New Book Features
Photos of Historic Downtown San José
 October
19, 2004 -
San José’s Historic Downtown is one of
the latest additions to Arcadia Press’s “Images of
America” series. Its release this fall coincides with publication
of a similar tile by neighboring Los Gatos, simply titled Los
Gatos.
San José’s book, consisting of 200 photographs with
detailed captions, opens with a quote from local historian Leonard
McKay, “How will we know it’s us without our past?”
For those born and raised in San José, the images will
evoke nostalgia for the place once known as “The Garden
City;” a market town that served the needs of farmers throughout
Santa Clara Valley; and an area once viewed as the breadbasket
for the presidios of San Francisco and Monterey.
Noteworthy milestones in California history include “first
civil settlement” and “first American capital.”
San José once bore the distinction of being home to the
largest enclosed mall on the West Coast. You’ll have to
read the book to find out where.
The book is organized into eight chapters, each covering a different
aspect such as “Scandals, Tragedies, Disasters and Calamities”
and “Pleasures, Pastimes and Hospitality.” Exploring
the library’s photo archives and doing the research necessary
to caption each selection was a labor of love for San José
Public Librarians Bob Johnson and Lauren Miranda Gilbert, co-authors
of the book. The research and writing of this book stretched over
eight months and was done in addition to their primary assignment
of working reference desks at San José's King Library.
Each gained a deeper appreciation for the manner in which San
José has reinvented itself over the years, a process that
continues through to the present day. It is an appreciation that
they hope to share with their readers.
“We often noted what currently stands on the site, when
we identified buildings or street scenes, so that readers could
imagine themselves in the same location, thus gaining a greater
visceral sense of our history,” says Gilbert. “I think
the photos that will surprise people the most are those that show
downtown after the 1906 earthquake,” adds Johnson. “While
people know what happened in San Francisco, few realize that the
1906 quake also devastated a large part of downtown San José.”
The 200 photos contained in this volume represent only a fraction
of the library’s archives. Those interested in delving deeper
into the rich history of San José will find much to explore
in the combined collections of SJPL’s California Room, SJSU’s
Special Collections and the Sourisseau Academy. Among the California
Room’s treasures are photos, maps and research files acquired
from the estate of late local historian, Clyde Arbuckle.
San José's Historic Downtown, released on September
28, is readily available at online and local
area bookstores. It is a great option for holiday gift lists and
a fitting souvenir for out-of-town visitors. Those interested
in previewing the book may place
a request to check out a copy through the library’s online
catalog. A current San José Library Card or SJSU ID
will be required.
NOTE: Review copies can be requested from Stephanie Keller, Publicity
Manager, Arcadia Publishing, (773) 697-0104 or skeller@arcadiapublishing.com
For more information, contact:
• Lorraine Oback, San José Public Library, at (408)
808-2176
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