Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve near Los Gatos in Santa Clara County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Millionaires transformed this place into a land of luxury

Photographed by Joseph Alvarado, January 1, 2024

1. Millionaires transformed this place into a land of luxury Marker

Inscription. Bear Creek Redwoods Preserve was the site of three estates built with fortunes from mining and banking, and with increasingly intensive alterations to the land – especially under the hand of Dr. Harry Tevis.

Past the building on your left was the entrance to Tevis’ sprawling mansion. Surrounding it were 75 acres of formal gardens, irrigated with 11 million gallons of water flowing through reservoirs and aqueducts. Remnants of these feats of engineering still exist today.

As Tevis’ beloved gardens grew, natural communities of plants and animals diminished. Midpen honors Estate-era history while supporting this region’s natural biodiversity with a carefully-chosen array of California native plants.

Erected 2023 by Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Parks & Recreational Areas • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1887.

Location. 37° 10.918′ N, 122° 0.107′ W. Marker is near Los Gatos, California, in Santa Clara County. It is in Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve. It can be reached from Bear Creek Road south of Mellotts Road, on the left when traveling south. The resin marker is mounted in a metal frame along

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the walking trail. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Los Gatos CA 95033, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in California’s San Francisco Bay Area

and on the Coast Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Alma College Original Library (a few steps from this marker); Courtyard Fountain (within shouting distance of this marker); Tevis’ Mansion, Lost to Fire (within shouting distance of this marker); From Rec Room to a Place of Prayer (within shouting distance of this marker); The Marian Shrine (within shouting distance of this marker); From Ruins to Roost (within shouting distance of this marker); Alma College Library Foundation (within shouting distance of this marker); Remnant of the Alma College Classroom (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Los Gatos.

More about this marker. Inset Images:
1887
Captain Stillman Knowles expands on the timber-era water system, creating a network of ponds for farming fish.
1894
James and Rose Flood turn the failing ranch into an estate with a game reserve, orchards, and a road. They call it Almadale.
One prominent remaining feature is the road – now partially a trail – that once ran from Almadale to the historic town of Alma near Los Gatos Creek.
1906
Dr. Harry L. Tevis buys Almadale

Photographed by Joseph Alvarado, January 1, 2024

2. Millionaires transformed this place into a land of luxury Marker

just before a 7.9-magnitude earthquake hits. Tevis rebuilds – and expands – until his death in 1931.
Dr. Harry Tevis (left) loved to entertain. His orchards, vineyards, exotic plants, and parties delighted his urban friends.
The Tevis mansion (outlined) was built at the edge of the ridge and supported by retaining walls over 30 feet high. The Jesuits later expanded down the hill, adding a five story extension at the back.

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. Alma College

Also see . . . Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. Bear Creek Redwoods Preserve

"Prevented from becoming a golf course and country club with luxury residences by a coalition of environmental activists, the land was far from pristine. It was extensively logged in the mid-1800s and briefly became a fish farm before being developed into a massive self-sufficient estate that passed between a couple of California's wealthiest families. The Catholic order of the Society of Jesus later repurposed the estate buildings to open Alma College, a theologate to train Jesuit priests."

(Submitted on May 26, 2024, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California.)

Credits. This page was last revised on May 26, 2024. It was originally submitted on May 26, 2024, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California. This page has been viewed 643 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 26, 2024, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California.