Historical Markers and War Memorials in Gilroy, California
San Jose is the county seat for Santa Clara County
Gilroy is in Santa Clara County
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On Monterey Street at East 6th Street, on the right when traveling north on Monterey Street.
John Cameron Gilroy
circa 1854
John Cameron Gilroy, native of Scotland, arrived in Spanish California in 1814, and became the first permanent English speaking settler. He married Maria Clara de la Ascencion Ortega, daughter of the family that . . . — — Map (db m68909) HM
This boulder was originally located below this building near the edge of Uvas Creek. It was removed by helicopter in 1987 to protect it from erosion and vandalism, and moved to Mt. Madonna County Park. There it was vandalized further and moved to . . . — — Map (db m200822) HM
Near Gourmet Alley north of 6th Street, on the right when traveling north.
Not many found it easy to make a fortune in the Gold Rush of 1849, but they did find gold in the farmland of California.
Among the Early Farmers to settle in and around Gilroy were Massey Thomas and Samuel and Electra Ousley.
Massey . . . — — Map (db m218878) HM
First contact between the Spanish expeditions and the Ohlone tribes was usually friendly. These encounters, recorded in expedition diaries, indicated that throughout Ohlone territory, the Spanish were treated as "distinguished guests," suggesting . . . — — Map (db m197734) HM
Near Watsonville Road, on the right when traveling south.
This land was originally part of the El Rancho Solis granted in 1828. The main home is one of the oldest wooden structures in the county. Part of the present residence dates back to 1833 and the redwood timbers were hauled from Mt. Madonna for its . . . — — Map (db m54056) HM
On Monterey Road at Hornlein Court, on the right when traveling north on Monterey Road.
On September 16, 1857, John Butterfield, a New Yorker, received a contract with the U.S. Post Office Department to establish reliable transportation between Missouri and San Francisco.
As a young man he joined with Henry Wells and William . . . — — Map (db m57988) HM
On Monterey Street south of Fifth Street, on the right when traveling south.
Second Chesbro Building
Built in the neoclassical commercial style for Dr. H.R. Chesbro and his son Dr. Elmer J. Chesbro who had offices upstairs.
Built by William Radtke in 1917
Placed by: Gilroy Downtown Association and the Gilroy . . . — — Map (db m230949) HM
Near Watsonville Road at Burchell Road, on the right when traveling west.
[This is a two-sided marker. Side-one being in English and Side-two being in Spanish:][Side One:]
CHITACTAC
For over 3,000 years, this area around the Uvas Creek drainage supported large populations of ancestral Ohlone People. . . . — — Map (db m18508) HM
Near Monterey Street south of 5th Street, on the right when traveling south.
Located at the intersection of historic pathways of native peoples and El Camino Real, Gilroy’s location has long been the key to its good fortune. In 1906, guidepost bells were placed along the El Camino Real to guide early travelers and preserve . . . — — Map (db m219078) HM
Near Gourmet Alley near 5th Street, on the left when traveling south.
For centuries, prior to the 1800s, Amah Mutsun native peoples, often referred to as Costanoan or Ohlone, lived in four small clans around Gilroy.
Their diet was acorns, berries, mushrooms, pine nuts and wild fruit, fish and small game. . . . — — Map (db m218916) HM
Near Watsonville Road north of Burchell Road, on the left when traveling north.
The sandstone outcroppings along the eastern terrace of Uvas Creek are ideal for creating bedrock mortars, grinding slabs (metates), and cupules. Key to the aid of processing large quantities of foods were mortars (stone bowls) and . . . — — Map (db m197748) HM
Near Rucker Road east of Monterey Street, on the right when traveling east.
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 . . . — — Map (db m54059) HM
John Gilroy arrived in Monterey in 1814 on one of the North-West Co.
trading ships; "ISAAC TODD," which he deserted. He then fled to the Santa Clara Valley, marrying Maria Clara Ortega and settling on Rancho San Ysidro. His rightful name was John . . . — — Map (db m112025) HM
Near Gourmet Alley south of 5th Street when traveling east.
Settlers from many countries came to Gilroy and brought their traditions and skills with them, contributing to Gilroy’s growth and vitality.
Germans Adam Riehl founded Gilroy Brewery and was one of Gilroy’s early City Mayors.
The . . . — — Map (db m218874) HM
Near Gourmet Alley north of 6th Street when traveling north.
Gymkhana 1929-1956
Many activities including parades and rodeos in a ‘Wild West Theme’ attracted visitors who filled the 5,000 seat bleachers.
Beginning in 1967, “Bonanza Days” continued the celebrations with a grand parade and a week of . . . — — Map (db m218879) HM
On Fifth Street at Church St when traveling west on Fifth Street.
This property is listed in the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior.
Carnegie Library, 1910. — — Map (db m18470) HM
Near Gourmet Alley south of 5th Street, on the left when traveling south.
Gilroy’s strategic location contributed to great economic growth beginning in the 1850s.
Inset Images:
In 1870 James Culp was a tobacco grower and owned a cigar factory. Over one million cigars were rolled and shipped monthly all . . . — — Map (db m219074) HM
On Gilroy Hot Springs road, 6 miles north of Roop Road, on the right when traveling north.
Under the guidance of the George Roop and William McDonald families
during the years 1865 of Francisco Cantua's discovery to the 1930's,
Gilroy Hot Springs was a popular health and family resort oriented
around a single hot mineral spring . . . — — Map (db m240828) HM
Near Gourmet Alley north of 6th Street, on the right when traveling north.
From the days of the vaquero, ranching and horsemanship have been an important part of Gilroy life.
The Gymkhana (1929-1956) was the highlight of the cowboy period. The rodeo featured well-known stars such as Casey Tibbs and his horse . . . — — Map (db m218911) HM
On Monterey Street at Fifth Street, on the right when traveling south on Monterey Street.
Original site of Gilroy’s First Post Office
Later rebuilt for Wentz Pharmacy by William Radtke in 1928
Placed by: Gilroy Downtown Development Corporation and the Gilroy Historical Society — — Map (db m230450) HM
This park was once the summer home of "the cattle king" Henry Miller. Mr. Miller was the dominant partner in the firm Miller & Lux. The large foundation on your left was Mrs. Miller's home, and the other two foundations were a dining hall and . . . — — Map (db m54057) HM
On West 6th Street at Eigleberry Street, on the right when traveling east on West 6th Street.
World War I
Charles C. Crews • Benjamin Garcia • Arthur Mooney • John sturla
World War II
Edward S. Ahern • Joe Altamirano • Ernest Avila • John A. Berri • Charles Blanchard • Joseph Briscejn • Curtis E. Chappell • Francis E. Chick . . . — — Map (db m219080) WM
Near Watsonville Road north of Burchell Road, on the left when traveling north.
Ohlone villages contained a variety of structures. Some were used as houses, holding up to 8 to 12 people. Others were dug into the earth as partly underground assembly/dance houses. Other similar but smaller structures were used as . . . — — Map (db m198213) HM
On Pacheco Pass Highway (State Highway 152) 1.8 miles east of State Highway 101, on the right when traveling east.
This base is a two-sided monument commemorating both Rancho San Ysidro (side 1) and San Ysidro School (side 2)
Rancho San Ysidro
In the early 1800's Rancho San Ysidro was granted to Ygnacio Ortega. After his
death the lands were . . . — — Map (db m18484) HM
Near Watsonville Road (County Road G8) at Burchell Road, on the right when traveling south.
Spanish colonization in the 1700s destroyed traditional Ohlone tribal life and threatened fragile ecosystems. In 1834, Mexico enacted a plan to reduce the areas under control of the missions. As part of this plan, the native people were . . . — — Map (db m198352) HM
Near Watsonville Road (County Road G8), on the right when traveling south.
Petroglyphs are marking that are pecked, scratched, grooved or cut onto a rock surface. Two petroglygh types are present at Chitactac-Adams Heritage County Park – cupules (small cup-like depressions) and cup-and-ring forms (concentric . . . — — Map (db m198359) HM
Near Watsonville Road (County Road G8) south of Burchell Road, on the right when traveling south.
Roundhouses were called tupen-tak in the Mutsun Ohlone language. They were widely used by the Central California Indian tribes for important ceremonies such as the Kuksu religion and other major dances. Traditionally, round houses tended . . . — — Map (db m198393) HM
The Catherine Dunn Ranch once part of the Rancho San Francisco de Las Llagas Spanish land grant was divided in 1893 and sold to early settlers to form Rucker Township.
Education was especially important to these pioneers who had been through . . . — — Map (db m18473) HM
The first Adams school was built in 1859 on land donated by John Hicks Adams, a local sheriff. The school burned down around 1915 and a new one was built on the site shortly thereafter. This single story school served the local Adams School . . . — — Map (db m198221) HM
On Fifth Street at Gourmet Alley, on the right when traveling west on Fifth Street.
This locomotive was built in 1914 by Lima Locomotive Works and was famous for its colors, as well as for pulling the Coast Daylight Trains 98 and 99, which carried passengers from San Francisco to Los Angeles along the scenic coast of California in . . . — — Map (db m230533) HM
On Monterey Street at Fourth Street, on the right when traveling south on Monterey Street.
“Legacy of Gilroy” Commemorating the Historic Transportation District
Traveling north by foot, horse or cart along the El Camino Real was several days journey from the southern Santa Clara valley to the nearest town. Recognizing an . . . — — Map (db m230447) HM
Henry Miller, “The Cattle King”
With only $6 in his pocket, German immigrant Henry Miller (birth name Heinrich Alfred Kreiser) stepped off the boat in San Francisco in 1850 with one pervading ambition – to labor hard at a . . . — — Map (db m54122) HM
Near Watsonville Road (County Road G8) at Burchell Road, on the right when traveling south.
Uvas Creek's streamside habitat provided important resources for the inhabitants of Chitactac. Year-round fresh running water was a major factor in the establishment of a permanent village here. The creek was important for food . . . — — Map (db m198395) HM
