Gilroy in Santa Clara County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Franklin Family Ranch

Santa Clara County Historical Site

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, March 30, 2012

1. Franklin Family Ranch Marker

Inscription. Bernard and Mabel Franklin moved to this property after its purchase in 1895. The home at this location had been built approximately 20 years prior, from Mt. Madonna Redwood. It has been home to four generations of Franklins. Bernard helped build Rucker School in 1895. This was the beginning of the "Rucker Township" which hosted a post office and a train depot. Bernard and Mabel had two sons, William and Robert, who worked with their father to establish a prune growing and dehydration business that is still family run. Today, the business is known as Golden Valley Nut Co. Inc. Mountain Charlie Chapter 1850 recognizes the efforts and contributions to E Clampus Vitus by Doug Franklin and his family.

Erected 1996 by E Clampus Vitus, Mountain Charlie Chapter No. 1850 and the Franklin Family.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the E Clampus Vitus series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1895.

Location. 37° 3.044′ N, 121° 35.299′ W. Marker is in Gilroy, California, in Santa Clara County. It can be reached from Rucker Road east of Monterey Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 170 Rucker Road, Gilroy CA 95020, 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.

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At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Rucker School Historical Site 1894 (approx. 0.2 miles away); Community of San Martin (approx. 2.7 miles away); Station Master, James A. Houck (approx. 3 miles away); Gilroy Historic Site No. 2 (approx. 3 miles away); Robinson Hardware Co. (approx. 3.1 miles away); Thornton Building (approx. 3.1 miles away); Southern Pacific Coast Daylight GS-4 (approx. 3.1 miles away); Gilroy Carnegie Library (approx. 3.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gilroy.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Gilroy's First Post Office (was approx. 3.1 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

Franklin Family Ranch and Barn image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, March 30, 2012

2. Franklin Family Ranch and Barn

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on April 2, 2012, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 1,650 times since then and 76 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 2, 2012, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.