcel.1 The
subject parcel appears to have been within Leslie Walker’s former land holdings along Los Gatos Boulevard.
Los Gatos Boulevard was known as San Jose-Los Gatos Road from the late 1880s through to around 1950. This name derived
simply because the road connected San Jose to Los Gatos. Around 1950 the road name was changed to South Bascom Avenue.
By the early 1970s the road name was changed again to Los Gatos Boulevard. As the road continues north into the San Jose city
limits and past Highway 85 the name remains South Bascom Avenue.
Prior to World War II several families were listed as owning property that was formerly part of Leslie Walker’s landholdings,
also known at Lot D of the Walker Partition and many of those families were listed as living on or running farms in the 1930 and
1940 censuses. Post World War II, Takeo Yuki relocated his family from Salinas to Los Gatos and began purchasing properties
within the Walker Tract and the Walker Partition.
The first recorded deed documenting the Yuki family’s purchase of property in the Los Gatos area was in July 1945. Takeo Yuki
purchased two parcels of land from Victor and Rose Gianandrea on San Jose-Los Gatos Road. In the 1940 census Victor
Gianandrea is listed as an Italian living on and operating a farm. Over the next decade the Yuki family quickly purchased much
of the surrounding property that had previously been part of the Walker Subdivision and Leslie Walker’s land. The family also
purchased a significant amount of property on the other side of Los Gatos Creek as well. Some of the family names they
purchased land from between 1945 – 1963 included: Benzo, Stevens, Noddin, Libby, Fawkner, Sanfilippo, Pasetta, Perry,
Scianna, Tracy, Volz, DeCarlo, Demevi, Greco, and Nigl.2 Several of the listed property owners were Italian farmers, who likely
were instrumental in developing the walnut orchard. Walnuts were not a common crop for Japanese farmers and had not been a
crop in which Takeo Yuki had previously been engaged in growing.3
The Walker Partition remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various
parcels were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building
records until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. No original construction permits were located for the
subject buildings, but the barns first appear on an aerial photograph in 1968. In 1991 Yuki Farms took out a permit through the
county to relocate the two barns, in order to accommodate for the new connector being constructed between Highway 17 and
Highway 85. The buildings were relocated to the southeast and installed onto new concrete foundations. Additionally a section of
the southern barn was demolished.
The Yuki Family
Takeo (Tom) Yuki, the family patriarch was a second-generation Japanese Americans, or Nisei, hailing from the Salinas area in
Monterey County. His parents, Tsurmstsu and Reva Yuki were originally from Hiroshima, Japan and immigrated to California
circa 1899.4 Takeo was raised in a rural area east of Salinas known as Alisal, where his father worked as a farm laborer. In 1931,
two years after establishing his produce business, he married Miyoko Abe and the couple remained in the Salinas area. Miyoko,
who was born in nearby Watsonville in 1913, was also a Nisei with her family originally coming from Kumamoto, Japan. She
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; and Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599. 2 Santa Clara County Recorders Office, deed records for area properties. 3 Personal communications with Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator, March 14, 2013.
4 US Census 1910, Soledad, Monterey, California.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Barns
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
and her siblings spent their childhood as migrant farm workers moving often and working jobs in lettuce, strawberries, and
apricots.5 The 1940 census lists the Takeo Yuki as owning his home and farm on Spring School Road in Alisal, which had
previously been listed as Takeo and his family’s place of residence in prior censuses. It is also noted that he worked as a lettuce
grower and shipper.6 Takeo built his business on growing and marketing iceberg lettuce, a relatively unfamiliar vegetable in the
1930s.7 Soon he had developed what was to become the largest Japanese farm enterprise in the region.8
When Japanese Internment took effect the Yuki family, with three children at the time, went to the assembly point in Salinas in
the spring of 1942, and was subsequently interned at a camp in Poston, Arizona near the city of Parker. The family spent three
years in the camp, where Takeo, unable to farm became a cook.9 Toward the end of the war in late 1945, the families were
released from the camps. The Yuki family had been fortunate that Takeo’s business partner Tom Bun was “an honest Caucasian”
who had kept the business going during the war. The two had corresponded throughout the internment by mail.10
Postwar the Yuki family retained ownership of their land in Salinas, however the area was known to be hostile to Japanese
Americans because many of the local residents had fought or died in battle in Japan during the war. Therefore, the Yuki family
purchased property and settled in Los Gatos. The Los Gatos area was close enough for Takeo Yuki to travel frequently to his
property in Salinas and in general the Santa Clara Valley was more welcoming to Japanese American families returning from the
internment camps.11
The family’s property in Los Gatos included what is known as the North 40 area, as well as farmland on the west side of
Highway 17. In the early 1960s Takeo donated a portion of his land on Oka Road for the construction of Ralph O. Berry
Elementary School. (The school remained part of the Los Gatos School District through 1980 and is currently home to the
Yavneh Day School.) Over the years, “Yuki Farms” has primarily functioned as an orchard for growing apricots, prunes, almonds
and mostly walnuts. In 2007, it was noted to be the last orchard of any significant size in Los Gatos.12
The orchard in Los Gatos was the family home, but not the main family enterprise. Takeo Yuki was primarily involved in the
produce business, in particular iceberg lettuce. In Salinas he was co-owner of the Salinas Valley Vegetable Exchange. While he
owned a lot of land in Los Gatos, which served primarily as a walnut orchard, this property was not where his significant wealth
came from. Takeo Yuki owned farm land in Salinas, Imperial Valley and near Phoenix, Arizona.13 He was instrumental in
developing technology to preserve and ship lettuces. When he died in a car accident in 1967, Takeo Yuki was thought to have
been one of the ten wealthiest men in Santa Clara County.14 In addition to his agricultural activities he helped found the San Jose
Savings and Loan Association and was a member of the Buddhist Temple of San Jose and the Japanese-American Citizens
League.15 Miyoko Yuki passed away in 2009. Their children have continued to run the Yuki family enterprises and still own
much land in Los Gatos.
5 Obituary: Miyoko Yuki, San Jose Mercury News, 21 May 2009.
6 US Census, 1940 Salinas, California. 7 Emie Yuki Yamate, “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past,” Mountain Network News, (December 2012):6.
8 Frank J. Taylor, “The People Nobody Wants,” The Saturday Evening Post (May 9, 1942): 24. 9 Yamate, 7. 10 Ibid.; and Taylor. 11 Yamaichi and Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in California’s Santa
Clara Valley (Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985): 123.
12 “5-Story hotel proposed at Lark/Hwy 17,” Los Gatos Observer (June 13, 2007.)
13 “Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer, (November 24, 1967): 1. 14 Yamaichi 15 “Tom Yuki”
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Barns
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Findings
The subject buildings do not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR foremost because they were removed
from their original location and they do not appear to meet Criteria Consideration B which would allow a structure to still be
considered primarily for its architectural value, or if it is the surviving structure most importantly associated with a historic
person or event. The barns are typical agricultural buildings and do not exemplify an architectural type. Nor does it appear that
these structures are most importantly associated with a historic person or event. Although the buildings were constructed by the
Yuki family who were a significant Japanese American farming family living within the valley, the family’s primary holdings
and business ventures were in the Monterey County and southern California areas, and the barns are not significantly associated
with the family.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Barns
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 7 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Barns
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 7 *Resource Name or #: 14917 Los Gatos Blvd./Cottage
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 14917 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-081 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The cottage/storage building at 14917 Los Gatos Blvd. (formerly known as 14927 South Bascom Ave.) stands centrally located
within the northern section of a large walnut orchard and directly behind the main single-family residence. Two additional
residences are located to the southeast and another stands to the northwest. The cottage was moved to its current location
sometime after the main house was constructed in 1971. The small building is rectangular in plan and features a wood shingle-clad
gable roof over the main section with a shed roof addition at the southeast corner. Horizontal wood siding clads the exterior walls
and several paired three-lite casement windows and one aluminum slider punctuate the exterior. An eight-lite over three-panel
wood door is located in the center of the north façade.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Ancillary Building HP4 (Cottage)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking northwest toward the
main entrance, January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1930; moved c. 1972
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 7 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Blvd./Cottage
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name: Cottage
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Storage
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/Vernacular cottage
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1930.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: c.1972 Original Location: On the same property
*B8. Related Features: The cottage stands directly behind the main house constructed in 1969 and surround by a walnut
orchard. Several other structures are located on the property including argricultural outbuildings and residences.
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture/Japanese American Farming Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: N/A Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The property on which the cottage at 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard is located was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de
Los Gatos. The rancho was established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and
Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The 6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of
Campbell. Its major feature was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Cottage
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. Leslie Walker’s 54 acre
parcel was located directly north of the Walker Tract Subdivision and south of Myrtle Walker Johnson’s 55 acre parcel.1 The
subject parcel appears to have been within Leslie Walker’s former land holdings along Los Gatos Boulevard.
Los Gatos Boulevard was known as San Jose-Los Gatos Road from the late 1880s through to around 1950. This name derived
simply because the road connected San Jose to Los Gatos. Around 1950 the road name was changed to South Bascom Avenue.
By the early 1970s the road name was changed again to Los Gatos Boulevard. As the road continues north into the San Jose city
limits and past Highway 85 the name remains South Bascom Avenue.
Prior to World War II several families were listed as owning property that was formerly part of Leslie Walker’s landholdings,
also known at Lot D of the Walker Partition and many of those families were listed as living on or running farms in the 1930 and
1940 censuses. Post World War II, Takeo Yuki relocated his family from Salinas to Los Gatos and began purchasing properties
within the Walker Tract and the Walker Partition.
The first recorded deed documenting the Yuki family’s purchase of property in the Los Gatos area was in July 1945. Takeo Yuki
purchased two parcels of land from Victor and Rose Gianandrea on San Jose-Los Gatos Road. In the 1940 census Victor
Gianandrea is listed as an Italian living on and operating a farm. Over the next decade the Yuki family quickly purchased much
of the surrounding property that had previously been part of the Walker Subdivision and Leslie Walker’s land. The family also
purchased a significant amount of property on the other side of Los Gatos Creek as well. Some of the family names they
purchased land from between 1945 – 1963 included: Benzo, Stevens, Noddin, Libby, Fawkner, Sanfilippo, Pasetta, Perry,
Scianna, Tracy, Volz, DeCarlo, Demevi, Greco, and Nigl.2 Several of the listed property owners were Italian farmers, who likely
were instrumental in developing the walnut orchard. Walnuts were not a common crop for Japanese farmers and had not been a
crop in which Takeo Yuki had previously been engaged in growing.3
The Walker Partition remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various
parcels were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building
records until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. No permits were located for the subject buildings, but
the architectural drawings from 1971, on file in the County Planning Office, indicate the the building had not yet been relocated
to its current position.4
The Yuki Family
Takeo (Tom) Yuki, the family patriarch was a second-generation Japanese Americans, or Nisei, hailing from the Salinas area in
Monterey County. His parents, Tsurmstsu and Reva Yuki were originally from Hiroshima, Japan and immigrated to California
circa 1899.5 Takeo was raised in a rural area east of Salinas known as Alisal, where his father worked as a farm laborer. In 1931,
two years after establishing his produce business, he married Miyoko Abe and the couple remained in the Salinas area. Miyoko,
who was born in nearby Watsonville in 1913, was also a Nisei with her family originally coming from Kumamoto, Japan. She
and her siblings spent their childhood as migrant farm workers moving often and working jobs in lettuce, strawberries, and
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; and Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599. 2 Santa Clara County Recorders Office, deed records for area properties. 3 Personal communications with Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator, March 14, 2013. 4 County of Santa Clara Planning Department, Planning File 71M11.599.
5 US Census 1910, Soledad, Monterey, California.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Cottage
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
apricots.6 The 1940 census lists the Takeo Yuki as owning his home and farm on Spring School Road in Alisal, which had
previously been listed as Takeo and his family’s place of residence in prior censuses. It is also noted that he worked as a lettuce
grower and shipper.7 Takeo built his business on growing and marketing iceberg lettuce, a relatively unfamiliar vegetable in the
1930s.8 Soon he had developed what was to become the largest Japanese farm enterprise in the region.9
When Japanese Internment took effect the Yuki family, with three children at the time, went to the assembly point in Salinas in
the spring of 1942, and was subsequently interned at a camp in Poston, Arizona near the city of Parker. The family spent three
years in the camp, where Takeo, unable to farm became a cook.10 Toward the end of the war in late 1945, the families were
released from the camps. The Yuki family had been fortunate that Takeo’s business partner Tom Bun was “an honest Caucasian”
who had kept the business going during the war. The two had corresponded throughout the internment by mail.11
Postwar the Yuki family retained ownership of their land in Salinas, however the area was known to be hostile to Japanese
Americans because many of the local residents had fought or died in battle in Japan during the war. Therefore, the Yuki family
purchased property and settled in Los Gatos. The Los Gatos area was close enough for Takeo Yuki to travel frequently to his
property in Salinas and in general the Santa Clara Valley was more welcoming to Japanese American families returning from the
internment camps.12
The family’s property in Los Gatos included what is known as the North 40 area, as well as farmland on the west side of
Highway 17. In the early 1960s Takeo donated a portion of his land on Oka Road for the construction of Ralph O. Berry
Elementary School. (The school remained part of the Los Gatos School District through 1980 and is currently home to the
Yavneh Day School.) Over the years, “Yuki Farms” has primarily functioned as an orchard for growing apricots, prunes, almonds
and mostly walnuts. In 2007, it was noted to be the last orchard of any significant size in Los Gatos.13
The orchard in Los Gatos was the family home, but not the main family enterprise. Takeo Yuki was primarily involved in the
produce business, in particular iceberg lettuce. In Salinas he was co-owner of the Salinas Valley Vegetable Exchange. While he
owned a lot of land in Los Gatos, which served primarily as a walnut orchard, this property was not where his significant wealth
came from. Takeo Yuki owned farm land in Salinas, Imperial Valley and near Phoenix, Arizona.14 He was instrumental in
developing technology to preserve and ship lettuces. When he died in a car accident in 1967, Takeo Yuki was thought to have
been one of the ten wealthiest men in Santa Clara County.15 In addition to his agricultural activities he helped found the San Jose
Savings and Loan Association and was a member of the Buddhist Temple of San Jose and the Japanese-American Citizens
League.16 Miyoko Yuki passed away in 2009. Their children have continued to run the Yuki family enterprises and still own
much land in Los Gatos.
6 Obituary: Miyoko Yuki, San Jose Mercury News, 21 May 2009.
7 US Census, 1940 Salinas, California. 8 Emie Yuki Yamate, “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past,” Mountain Network News, (December 2012):6.
9 Frank J. Taylor, “The People Nobody Wants,” The Saturday Evening Post (May 9, 1942): 24. 10 Yamate, 7. 11 Ibid.; and Taylor. 12 Yamaichi and Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in California’s Santa
Clara Valley (Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985): 123.
13 “5-Story hotel proposed at Lark/Hwy 17,” Los Gatos Observer (June 13, 2007.)
14 “Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer, (November 24, 1967): 1. 15 Yamaichi 16 “Tom Yuki”
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Cottage
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Findings
The subject building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR because it was moved from their original
location and it does not appear to meet Criteria Consideration B which would allow a structure to still be considered primarily for
its architectural value, or if it is the surviving structure most importantly associated with a historic person or event. The cottage is
a simple vernacular type, and while it maintains some characteristic of the Minimal Traditional style, it does not truly exemplify
an architectural type. Nor does it appear that this building is most importantly associated with a historic person or event.
Although, the building maintains an association with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of horticultural production from 1910-1929, it
remains ineligible as a contributor to the potential historic district because it was moved.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Cottage
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 7 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Cottage
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 7 *Resource Name or #: 14917 Los Gatos Blvd./Main House
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 14917 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-081 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The single family residence at 14917 Los Gatos Blvd. (formerly known as 14927 South Bascom Ave.) stands centrally located within
the northern section of a large walnut orchard. Two additional residences are located southeast of the house and another stands to
the northwest. Other buildings nearby on the site include a large barn to the southwest and a small cottage/storage building to the
northeast, which was moved to its current location sometime after the main house was constructed in 1971. The building is Z-
shaped in plan and is both one and two stories at varying locations. The house was designed by Bruno & Kobashi, AIA Architects
of San Jose and is typical suburban residential style of the early 1970s. The building features cross-gable roofs with overhanging
eaves, vertical board and batten siding and vinyl sliding windows. The house maintains an attached two-car garage at the east
side.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking northwest toward the
main entrance, January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
1971
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 7 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Blvd./Main House
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name: Miyoko Yuki Residence
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Contemporary
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed 1971
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: The residence stands within a walnut orchard and several other structures are located on the property
including argricultural outbuildings and residences.
B9a. Architect: Bruno & Kobashi, AIA (John Kobashi) b. Builder: John Kochever & Son
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture/Japanese American Farming Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: N/A Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The property on which the residence at 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard is located was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada
de Los Gatos. The rancho was established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and
Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The 6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of
Campbell. Its major feature was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Main Residence
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. Leslie Walker’s 54 acre
parcel was located directly north of the Walker Tract Subdivision and south of Myrtle Walker Johnson’s 55 acre parcel.1 The
subject parcel appears to have been within Leslie Walker’s former land holdings along Los Gatos Boulevard.
Los Gatos Boulevard was known as San Jose-Los Gatos Road from the late 1880s through to around 1950. This name derived
simply because the road connected San Jose to Los Gatos. Around 1950 the road name was changed to South Bascom Avenue.
By the early 1970s the road name was changed again to Los Gatos Boulevard. As the road continues north into the San Jose city
limits and past Highway 85 the name remains South Bascom Avenue.
Prior to World War II several families were listed as owning property that was formerly part of Leslie Walker’s landholdings,
also known at Lot D of the Walker Partition and many of those families were listed as living on or running farms in the 1930 and
1940 censuses. Post World War II, Takeo Yuki relocated his family from Salinas to Los Gatos and began purchasing properties
within the Walker Tract and the Walker Partition.
The first recorded deed documenting the Yuki family’s purchase of property in the Los Gatos area was in July 1945. Takeo Yuki
purchased two parcels of land from Victor and Rose Gianandrea on San Jose-Los Gatos Road. In the 1940 census Victor
Gianandrea is listed as an Italian living on and operating a farm. Over the next decade the Yuki family quickly purchased much
of the surrounding property that had previously been part of the Walker Subdivision and Leslie Walker’s land. The family also
purchased a significant amount of property on the other side of Los Gatos Creek as well. Some of the family names they
purchased land from between 1945 – 1963 included: Benzo, Stevens, Noddin, Libby, Fawkner, Sanfilippo, Pasetta, Perry,
Scianna, Tracy, Volz, DeCarlo, Demevi, Greco, and Nigl.2 Several of the listed property owners were Italian farmers, who likely
were instrumental in developing the walnut orchard. Walnuts were not a common crop for Japanese farmers and had not been a
crop in which Takeo Yuki had previously been engaged in growing.3
The Walker Partition remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various
parcels were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building
records until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. A county permit for the construction of a new two
story, single-family house was issues to Miyoko Yuki in 1971. Additionally, there is an extensive county planning file addressing
the construction of an access drive from Los Gatos Boulevard.4
The Yuki Family
Takeo (Tom) Yuki, the family patriarch was a second-generation Japanese Americans, or Nisei, hailing from the Salinas area in
Monterey County. His parents, Tsurmstsu and Reva Yuki were originally from Hiroshima, Japan and immigrated to California
circa 1899.5 Takeo was raised in a rural area east of Salinas known as Alisal, where his father worked as a farm laborer. In 1931,
two years after establishing his produce business, he married Miyoko Abe and the couple remained in the Salinas area. Miyoko,
who was born in nearby Watsonville in 1913, was also a Nisei with her family originally coming from Kumamoto, Japan. She
and her siblings spent their childhood as migrant farm workers moving often and working jobs in lettuce, strawberries, and
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; and Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599. 2 Santa Clara County Recorders Office, deed records for area properties. 3 Personal communications with Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator, March 14, 2013. 4 County of Santa Clara Planning Department, Planning File 71M11.599.
5 US Census 1910, Soledad, Monterey, California.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Main Residence
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
apricots.6 The 1940 census lists the Takeo Yuki as owning his home and farm on Spring School Road in Alisal, which had
previously been listed as Takeo and his family’s place of residence in prior censuses. It is also noted that he worked as a lettuce
grower and shipper.7 Takeo built his business on growing and marketing iceberg lettuce, a relatively unfamiliar vegetable in the
1930s.8 Soon he had developed what was to become the largest Japanese farm enterprise in the region.9
When Japanese Internment took effect the Yuki family, with three children at the time, went to the assembly point in Salinas in
the spring of 1942, and was subsequently interned at a camp in Poston, Arizona near the city of Parker. The family spent three
years in the camp, where Takeo, unable to farm became a cook.10 Toward the end of the war in late 1945, the families were
released from the camps. The Yuki family had been fortunate that Takeo’s business partner Tom Bun was “an honest Caucasian”
who had kept the business going during the war. The two had corresponded throughout the internment by mail.11
Postwar the Yuki family retained ownership of their land in Salinas, however the area was known to be hostile to Japanese
Americans because many of the local residents had fought or died in battle in Japan during the war. Therefore, the Yuki family
purchased property and settled in Los Gatos. The Los Gatos area was close enough for Takeo Yuki to travel frequently to his
property in Salinas and in general the Santa Clara Valley was more welcoming to Japanese American families returning from the
internment camps.12
The family’s property in Los Gatos included what is known as the North 40 area, as well as farmland on the west side of
Highway 17. In the early 1960s Takeo donated a portion of his land on Oka Road for the construction of Ralph O. Berry
Elementary School. (The school remained part of the Los Gatos School District through 1980 and is currently home to the
Yavneh Day School.) Over the years, “Yuki Farms” has primarily functioned as an orchard for growing apricots, prunes, almonds
and mostly walnuts. In 2007, it was noted to be the last orchard of any significant size in Los Gatos.13
The orchard in Los Gatos was the family home, but not the main family enterprise. Takeo Yuki was primarily involved in the
produce business, in particular iceberg lettuce. In Salinas he was co-owner of the Salinas Valley Vegetable Exchange. While he
owned a lot of land in Los Gatos, which served primarily as a walnut orchard, this property was not where his significant wealth
came from. Takeo Yuki owned farm land in Salinas, Imperial Valley and near Phoenix, Arizona.14 He was instrumental in
developing technology to preserve and ship lettuces. When he died in a car accident in 1967, Takeo Yuki was thought to have
been one of the ten wealthiest men in Santa Clara County.15 In addition to his agricultural activities he helped found the San Jose
Savings and Loan Association and was a member of the Buddhist Temple of San Jose and the Japanese-American Citizens
League.16 Miyoko Yuki passed away in 2009. Their children have continued to run the Yuki family enterprises and still own
much land in Los Gatos.
6 Obituary: Miyoko Yuki, San Jose Mercury News, 21 May 2009.
7 US Census, 1940 Salinas, California. 8 Emie Yuki Yamate, “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past,” Mountain Network News, (December 2012):6.
9 Frank J. Taylor, “The People Nobody Wants,” The Saturday Evening Post (May 9, 1942): 24. 10 Yamate, 7. 11 Ibid.; and Taylor. 12 Yamaichi and Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in California’s Santa
Clara Valley (Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985): 123.
13 “5-Story hotel proposed at Lark/Hwy 17,” Los Gatos Observer (June 13, 2007.)
14 “Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer, (November 24, 1967): 1. 15 Yamaichi 16 “Tom Yuki”
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Main Residence
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Findings
The subject building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR foremost because it was constructed in
1971 and it does not appear to meet Criteria Consideration G which would allow a property to achieve significance within the
past 50 years if it is of exceptional importance. The building does not appear to be of exceptional importance under any of the
registration criteria.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Main Residence
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 7 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Main Residence
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 7 *Resource Name or #: 14917 Los Gatos Blvd./Green Cottage
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 14917 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-081 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The vacant former single family house at 14917 Los Gatos Blvd. (formerly known as 14927 South Bascom Ave.) stands within the
northeastern section of a large walnut orchard which maintains several other residential and agricultural buildings to the west.
The single-story building is rectangular in plan with an asphalt shingle-clad gable roof and two small gable-roofed projections
over the front and side entrances. Horizontal wood siding of varying widths clads the exterior walls. Numerous original wood
double-hung and casement windows, as well as aluminum replacement windows, punctuate the building facades, and three wood
doors of varying types open into the building on all but the north façade. Overall, the building is in very poor condition.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking southeast toward the
garage (right) and house (left),
January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1930
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 7 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Blvd./Green Cottage
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name: Cottage
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Vacant
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/Vernacular cottage
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1930.
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: unknown Original Location: On the same property
*B8. Related Features: The cottage stands surrounded by a walnut orchard. Several other structures are located on the property
including argricultural outbuildings and residences.
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture/Japanese American Farming Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: N/A Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The property on which the cottage at 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard is located was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de
Los Gatos. The rancho was established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and
Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The 6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of
Campbell. Its major feature was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Green Cottage
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. Leslie Walker’s 54 acre
parcel was located directly north of the Walker Tract Subdivision and south of Myrtle Walker Johnson’s 55 acre parcel.1 The
subject parcel appears to have been within Leslie Walker’s former land holdings along Los Gatos Boulevard.
Los Gatos Boulevard was known as San Jose-Los Gatos Road from the late 1880s through to around 1950. This name derived
simply because the road connected San Jose to Los Gatos. Around 1950 the road name was changed to South Bascom Avenue.
By the early 1970s the road name was changed again to Los Gatos Boulevard. As the road continues north into the San Jose city
limits and past Highway 85 the name remains South Bascom Avenue.
Prior to World War II several families were listed as owning property that was formerly part of Leslie Walker’s landholdings,
also known at Lot D of the Walker Partition and many of those families were listed as living on or running farms in the 1930 and
1940 censuses. Post World War II, Takeo Yuki relocated his family from Salinas to Los Gatos and began purchasing properties
within the Walker Tract and the Walker Partition.
The first recorded deed documenting the Yuki family’s purchase of property in the Los Gatos area was in July 1945. Takeo Yuki
purchased two parcels of land from Victor and Rose Gianandrea on San Jose-Los Gatos Road. In the 1940 census Victor
Gianandrea is listed as an Italian living on and operating a farm. Over the next decade the Yuki family quickly purchased much
of the surrounding property that had previously been part of the Walker Subdivision and Leslie Walker’s land. The family also
purchased a significant amount of property on the other side of Los Gatos Creek as well. Some of the family names they
purchased land from between 1945 – 1963 included: Benzo, Stevens, Noddin, Libby, Fawkner, Sanfilippo, Pasetta, Perry,
Scianna, Tracy, Volz, DeCarlo, Demevi, Greco, and Nigl.2 Several of the listed property owners were Italian farmers, who likely
were instrumental in developing the walnut orchard. Walnuts were not a common crop for Japanese farmers and had not been a
crop in which Takeo Yuki had previously been engaged in growing.3
The Walker Partition remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various
parcels were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building
records until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. No permits were located for the subject buildings, but
it does appear on a 1948 aerial. Personal communitcations with the Yuki family indicated that the building once housed Masato
Yuki, Takeo’s brother, and that the building was relocated at some time.4
The Yuki Family
Takeo (Tom) Yuki, the family patriarch was a second-generation Japanese Americans, or Nisei, hailing from the Salinas area in
Monterey County. His parents, Tsurmstsu and Reva Yuki were originally from Hiroshima, Japan and immigrated to California
circa 1899.5 Takeo was raised in a rural area east of Salinas known as Alisal, where his father worked as a farm laborer. In 1931,
two years after establishing his produce business, he married Miyoko Abe and the couple remained in the Salinas area. Miyoko,
who was born in nearby Watsonville in 1913, was also a Nisei with her family originally coming from Kumamoto, Japan. She
and her siblings spent their childhood as migrant farm workers moving often and working jobs in lettuce, strawberries, and
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; and Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599. 2 Santa Clara County Recorders Office, deed records for area properties. 3 Personal communications with Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator, March 14, 2013. 4 Personal communications with the Yuki family via email through their property manager, March 6, 2013.
5 US Census 1910, Soledad, Monterey, California.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Green Cottage
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
apricots.6 The 1940 census lists the Takeo Yuki as owning his home and farm on Spring School Road in Alisal, which had
previously been listed as Takeo and his family’s place of residence in prior censuses. It is also noted that he worked as a lettuce
grower and shipper.7 Takeo built his business on growing and marketing iceberg lettuce, a relatively unfamiliar vegetable in the
1930s.8 Soon he had developed what was to become the largest Japanese farm enterprise in the region.9
When Japanese Internment took effect the Yuki family, with three children at the time, went to the assembly point in Salinas in
the spring of 1942, and was subsequently interned at a camp in Poston, Arizona near the city of Parker. The family spent three
years in the camp, where Takeo, unable to farm became a cook.10 Toward the end of the war in late 1945, the families were
released from the camps. The Yuki family had been fortunate that Takeo’s business partner Tom Bun was “an honest Caucasian”
who had kept the business going during the war. The two had corresponded throughout the internment by mail.11
Postwar the Yuki family retained ownership of their land in Salinas, however the area was known to be hostile to Japanese
Americans because many of the local residents had fought or died in battle in Japan during the war. Therefore, the Yuki family
purchased property and settled in Los Gatos. The Los Gatos area was close enough for Takeo Yuki to travel frequently to his
property in Salinas and in general the Santa Clara Valley was more welcoming to Japanese American families returning from the
internment camps.12
The family’s property in Los Gatos included what is known as the North 40 area, as well as farmland on the west side of
Highway 17. In the early 1960s Takeo donated a portion of his land on Oka Road for the construction of Ralph O. Berry
Elementary School. (The school remained part of the Los Gatos School District through 1980 and is currently home to the
Yavneh Day School.) Over the years, “Yuki Farms” has primarily functioned as an orchard for growing apricots, prunes, almonds
and mostly walnuts. In 2007, it was noted to be the last orchard of any significant size in Los Gatos.13
The orchard in Los Gatos was the family home, but not the main family enterprise. Takeo Yuki was primarily involved in the
produce business, in particular iceberg lettuce. In Salinas he was co-owner of the Salinas Valley Vegetable Exchange. While he
owned a lot of land in Los Gatos, which served primarily as a walnut orchard; this property was not where his significant wealth
came from. Takeo Yuki owned farm land in Salinas, Imperial Valley and near Phoenix, Arizona.14 He was instrumental in
developing technology to preserve and ship lettuces. When he died in a car accident in 1967, Takeo Yuki was thought to have
been one of the ten wealthiest men in Santa Clara County.15 In addition to his agricultural activities he helped found the San Jose
Savings and Loan Association and was a member of the Buddhist Temple of San Jose and the Japanese-American Citizens
League.16 Miyoko Yuki passed away in 2009. Their children have continued to run the Yuki family enterprises and still own
much land in Los Gatos.
6 Obituary: Miyoko Yuki, San Jose Mercury News, 21 May 2009.
7 US Census, 1940 Salinas, California. 8 Emie Yuki Yamate, “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past,” Mountain Network News, (December 2012):6.
9 Frank J. Taylor, “The People Nobody Wants,” The Saturday Evening Post (May 9, 1942): 24. 10 Yamate, 7. 11 Ibid.; and Taylor. 12 Yamaichi and Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in California’s Santa
Clara Valley (Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985): 123.
13 “5-Story hotel proposed at Lark/Hwy 17,” Los Gatos Observer (June 13, 2007.)
14 “Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer, (November 24, 1967): 1. 15 Yamaichi 16 “Tom Yuki”
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Green Cottage
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Findings
The subject building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR because it is thought to have been
moved from its original location17 and it does not appear to meet Criteria Consideration B which would allow a structure to still
be considered primarily for its architectural value, or if it is the surviving structure most importantly associated with a historic
person or event. The cottage is a simple vernacular type, and it does not truly exemplify an architectural type. Nor does it appear
that this building is most importantly associated with a historic person or event. Although, the building maintains an association
with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of horticultural production from 1910-1929, it remains ineligible as a contributor to the
potential historic district because it was moved.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
17 Personal communications with the Yuki family via email through their property manager, March 6, 2013.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Green Cottage
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 7 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard/Green Cottage
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 8 *Resource Name or #: 14919 Los Gatos Blvd.
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 14919 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip: 95032
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-082 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The single family residence at 14919 Los Gatos Blvd. (formerly known as 14919 South Bascom Ave.) stands centrally located within
the northern section of a large walnut orchard. Two additional residences are located to west and another stands to the northwest.
Several other agricultural and residential buildings are located nearby. The house stands on a flat site with a landscaped front
(eastern) patio enclosed with a low brick wall.
The residence was most likely the original farmhouse on the orchard constructed c.1920 and appears to be in the Monterey, or
vernacular Mission, architectural style. The two-story building is L-shaped in plan with a covered second story balcony featuring a
wood railing on the east side. Textured stucco clads the building in conjunction with wide horizontal board at the gable eaves. An
asphalt shingle clad gable roof covers the building and multi-lite steel casement windows in a variety of sizes punctuate the
exterior walls. The main entrance at the southeast corner features a raised brick porch covered by an extensive shed roof. Two
aluminum awnings cover both a window and a door at the ground floor of the rear, west façade. In 1973, a compatible 230 square-
foot addition was constructed at the northern end of the building which features a brick wall and stair to a second story entry.
A two-car garage stands just to the southwest and is access by an asphalt drive that runs along the back of the house. The single-
story building is clad in textured stucco and maintains a gable roof clad in asphalt shingle on the north and corrugated metal on
the south. A flat roof open carport with a wood frame structure is attached to the south side of the garage. Finally, a modern roll-
up garage door occupies the large opening in the north façade.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Building, HP4 (Garage)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking northwest toward the
southeast corner, January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1920; Addition 1973
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
May 2012
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 8 *NRHP Status Code 3CD
*Resource Name or # 14919 Los Gatos Blvd.
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Monterey
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1920, with an addition in 1973
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: The residence stands within a walnut orchard and several other structures are located on the property
including argricultural outbuildings and residences.
B9a. Architect: unknown b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Horticulture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: 1910-1925 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: A/1
The property on which the residence at 14919 Los Gatos Boulevard is located was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada
de Los Gatos. The rancho was established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and
Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The 6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of
Campbell. Its major feature was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: May 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 8 *Resource Name or # 14919 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. Leslie Walker’s 54 acre
parcel was located directly north of the Walker Tract Subdivision and south of Myrtle Walker Johnson’s 55 acre parcel.1 The
subject parcel appears to have been within Leslie Walker’s former land holdings along Los Gatos Boulevard.
Los Gatos Boulevard was known as San Jose-Los Gatos Road from the late 1880s through to around 1950. This name derived
simply because the road connected San Jose to Los Gatos. Around 1950 the road name was changed to South Bascom Avenue.
By the early 1970s the road name was changed again to Los Gatos Boulevard. As the road continues north into the San Jose city
limits and past Highway 85 the name remains South Bascom Avenue.
Prior to World War II several families were listed as owning property that was formerly part of Leslie Walker’s landholdings,
also known at Lot D of the Walker Partition and many of those families were listed as living on or running farms in the 1930 and
1940 censuses. Post World War II, Takeo Yuki relocated his family from Salinas to Los Gatos and began purchasing properties
within the Walker Tract and the Walker Partition.
The first recorded deed documenting the Yuki family’s purchase of property in the Los Gatos area was in July 1945. Takeo Yuki
purchased two parcels of land from Victor and Rose Gianandrea on San Jose-Los Gatos Road. In the 1940 census Victor
Gianandrea is listed as an Italian living on and operating a farm. Over the next decade the Yuki family quickly purchased much
of the surrounding property that had previously been part of the Walker Subdivision and Leslie Walker’s land. The family also
purchased a significant amount of property on the other side of Los Gatos Creek as well. Some of the family names they
purchased land from between 1945 – 1963 included: Benzo, Stevens, Noddin, Libby, Fawkner, Sanfilippo, Pasetta, Perry,
Scianna, Tracy, Volz, DeCarlo, Demevi, Greco, and Nigl.2 Several of the listed property owners were Italian farmers, who likely
were instrumental in developing the walnut orchard. Walnuts were not a common crop for Japanese farmers and had not been a
crop in which Takeo Yuki had previously been engaged in growing.3
The Walker Partition remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various
parcels were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building
records until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. No original construct permits were located for this
building, but a county permit for the construction of a residential addition was issued to T. Yuki in 1973. Through property deed
records it appears likely that the Gianandrea family, or one of the early Italian farming families, may have constructed the subject
residence. Based on the building’s appearance and communications with the Yuki family, the subject residence was already
constructed when they purchased the property and the Yuki family did live in the house at one time.
The Yuki Family
Takeo (Tom) Yuki, the family patriarch was a second-generation Japanese Americans, or Nisei, hailing from the Salinas area in
Monterey County. His parents, Tsurmstsu and Reva Yuki were originally from Hiroshima, Japan and immigrated to California
circa 1899.4 Takeo was raised in a rural area east of Salinas known as Alisal, where his father worked as a farm laborer. In 1931,
two years after establishing his produce business, he married Miyoko Abe and the couple remained in the Salinas area. Miyoko,
who was born in nearby Watsonville in 1913, was also a Nisei with her family originally coming from Kumamoto, Japan. She
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; and Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599. 2 Santa Clara County Recorders Office, deed records for area properties. 3 Personal communications with Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator, March 14, 2013.
4 US Census 1910, Soledad, Monterey, California.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 8 *Resource Name or # 14919 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
and her siblings spent their childhood as migrant farm workers moving often and working jobs in lettuce, strawberries, and
apricots.5 The 1940 census lists the Takeo Yuki as owning his home and farm on Spring School Road in Alisal, which had
previously been listed as Takeo and his family’s place of residence in prior censuses. It is also noted that he worked as a lettuce
grower and shipper.6 Takeo built his business on growing and marketing iceberg lettuce, a relatively unfamiliar vegetable in the
1930s.7 Soon he had developed what was to become the largest Japanese farm enterprise in the region.8
When Japanese Internment took effect the Yuki family, with three children at the time, went to the assembly point in Salinas in
the spring of 1942, and was subsequently interned at a camp in Poston, Arizona near the city of Parker. The family spent three
years in the camp, where Takeo, unable to farm became a cook.9 Toward the end of the war in late 1945, the families were
released from the camps. The Yuki family had been fortunate that Takeo’s business partner Tom Bun was “an honest Caucasian”
who had kept the business going during the war. The two had corresponded throughout the internment by mail.10
Postwar the Yuki family retained ownership of their land in Salinas, however the area was known to be hostile to Japanese
Americans because many of the local residents had fought or died in battle in Japan during the war. Therefore, the Yuki family
purchased property and settled in Los Gatos. The Los Gatos area was close enough for Takeo Yuki to travel frequently to his
property in Salinas and in general the Santa Clara Valley was more welcoming to Japanese American families returning from the
internment camps.11
The family’s property in Los Gatos included what is known as the North 40 area, as well as farmland on the west side of
Highway 17. In the early 1960s Takeo donated a portion of his land on Oka Road for the construction of Ralph O. Berry
Elementary School. (The school remained part of the Los Gatos School District through 1980 and is currently home to the
Yavneh Day School.) Over the years, “Yuki Farms” has primarily functioned as an orchard for growing apricots, prunes, almonds
and mostly walnuts. In 2007, it was noted to be the last orchard of any significant size in Los Gatos.12
The orchard in Los Gatos was the family home, but not the main family enterprise. Takeo Yuki was primarily involved in the
produce business, in particular iceberg lettuce. In Salinas he was co-owner of the Salinas Valley Vegetable Exchange. While he
owned a lot of land in Los Gatos, which served primarily as a walnut orchard, this property was not where his significant wealth
came from. Takeo Yuki owned farm land in Salinas, Imperial Valley and near Phoenix, Arizona.13 He was instrumental in
developing technology to preserve and ship lettuces. When he died in a car accident in 1967, Takeo Yuki was thought to have
been one of the ten wealthiest men in Santa Clara County.14 In addition to his agricultural activities he helped found the San Jose
Savings and Loan Association and was a member of the Buddhist Temple of San Jose and the Japanese-American Citizens
League.15 Miyoko Yuki passed away in 2009. Their children have continued to run the Yuki family enterprises and still own
much land in Los Gatos.
5 Obituary: Miyoko Yuki, San Jose Mercury News, 21 May 2009.
6 US Census, 1940 Salinas, California. 7 Emie Yuki Yamate, “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past,” Mountain Network News, (December 2012):6.
8 Frank J. Taylor, “The People Nobody Wants,” The Saturday Evening Post (May 9, 1942): 24. 9 Yamate, 7. 10 Ibid.; and Taylor. 11 Yamaichi and Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in California’s Santa
Clara Valley (Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985): 123.
12 “5-Story hotel proposed at Lark/Hwy 17,” Los Gatos Observer (June 13, 2007.)
13 “Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer, (November 24, 1967): 1. 14 Yamaichi 15 “Tom Yuki”
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 8 *Resource Name or # 14919 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Horticulture in the Santa Clara Valley
After first being a Spanish colony and then a Mexican territory, the region was officially acquired by the United States in 1848
following the war with Mexico. Shortly after, in 1850, California achieved statehood, Santa Clara was established as a county, and
the largest development within Santa Clara County, San Jose, was named the state capital. The region began developing rapidly
both as a political and commercial center, after the discovery of gold in California in 1849. Santa Clara County offered the last
urban area on the route to the southern Mother Lode.
Prior to the California Gold Rush of 1849 the sparsely settled Santa Clara Valley landscape was one of the Mexican‐era land grant
system with missions and ranchos. The vastly undeveloped land was used primarily to graze cattle, and the only farms of note
were small subsistence gardens kept by residents or missionaries. Organized farming in the area began as Americans took control
of the land and realized its commercial potential.16 Further, with the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill many local settlers first left
for the mountains to mine, and then soon realized they could additionally profit from feeding the masses of miners. Property
owners began raising grains and quickly discovered the rich quality of soil available to them within the Santa Clara Valley. Over
the next two decades the land was subdivided from the large family‐held tracts into smaller parcels for individual settlements and
farms. At the end of the 19th century the number of small farms in Santa Clara County exploded from approximately 700 in 1880 to
over 3,000 by 1900.17
Grains, namely wheat, barley, and oats, were the primary investment crop during the valley’s first agricultural phase. Wheat was
very easy to cultivate with little capital investment due to the high fertility of the soil in the valley. By 1854, Santa Clara County
was producing thirty percent of California’s total wheat crop.18
In the subsequent decades several factors led to the transition from grains to fruit. First, through various farmers experimenting in
growing fruit trees, it became increasingly evident that the soil and climate were favorable to producing these more delicate and
profitable crops. Second, the development of the railroad in the 1860s allowed for the shipping of produce to distant markets.
Third, the establishment of canning methods and canneries allowed for the product to be preserved. Finally, the abundant and
accessible water supply throughout the valley was fundamental in growth of orchards. By the beginning of the Twentieth Century,
fruit farming had replaced the majority of grain farms in Santa Clara County.19
Fruit farming in the Santa Clara Valley was an enormous success. The area became known as the “Valley of Heart’s Delight” and
reached its agricultural peak in the late 1920s. During this period the number of fruit orchards rapidly increased. Large farms that
evolved in the nineteenth century out of the ranchos were no longer necessary with the increased ratio to crop value to land unit.
Large farmlands were subdivided into highly specialized farms that were significantly smaller in scale than the previous ranches
and grain fields. The typical fruit farm ranged from just three to fifty acres, thereby affording the opportunity to farm to a greater
population.20
Interest in fruit farming, and agriculture in general, in the area began to decline in the 1930s.21 The trend away from agriculture
came in part from Great Depression and in part from rise in new high‐technology research in the region that would escalate
through World War II and the home front mobilization effort. The business community began actively campaigning to attract new
non‐agricultural related industries, and soon numerous industries established plants within the County. The establishment of
these companies necessitated new residential and commercial construction. Suburban growth quickly took over the agricultural
16 Clyde Arbuckle, History of San Jose (San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986): 153.
17 Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in California’s Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino,
CA: California History Center, 1985): 15.
18 County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement, 38.
19 Ibid., 15‐16.
20 County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement, 59.
21 Arbuckle, 163.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 8 *Resource Name or # 14919 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
lands. The focus on high‐technology, electronics, and industry has continued through to today and Santa Clara County is now
known worldwide as “Silicon Valley” for its significant technological advancements.
Horticulture and the North 40
Following the historical trend of the rest of the Santa Clara Valley, the North 40 area was transformed into a thriving orchard by
the Walker family in the late 1800s. The use of the land for orchards continued after the land was subdivided into smaller parcels
in the 1910s and 1920s. During the 1920s the Valley’s fruit production peaked and it appears that the orchards at the North 40 were
also successful prior to the onset of the depression. Unlike the rest of the Valley, the postwar suburban growth of the North 40 site
did not completely engulf the existing orchards. While a small portion of area was developed for single‐family homes, the majority
of the area remained orchards for the rest of the twentieth century, due to the Yuki family’s stewardship. Several notable
developments have encroached on the site including the construction of the Highway 17, State Route 85 and numerous
commercial projects along Los Gatos Boulevard. Nonetheless, the majority of the North 40 site maintains one of the last vestiges of
the heyday of the “Valley of Heart’s Delight.” Remaining resources from the era include the orchard which covers a majority of
the site and approximately ten buildings which appear to date to the sites prewar era.
Findings
The subject building appears to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1 as a contributing structure to
a potentially eligible historic district. The property maintains a strong association with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of
horticultural production from 1910-1929. This house was part of the early development of the North Forty property when it was
subdivided into smaller parcels that were developed into family orchards.
The building does not appear to be individually eligible under NRHP/CRHR Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. The residence appears to
have been constructed by early Italian farming family. Yet none of the family names determined to be related to the property
appear to be significant within the Los Gatos region.Takeo Yuki does appear to have been a significant Japanese American
farmer within the Santa Clara Valley; however his primary contributions were not to the Los Gatos region. Constructed c.1925,
the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The house represents an example of the Monterey
style with characteristics such as the stucco cladding, the second-story balcony and gable roof. However, the building does not
appear to be an outstanding example of its type, nor is it the work of a master. Lastly, the residence does not appear to possess the
potential to yield information important to the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation.
The building retains a fair level of integrity, with a compatible addition having been constructed at the northern end and the
installation of some aluminum awnings on the west side.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 7 of 8 *Resource Name or # 14919 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 8 of 8 *Resource Name or # 14919 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 7 *Resource Name or #: 14927 (14923) Los Gatos Blvd.
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 14927 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-082 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The single family residence and detached garage stand centrally located in the northern section of a large walnut orchard. Two
larger single family residences stand to the north and to the east of the subject property and a large barn stands directly to the
west. Several additional agricultural and residential buildings are also located nearby. The residential structure is L-shaped in plan
with an asphalt shingle-clad cross gable roof. Both horizontal dropped wood siding and vertical wood boards clad the building’s
exterior, and multi-lite steel casement windows and aluminum sliders punctuate the building’s facades. An addition and deck
were constructed in 1973; most likely the southern section of the building was constructed as the addition.
The rectangular detached garage is located west of the residence and is clad in matching horizontal dropped wood siding. The
gable roof is protected by asphalt shingles and features exposed rafter tails at the eaves. Steel casement windows pierce the facades
and a modern roll-up garage door punctuates the north wall. Finally, a small shed with a shed roof stands at the south end of the
garage.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Building HP4 (Garage)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking southeast toward the
garage (right) and house (left),
January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1940
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 7 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 14927 (14923) Los Gatos Blvd.
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/Pre-war residential vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1940
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: The residence stands within a walnut orchard and several other structures are located on the property
including argricultural outbuildings and residences.
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture/Japanese American Farming Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: N/A Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The property on which the residence at 14927 Los Gatos Boulevard is located was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada
de Los Gatos. The rancho was established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and
Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The 6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of
Campbell. Its major feature was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14927 (14923) Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. Leslie Walker’s 54 acre
parcel was located directly north of the Walker Tract Subdivision and south of Myrtle Walker Johnson’s 55 acre parcel.1 The
subject parcel appears to have been within Leslie Walker’s former land holdings along Los Gatos Boulevard.
Los Gatos Boulevard was known as San Jose-Los Gatos Road from the late 1880s through to around 1950. This name derived
simply because the road connected San Jose to Los Gatos. Around 1950 the road name was changed to South Bascom Avenue.
By the early 1970s the road name was changed again to Los Gatos Boulevard. As the road continues north into the San Jose city
limits and past Highway 85 the name remains South Bascom Avenue.
Prior to World War II several families were listed as owning property that was formerly part of Leslie Walker’s landholdings,
also known at Lot D of the Walker Partition and many of those families were listed as living on or running farms in the 1930 and
1940 censuses. Post World War II, Takeo Yuki relocated his family from Salinas to Los Gatos and began purchasing properties
within the Walker Tract and the Walker Partition.
The first recorded deed documenting the Yuki family’s purchase of property in the Los Gatos area was in July 1945. Takeo Yuki
purchased two parcels of land from Victor and Rose Gianandrea on San Jose-Los Gatos Road. In the 1940 census Victor
Gianandrea is listed as an Italian living on and operating a farm. Over the next decade the Yuki family quickly purchased much
of the surrounding property that had previously been part of the Walker Subdivision and Leslie Walker’s land. The family also
purchased a significant amount of property on the other side of Los Gatos Creek as well. Some of the family names they
purchased land from between 1945 – 1963 included: Benzo, Stevens, Noddin, Libby, Fawkner, Sanfilippo, Pasetta, Perry,
Scianna, Tracy, Volz, DeCarlo, Demevi, Greco, and Nigl.2 Several of the listed property owners were Italian farmers, who likely
were instrumental in developing the walnut orchard. Walnuts were not a common crop for Japanese farmers and had not been a
crop in which Takeo Yuki had previously been engaged in growing.3
The Walker Partition remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various
parcels were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building
records until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. No original construct permits were located for these
buildings, but a county permit for the construction of a residential addition and a redwood deck at 14923 Los Gatos Boulevard
was issued to T. Yuki in 1973. Based on the building’s appearance and communications with the Yuki family, the subject
residence was already constructed when they purchased the property and members of the Yuki family did live in the house at one
time.
The Yuki Family
Takeo (Tom) Yuki, the family patriarch was a second-generation Japanese Americans, or Nisei, hailing from the Salinas area in
Monterey County. His parents, Tsurmstsu and Reva Yuki were originally from Hiroshima, Japan and immigrated to California
circa 1899.4 Takeo was raised in a rural area east of Salinas known as Alisal, where his father worked as a farm laborer. In 1931,
two years after establishing his produce business, he married Miyoko Abe and the couple remained in the Salinas area. Miyoko,
who was born in nearby Watsonville in 1913, was also a Nisei with her family originally coming from Kumamoto, Japan. She
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; and Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599. 2 Santa Clara County Recorders Office, deed records for area properties. 3 Personal communications with Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator, March 14, 2013.
4 US Census 1910, Soledad, Monterey, California.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14927 (14923) Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
and her siblings spent their childhood as migrant farm workers moving often and working jobs in lettuce, strawberries, and
apricots.5 The 1940 census lists the Takeo Yuki as owning his home and farm on Spring School Road in Alisal, which had
previously been listed as Takeo and his family’s place of residence in prior censuses. It is also noted that he worked as a lettuce
grower and shipper.6 Takeo built his business on growing and marketing iceberg lettuce, a relatively unfamiliar vegetable in the
1930s.7 Soon he had developed what was to become the largest Japanese farm enterprise in the region.8
When Japanese Internment took effect the Yuki family, with three children at the time, went to the assembly point in Salinas in
the spring of 1942, and was subsequently interned at a camp in Poston, Arizona near the city of Parker. The family spent three
years in the camp, where Takeo, unable to farm became a cook.9 Toward the end of the war in late 1945, the families were
released from the camps. The Yuki family had been fortunate that Takeo’s business partner Tom Bun was “an honest Caucasian”
who had kept the business going during the war. The two had corresponded throughout the internment by mail.10
Postwar the Yuki family retained ownership of their land in Salinas, however the area was known to be hostile to Japanese
Americans because many of the local residents had fought or died in battle in Japan during the war. Therefore, the Yuki family
purchased property and settled in Los Gatos. The Los Gatos area was close enough for Takeo Yuki to travel frequently to his
property in Salinas and in general the Santa Clara Valley was more welcoming to Japanese American families returning from the
internment camps.11
The family’s property in Los Gatos included what is known as the North 40 area, as well as farmland on the west side of
Highway 17. In the early 1960s Takeo donated a portion of his land on Oka Road for the construction of Ralph O. Berry
Elementary School. (The school remained part of the Los Gatos School District through 1980 and is currently home to the
Yavneh Day School.) Over the years, “Yuki Farms” has primarily functioned as an orchard for growing apricots, prunes, almonds
and mostly walnuts. In 2007, it was noted to be the last orchard of any significant size in Los Gatos.12
The orchard in Los Gatos was the family home, but not the main family enterprise. Takeo Yuki was primarily involved in the
produce business, in particular iceberg lettuce. In Salinas he was co-owner of the Salinas Valley Vegetable Exchange. While he
owned a lot of land in Los Gatos, which served primarily as a walnut orchard, this property was not where his significant wealth
came from. Takeo Yuki owned farm land in Salinas, Imperial Valley and near Phoenix, Arizona.13 He was instrumental in
developing technology to preserve and ship lettuces. When he died in a car accident in 1967, Takeo Yuki was thought to have
been one of the ten wealthiest men in Santa Clara County.14 In addition to his agricultural activities he helped found the San Jose
Savings and Loan Association and was a member of the Buddhist Temple of San Jose and the Japanese-American Citizens
League.15 Miyoko Yuki passed away in 2009. Their children have continued to run the Yuki family enterprises and still own
much land in Los Gatos.
5 Obituary: Miyoko Yuki, San Jose Mercury News, 21 May 2009.
6 US Census, 1940 Salinas, California. 7 Emie Yuki Yamate, “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past,” Mountain Network News, (December 2012):6.
8 Frank J. Taylor, “The People Nobody Wants,” The Saturday Evening Post (May 9, 1942): 24. 9 Yamate, 7. 10 Ibid.; and Taylor. 11 Yamaichi and Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in California’s Santa
Clara Valley (Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985): 123.
12 “5-Story hotel proposed at Lark/Hwy 17,” Los Gatos Observer (June 13, 2007.)
13 “Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer, (November 24, 1967): 1. 14 Yamaichi 15 “Tom Yuki”
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14927 (14923) Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Findings
The subject buildings do not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It does not appear to
have played a significant role in the agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley or in particular the Japanese American farming
context in the valley. The residence appears to have been constructed by early Italian farming family. None of the family names
determined to be related to the property appear to be significant within the Santa Clara Valley farming context. Although the
Yuki family was a significant Japanese American farming family living within the valley, their primary holdings and business
ventures were in Monterey County and southern California, and while they maintained the walnut orchard through the years, they
did not originally establish it and the majority of the buildings associated with the orchard, including the subject buildings, were
already constructed by 1945.
Additionally, the building does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. Takeo Yuki does appear
to have been a significant Japanese American farmer within the Santa Clara Valley; however his primary contributions were not
to the Los Gatos region. Constructed c.1940, the house and garage do not appear to be a significant example of an architectural
type. The buildings maintain some characteristics of the Minimal Traditional style, but they also represent simple vernacular
residential construction of the period. Further, the buildings do not appear to be outstanding example of a type, nor are they the
work of a master. Lastly, the property does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to the prehistory or
history of the local area, state, or the nation. The buildings retain a fair to poor level of integrity, with the addition and the
replacement of several windows and the garage door; and the property does not appear to be eligible for the NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14927 (14923) Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 7 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14927 (14923) Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 7 *Resource Name or #: 14929 Los Gatos Blvd.
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 14929 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-081 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The single family residence and detached garage at 14929 Los Gatos Blvd. (formerly known as 14929 South Bascom Ave.) stands
within the northwestern section of a large walnut orchard and directly west of several other single-family residences on the
property. Additionally, two agricultural structures are located to the southwest of the house. The cottage was moved to its current
location sometime after the main house was constructed in 1971. The raised single-story building forms a cross in plan and
features a wood shingle-clad cross gable roof. Horizontal wood siding, with vertical wood board at the gable eave, clads the
exterior walls and modern vinyl windows punctuate the exterior. An addition was constructed in 1967 and a second addition was
located at the rear of the house c.1980. Directly north of the house stands a rectangular, one-car garage featuring matching
horizontal wood siding with vertical wood boards at the gable eave. Wood shingles clad the gable roof and a modern roll-up
garage door pierces the east façade. The buildings are surrounded by the walnut orchard with the expectation of an asphalt paved
drive that runs in front of the house and to the garage.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Building HP4 (detached garage)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking northwest toward the
main entrance, January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1940; Additions 1967 + c.1980
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 7 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 14929 Los Gatos Blvd.
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/Postwar residential vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1945
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: The residence stands within a walnut orchard and several other structures are located on the property
including argricultural outbuildings and residences.
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture/Japanese American Farming Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c.1945 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The property on which the residence at 14929 Los Gatos Boulevard is located was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada
de Los Gatos. The rancho was established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and
Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The 6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of
Campbell. Its major feature was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14929 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. Leslie Walker’s 54 acre
parcel was located directly north of the Walker Tract Subdivision and south of Myrtle Walker Johnson’s 55 acre parcel.1 The
subject parcel appears to have been within Leslie Walker’s former land holdings along Los Gatos Boulevard.
Los Gatos Boulevard was known as San Jose-Los Gatos Road from the late 1880s through to around 1950. This name derived
simply because the road connected San Jose to Los Gatos. Around 1950 the road name was changed to South Bascom Avenue.
By the early 1970s the road name was changed again to Los Gatos Boulevard. As the road continues north into the San Jose city
limits and past Highway 85 the name remains South Bascom Avenue.
Prior to World War II several families were listed as owning property that was formerly part of Leslie Walker’s landholdings,
also known at Lot D of the Walker Partition and many of those families were listed as living on or running farms in the 1930 and
1940 censuses. Post World War II, Takeo Yuki relocated his family from Salinas to Los Gatos and began purchasing properties
within the Walker Tract and the Walker Partition.
The first recorded deed documenting the Yuki family’s purchase of property in the Los Gatos area was in July 1945. Takeo Yuki
purchased two parcels of land from Victor and Rose Gianandrea on San Jose-Los Gatos Road. In the 1940 census Victor
Gianandrea is listed as an Italian living on and operating a farm. Over the next decade the Yuki family quickly purchased much
of the surrounding property that had previously been part of the Walker Subdivision and Leslie Walker’s land. The family also
purchased a significant amount of property on the other side of Los Gatos Creek as well. Some of the family names they
purchased land from between 1945 – 1963 included: Benzo, Stevens, Noddin, Libby, Fawkner, Sanfilippo, Pasetta, Perry,
Scianna, Tracy, Volz, DeCarlo, Demevi, Greco, and Nigl.2 Several of the listed property owners were Italian farmers, who likely
were instrumental in developing the walnut orchard. Walnuts were not a common crop for Japanese farmers and had not been a
crop in which Takeo Yuki had previously been engaged in growing.3
The Walker Partition remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various
parcels were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building
records until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. No original construct permits were located for these
buildings, but a county permit for the construction of a residential addition at 14929 S Bascom Road was issued to T. Yuki in
1967. It also appears from aerial photos that a second addition was completed in the 1980s. Based on the building’s appearance
and communications with the Yuki family, the subject residence was already constructed when they purchased the property and
members of the Yuki family did live in the house at one time.
The Yuki Family
Takeo (Tom) Yuki, the family patriarch was a second-generation Japanese Americans, or Nisei, hailing from the Salinas area in
Monterey County. His parents, Tsurmstsu and Reva Yuki were originally from Hiroshima, Japan and immigrated to California
circa 1899.4 Takeo was raised in a rural area east of Salinas known as Alisal, where his father worked as a farm laborer. In 1931,
two years after establishing his produce business, he married Miyoko Abe and the couple remained in the Salinas area. Miyoko,
who was born in nearby Watsonville in 1913, was also a Nisei with her family originally coming from Kumamoto, Japan. She
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; and Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599. 2 Santa Clara County Recorders Office, deed records for area properties. 3 Personal communications with Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator, March 14, 2013.
4 US Census 1910, Soledad, Monterey, California.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14929 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
and her siblings spent their childhood as migrant farm workers moving often and working jobs in lettuce, strawberries, and
apricots.5 The 1940 census lists the Takeo Yuki as owning his home and farm on Spring School Road in Alisal, which had
previously been listed as Takeo and his family’s place of residence in prior censuses. It is also noted that he worked as a lettuce
grower and shipper.6 Takeo built his business on growing and marketing iceberg lettuce, a relatively unfamiliar vegetable in the
1930s.7 Soon he had developed what was to become the largest Japanese farm enterprise in the region.8
When Japanese Internment took effect the Yuki family, with three children at the time, went to the assembly point in Salinas in
the spring of 1942, and was subsequently interned at a camp in Poston, Arizona near the city of Parker. The family spent three
years in the camp, where Takeo, unable to farm became a cook.9 Toward the end of the war in late 1945, the families were
released from the camps. The Yuki family had been fortunate that Takeo’s business partner Tom Bun was “an honest Caucasian”
who had kept the business going during the war. The two had corresponded throughout the internment by mail.10
Postwar the Yuki family retained ownership of their land in Salinas, however the area was known to be hostile to Japanese
Americans because many of the local residents had fought or died in battle in Japan during the war. Therefore, the Yuki family
purchased property and settled in Los Gatos. The Los Gatos area was close enough for Takeo Yuki to travel frequently to his
property in Salinas and in general the Santa Clara Valley was more welcoming to Japanese American families returning from the
internment camps.11
The family’s property in Los Gatos included what is known as the North 40 area, as well as farmland on the west side of
Highway 17. In the early 1960s Takeo donated a portion of his land on Oka Road for the construction of Ralph O. Berry
Elementary School. (The school remained part of the Los Gatos School District through 1980 and is currently home to the
Yavneh Day School.) Over the years, “Yuki Farms” has primarily functioned as an orchard for growing apricots, prunes, almonds
and mostly walnuts. In 2007, it was noted to be the last orchard of any significant size in Los Gatos.12
The orchard in Los Gatos was the family home, but not the main family enterprise. Takeo Yuki was primarily involved in the
produce business, in particular iceberg lettuce. In Salinas he was co-owner of the Salinas Valley Vegetable Exchange. While he
owned a lot of land in Los Gatos, which served primarily as a walnut orchard, this property was not where his significant wealth
came from. Takeo Yuki owned farm land in Salinas, Imperial Valley and near Phoenix, Arizona.13 He was instrumental in
developing technology to preserve and ship lettuces. When he died in a car accident in 1967, Takeo Yuki was thought to have
been one of the ten wealthiest men in Santa Clara County.14 In addition to his agricultural activities he helped found the San Jose
Savings and Loan Association and was a member of the Buddhist Temple of San Jose and the Japanese-American Citizens
League.15 Miyoko Yuki passed away in 2009. Their children have continued to run the Yuki family enterprises and still own
much land in Los Gatos.
5 Obituary: Miyoko Yuki, San Jose Mercury News, 21 May 2009.
6 US Census, 1940 Salinas, California. 7 Emie Yuki Yamate, “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past,” Mountain Network News, (December 2012):6.
8 Frank J. Taylor, “The People Nobody Wants,” The Saturday Evening Post (May 9, 1942): 24. 9 Yamate, 7. 10 Ibid.; and Taylor. 11 Yamaichi and Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in California’s Santa
Clara Valley (Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985): 123.
12 “5-Story hotel proposed at Lark/Hwy 17,” Los Gatos Observer (June 13, 2007.)
13 “Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer, (November 24, 1967): 1. 14 Yamaichi 15 “Tom Yuki”
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14929 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Findings
The subject buildings do not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It does not appear to
have played a significant role in the agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley or in particular the Japanese American farming
context in the valley. The residence appears to have been constructed by early Italian farming family. None of the family names
determined to be related to the property appear to be significant within the Santa Clara Valley farming context. Although the
Yuki family was a significant Japanese American farming family living within the valley, their primary holdings and business
ventures were in Monterey County and southern California, and while they maintained the walnut orchard through the years, they
did not originally establish it and the majority of the buildings associated with the orchard, including the subject buildings, were
already constructed by 1945.
Additionally, the residence does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. Takeo Yuki does appear
to have been a significant Japanese American farmer within the Santa Clara Valley; however his primary contributions were not
to the Los Gatos region. Constructed c.1940, the house and garage do not appear to be a significant example of an architectural
type. The buildings maintain some characteristics of the Minimal Traditional style, but they also represent simple vernacular
residential construction of the period. Further, the buildings do not appear to be outstanding example of a type, nor are they the
work of a master. Lastly, the property does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to the prehistory or
history of the local area, state, or the nation. The buildings retain a poor level of integrity, with multiple additions and the
replacement of windows; and the property does not appear to be eligible for the NRHP or the CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14929 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 7 of 7 *Resource Name or # 14929 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 8 *Resource Name or #: 14975 Los Gatos Blvd.
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 14975 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip: 95032
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-084 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The property at 14975 Los Gatos Boulevard (formerly South Bascom Avenue) maintains three buildings: a single family residence,
a garage, and a storage building. The buildings stand on a relatively flat site, overlooking the walnut orchard to the north and
west. From Los Gatos Boulevard the buildings are hardly visible due to a wood privacy fence and dense vegetation. A gravel drive
provides access from Los Gatos Boulevard. The main residence, at the eastern portion of the site, is rectangular in plan with an
asphalt shingle-clad gable roof and a small covered entry porch. Narrow wood shiplap siding clads the building’s exterior. A small
brick chimney penetrates the roof on the east side. The garage at the rear of the site features one gable roof section with matching
narrow shiplap siding and wide out-swinging wood garage doors. An addition to the building to the west maintains a second
gable roof and is clad in wider shiplap siding. Finally, the storage building at the southwestern corner of the site is rectangular in
plan with a gable roof, and is clad in wide horizontal wood dropped siding. An aluminum slider punctuates the building’s east
wall.
In earlier aerial photographs from the 1940s it appears that there were two additional structures to the northwest of this property.
These building were demolished by 1956.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Buildings HP4 (Storage building; garage)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking north to the side of the
house, garage, outbuilding and
driveway, January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1920
*P7. Owner and Address:
ETPH LP (Yuki Family)
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
May 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 8 *NRHP Status Code 3CD
*Resource Name or # 14975 Los Gatos Blvd.
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Craftsman Bungalow/residential vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1920
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: The residence stands on a small hill above a walnut orchard and several other structures are located on
the property including argricultural outbuildings and residences.
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Horticulture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: 1910-1925 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: A/1
The property on which the residence at 14975 Los Gatos Boulevard is located was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada
de Los Gatos. The rancho was established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and
Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The 6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of
Campbell. Its major feature was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: May 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 8 *Resource Name or # 14975 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. Leslie Walker’s 54 acre
parcel was located directly north of the Walker Tract Subdivision and south of Myrtle Walker Johnson’s 55 acre parcel.1 The
subject parcel appears to have been within Leslie Walker’s former land holdings along Los Gatos Boulevard.
Los Gatos Boulevard was known as San Jose-Los Gatos Road from the late 1880s through to around 1950. This name derived
simply because the road connected San Jose to Los Gatos. Around 1950 the road name was changed to South Bascom Avenue.
By the early 1970s the road name was changed again to Los Gatos Boulevard. As the road continues north into the San Jose city
limits and past Highway 85 the name remains South Bascom Avenue.
Prior to World War II several families were listed as owning property that was formerly part of Leslie Walker’s landholdings,
also known at Lot D of the Walker Partition and many of those families were listed as living on or running farms in the 1930 and
1940 censuses. Post World War II, Takeo Yuki relocated his family from Salinas to Los Gatos and began purchasing properties
within the Walker Tract and the Walker Partition.
The first recorded deed documenting the Yuki family’s purchase of property in the Los Gatos area was in July 1945. Takeo Yuki
purchased two parcels of land from Victor and Rose Gianandrea on San Jose-Los Gatos Road. In the 1940 census Victor
Gianandrea is listed as an Italian living on and operating a farm. Over the next decade the Yuki family quickly purchased much
of the surrounding property that had previously been part of the Walker Subdivision and Leslie Walker’s land. The family also
purchased a significant amount of property on the other side of Los Gatos Creek as well. Some of the family names they
purchased land from between 1945 – 1963 included: Benzo, Stevens, Noddin, Libby, Fawkner, Sanfilippo, Pasetta, Perry,
Scianna, Tracy, Volz, DeCarlo, Demevi, Greco, and Nigl.2 Several of the listed property owners were Italian farmers, who likely
were instrumental in developing the walnut orchard. Walnuts were not a common crop for Japanese farmers and had not been a
crop in which Takeo Yuki had previously been engaged in growing.3
The Walker Partition remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various
parcels were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building
records until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. No construction permits were located for the subject
property. A review of aerial photos indicate that a second residence on the property was demolished c. 1950. Likely, this property
was previously owned by the Noddin family. Although Noddin Avenue is now shown on maps as the driveway within the
adjacent Yuki property, the assessors parcel map shows Noddin Avenue as having been on the southwestern boundary of the
subject property. The Yuki family purchased land from the Noddin family in June 1946.
The Yuki Family
Takeo (Tom) Yuki, the family patriarch was a second-generation Japanese Americans, or Nisei, hailing from the Salinas area in
Monterey County. His parents, Tsurmstsu (Tsurmston) and Reva (Reya) Yuki were originally from Hiroshima, Japan and
immigrated to California circa 1899.4 Takeo was raised in a rural area east of Salinas known as Alisal, where his father worked as
a farm laborer. In 1931, two years after establishing his produce business, he married Miyoko Abe and the couple remained in the
Salinas area. Miyoko, who was born in nearby Watsonville in 1913, was also a Nisei with her family originally coming from
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; and Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599. 2 Santa Clara County Recorders Office, deed records for area properties. 3 Personal communications with Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator, March 14, 2013.
4 US Census 1930, Soledad, Monterey, California.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 8 *Resource Name or # 14975 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Kumamoto, Japan. She and her siblings spent their childhood as migrant farm workers moving often and working jobs in lettuce,
strawberries, and apricots.5 The 1940 census lists the Takeo Yuki as owning his home and farm on Spring School Road in Alisal,
which had previously been listed as Takeo and his family’s place of residence in prior censuses. It is also noted that he worked as
a lettuce grower and shipper.6 Takeo built his business on growing and marketing iceberg lettuce, a relatively unfamiliar
vegetable in the 1930s.7 Soon he had developed what was to become the largest Japanese farm enterprise in the region.8
When Japanese Internment took effect the Yuki family, with three children at the time, went to the assembly point in Salinas in
the spring of 1942, and was subsequently interned at a camp in Poston, Arizona near the city of Parker. The family spent three
years in the camp, where Takeo, unable to farm became a cook.9 Toward the end of the war in late 1945, the families were
released from the camps. The Yuki family had been fortunate that Takeo’s business partner Tom Bun was “an honest Caucasian”
who had kept the business going during the war. The two had corresponded throughout the internment by mail.10
Postwar the Yuki family retained ownership of their land in Salinas, however the area was known to be hostile to Japanese
Americans because many of the local residents had fought or died in battle in Japan during the war. Therefore, the Yuki family
purchased property and settled in Los Gatos. The Los Gatos area was close enough for Takeo Yuki to travel frequently to his
property in Salinas and in general the Santa Clara Valley was more welcoming to Japanese American families returning from the
internment camps.11
The family’s property in Los Gatos included what is known as the North 40 area, as well as farmland on the west side of
Highway 17. In the early 1960s Takeo donated a portion of his land on Oka Road for the construction of Ralph O. Berry
Elementary School. (The school remained part of the Los Gatos School District through 1980 and is currently home to the
Yavneh Day School.) Over the years, “Yuki Farms” has primarily functioned as an orchard for growing apricots, prunes, almonds
and mostly walnuts. In 2007, it was noted to be the last orchard of any significant size in Los Gatos.12
The orchard in Los Gatos was the family home, but not the main family enterprise. Takeo Yuki was primarily involved in the
produce business, in particular iceberg lettuce. In Salinas he was co-owner of the Salinas Valley Vegetable Exchange. While he
owned a lot of land in Los Gatos, which served primarily as a walnut orchard, this property was not where his significant wealth
came from. Takeo Yuki owned farm land in Salinas, Imperial Valley and near Phoenix, Arizona.13 He was instrumental in
developing technology to preserve and ship lettuces. When he died in a car accident in 1967, Takeo Yuki was thought to have
been one of the ten wealthiest men in Santa Clara County.14 In addition to his agricultural activities he helped found the San Jose
Savings and Loan Association and was a member of the Buddhist Temple of San Jose and the Japanese-American Citizens
League.15 Miyoko Yuki passed away in 2009. Their children have continued to run the Yuki family enterprises and still own
much land in Los Gatos.
5 Obituary: Miyoko Yuki, San Jose Mercury News, 21 May 2009.
6 US Census, 1940 Salinas, California. 7 Emie Yuki Yamate, “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past,” Mountain Network News, (December 2012):6.
8 Frank J. Taylor, “The People Nobody Wants,” The Saturday Evening Post (May 9, 1942): 24. 9 Yamate, 7. 10 Ibid.; and Taylor. 11 Yamaichi and Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in California’s Santa
Clara Valley (Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985): 123.
12 “5-Story hotel proposed at Lark/Hwy 17,” Los Gatos Observer (June 13, 2007.)
13 “Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer, (November 24, 1967): 1. 14 Yamaichi 15 “Tom Yuki”
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 8 *Resource Name or # 14975 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Horticulture in the Santa Clara Valley
After first being a Spanish colony and then a Mexican territory, the region was officially acquired by the United States in 1848
following the war with Mexico. Shortly after, in 1850, California achieved statehood, Santa Clara was established as a county, and
the largest development within Santa Clara County, San Jose, was named the state capital. The region began developing rapidly
both as a political and commercial center, after the discovery of gold in California in 1849. Santa Clara County offered the last
urban area on the route to the southern Mother Lode.
Prior to the California Gold Rush of 1849 the sparsely settled Santa Clara Valley landscape was one of the Mexican‐era land grant
system with missions and ranchos. The vastly undeveloped land was used primarily to graze cattle, and the only farms of note
were small subsistence gardens kept by residents or missionaries. Organized farming in the area began as Americans took control
of the land and realized its commercial potential.16 Further, with the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill many local settlers first left
for the mountains to mine, and then soon realized they could additionally profit from feeding the masses of miners. Property
owners began raising grains and quickly discovered the rich quality of soil available to them within the Santa Clara Valley. Over
the next two decades the land was subdivided from the large family‐held tracts into smaller parcels for individual settlements and
farms. At the end of the 19th century the number of small farms in Santa Clara County exploded from approximately 700 in 1880 to
over 3,000 by 1900.17
Grains, namely wheat, barley, and oats, were the primary investment crop during the valley’s first agricultural phase. Wheat was
very easy to cultivate with little capital investment due to the high fertility of the soil in the valley. By 1854, Santa Clara County
was producing thirty percent of California’s total wheat crop.18
In the subsequent decades several factors led to the transition from grains to fruit. First, through various farmers experimenting in
growing fruit trees, it became increasingly evident that the soil and climate were favorable to producing these more delicate and
profitable crops. Second, the development of the railroad in the 1860s allowed for the shipping of produce to distant markets.
Third, the establishment of canning methods and canneries allowed for the product to be preserved. Finally, the abundant and
accessible water supply throughout the valley was fundamental in growth of orchards. By the beginning of the Twentieth Century,
fruit farming had replaced the majority of grain farms in Santa Clara County.19
Fruit farming in the Santa Clara Valley was an enormous success. The area became known as the “Valley of Heart’s Delight” and
reached its agricultural peak in the late 1920s. During this period the number of fruit orchards rapidly increased. Large farms that
evolved in the nineteenth century out of the ranchos were no longer necessary with the increased ratio to crop value to land unit.
Large farmlands were subdivided into highly specialized farms that were significantly smaller in scale than the previous ranches
and grain fields. The typical fruit farm ranged from just three to fifty acres, thereby affording the opportunity to farm to a greater
population.20
Interest in fruit farming, and agriculture in general, in the area began to decline in the 1930s.21 The trend away from agriculture
came in part from Great Depression and in part from rise in new high‐technology research in the region that would escalate
through World War II and the home front mobilization effort. The business community began actively campaigning to attract new
non‐agricultural related industries, and soon numerous industries established plants within the County. The establishment of
these companies necessitated new residential and commercial construction. Suburban growth quickly took over the agricultural
16 Clyde Arbuckle, History of San Jose (San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986): 153.
17 Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in California’s Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino,
CA: California History Center, 1985): 15.
18 County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement, 38.
19 Ibid., 15‐16.
20 County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement, 59.
21 Arbuckle, 163.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 8 *Resource Name or # 14975 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
lands. The focus on high‐technology, electronics, and industry has continued through to today and Santa Clara County is now
known worldwide as “Silicon Valley” for its significant technological advancements.
Horticulture and the North 40
Following the historical trend of the rest of the Santa Clara Valley, the North 40 area was transformed into a thriving orchard by
the Walker family in the late 1800s. The use of the land for orchards continued after the land was subdivided into smaller parcels
in the 1910s and 1920s. During the 1920s the Valley’s fruit production peaked and it appears that the orchards at the North 40 were
also successful prior to the onset of the depression. Unlike the rest of the Valley, the postwar suburban growth of the North 40 site
did not completely engulf the existing orchards. While a small portion of area was developed for single‐family homes, the majority
of the area remained orchards for the rest of the twentieth century, due to the Yuki family’s stewardship. Several notable
developments have encroached on the site including the construction of the Highway 17, State Route 85 and numerous
commercial projects along Los Gatos Boulevard. Nonetheless, the majority of the North 40 site maintains one of the last vestiges of
the heyday of the “Valley of Heart’s Delight.” Remaining resources from the era include the orchard which covers a majority of
the site and approximately ten buildings which appear to date to the sites prewar era.
Findings
The subject buildings appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1 as contributing structures to
a potentially eligible historic district. The property maintains a strong association with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of
horticultural production from 1910-1929. This property was part of the early development of the North Forty property when it
was subdivided into smaller parcels that were developed into successful family orchards. During this time period larger farms and
ranches in the Valley were being replaced by smaller specialized farms which were able to sustain due to the high value of the
fruit and nut crops.
The residence does not appear to be individually eligible under NRHP/CRHR Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. J. T. Noddin does not
appear to be individually significant within the Los Gatos region. Also, Takeo Yuki does appear to have been a significant
Japanese American farmer within the Santa Clara Valley; however his primary contributions were not to the Los Gatos region.
Constructed c.1920, the house and garages (which appear to possibly be later additions) do not appear to be a significant example
of an architectural type. The buildings maintain some characteristics of the Craftsman style, but primarily it represents simple
vernacular residential construction of the period. Further, the buildings do not appear to be outstanding example of a type, nor are
they the work of a master. Lastly, the property does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to the
prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation.
The buildings appear to maintain a fair level of integrity with only minor visible alterations.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 7 of 8 *Resource Name or # 14975 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 8 of 8 *Resource Name or # 14975 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 8 *Resource Name or #: 15111 Los Gatos Blvd.
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 15111 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip: 95032
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-100 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The property at 15111 Los Gatos Boulevard, a busy four lane thoroughfare, is barely visible from the street, as it is set behind a
wood privacy fence and has a large tree growing directly in front of the buildings. The building stands on a flat site with a gravel
driveway and a narrow lawn to the south side. The one story, single family residence is L-shaped in plan with a cross gable roof
clad in asphalt shingles. Narrow wood shiplap siding clads the exterior walls that are punctuated with double-hung wood
windows with flat wood surrounds. A rectangular garage with a gable roof stands at the west end of the drive south of the main
residence. A vertical wood board sliding door occupies the east façade of the garage. A small stock storage shed stands at the rear
of the house and a chain link fence with privacy slats lines the property at the north end.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Buildings HP4 (garage and storage building)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking northwest to the front of
the house and driveway, January
24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c.1920
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
May 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 8 *NRHP Status Code 3CD
*Resource Name or # 15111 Los Gatos Blvd.
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Craftsman Bungalow/residential vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1920
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: The subject property is included on a large parcel that features a walnut orchard, several other
residences, and a storage shed.
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Horticulture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: 1910-1929 Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: A/1
The property on which the residence at 15111 Los Gastos Boulevard is located was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada
de Los Gatos. The rancho was established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and
Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The 6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of
Campbell. Its major feature was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: May 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 8 *Resource Name or # 15111 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. The southwesternmost
section of the Walker landholdings (formerly known as Lot 4 of the Parr Partition) was subdivided in 1895 into 400 and 800
acres lots and was named the Walker Tract Subdivision. 1 The subject parcel was likely located at the east end of Lot 4 at the
boundary of Lots 3 of the Walker Tract, between present day Lark Avenue and Bennett Way.
Lark Avenue, formerly known at Walker Avenue, bisected the Walker Tract Subdivision and ran from San Jose – Los Gatos
Road (Los Gatos Blvd., also formerly known Bascom Ave.) to Los Gatos Creek. The northern lot at the intersection of Walker
Avenue and Los Gatos Road was identified as Lot 4 and appears to have been owned by Oswald Schlueter an orchardist. The
subject property appears to have been adjacent to the Schlueter property and it has not yet been determined who owned the
property prior to its purchase by the Yuki family. Early aerial photographs indicate the property was also used for agricultural
purposes.
Prior to World War II several families were listed as owning property that was formerly part of Leslie Walker’s landholdings,
also known at Lot D of the Walker Partition and many of those families were listed as living on or running farms in the 1930 and
1940 censuses. Post World War II, Takeo Yuki relocated his family from Salinas to Los Gatos and began purchasing properties
within the Walker Tract and the Walker Partition.
The first recorded deed documenting the Yuki family’s purchase of property in the Los Gatos area was in July 1945. Takeo Yuki
purchased two parcels of land from Victor and Rose Gianandrea on San Jose-Los Gatos Road. In the 1940 census Victor
Gianandrea is listed as an Italian living on and operating a farm. Over the next decade the Yuki family quickly purchased much
of the surrounding property that had previously been part of the Walker Subdivision and Leslie Walker’s land. The family also
purchased a significant amount of property on the other side of Los Gatos Creek as well. Some of the family names they
purchased land from between 1945 – 1963 included: Benzo, Stevens, Noddin, Libby, Fawkner, Sanfilippo, Pasetta, Perry,
Scianna, Tracy, Volz, DeCarlo, Demevi, Greco, and Nigl.2 Several of the listed property owners were Italian farmers, who likely
were instrumental in developing the walnut orchard. Walnuts were not a common crop for Japanese farmers and had not been a
crop in which Takeo Yuki had previously been engaged in growing.3
The Walker Partition remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various
parcels were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building
records until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. No construction permits were located for the subject
property. The building appears on the earliest available aerial photographs (1939) and appears to have been constructed c. 1920.
The exact date that the Yuki family purchased the subject property is unclear.
The Yuki Family
Takeo (Tom) Yuki, the family patriarch was a second-generation Japanese Americans, or Nisei, hailing from the Salinas area in
Monterey County. His parents, Tsurmstsu and Reva Yuki were originally from Hiroshima, Japan and immigrated to California
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599; and Surveyor’s map of Walker Tract Subdivision by A. T. Herman, 1895, on file at the
County of Santa Clara Recorder’s Office.
2 Santa Clara County Recorders Office, deed records for area properties. 3 Personal communications with Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator, March 14, 2013.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 8 *Resource Name or # 15111 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
circa 1899.4 Takeo was raised in a rural area east of Salinas known as Alisal, where his father worked as a farm laborer. In 1931,
two years after establishing his produce business, he married Miyoko Abe and the couple remained in the Salinas area. Miyoko,
who was born in nearby Watsonville in 1913, was also a Nisei with her family originally coming from Kumamoto, Japan. She
and her siblings spent their childhood as migrant farm workers moving often and working jobs in lettuce, strawberries, and
apricots.5 The 1940 census lists the Takeo Yuki as owning his home and farm on Spring School Road in Alisal, which had
previously been listed as Takeo and his family’s place of residence in prior censuses. It is also noted that he worked as a lettuce
grower and shipper.6 Takeo built his business on growing and marketing iceberg lettuce, a relatively unfamiliar vegetable in the
1930s.7 Soon he had developed what was to become the largest Japanese farm enterprise in the region.8
When Japanese Internment took effect the Yuki family, with three children at the time, went to the assembly point in Salinas in
the spring of 1942, and was subsequently interned at a camp in Poston, Arizona near the city of Parker. The family spent three
years in the camp, where Takeo, unable to farm became a cook.9 Toward the end of the war in late 1945, the families were
released from the camps. The Yuki family had been fortunate that Takeo’s business partner Tom Bun was “an honest Caucasian”
who had kept the business going during the war. The two had corresponded throughout the internment by mail.10
Postwar the Yuki family retained ownership of their land in Salinas, however the area was known to be hostile to Japanese
Americans because many of the local residents had fought or died in battle in Japan during the war. Therefore, the Yuki family
purchased property and settled in Los Gatos. The Los Gatos area was close enough for Takeo Yuki to travel frequently to his
property in Salinas and in general the Santa Clara Valley was more welcoming to Japanese American families returning from the
internment camps.11
The family’s property in Los Gatos included what is known as the North 40 area, as well as farmland on the west side of
Highway 17. In the early 1960s Takeo donated a portion of his land on Oka Road for the construction of Ralph O. Berry
Elementary School. (The school remained part of the Los Gatos School District through 1980 and is currently home to the
Yavneh Day School.) Over the years, “Yuki Farms” has primarily functioned as an orchard for growing apricots, prunes, almonds
and mostly walnuts. In 2007, it was noted to be the last orchard of any significant size in Los Gatos.12
The orchard in Los Gatos was the family home, but not the main family enterprise. Takeo Yuki was primarily involved in the
produce business, in particular iceberg lettuce. In Salinas he was co-owner of the Salinas Valley Vegetable Exchange. While he
owned a lot of land in Los Gatos, which served primarily as a walnut orchard, this property was not where his significant wealth
came from. Takeo Yuki owned farm land in Salinas, Imperial Valley and near Phoenix, Arizona.13 He was instrumental in
developing technology to preserve and ship lettuces. When he died in a car accident in 1967, Takeo Yuki was thought to have
been one of the ten wealthiest men in Santa Clara County.14 In addition to his agricultural activities he helped found the San Jose
Savings and Loan Association and was a member of the Buddhist Temple of San Jose and the Japanese-American Citizens
League.15 Miyoko Yuki passed away in 2009. Their children have continued to run the Yuki family enterprises and still own
much land in Los Gatos.
4 US Census 1910, Soledad, Monterey, California.
5 Obituary: Miyoko Yuki, San Jose Mercury News, 21 May 2009.
6 US Census, 1940 Salinas, California. 7 Emie Yuki Yamate, “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past,” Mountain Network News, (December 2012):6.
8 Frank J. Taylor, “The People Nobody Wants,” The Saturday Evening Post (May 9, 1942): 24. 9 Yamate, 7. 10 Ibid.; and Taylor. 11 Yamaichi and Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in California’s Santa
Clara Valley (Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985): 123.
12 “5-Story hotel proposed at Lark/Hwy 17,” Los Gatos Observer (June 13, 2007.)
13 “Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer, (November 24, 1967): 1. 14 Yamaichi 15 “Tom Yuki”
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 8 *Resource Name or # 15111 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Horticulture in the Santa Clara Valley
After first being a Spanish colony and then a Mexican territory, the region was officially acquired by the United States in 1848
following the war with Mexico. Shortly after, in 1850, California achieved statehood, Santa Clara was established as a county,
and the largest development within Santa Clara County, San Jose, was named the state capital. The region began developing
rapidly both as a political and commercial center, after the discovery of gold in California in 1849. Santa Clara County offered
the last urban area on the route to the southern Mother Lode.
Prior to the California Gold Rush of 1849 the sparsely settled Santa Clara Valley landscape was one of the Mexican-era land
grant system with missions and ranchos. The vastly undeveloped land was used primarily to graze cattle, and the only farms of
note were small subsistence gardens kept by residents or missionaries. Organized farming in the area began as Americans took
control of the land and realized its commercial potential.16 Further, with the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill many local settlers
first left for the mountains to mine, and then soon realized they could additionally profit from feeding the masses of miners.
Property owners began raising grains and quickly discovered the rich quality of soil available to them within the Santa Clara
Valley. Over the next two decades the land was subdivided from the large family-held tracts into smaller parcels for individual
settlements and farms. At the end of the 19th century the number of small farms in Santa Clara County exploded from
approximately 700 in 1880 to over 3,000 by 1900.17
Grains, namely wheat, barley, and oats, were the primary investment crop during the valley’s first agricultural phase. Wheat was
very easy to cultivate with little capital investment due to the high fertility of the soil in the valley. By 1854, Santa Clara County
was producing thirty percent of California’s total wheat crop.18
In the subsequent decades several factors led to the transition from grains to fruit. First, through various farmers experimenting in
growing fruit trees, it became increasingly evident that the soil and climate were favorable to producing these more delicate and
profitable crops. Second, the development of the railroad in the 1860s allowed for the shipping of produce to distant markets.
Third, the establishment of canning methods and canneries allowed for the product to be preserved. Finally, the abundant and
accessible water supply throughout the valley was fundamental in growth of orchards. By the beginning of the Twentieth
Century, fruit farming had replaced the majority of grain farms in Santa Clara County.19
Fruit farming in the Santa Clara Valley was an enormous success. The area became known as the “Valley of Heart’s Delight” and
reached its agricultural peak in the late 1920s. During this period the number of fruit orchards rapidly increased. Large farms that
evolved in the nineteenth century out of the ranchos were no longer necessary with the increased ratio to crop value to land unit.
Large farmlands were subdivided into highly specialized farms that were significantly smaller in scale than the previous ranches
and grain fields. The typical fruit farm ranged from just three to fifty acres, thereby affording the opportunity to farm to a greater
population.20
Interest in fruit farming, and agriculture in general, in the area began to decline in the 1930s.21 The trend away from agriculture
came in part from Great Depression and in part from rise in new high-technology research in the region that would escalate
through World War II and the home front mobilization effort. The business community began actively campaigning to attract
new non-agricultural related industries, and soon numerous industries established plants within the County. The establishment of
these companies necessitated new residential and commercial construction. Suburban growth quickly took over the agricultural
16 Clyde Arbuckle, History of San Jose (San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986): 153.
17 Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in California’s Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino,
CA: California History Center, 1985): 15.
18 County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement, 38.
19 Ibid., 15‐16.
20 County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement, 59.
21 Arbuckle, 163.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 8 *Resource Name or # 15111 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
lands. The focus on high-technology, electronics, and industry has continued through to today and Santa Clara County is now
known worldwide as “Silicon Valley” for its significant technological advancements.
Horticulture and the North 40
Following the historical trend of the rest of the Santa Clara Valley, the North 40 area was transformed into a thriving orchard by
the Walker family in the late 1800s. The use of the land for orchards continued after the land was subdivided into smaller parcels
in the 1910s and 1920s. During the 1920s the Valley’s fruit production peaked and it appears that the orchards at the North 40
were also successful prior to the onset of the depression. Unlike the rest of the Valley, the postwar suburban growth of the North
40 site did not completely engulf the existing orchards. While a small portion of area was developed for single-family homes, the
majority of the area remained orchards for the rest of the twentieth century, due to the Yuki family’s stewardship. Several notable
developments have encroached on the site including the construction of the Highway 17, State Route 85 and numerous
commercial projects along Los Gatos Boulevard. Nonetheless, the majority of the North 40 site maintains one of the last vestiges
of the heyday of the “Valley of Heart’s Delight.” Remaining resources from the era include the orchard which covers a majority
of the site and approximately ten buildings which appear to date to the sites prewar era.
Findings
The subject building appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1 as contributing structures to a
potentially eligible historic district. The property maintains a strong association with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of
horticultural production from 1910-1929. This property was part of the early development of the North Forty property when it
was subdivided into smaller parcels that were developed into successful family orchards. During this time period larger farms and
ranches in the Valley were being replaced by smaller specialized farms which were able to sustain due to the high value of the
fruit and nut crops. The residence appears to have been constructed by an early Santa Clara family, possibly farmers, and was
later purchased by the Yuki family sometime post-1945.
The residence does not appear to be indiviadually eligible under NRHP/CRHR Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. Takeo Yuki does appear
to have been a significant Japanese American farmer within the Santa Clara Valley; however his primary contributions were not
to the Los Gatos region. Constructed c.1920, the house and garage do not appear to be a significant example of an architectural
type. The buildings maintain some characteristics of the Craftsman style, but primarily it represents simple vernacular residential
construction of the period. Further, the buildings do not appear to be outstanding example of a type, nor are they the work of a
master. Lastly, the property does not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to the prehistory or history of
the local area, state, or the nation.
The buildings appear to maintain a fair level of integrity with no visible alterations.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 7 of 8 *Resource Name or # 15111 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 8 of 8 *Resource Name or # 15111 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 6 *Resource Name or #: 15133 Los Gatos Blvd.
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 15133 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-090 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The single family residence at 15133 Los Gatos Boulevard is barley visible from the road due to the dense vegetation in the front
yard. A gravel drive leads from Los Gatos Boulevard, a busy four lane thoroughfare, to the L-shaped, single story building.
Asphalt shingle clad the cross gable roof and a combination of vertical and horizontal wood siding clads the exterior walls. The
building’s visible windows are modern vinyl and a brick chimney accents the northern end of the house. The western section of
the building appears to be an addition from c.1960.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking west to the front of the
house and driveway, January 24,
2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1945
*P7. Owner and Address:
Marianne, Ezell
16386 Shannon Rd.
Los Gatos, CA
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 6 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 15133 Los Gatos Blvd.
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Single-family residence B4. Present Use: Single-family residence
*B5. Architectural Style: Minimal Traditional/residential vernacular
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1945
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features:
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture/Japanese American Farming Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: N/A Property Type: Single-family residence Applicable Criteria: N/A
The property on which the residence at 15133 Los Gatos Boulevard is located was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada
de Los Gatos. The rancho was established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and
Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The 6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of
Campbell. Its major feature was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 6 *Resource Name or # 15133 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. Leslie Walker’s 54 acre
parcel was located directly north of the Walker Tract Subdivision and south of Myrtle Walker Johnson’s 55 acre parcel.1 The
southwesternmost section of the Walker landholdings (formerly known as Lot 4 of the Parr Partition) was subdivided in 1895
into 400 and 800 acres lots and was named the Walker Tract Subdivision. 2 The subject parcel appears to have been within Lot 4
of the Walker Tract Subdivision between Lark Avenue (formerly Walker Avenue) and Bennett Way.
Lark Avenue, formerly known at Walker Avenue, bisected the Walker Tract Subdivision and ran from San Jose – Los Gatos
Road (Los Gatos Blvd., also formerly known Bascom Ave.) to Los Gatos Creek. The northern lot at the intersection of Walker
Avenue and Los Gatos Road was identified as Lot 4 and appears to have been owned by Oswald Schlueter an orchardist. The
property then passed on to his daughter Bertha Schlueter, who maintained the property at least through the mid-1950s and is
listed in the 1940 census as being the manager of a farm and poultry operation. In 1955 a portion of the property was sold to Ray
Adams, who subsequently developed a gas station. The subject property appears to have been part of the Schlueter’s original land
holdings.
The Walker Partition remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various
parcels were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building
records until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. No construction permits were located for the subject
property, but the building appears on the earliest available aerial photographs found (1948) and appears to have been constructed
c. 1945. The original building owner has not yet been identified.
Findings
The subject buildings do not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. The property does
not appear to have played any role in the agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley or in particular the Japanese American
farming context in the valley. Having been constructed c.1945 the residence does not appear to be tied to the surrounding
agriculture, or to the Schlueter’s farm. Further, although the building is adjacent to the land holdings of Yuki farms, the subject
property does not appear to have any connection to Japanese American farming in the area.
Additionally, the residence does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. The Schlueter’s, likely
owners of the land at one time, do not appear to be historically significant at the local, state, or national level. Constructed c.1945,
the house does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The buildings maintain some characteristics of the
Minimal Traditional, but primarily it represents simple vernacular residential construction of the period. Further, the building
does not appear to be outstanding example of a type, nor are they the work of a master. Lastly, the property does not appear to
possess the potential to yield information important to the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation. The building
appears to maintain a poor to fair level of integrity with an addition and the replacement of the original windows; and the
property does not appear to be eligible for the NRHP or the CRHR.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; and Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599.
2 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599; and Surveyor’s map of Walker Tract Subdivision by A. T. Herman, 1895, on file at the
County of Santa Clara Recorder’s Office.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 6 *Resource Name or # 15133 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 6 *Resource Name or # 15133 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 6 *Resource Name or # 15133 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 5 *Resource Name or #: 15171 Los Gatos Boulevard
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 15171 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-060 Elevation:
*P3a. Description: (Describe resource and its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size, setting, and boundaries)
The single story service station with a flat roof is sited so that the front of the building faces the intersection of Los Gatos
Boulevard and Lark Avenue. The building is rectangular in plan with two garage bays with roll-up doors at the south end and the
enclosed retail shop with fixed metal frame windows on the north end. Two freestanding canopy structures stand at either end of
the building covering the gas pumps. The majority of the flat site is paved with a small landscaped area at the southeast corner.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: 1-3 Story Commercial building, HP6
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking northwest to the front
building elevation, January 24,
2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c.1960, Canopies, 1967
*P7. Owner and Address:
MBK Enterprise
812 Saratoga Ave. Unit Q302
San Jose, CA 95129
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
March 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
DPR 523B (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
BUILDING, STRUCTURE, AND OBJECT RECORD
Page 2 of 5 *NRHP Status Code 6Z
*Resource Name or # 15171 Los Gatos Boulevard
B1. Historic Name:
B2. Common Name:
B3. Original Use: Service Station B4. Present Use: Service Station
*B5. Architectural Style: Modern
*B6. Construction History:
Constructed c.1960
*B7. Moved? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
*B8. Related Features: The service station includes a garage and store and two freestanding canopies.
B9a. Architect: N/A b. Builder: unknown
*B10. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Agriculture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: c. 1960 Property Type: Commercial Applicable Criteria: N/A
The service station at 15171 Los Gatos Boulevard was once part of Mexican-era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho
was established by an 1840 grant made by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The
6,631-acre land grant included the present-day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature
was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the center of the property.
See continuation sheet.
B11. Additional Resource Attributes: (List attributes and codes)
*B12. References:
See continuation sheet
B13. Remarks:
*B14. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc.
*Date of Evaluation: March 2013
(This space reserved for official comments.)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 3 of 5 *Resource Name or # 15171 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B10. Significance: (Continued)
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza had three children, Leslie, Myrtle, and
Vivian, between whom they subdivided much of their land holdings following Eliza’s death in 1893. The southwesternmost
section of the Walker landholdings (formerly known as Lot 4 of the Parr Partition) was subdivided in 1895 into 400 and 800
acres lots and was named the Walker Tract Subdivision. 1
Lark Avenue, formerly known at Walker Avenue, bisected the Walker Tract Subdivision and ran from San Jose – Los Gatos
Road (Los Gatos Blvd., also formerly known Bascom Ave.) to Los Gatos Creek. The northern lot at the intersection of Walker
Avenue and Los Gatos Road was identified as Lot 4 and appears to have been owned by Oswald Schlueter an orchardist. The
property then passed on to his daughter Bertha Schlueter, who maintained the property at least through the mid-1950s and is
listed in the 1940 census as being the manager of a farm and poultry operation. In 1955 a portion of the Schlueter property was
sold to Ray Adams, who subsequently developed the gas station at 15171 Los Gatos Boulevard.
The Walker Tract remained in unincorporated Santa Clara County lands for most of the twentieth century, as the various parcels
were not annexed into Los Gatos until the 1980s and 1990s. The County of Santa Clara did not begin keeping building records
until the late 1940s and their early records are not comprehensive. No original construction permits were located for the subject
property, but a 1967 county permit was issued for the construction of a canopy. Aerial photos indicate the gas station was built by
1960. The property is remains an active service station today.
The building does not appear to be eligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR under Criterion A/1. It did not play a significant
role in the Agricultural growth of the Santa Clara Valley. Additionally, it does not appear to be eligible under NRHP/CRHR
Criteria B/2, C/3, or D/4. No persons have been identified that appear to have made a significant contribution to local, state, or
national history. Constructed c.1960, the service station does not appear to be a significant example of an architectural type. The
typical commercial structure is indicative of the Modern style, but is not an outstanding example of its type. Lastly, the site does
not appear to possess the potential to yield information important to the prehistory or history of the local area, state, or the nation.
The building maintains fair integrity, with few alterations; still the building does not appear to be eligible for the NRHP or the
CRHR.
B12. References: (continued)
“5-Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
1 Eugene T. Sawyer, History of Santa Clara County California, (Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922) 955 and
981; Map of the Walker Estate, Surveyed H. B. Fischer on file in the County of Santa Clara Planning Department,
Planning File 71M11.599; and Surveyor’s map of Walker Tract Subdivision by A. T. Herman, 1895, on file at the
County of Santa Clara Recorder’s Office.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 5 *Resource Name or # 15171 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 6. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance
Series, no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press,
1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887-1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of
San Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed-Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 5 *Resource Name or # 15171 Los Gatos Boulevard
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: March 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947-1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of
Historic Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and
Recreation, November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 1 of 26 *Resource Name or #: North Forty Orchard/Yuki Farms
P1. Other Identifier: Walker Partintion and Walker Tract
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: Bound by Lark Ave., Highway 17, Highway 85, and Los Gatos Boulevard City: Los Gatos Zip: 95032
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APNs 424-07-64, 424-07-081, 424-07-082, 424-07-083, 424-07-84, 424-07-094, 424-07-095,
and 424-07-100 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The North Forty/Yuki Farms property consists of almost thirty acres devoted to a walnut orchard and six properties with
residential, agricultural, and storage buildings that were constructed between 1910‐1929. The buildings that appear to be
associated with the early family orchards include those located at: 16399 Lark Avenue, 14849 Los Gatos Boulevard, 14917 Los
Gatos Boulevard, 14919 Los Gatos Boulevard, 14975 Los Gatos Boulevard, and 15111 Los Gatos Boulevard. The walnut orchard is
organized in evenly spaced rows and columns set around clusters of buildings and defined by roads and developed property at its
edges. One dirt road runs north to south across the orchard and two single‐lane roads run east to west into the property.
Detailed descriptions of each resource are located on individual primary records and on the district form.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: HP2, Single Family Properties and HP33, Farms
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo: Aerial
view of the orchard from Google
maps (accessed March 2013)
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
Circa 1910-1929
*P7. Owner and Address:
Various Owners. Majority Land
Holder is the Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded: March, 2012
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
DISTRICT RECORD Trinomial
Page 3 of 26 *NRHP Status Code: 3CS
*Resource Name or # (Assigned by recorder): North Forty Orchard/Yuki Farms
D1. Historic Name: Walker Partition and Walker Tract D2. Common Name: North Forty Orchard/Yuki Farms
*D3. Detailed Description:
See continuation sheet.
*D4. Boundary Description (Describe limits of district and attach map showing boundary and district elements.):
The district is roughly bound by Lark Avenue to the south, Los Gatos Boulevard to the east, Burton Road to the north, and
Highway 17 to the west. Several continguous parcels within this general area are not included within the district boundary as
depicted in the attached map.
See continuation sheet.
*D5. Boundary Justification:
The boundary has been determined to include properties that maintain a strong association with the significant theme of
horticultural production in the Santa Clara Valley from 1910-1929; that maintain historic integrity; and that appear to have been
related to the existing orchard ie family home of an orchardist or agricultural structure related to the orchard. Further the parcels
are all contingous and the district does not extend beyond large physical barriers such as Highway 17.
*D6. Significance: Theme: Santa Clara Valley Horticulture Area: Northern Los Gatos
Period of Significance: 1910-1929 Applicable Criteria: A/1
The walnut orchard on the North 40 site is one of the only remaining properties within the Santa Clara Valley that maintains its
physical heritage from the Valley’s era of peak horticultural production. Orchards covered the Valley prior to World War II and
the abundant crops were shipped nationwide. Postwar most of the Valley’s agricultural land was developed into commercial areas
and housing subdivisions. The North 40 property has remained an active orchard for a century and several period buildings that
were initially associated with small family orchards from the 1910s and 1920s remain extant on the site. Those buildings that
maintain integrity and appear to be associated with the early family orchards include: 16399 Lark Avenue, 14849 Los Gatos
Boulevard, the red barn at 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard, 14919 Los Gatos Boulevard, 14975 Los Gatos Boulevard, and 15111 Los
Gatos Boulevard. Further the walnut orchard itself remains a historic resource integral to the understanding a potential historic
district.
*D7. References:
See continuation sheet.
*D8. Evaluator: Kimberly Butt, AIA Date: May 2013
Affiliation and Address: Carey & Co., 460 Bush St., San Francisco, CA 98401
DPR 523D (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 4 of 26 *Resource Name or # North Forty Orchard/Yuki Farms
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
D3. Detailed Description: (continued).
The North Forty Orchard/Yuki Farms includes several contiguous properties that were initially developed between 1910 and 1929
as small family orchards. The properties identified within the district include the orchard itself six residential structures, one barn,
and two garages. The following properties appear to date to the era eligibility, maintain historical significance and maintain
sufficient integrity.
A ‐ 16399 Lark Avenue (APN 424‐07‐100)
B ‐ 14849 Los Gatos Boulevard (House, garage, and cottage) (APN 424‐07‐64)
C ‐ The Red Barn at 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard (APN 424‐07‐82)
D ‐ 14919 Los Gatos Boulevard (the original farmhouse on the Yuki property)
(APN 424‐07‐82)
E ‐ 14975 Los Gatos Boulevard (house and garage) (APN 424‐07‐84)
F ‐ 15111 Los Gatos Boulevard (APN 424‐07‐100)
G ‐ The Walnut Orchard (covering APNs 424‐07‐081, 424‐07‐082, 424‐07‐083, 424‐07‐094, 424‐07‐095, and 424‐07‐100)
16399 Lark Avenue
The property at 16399 Lark Avenue is not readily visible from the public right‐of‐way, as it is set at the intersection of Lark Avenue
and Los Gatos Boulevard directly behind a service station. Additionally, numerous trees surround the residence. The raised one‐
story‐over‐basement single family residential building is L‐shaped in plan with an asphalt shingle clad hipped roof. Narrow,
horizontal wood siding clads the exterior walls that are punctuated by both original double‐hung wood windows and replacement
vinyl windows. Finally, a gravel driveway leads from Lark Avenue along the western edge of the gas station parking lot to the
subject property.
14849 Los Gatos Boulevard
The property at 14849 Los Gatos Boulevard (formerly South Bascom Ave.) features a single‐family residence, a rear cottage, a
detached garage, and a small storage shed. The site slopes gently to the west, and most of the exterior surfaces are covered in
gravel with the exception of a small landscaped area surrounded by a wood fence in front of the main house. The one‐story single‐
family home is not readily visible from the four‐lane Los Gatos Boulevard because it is set back far from the road behind a wood
fence and a significant amount of vegetation. The main house is essentially rectangular in plan, with a small addition extending
west at the rear and a small covered porch extending north from the northwest corner. Asphalt shingles clad the steep gable roof
with exposed rafter tails, and narrow shiplap wood siding clads the exterior walls. The front façade is accented by a dentilated
band above four multi‐lite wood‐frame windows that enclose an entry porch. At least one window has been replaced with an
aluminum slider, and at the back of the house several double‐hung wood windows punctuate the exterior walls.
The single‐story, gable‐roofed garage clad in narrow shiplap wood siding stands at the west end of the driveway along the
property’s southern edge. The garage is punctuated by a single garage door on the east façade. At the rear of the main house and
along the northern edge of the property stands a small, rectangular, gable‐roofed cottage clad in narrow shiplap wood siding. The
single story building appears to have been constructed around the same time as the main house and features a small covered entry
porch. Finally, a small storage shed, that does not appear to date to the construction of the main house, is located directly west of
the rear cottage.
The Red Barn at 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard
The large one‐ and two‐ story barn stands centrally located in the northern section of the large walnut orchard. Three single‐family
residential buildings surround the barn; one to the northwest, one to the northeast and one to the east. The site directly in front of
the barn is paved in asphalt and paved asphalt lanes run along the north and west sides of the barn. Two orange trees and small
grassy patch occupy the area directly to south. The building features a divided gable roof with exposed rafter tails clad in
corrugated aluminum. Painted vertical wood boards clad the building’s exterior walls. The front, east façade, features a central
modern roll‐up garage door flanked by two multi‐lite pedestrian doors, two multi‐lite windows, and two more doors and
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 5 of 26 *Resource Name or # North Forty Orchard/Yuki Farms
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
windows each beneath its own awning. A shed roof, single‐story addition extends out to the west. Some original windows have
been replaced with modern aluminum ones.
14919 Los Gatos Boulevard (the original farmhouse on the Yuki property)
The single family residence at 14919 Los Gatos Blvd. (formerly known as 14919 South Bascom Ave.) stands centrally located within
the northern section of a large walnut orchard. Two additional residences are located to west and another stands to the northwest.
Several other agricultural and residential buildings are located nearby. The house stands on a flat site with a landscaped front
(eastern) patio enclosed with a low brick wall.
The residence was most likely the original farmhouse on the orchard constructed c.1925 and appears to be in the Monterey, or
vernacular Mission, architectural style. The two‐story building is L‐shaped in plan with a covered second story balcony featuring a
wood railing on the east side. Textured stucco clads the building in conjunction with wide horizontal board at the gable eaves. An
asphalt shingle clad gable roof covers the building and multi‐lite steel casement windows in a variety of sizes punctuate the
exterior walls. The main entrance at the southeast corner features a raised brick porch covered by an extensive shed roof. Two
aluminum awnings cover both a window and a door at the ground floor of the rear, west façade. In 1973, a compatible 230 square‐
foot addition was constructed at the northern end of the building which features a brick wall and stair to a second story entry.
A two‐car garage stands just to the southwest and is access by an asphalt drive that runs along the back of the house. The single‐
story building is clad in textured stucco and maintains a gable roof clad in asphalt shingle on the north and corrugated metal on
the south. A flat roof open carport with a wood frame structure is attached to the south side of the garage. Finally, a modern roll‐
up garage door occupies the large opening in the north façade.
14975 Los Gatos Boulevard
The property at 14975 Los Gatos Boulevard (formerly South Bascom Avenue) maintains three buildings: a single family residence,
a garage, and a storage building. The buildings stand on a relatively flat site, overlooking the walnut orchard to the north and
west. From Los Gatos Boulevard the buildings are hardly visible due to a wood privacy fence and dense vegetation. A gravel drive
provides access from Los Gatos Boulevard. The main residence, at the eastern portion of the site, is rectangular in plan with an
asphalt shingle‐clad gable roof and a small covered entry porch. Narrow wood shiplap siding clads the building’s exterior. A small
brick chimney penetrates the roof on the east side. The garage at the rear of the site features one gable roof section with matching
narrow shiplap siding and wide out‐swinging wood garage doors. An addition to the building to the west maintains a second
gable roof and is clad in wider shiplap siding. Finally, the storage building at the southwestern corner of the site is rectangular in
plan with a gable roof, and is clad in wide horizontal wood dropped siding. An aluminum slider punctuates the building’s east
wall.
In earlier aerial photographs from the 1940s it appears that there were two additional structures to the northwest of this property.
These building were demolished by 1956.
15111 Los Gatos Boulevard
The property at 15111 Los Gatos Boulevard, a busy four lane thoroughfare, is barely visible from the street, as it is set behind a
wood privacy fence and has a large tree growing directly in front of the buildings. The building stands on a flat site with a gravel
driveway and a narrow lawn to the south side. The one story, single family residence is L‐shaped in plan with a cross gable roof
clad in asphalt shingles. Narrow wood shiplap siding clads the exterior walls that are punctuated with double‐hung wood
windows with flat wood surrounds. A rectangular garage with a gable roof stands at the west end of the drive south of the main
residence. A vertical wood board sliding door occupies the east façade of the garage. A small stock storage shed stands at the rear
of the house and a chain link fence with privacy slats lines the property at the north end.
The Walnut Orchard
The existing walnut orchard bound by Lark Avenue, Los Gatos Boulevard, Burton Road and Highway 17 currently covers almost
30 acres of land. Typical of an orchard layout, the walnut trees are organized in linear row and columns of equal spacing. Three
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 6 of 26 *Resource Name or # North Forty Orchard/Yuki Farms
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
single‐lane roads cross the orchard to provide access and most of the structures are clustered in order to leave more land to the
orchard.
Figure 1: 16399 Lark Avenue (A)
Figure 2: 14849 Los Gatos Boulevard (B)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 7 of 26 *Resource Name or # North Forty Orchard/Yuki Farms
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Figure 3: 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard, the Red Barn (C)
Figure 4: 14919 Los Gatos Boulevard (D)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 8 of 26 *Resource Name or # North Forty Orchard/Yuki Farms
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Figure 5: 14975 Los Gatos Boulevard (E)
Figure 6: 15111 Los Gatos Boulevard (F)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 9 of 26 *Resource Name or # North Forty Orchard/Yuki Farms
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Figure 7: The Walnut Orchard (G)
D4. Boundary Decription: (continued)
The Assessor’s Parcel map overlayed onto an aerial of the site. The district boundary is depicted in red and the district
contributing resources are each identified with a letter corresponding to the following list:
A 16399 Lark Avenue (APN 424‐07‐100)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 10 of 26 *Resource Name or # North Forty Orchard/Yuki Farms
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
B 14849 Los Gatos Boulevard (House, garage, and cottage) (APN 424‐07‐64)
C The Red Barn at 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard (APN 424‐07‐82)
D 14919 Los Gatos Boulevard (the original farmhouse on the Yuki property) (APN 424‐07‐82)
E 14975 Los Gatos Boulevard (house and garage) (APN 424‐07‐84)
F 15111 Los Gatos Boulevard (APN 424‐07‐100)
G The Walnut Orchard (APNs 424‐07‐081, 424‐07‐082, 424‐07‐083, 424‐07‐094, 424‐07‐095, and 424‐07‐100)
D6. Significance: (continued)
North 40 Property History
The North 40 property lies within incorporated Los Gatos in central Santa Clara County east of the Santa Cruz Mountains and just
southwest of the San Jose city limits. The plan area remained in unincorporated county lands until the early 1990s, when various
parcels began to be annexed into the town limits. The Town of Los Gatos, similar to other Santa Clara Valley communities,
developed a robust agricultural economy beginning in the mid‐nineteenth century due to its mild climate and abundant artisan
wells and creeks. Fruit orchards soon came to dominate the landscape surrounding Los Gatos, including the North 40 property.
North 40 Ownership
The North 40 was once part of Mexican‐era Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The rancho was established by an 1840 grant made
by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. The 6,631‐acre land grant included the present‐
day cities of Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, and portions of Campbell. Its major feature was Los Gatos Creek, which ran through the
center of the property.
By 1876, the land which included the subject property was listed as being owned by Robert Walker on a Thompson & West map.
Robert Walker, a native of Canada, purchased property and moved to Los Gatos in 1871. Walker married Eliza Jane Parr, whose
father owned 3,000 acres of land on both sides of the Los Gatos Creek. Robert and Eliza received much of her father’s land which
was located just north of Los Gatos. In 1888, Robert Walker is listed as running a 415 acre farm with 260 acres devoted to barley, 20
acres to vegetables and the remainder was used for pasture. Robert Walker was quite prominent in the Los Gatos community
having been both the director of the Bank of Los Gatos and of the Los Gatos Fruit Packing Company.1
Following the death of Eliza in 1893, the Walker family estate was subdivided between her husband and three children, Leslie,
Myrtle, and Vivian. The Los Gatos Creek bordered the Walker family properties to the west and San Jose‐Los Gatos Road (know
today as Los Gatos Boulevard, but also known as South Bascom Avenue in the mid 1900s) served as the eastern boundary. Robert
Walker’s 50 acre parcel and residence were located to the northeast of the North 40 site. He remained there until his death in 1900.
The three children, Vivian, Myrtle, and Leslie were each given a rectangular parcel between 54 to 60 acres in size. Leslie Walker
received the southwestern most plot of land, with Myrtle Walker Johnson’s piece directly northeast and Vivian Walker’s property
sandwiched between Myrtle Johnson and Robert Walker’s. Directly south of Leslie Walker’s land an area known as the Walker
Tract Subdivision was recorded in 1895. Presumably, this was a portion of Eliza Walker’s land that was subdivided into 4 and 8
acres parcels and sold off following her death in 1893.2 The North 40 site primarily consists of the land once owned by Leslie
Walker, as well as the northeastern section of the Walker Tract Subdivision.
In 1900, a widowed Myrtle Walker Johnson is noted to have been running an orchard for prunes and apricots on her land.3 Her
brothers, Vivian and Leslie were also listed as running fruit farms in the census records. Leslie died in 1910, followed shortly by
his wife Mary Elizabeth Moffitt Walker in 1911. Deed records indicate that Leslie Walker’s land was subdivided among various
1. History of Santa Clara County, 981.
2. Surveyor’s map of Walker Tract Subdivision by AT Hermann, 1895, Santa Clara County Archives
3. History of Santa Clara County, 955.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 11 of 26 *Resource Name or # North Forty Orchard/Yuki Farms
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
property owners by 1920 and that the property ran from the northeasterly line of the Walker Tract Subdivision to southwestern
border of Myrtle Johnson’s property and from San Jose‐Los Gatos Road to the Los Gatos Creek.
Prior to World War II several families were noted as owning property within the North 40 site, and many of those families were
listed as living on or running farms in the 1920, 1930 and 1940 censuses. One family, the Schlueters were listed as orchardists and
owned the property at the southeast corner of the North 40. Other family names listed as farmers or orchardists on the North 40 or
in the area included: Noddin, Benzo, DeCarlo, Lester, Cilker, Tissler, Phillip, Roger, Giampoli and Wretman. An aerial photograph
from 1939 shows the entire area from Los Gatos Boulevard to Los Gatos Creek essentially covered in orchards.
Post War Era
Post World War II, Takeo Yuki, a prominent farmer and Nisei from the Salinas area, relocated his family from Salinas to Los Gatos
and began purchasing properties within the Walker Tract and the Walker Partition. The first recorded deed documenting the Yuki
family’s purchase of property in the Los Gatos area was in July 1945. Takeo Yuki purchased two parcels of land from Victor and
Rose Gianandrea on San Jose‐Los Gatos Road. In the 1940 census Victor Gianandrea is listed as an Italian living on and operating a
farm. Over the next decade the Yuki family quickly purchased much of the surrounding property that had previously been part of
the Walker Subdivision and Leslie Walker’s land. The family also purchased a significant amount of property on the other side of
Los Gatos Creek as well. Some of the family names they purchased land from between 1945 – 1963 included: Benzo, Stevens,
Noddin, Libby, Fawkner, Sanfilippo, Pasetta, Perry, Scianna, Tracy, Volz, DeCarlo, Demevi, Greco, and Nigl.4 Several of the listed
property owners were Italian farmers, who likely were instrumental in developing the walnut orchard. Walnuts were not a
common crop for Japanese farmers and had not been a crop in which Takeo Yuki had previously been engaged in growing.5
Additionally, a small portion of the North 40 site was developed postwar for single family housing. Along both Bennett Way and
Burton Road numerous small houses were constructed in the Minimal Traditional architectural style. While these two pockets of
growth reflected the national postwar trend of suburban housing development, the majority of the site remained covered by
orchards.
Beginning in 1999 several new commercial developments on the North 40 site were constructed along Los Gatos Boulevard. In
most cases it appears that small residential structures were demolished for the construction of the commercial buildings and
adjacent parking lots.6
North 40 Roads
The North 40 property is generally bound by Lark Avenue, Los Gatos Boulevard, Highway 17 and Highway 85. Los Gatos
Boulevard was originally known as San Jose‐Los Gatos Road from the late 1880s through to around 1950. This name derived
simply because the road connected San Jose to Los Gatos. Around 1950 the road name was changed to South Bascom Avenue. By
the early 1970s the road name was changed again to Los Gatos Boulevard. As the road continues north into the San Jose city limits
and past State Route 85 the name remains South Bascom Avenue. Lark Avenue was originally known as Walker Avenue and
served to bisect the Walker Tract Subdivision. Two roads, Burton Road and Bennett Way, run from Los Gatos Boulevard across the
North 40 to the west. Both roads appear to have been laid in the mid‐1940s when the surrounding land was subdivide for single‐
family homes. Two other private drives access the orchard property from the Los Gatos Boulevard, and one dirt road transverses
the property north to south. In 1956, Highway 17 was routed around downtown Los Gatos and through the former Walker family
4. Santa Clara County Recorder’s Office, deed records for area properties.
5. Personal communications with Jimi Yamaichi, Japanese American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator, March 14, 2013.
6. 15055 Los Gatos Blvd; APN 424‐07‐096; constructed 1999, Los Gatos Building Permit B99‐000611
15075 Los Gatos Blvd; APN 424‐07‐096; constructed 1999, Los Gatos Building Permit B99‐000446
14777 Los Gatos Blvd; APN 424‐06‐129; constructed 2003,Los Gatos Building Permit B03‐000299
15047 Los Gatos Blvd; APN 424‐07‐099; constructed 2004, Los Gatos Building Permit B04‐000395 and B04‐0650 (Residential
Demolition)
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 12 of 26 *Resource Name or # North Forty Orchard/Yuki Farms
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
properties. In the early 1990s the construction of SR18 began and an access road from Highway 17 to SR85 was constructed at the
west end of the North 40.
The Yuki Family
Takeo (Tom) Yuki, the family patriarch was a second‐generation Japanese Americans, or Nisei, hailing from the Salinas area in
Monterey County. His parents, T. and R. Yuki were originally from Hiroshima, Japan and immigrated to California circa 1899.7
Takeo was raised in a rural area east of Salinas known as Alisal, where his father worked as a farm laborer. In 1931, two years after
establishing his produce business, he married Miyoko Abe and the couple remained in the Salinas area. Miyoko, who was born in
nearby Watsonville in 1913, was also a Nisei with her family originally coming from Kumamoto, Japan. She and her siblings spent
their childhood as migrant farm workers moving often and working jobs in lettuce, strawberries, and apricots.8 The 1940 census
lists the Takeo Yuki as owning his home and farm on Spring School Road in Alisal, which had previously been listed as Takeo and
his family’s place of residence in prior censuses. It is also noted that he worked as a lettuce grower and shipper.9 Takeo built his
business on growing and marketing iceberg lettuce, a relatively unfamiliar vegetable in the 1930s.10 Soon he had developed what
was to become the largest Japanese farm enterprise in the region.11
When Japanese Internment took effect the Yuki family, with three children at the time, went to the assembly point in Salinas in the
spring of 1942, and was subsequently interned at a camp in Poston, Arizona near the city of Parker. The family spent three years in
the camp, where Takeo, unable to farm became a cook.12 Toward the end of the war in late 1945, the families were released from
the camps. The Yuki family had been fortunate that Takeo’s business partner Tom Bun was “an honest Caucasian” who had kept
the business going during the war. The two had corresponded throughout the internment by mail.13
Postwar the Yuki family retained ownership of their land in Salinas, however the area was known to be hostile to Japanese
Americans because many of the local residents had fought or died in battle in Japan during the war. Therefore, the Yuki family
purchased property and settled in Los Gatos. The Los Gatos area was close enough for Takeo Yuki to travel frequently to his
property in Salinas and in general the Santa Clara Valley was more welcoming to Japanese American families returning from the
internment camps.14
The family’s property in Los Gatos included what is known as the North 40 area, as well as farmland on the west side of Highway
17. In the early 1960s Takeo donated a portion of his land on Oka Road for the construction of Ralph O. Berry Elementary School.
(The school remained part of the Los Gatos School District through 1980 and is currently home to the Yavneh Day School.) Over
the years, “Yuki Farms” has primarily functioned as an orchard for growing apricots, prunes, almonds and mostly walnuts. In
2007, it was noted to be the last orchard of any significant size in Los Gatos.15
The orchard in Los Gatos was the family home, but not the main family enterprise. Takeo Yuki was primarily involved in the
produce business, in particular iceberg lettuce. In Salinas he was co‐owner of the Salinas Valley Vegetable Exchange. While he
owned a lot of land in Los Gatos, which served primarily as a walnut orchard, this property was not where his significant wealth
came from. Takeo Yuki owned farm land in Salinas, Imperial Valley and near Phoenix, Arizona.16 He was instrumental in
7. US Census 1930, Soledad, Monterey, California.
8. Obituary: Miyoko Yuki, San Jose Mercury News, 21 May 2009.
9. US Census, 1940 Salinas, California.
10. Emie Yuki Yamate, “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past,” Mountain Network News, (December 2012):6.
11. Frank J. Taylor, “The People Nobody Wants,” The Saturday Evening Post (May 9, 1942): 24.
12. Yamate, 7.
13. Ibid.; and Taylor.
14. Yamaichi and Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in California’s Santa Clara
Valley (Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985): 123.
15. “5‐Story hotel proposed at Lark/Hwy 17,” Los Gatos Observer (June 13, 2007.)
16. “Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer, (November 24, 1967): 1.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 13 of 26 *Resource Name or # North Forty Orchard/Yuki Farms
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
developing technology to preserve and ship lettuces. When he died in a car accident in 1967, Takeo Yuki was thought to have been
one of the ten wealthiest men in Santa Clara County.17 In addition to his agricultural activities he helped found the San Jose
Savings and Loan Association and was a member of the Buddhist Temple of San Jose and the Japanese‐American Citizens
League.18 Miyoko Yuki passed away in 2009. Their children have continued to run the Yuki family enterprises and still own much
land in Los Gatos.
Two other prominent Japanese families maintained farms in the Los Gatos area: the Oka family and the Nishimura family. Much
of the Oka family land was near the Yuki family property, and much of it was lost for the construction of Highway 17. The
Nishimura family has long ties to the Los Gatos area and returned to farm postwar. They farmed until Vasona Reservoir was
created c.1950, and their property was submerged under it.
Additionally, as the Yuki family continued to increase their landholdings surrounding their family residence in the Los Gatos, a
significant portion of their property was taken away for the construction of Highway 17 in 1956 when the highway was rerouted to
bypass downtown Los Gatos. In that year the State purchased right of ways from property owners along the route, including the
Yuki family. Then in the early 1990s Highway 85 was constructed and a new off ramp further encroached on the family’s property.
Due to the new ramp, a cottage was demolished and two barns were relocated.
Horticulture in the Santa Clara Valley
After first being a Spanish colony and then a Mexican territory, the region was officially acquired by the United States in 1848
following the war with Mexico. Shortly after, in 1850, California achieved statehood, Santa Clara was established as a county, and
the largest development within Santa Clara County, San Jose, was named the state capital. The region began developing rapidly
both as a political and commercial center, after the discovery of gold in California in 1849. Santa Clara County offered the last
urban area on the route to the southern Mother Lode.
Prior to the California Gold Rush of 1849 the sparsely settled Santa Clara Valley landscape was one of the Mexican‐era land grant
system with missions and ranchos. The vastly undeveloped land was used primarily to graze cattle, and the only farms of note
were small subsistence gardens kept by residents or missionaries. Organized farming in the area began as Americans took control
of the land and realized its commercial potential.19 Further, with the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill many local settlers first left
for the mountains to mine, and then soon realized they could additionally profit from feeding the masses of miners. Property
owners began raising grains and quickly discovered the rich quality of soil available to them within the Santa Clara Valley. Over
the next two decades the land was subdivided from the large family‐held tracts into smaller parcels for individual settlements and
farms. At the end of the 19th century the number of small farms in Santa Clara County exploded from approximately 700 in 1880 to
over 3,000 by 1900.20
Grains, namely wheat, barley, and oats, were the primary investment crop during the valley’s first agricultural phase. Wheat was
very easy to cultivate with little capital investment due to the high fertility of the soil in the valley. By 1854, Santa Clara County
was producing thirty percent of California’s total wheat crop.21
In the subsequent decades several factors led to the transition from grains to fruit. First, through various farmers experimenting in
growing fruit trees, it became increasingly evident that the soil and climate were favorable to producing these more delicate and
profitable crops. Second, the development of the railroad in the 1860s allowed for the shipping of produce to distant markets.
Third, the establishment of canning methods and canneries allowed for the product to be preserved. Finally, the abundant and
17. Yamaichi
18. “Tom Yuki”
19. Clyde Arbuckle, History of San Jose (San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986): 153.
20. Timothy J. Lukes and Gary Y. Okihiro, Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in California’s Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino,
CA: California History Center, 1985): 15.
21. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement, 38.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 14 of 26 *Resource Name or # North Forty Orchard/Yuki Farms
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
accessible water supply throughout the valley was fundamental in growth of orchards. By the beginning of the Twentieth Century,
fruit farming had replaced the majority of grain farms in Santa Clara County.22
Fruit farming in the Santa Clara Valley was an enormous success. The area became known as the “Valley of Heart’s Delight” and
reached its agricultural peak in the late 1920s. During this period the number of fruit orchards rapidly increased. Large farms that
evolved in the nineteenth century out of the ranchos were no longer necessary with the increased ratio to crop value to land unit.
Large farmlands were subdivided into highly specialized farms that were significantly smaller in scale than the previous ranches
and grain fields. The typical fruit farm ranged from just three to fifty acres, thereby affording the opportunity to farm to a greater
population.23
Interest in fruit farming, and agriculture in general, in the area began to decline in the 1930s.24 The trend away from agriculture
came in part from Great Depression and in part from rise in new high‐technology research in the region that would escalate
through World War II and the home front mobilization effort. The business community began actively campaigning to attract new
non‐agricultural related industries, and soon numerous industries established plants within the County. The establishment of
these companies necessitated new residential and commercial construction. Suburban growth quickly took over the agricultural
lands. The focus on high‐technology, electronics, and industry has continued through to today and Santa Clara County is now
known worldwide as “Silicon Valley” for its significant technological advancements.
Horticulture and the North 40
Following the historical trend of the rest of the Santa Clara Valley, the North 40 area was transformed into a thriving orchard by
the Walker family in the late 1800s. The use of the land for orchards continued after the land was subdivided into smaller parcels
in the 1910s and 1920s. During the 1920s the Valley’s fruit production peaked and it appears that the orchards at the North 40 were
also successful prior to the onset of the depression. Unlike the rest of the Valley, the postwar suburban growth of the North 40 site
did not completely engulf the existing orchards. While a small portion of area was developed for single‐family homes, the majority
of the area remained orchards for the rest of the twentieth century, due to the Yuki family’s stewardship. Several notable
developments have encroached on the site including the construction of the Highway 17, State Route 85 and numerous
commercial projects along Los Gatos Boulevard. Nonetheless, the majority of the North 40 site maintains one of the last vestiges of
the heyday of the “Valley of Heart’s Delight.” Remaining resources from the era include the orchard which covers a majority of
the site and approximately ten buildings which appear to date to the sites prewar era.
The Yuki Family and the North 40
The Yuki family in Los Gatos was an exception to the traditional path of the Japanese American family postwar, because the family
did not sell all of their land for development during the postwar construction boom and the children have continued to run the
family farm decades after the passing of the family patriarch. The majority of the family’s wealth came from land holdings and
investments outside of Los Gatos, and not from the North 40 property itself. The North 40 property served as the family’s postwar
home, and Miyoko Yuki continues to live in the house she constructed o the site in 1970.
The Yuki family has maintained the orchard they purchased piecemeal in the postwar decades, but they did not create it. Rather
than exemplifying the influence of a Japanese American farmer, the property is more reminiscent of the mostly Italian families that
likely developed the walnut orchard in the prewar decades. Walnuts were not a typical crop for Japanese American farmers or
even common in the Valley. Further, the existing buildings, with the exception of the 1970 residence and the two circa 1965 barns,
were constructed prior to the Yuki family’s tenure on the property.
22. Ibid., 15‐16.
23. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement, 59.
24. Arbuckle, 163.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 15 of 26 *Resource Name or # North Forty Orchard/Yuki Farms
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Period of Significance
The period of significance has been established to be from 1910‐1929. These years encompassed the height of horticultural
production in the Santa Clara Valley, as well as the locally significant early development of the site into family orchards.
14849 Los Gatos Boulevard
The subject parcel appears to have been in the northeastern section of Leslie Walker’s former land holdings which were
subdivided among various owners by 1920. The earliest building permit located for the property is from 1994, however the
residence is visible on a 1939 aerial. The architectural style of the building indicates it most likely constructed c. 1910. The property
is currently owned by the Dewey Ventura family.
As a contributing structure to a potentially eligible historic district the building at 14849 Los Gatos Boulevard appears eligible
under Criterion A/1. The property maintains a strong association with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of horticultural production
from 1910‐1929. This house was part of the early development of the North Forty property when it was subdivided into smaller
parcels that were developed into family orchards. The residence, cottage and garage all appear to maintain good integrity with few
alterations.
The Red Barn at 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard
The subject parcel appears to have been within Leslie Walker’s former land holdings which were subdivided among various
owners by 1920. No building permits were located for the barn, however it is visible on the earliest aerial photograph from 1939
and appears to have been constructed c. 1920. The barn was most likely constructed by one the Italian farming families listed in the
area on census and deed records. It is unclear which family owned the property, but it was potentially Victor and Rose
Gianandrea. Takeo Yuki purchased his first piece of property in the area from the Gianandrea family in July 1945. The Barn is on
property that is currently owned by the Yuki family.
As a contributing structure to a potentially eligible historic district the red barn at 14917 Los Gatos Boulevard appears eligible
under Criterion A/1. The property maintains a strong association with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of horticultural production
from 1910‐1929. This barn was part of the early development of the North Forty property when it was subdivided into smaller
parcels that were developed into family orchards. The barn appears to maintain fair integrity with an addition at the rear and
several windows having been replaced.
14919 Los Gatos Boulevard (the original farmhouse on the Yuki property)
The subject parcel appears to have been within Leslie Walker’s former land holdings which were subdivided among various
owners by 1920. No original construct permits were located for this building, but it appears to date to c. 1920. A county permit for
the construction of a residential addition was issued to T. Yuki in 1973. Through property deed records it appears likely that the
Gianandrea family, or one of the early Italian farming families, may have constructed the subject residence. Based on the
building’s appearance and communications with the Yuki family, the subject residence was already constructed when they
purchased the property and the Yuki family did live in the house at one time.
As a contributing structure to a potentially eligible historic district the house at 14919 Los Gatos Boulevard appears eligible under
Criterion A/1. The property maintains a strong association with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of horticultural production from
1910‐1929. This house was part of the early development of the North Forty property when it was subdivided into smaller parcels
that were developed into family orchards. The house appears to maintain good integrity with a compatible addition having been
constructed at the northern end and the installation of some aluminum awnings on the west side.
14975 Los Gatos Boulevard
No construction permits were located for the subject property. Likely, this property was previously owned by the J. T. Noddin
family. Although Noddin Avenue is now shown on maps as the driveway within the adjacent Yuki property, the assessors’ parcel
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 16 of 26 *Resource Name or # North Forty Orchard/Yuki Farms
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
map shows Noddin Avenue as having been on the southwestern boundary of the subject property. The Yuki family purchased
land from the Noddin family in June 1946. Little is currently known about the Noddin family, but they were listed as farmers in
the census records.
As contributing structures to a potentially eligible historic district, the buildings at 14975 Los Gatos Boulevard appear eligible
under Criterion A/1. The property maintains a strong association with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of horticultural production
from 1910‐1929. This property was part of the early development of the North Forty property when it was subdivided into smaller
parcels that were developed into successful family orchards. During this time period larger farms and ranches in the Valley were
being replaced by smaller specialized farms which were able to sustain due to the high value of the fruit and nut crops. The
buildings maintains fair integrity, with only minor visible alterations.
15111 Los Gatos Boulevard
The Walker Tract Subdivision was laid out in 1895 and the subject property is located within what was identified in 1895 as Lot 3.
This 4 acre tract allowed for small scale family farming to take place on what had previously been the expansive Walker family
property. No construction permits were located for the subject property. The building appears on the earliest available aerial
photographs from 1939 and appears to have been constructed c. 1920. The exact date that the Yuki family purchased the subject
property has not been determined.
As contributing structures to a potentially eligible historic district, the buildings at 15111 Los Gatos Boulevard appear eligible
under Criterion A/1. The property maintains a strong association with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of horticultural production
from 1910‐1929. This property was part of the early development of the North Forty property when it was subdivided into smaller
parcels that were developed into successful family orchards. The buildings maintains fair integrity, with no visible alterations.
The Walnut Orchard
The walnut orchard at the North 40 appears to be the largest remaining vestige of the once prominent horticultural industry on the
lands in and around Los Gatos. The land originally owned be the Walker family was farmed primarily for barely and the rest used
for pasture in the mid‐1800s. Toward the end of the 1800s and the early 1900s the land was progressively subdivided down to
significantly smaller parcels and orchards were developed. During this period throughout the Santa Clara Valley it had been
discovered that the specialty crops such as fruits and nuts flourished in the area’s climate and soil. Families were able to make a
living off smaller parcels of land with crops that produced higher incomes. The orchards at the North Forty appear to have been
developed primarily by individual families, many Italian immigrants, although some earlier orchard were noted as having been
planted by the Walker family. A historic aerial photograph from 1939 shows that orchards covered the entire region surrounding
the property.
Postwar the Yuki family purchased land and made their home on the North Forty property. Over the course of the next several
decades the family purchased most of the surrounding orchards and continued to maintain the crops.
As contributing resource to a potentially eligible historic district, the walnut orchard appears to be eligible under Criterion A/1.
The property maintains a strong association with Santa Clara Valley’s peak era of horticultural production from 1910‐1929. The
orchard was part of the early development of the North Forty property and provided the economic basis for the early families who
resided on the property.
The orchard has been scaled down in size, primarily by the construction of the Highway 17 which divided the once larger property
north to south. Further, both Burton Road and Bennett Way were developed postwar with small residences that replaced some of
the original orchard lands. More recently a significant amount of commercial development has occurred along Los Gatos
Boulevard that has changed the character of sections of the property. Overall however the orchard itself appears to maintain
sufficient integrity in order to convey it original feeling, design, association, and setting as related to the significant period of
horticultural growth in the Santa Clara Valley from 1910‐1929.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 17 of 26 *Resource Name or # North Forty Orchard/Yuki Farms
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
District Integrity
Location: The majority of the identified properties remain at their original location with the exception of two cottages at 14917 Los
Gatos Road.
Design: The overall form and layout of the orchard remains similar to its historical appearance as evident through aerial
photographs. The majority of the building appear to maintain the majority of their original design intent and integrity with the
exception of 14823 Los Gatos Boulevard, which appears to have undergone a significant amount of alterations including the likely
enclosure of the front porch.
Setting: Several aspect of the properties original setting has been altered including the construction of multiple single‐family
homes along Bennett Way and Burton Road; the construction of numerous large‐scale commercial buildings along Los Gatos
Boulevard; and the construction of Highway 17 and State Route 85. However, enough of the original setting remains to
successfully convey the historical sense of place with the extant orchard and buildings.
Materials: Overall the properties appear to maintain their integrity of materiality.
Workmanship: The workmanship is evident within the orchard itself and in the details of many of the structures.
Feeling: Similar to setting, the amount of development around and within the North 40 site has somewhat altered the feeling of the
site, still the overall consistency and scale of the remaining orchard and associated period buildings provided sufficient integrity
of feeling.
Association: The association with the Valley’s horticultural era and the property is evident in the extant orchard, barn and
residential structures.
Overall the district as a whole appears to maintain sufficient integrity for its association with the early horticultural development
of the Santa Clara Valley to be understood.
D7. References: (continued)
“5‐Story Hotel Proposed at Lark/Hwy 17.” Los Gatos Observer. June 13, 2007.
Aerial photographs of the Los Gatos area on file at the California Room, San Jose Public Library. 1948, 1960, 1968, 1981
Arbuckle, Clyde. History of San Jose. San Jose, CA: South & McKay Printing Co., 1986.
Archives & Architecture. County of Santa Clara Historic Context Statement. San Jose, CA: County of Santa Clara Department of
Planning and Development, December 2004, revised February 2011.
Bloomfield, Anne. Los Gatos Historic Resources Survey. San Francisco, CA: June 28, 1991.
Brutz, George G. The History of Los Gatos, Gem of the Foothills. Santa Cruz, CA: Western Tanager Press, 1983.
California Register and National Register: A Comparison, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance Series, no. 6.
Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2006.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 18 of 26 *Resource Name or # North Forty Orchard/Yuki Farms
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
California Register of Historical Resources: The Listing Process, California Office of Historic Preservation Technical Assistance Series,
no. 5. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation, n.d.
Carey & Co., Inc. San Jose Japantown Historic Context Statement and Intensive Survey. San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2006.
Conway, Peggy. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2004.
___. Images of America, Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2007.
Dallas, Alastair. Los Gatos Observed: The Architecture & History of Los Gatos, California. Los Gatos, CA: Infospect Press, 1999.
Directories of San Jose City and Santa Clara County. 1887‐1934.
Gebhard, David, Roger Montgomery, Robert Winter, John Woodbridge, and Sally Woodbridge. A Guide to the Architecture of San
Francisco and Northern California. Santa Barbara and Salt Lake City: Peregrine Smith, 1973.
How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation, National Register Bulletin, no. 15.
Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior, 1997.
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form, National Register Bulletin, no. 16A. Washington, D.C.: United States
Department of the Interior, 1997.
Instructions for Recording Historical Resources. Sacramento, CA: California Office of Historic Preservation, 1995.
Kyle, Douglas E. Historic Spots in California. Revised edition. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2002.
Los Gatos Building Permits. Various permits accessed through Citizen Portal
https://permits.losgatosca.gov/CitizenAccess/Default.aspx (accessed February 2013).
Los Gatos Directory. 1902, 1924, 1925
Los Gatos Telephone Directory. 1965,
Los Gatos Library Local History Collection Clippings Files:
Agriculture: Orchards/Crops
Families: Yuki Family.
Los Gatos Public Library. Hooked on Los Gatos. http://historylosgatos.org/ (accessed March 2013).
“Los Gatos’ Yuki Family Sells 32 Acres, Mixed‐Use Planned.” Business Journal. July 11, 2010.
Lukes, Timothy J. and Gary Y. Okihiro. Japanese Legacy: Farming and Community Life in
California’s Santa Clara Valley. Cupertino, CA: California History Center, 1985.
Mathews, Stephanie Ross et al. Postcard History Series: Los Gatos. San Francisco, CA: Arcadia Publishing, 2009.
McAlester, Virginia and Lee. A Field Guide to American Houses. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1986.
Miyoko Abe Yuki, Obituary. San Jose Mercury News. May 21, 2009.
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI#
CONTINUATION SHEET Trinomial
Page 19 of 26 *Resource Name or # North Forty Orchard/Yuki Farms
*Recorded by: Kimberly Butt, AIA for Carey & Co., Inc. *Date: May 2013 Continuation Update
DPR 523L (1/95) *Required information
Mrs. Myrtle Johnson, Obituary. Los Gatos Time. October 24, 1941.
National Park Service, “Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California.” [online
book], available at: http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/5views/5views.htm (accessed February 2013).
Poppeliers, John C. et al. What Style is it? A Guide to American Architecture. Washington D. C.: The National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 1983.
Olmsted, Roger and T. H. Watkins. Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1978.
Santa Clara County Building Inspections Department. Various building permit records ranging from 1947‐1991. On file at the
Santa Clara County Department of Planning and Development.
Santa Clara County Official Records. Various deeds on file at the Santa Clara County Office of the Clerk Recorder.
Santa Clara County Planning Department. Various planning files. On file at the Santa Clara County Department of Planning and
Development.
Sawyer, Eugene T. History of Santa Clara County California. Los Angeles, CA: Historic Record Company, 1922.
Taylor, Frank J. “The People Nobody Wants.” The Saturday Evening Post. May 9, 1942.
“Tom Yuki Dies of Injuries” Los Gatos Saratoga Time Observer. November 24, 1967.
United States Federal Census. http://www.ancestry.com (accessed March 2013)
1880. California, Redwood Township.
1900. California, Redwood Township.
1910. California, Redwood Township.
1920. California, Redwood Township.
1940. California, Redwood Township.
User’s Guide to California Historical Resource Status Code & Historic Resources Inventory Directory. California State Office of Historic
Preservation. Technical Assistance Bulletin, no. 8. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Parks and Recreation,
November 2004.
Yamate, Emie Yuki. “A Mountain Woman Remembers a Painful Past.” Mountain Network News. December 2012.
Personal Communications:
Joel Paulson, Principal Planner City of Los Gatos.
Priya Cherukuru, Historical Heritage Coordinator, County of Santa Clara
Vera Symmons, Property Manager for Yuki Farms, Los Gatos.
Jimi Yamaichi, Japanes American Museum of San Jose Director and Curator
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 20 of 26 *Resource Name or #: 16399 Lark Avenue
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 16399 Lark Ave. City: Los Gatos Zip: 95032
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-100 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The property at 16399 Lark Avenue is not readily visible from the public right-of-way, as it is set at the intersection of Lark Avenue
and Los Gatos Boulevard directly behind a service station. Additionally, numerous trees surround the residence. The raised one-
story-over-basement single family residential building is L-shaped in plan with an asphalt shingle clad hipped roof. Narrow,
horizontal wood siding clads the exterior walls that are punctuated by both original double-hung wood windows and replacement
vinyl windows. A gravel driveway leads from Lark Avenue along the western edge of the gas station parking lot to the subject
property.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking north to southwest corner
of the house, January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c.1910
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
May 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 21 of 26 *Resource Name or #: 14849 Los Gatos Blvd.
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 14849 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip: 95032
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-064 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The property at 14849 Los Gatos Boulevard (formerly South Bascom Ave.) features a single-family residence, a rear cottage, a
detached garage, and a small storage shed. The site slopes gently to the west, and most of the exterior surfaces are covered in
gravel with the exception of a small landscaped area surrounded by a wood fence in front of the main house. The one-story single-
family home is not readily visible from the four-lane Los Gatos Boulevard because it is set back far from the road behind a wood
fence and a significant amount of vegetation. The main house is essentially rectangular in plan, with a small addition extending
west at the rear and a small covered porch extending north from the northwest corner. Asphalt shingles clad the steep gable roof
with exposed rafter tails, and narrow shiplap wood siding clads the exterior walls. The front façade is accented by a dentilated
band above four multi-lite wood-frame windows that enclose an entry porch. At least one window has been replaced with an
aluminum slider, and at the back of the house several double-hung wood windows punctuate the exterior walls.
The single-story, gable-roofed garage clad in narrow shiplap wood siding stands at the west end of the driveway along the
property’s southern edge. The garage is punctuated by a single garage door on the east façade. At the rear of the main house and
along the northern edge of the property stands a small, rectangular, gable-roofed cottage clad in narrow shiplap wood siding. The
single story building appears to have been constructed around the same time as the main house and features a small covered entry
porch. Finally, a small storage shed, that does not appear to date to the construction of the main house, is located directly west of
the rear cottage.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Buildings HP4 (Garage, Storage Shed, and Cottage)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking north to the front of the
house, January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c.1910
*P7. Owner and Address:
Pamela Swallow/Deborah and
Brent Ventura
4042 Cranford Cl
San Jose, CA 95124
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
May 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 22 of 26 *Resource Name or #: 14917 Los Gatos Blvd./Red Barn
P1. Other Identifier: Barn
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 14917 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip: 95032
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-082 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The large one- and two- story barn stands centrally located in the northern section of a large walnut orchard. Three single-family
residential buildings surround the barn; one to the northwest, one to the northeast and one to the east. The site directly in front of
the barn is paved in asphalt and paved asphalt lanes run along the north and west sides of the barn. Two orange trees and small
grassy patch occupy the area directly to south. The building features a divided gable roof with exposed rafter tails clad in
corrugated aluminum. Painted vertical wood boards clad the building’s exterior walls. The front, east façade, features a central
modern roll-up garage door flanked by two multi-lite pedestrian doors, two multi-lite windows, and two more doors and
windows each beneath its own awning. A shed roof, single-story addition extends out to the west. Some original windows have
been replaced with modern aluminum ones.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Ancillary Buildings HP4 (Barns)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking southeast toward the
garage (right) and house (left),
January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1920
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
May 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 23 of 26 *Resource Name or #: 14919 Los Gatos Blvd.
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 14919 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip: 95032
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-082 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The single family residence at 14919 Los Gatos Blvd. (formerly known as 14919 South Bascom Ave.) stands centrally located within
the northern section of a large walnut orchard. Two additional residences are located to west and another stands to the northwest.
Several other agricultural and residential buildings are located nearby. The house stands on a flat site with a landscaped front
(eastern) patio enclosed with a low brick wall.
The residence was most likely the original farmhouse on the orchard constructed c.1920 and appears to be in the Monterey, or
vernacular Mission, architectural style. The two-story building is L-shaped in plan with a covered second story balcony featuring a
wood railing on the east side. Textured stucco clads the building in conjunction with wide horizontal board at the gable eaves. An
asphalt shingle clad gable roof covers the building and multi-lite steel casement windows in a variety of sizes punctuate the
exterior walls. The main entrance at the southeast corner features a raised brick porch covered by an extensive shed roof. Two
aluminum awnings cover both a window and a door at the ground floor of the rear, west façade. In 1973, a compatible 230 square-
foot addition was constructed at the northern end of the building which features a brick wall and stair to a second story entry.
A two-car garage stands just to the southwest and is access by an asphalt drive that runs along the back of the house. The single-
story building is clad in textured stucco and maintains a gable roof clad in asphalt shingle on the north and corrugated metal on
the south. A flat roof open carport with a wood frame structure is attached to the south side of the garage. Finally, a modern roll-
up garage door occupies the large opening in the north façade.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Building, HP4 (Garage)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking northwest toward the
southeast corner, January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1920; Addition 1973
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
May 2012
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 24 of 26 *Resource Name or #: 14975 Los Gatos Blvd.
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 14975 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip: 95032
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-084 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The property at 14975 Los Gatos Boulevard (formerly South Bascom Avenue) maintains three buildings: a single family residence,
a garage, and a storage building. The buildings stand on a relatively flat site, overlooking the walnut orchard to the north and
west. From Los Gatos Boulevard the buildings are hardly visible due to a wood privacy fence and dense vegetation. A gravel drive
provides access from Los Gatos Boulevard. The main residence, at the eastern portion of the site, is rectangular in plan with an
asphalt shingle-clad gable roof and a small covered entry porch. Narrow wood shiplap siding clads the building’s exterior. A small
brick chimney penetrates the roof on the east side. The garage at the rear of the site features one gable roof section with matching
narrow shiplap siding and wide out-swinging wood garage doors. An addition to the building to the west maintains a second
gable roof and is clad in wider shiplap siding. Finally, the storage building at the southwestern corner of the site is rectangular in
plan with a gable roof, and is clad in wide horizontal wood dropped siding. An aluminum slider punctuates the building’s east
wall.
In earlier aerial photographs from the 1940s it appears that there were two additional structures to the northwest of this property.
These building were demolished by 1956.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Buildings HP4 (Storage building; garage)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking north to the side of the
house, garage, outbuilding and
driveway, January 24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1920
*P7. Owner and Address:
ETPH LP (Yuki Family)
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
May 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 25 of 26 *Resource Name or #: 15111 Los Gatos Blvd.
P1. Other Identifier:
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: 15111 Los Gatos Blvd. City: Los Gatos Zip: 95032
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-100 Elevation:
*P3a. Description:
The property at 15111 Los Gatos Boulevard, a busy four lane thoroughfare, is barely visible from the street, as it is set behind a
wood privacy fence and has a large tree growing directly in front of the buildings. The building stands on a flat site with a gravel
driveway and a narrow lawn to the south side. The one story, single family residence is L-shaped in plan with a cross gable roof
clad in asphalt shingles. Narrow wood shiplap siding clads the exterior walls that are punctuated with double-hung wood
windows with flat wood surrounds. A rectangular garage with a gable roof stands at the west end of the drive south of the main
residence. A vertical wood board sliding door occupies the east façade of the garage. A small stock storage shed stands at the rear
of the house and a chain link fence with privacy slats lines the property at the north end.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Single Family Property, HP2; Ancillary Buildings HP4 (garage and storage building)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo:
Looking northwest to the front of
the house and driveway, January
24, 2013
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c.1920
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA for
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
May 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information
State of California The Resources Agency Primary #
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION HRI #
PRIMARY RECORD Trinomial
NRHP Status Code
Other Listings
Review Code Reviewer Date
Page 26 of 26 *Resource Name or #: Walnut Orchard at Los Gatos Blvd.
P1. Other Identifier: Yuki Farms
*P2. Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted *a. County: Santa Clara
and (P2b and P2c or P2d. Attach a Location Map as necessary.)
*b. USGS 7.5' Quad: Los Gatos Date: 2012 T 8 S ; R 1W ; ¼ of ¼ of Sec ; M.D. B.M.
c. Address: Los Gatos Blvd. between Lark Ave. and Burton Road City: Los Gatos Zip:
d. UTM: Zone: 10 ; mE/ mN (G.P.S.)
e. Other Locational Data: APN 424-07-81; 424-07-082; 424-07-83; 424-07-94; 424-07-095; 424-07-100 Elevation:
*P3a. Description: (Describe resource and its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size, setting, and boundaries)
The existing walnut orchard bound by Lark Avenue, Los Gatos Boulevard, Burton Road and Highway 17 currently covers almost
30 acres of land. Typical of an orchard layout, the walnut trees are organized in linear row and columns of equal spacing. Three
single‐lane roads cross the orchard to provide access and most of the structures are clustered in order to leave more land to the
orchard.
*P3b. Resource Attributes: Farm/Ranch HP33 (Orchards)
*P4. Resources Present: Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other (Isolates, etc.)
P5b. Description of Photo: Aerial
of orchard from Google Maps
2/28/13
*P6. Date Constructed/Age and
Sources: Historic
Prehistoric Both
c. 1920
*P7. Owner and Address:
Yuki Family
PO Box 567
Los Gatos, CA 95032
*P8. Recorded by:
Kimberly Butt, AIA
Carey & Co., Inc.
460 Bush St., San Francisco, 94801
*P9. Date Recorded:
May 2013
*P10. Survey Type: Intensive
*P11. Report Citation: none
*Attachments: NONE Location Map Sketch Map Continuation Sheet Building, Structure, and Object Record
Archaeological Record District Record Linear Feature Record Milling Station Record Rock Art Record
Artifact Record Photograph Record Other (List):
DPR 523A (1/95) *Required information