Town of Coyote

Town of Coyote. . The town of Coyote was established on a popular route known as El Camino Real by the Mexicans who traveled it. This route linked the missions throughout California. Originally named Burnett, Coyote developed around a post office that was housed in a stage stop and drinking saloon known as "12-Mile House.” (The Coyote Stage Stop sign next door still marks the location of the original 12-Mile House) Because the Coyote POST OFFICE was founded in 1860, for a time it was considered the oldest functioning post office in Santa Clara County. To this day, area residents still collect their mail at the same post office location., In 1882, the residents changed the town's name from Burnett to Coyote, most likely due to the large population of coyotes in the valley. As the population grew, so did the ranches and farms that produced fruits, vegetables, and walnuts. The railroad added a stop in town, which enabled local growers to ship their crops out to market. A lumber company came next. It took advantage of the rail stop by constructing its lumber mill near the tracks. Through much of the 1900s, the town of Coyote was quite a bustling community, and when automobiles became popular, the residents of Coyote took advantage of their centralized location by opening more roadside diners, stores, hotels, and attractions that catered to travelers and families. However, when Highway 101 was completed in 1983, traffic through Coyote decreased as more cars drove on the freeway., The Coyote Grange building was built by volunteers of the Coyote Public Hall Association in 1902 on land donated by Fiacro Fisher and his family as a public hall for community meetings, school, and social gatherings. Fisher had been given the land as part of a Mexican land grant. Eventually, the association died out and the hall fell into neglect. In 1923, a community group of women, having outgrown meeting in their homes, decided to fix up the hall and meet there. They called themselves "The Encinal Women's Club. In 1925, they rented the hall to the newly organized Coyote Grange. Ten years later, The Encinal Women's Club acquired clear title to the building. On May 5, 1949, the hall and surrounding gardens were purchased by the Coyote Grange, which still uses it for their activities today. In addition to grange activities, the hall and gardens are used for a wide variety of social events and community gatherings., Officially, the Coyote Grange is Chapter 412 of the California State Grange and the National Grange of the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry., Dedicated 2022