History San Jose

02/26/2025

Hop on over to our egg-citing event celebrating Spring around the world! Join us for egg hunts, crafts, an interactive story time, and more fun activities! Plus, get ready to strike a pose with the Easter Bunny from 12:00 - 2:00 pm!

Don't miss out on the timed egg hunts! Get your tickets and join the fun:
Egg Hunt #1: 11:30 am
Egg Hunt #2: 12:30pm
Egg Hunt #3: 1:30 pm
Egg Hunt #4: 2:30 pm

🎟️ Egg hunt tickets, include entry into the park and a specific timed egg hunt at the Tower Lawn, so plan your visit accordingly! Only ticketed children and adults with children who need mobility assistance will be allowed into the fenced egg hunt area.

Make memories and embrace the Spring spirit with us! Visit historysanjose.org/programs-events to get tickets & learn more!

02/25/2025

Join us Saturday, March 22nd, for Women's Heritage Day at History Park!

Celebrate the incredible contributions of women to Santa Clara Valley history with a full day of engaging activities:
✅ Cultural performances
🧵 Hands-on workshops
📚 Local authors and book talks
🚗 Women-owned lowrider show
🎨 Interactive craft stations
🏡 Open historic buildings and exhibitions

This event is proudly co-curated with Mosaic America and La Raza Historical Society of Santa Clara County and made possible thanks to our amazing sponsors

If you are interested in being a sponsor or a vendor, visit: https://tr.ee/dM8kFP6V7s

02/22/2025

Come out to the Park today and celebrate the Year of the Snake with the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project !

02/20/2025

Sam Ricci, Manager of Education at History San José, joins an inspiring panel at the 2025 California Association of Museums Annual Conference. She will be speaking alongside our partners from La Raza Historical Society and Mosaic America to discuss the creation of Women's Heritage Day at History Park.

The panel highlights the power of collaboration in bringing the event to life through cultural performances, a women-owned lowrider exhibition, a poetry lounge, community booths, and more—all celebrating the contributions of local women in the Santa Clara Valley.

A huge thank you to our moderator and panelists for sharing their insights on how history and culture continuously shape our communities!

Moderator: Tricia Creason-Valencia, Filmmaker & Speaker, Powerhouse
Panelists:
Priya Das, Chief Programming Officer, Mosaic America
Sam Ricci, Manager of Education, History San José
Rosanna Alvarez, Vice President, La Raza Historical Society of Santa Clara Valley

02/19/2025

Become a Time Traveler in Training at History San José’s Summer Camp!

This summer, young historians will journey through time at History Park, where hands-on activities, games, and crafts bring the past to life. Campers will become chrononaut agents and step into the shoes of early Californians, explore daily life in different eras, and develop the skills of a true Time Traveler in Training.

When: June 16th - June 27th (Monday - Friday, 9am - 2pm)
Where: History Park, San José
Who: Campers 8-12 years old
Cost: $424 Members of HSJ, $450 General

Swipe for information in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese
Learn more and register: https://historysanjose.org/education/summer-camp/

02/17/2025

History San José will be CLOSED in observance of President's Day. While you wait for us to reopen our doors, here is a historical tidbit!

Pictured above is a set of photos from 1901, featuring President McKinley addressing the people of San José at St. James Park. To enjoy them in their full 3D glory, you'd need to make use of a stereoscope, like the one pictured in the second slide.

Invented by Charles Wheatstone in 1838, and redesigned by David Brewster in 1848, the stereoscope functions as a 19th century VR headset. A photo card like the one above would be slotted between the metal holders, and the device could be held up to one's eyes to see a three-dimensional version of the image.

The device grew very popular among both children and adults, and was an affordable way to view landmarks and nature without the need for expensive travel. While the stereoscope lost its hold on the public by the 1910s, similar ideas have reemerged since, in the form of View-Master toys, 3D glasses for movies and video games, and yes, the VR headset.

Source: smithsonianmag.com
Slide 1: History San José Photographic Collection
Slide 2: City of San Jose Collection

02/15/2025

Exhibit now open!

“¡MONSTRAS! Female Legends of Latin America” is officially open at History Park in the Pasetta House! This captivating exhibition unearths 10 legendary female monsters from Latin American folklore, reimagined through a feminist lens.

Created by Dr. Orquidea Morales and Brenda Salguero in partnership with Exhibit Envoy, and featuring stunning original artwork by Rayos Magos, Anna Lisa Escobedo, and Beatriz Vasquez, this exhibit explores how myths have shaped—and been shaped by—history, colonialism, and gender norms. (, .lisa, )

📍 On view from February 15th to April 12th at History Park on Saturday & Sundays, 12pm - 3:45pm!

Artist Credit Image 1 (left): La Sayona, Anna Lisa Escobedo, 2024
Artist Credit Image 2(right): Santa Muerte, Rayos Magos, 2024

02/14/2025

If you need a reminder to get your loved one something for Valentine's Day, this is it 💌

In England, Valentine's cards have existed since the late 18th century, when cards were given in the form of large, unfolded sheets of decorated paper. By the 1820s, manufactured cards could include complex machine cut designs, 3 dimensional decorations, and paper lace.

Manufactured Valentines took time to gain popularity in the US, where paper availability and the postal system made sending cards much easier after the 1830s. The business of card-making really took off in the US thanks to a Massachusetts artist named Esther Howland. In 1847, Howland convinced her father, a stationery store owner, to order craft supplies from England and New York so she could create her own Valentines.

She hoped to sell $200 worth of her cards the first year, only to receive $5,000 in advanced orders. To meet this demand, she recruited others to form an assembly line of card manufacturing, an innovative strategy at the time. This led to the creation of her New England Valentine Company.

If Esther's story has convinced you to try your hand at making your own cards, we've compiled a few of our favorites to inspire you!

Sources: vam.ac.uk, wisconsinhistory.org, mtholyoke.edu
All images from the History San Jose Postcard Collection

02/13/2025

Happy ! Did you know two of KCBS Radio’s traffic hosts call History Park home?

Victor Zaragoza and Kim Vestal have been guiding Bay Area drivers for years, and as of 2024, they do it from right here at History Park! Their voices keep our community moving, just like radio has for over a century.

Join us in celebrating the power of radio and the voices that keep us connected!

02/08/2025

History San José is pleased to present “¡MONSTRAS! Female Legends of Latin America,” a spine-tingling exhibition exploring the enduring myths surrounding 10 female Latin American monsters. Based on the podcast of the same name created by Dr. Orquidea Morales and Brenda Salguero (M.M.St & MBA), the exhibition introduces dark and foreboding tales of Latin America which they first encountered in their youth, filtered through a distinctly feminist perspective.

“¡MONSTRAS!” opens February 15th and will be on view through April 12th in the Pasetta House at History Park on Saturday and Sundays from 12pm - 3:45pm (*subject to change).

Background Art Credit: Santa Muerte, Rayos Mago, 2024 Rayos Magos Art

02/06/2025

Nearly two years after the Pasetta House was damaged in the Nelson-De Luz House fire, we are happy to announce that the repairs are finished and the gallery will open soon!

We've got a number of new exhibits planned to take us through 2026, including our first exhibit produced by our partner Exhibit Envoy: ¡MONSTRAS! Female Legends of Latin
America. Stay tuned for more details coming soon.

Pictured here is the Pasetta family home c. 1905 at its original location of 196 West Saint James Street.

Image 1 from the History San Jose Photographic Collection

02/04/2025

February 4th is Willie Mays Day, in honor of the legendary baseball player who wore the number 24 for the majority of his career. His many achievements include winning 12 Gold Glove awards, ranking sixth of all time in home runs, and his 1979 induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame with a 94.7% vote.

Mays, an Alabama native, began playing professionally at age 17, when he joined the Birmingham Black Barons. Two years later in 1950, he was scouted by the New York Giants (who later became the San Francisco Giants in 1958), becoming the 10th ever black player in major league baseball.

His career with the Giants was interrupted only by the Korean War draft; his military service kept him away from the team from 1952-1954. He remained with the Giants after his return to baseball, and lived in the Bay Area for the rest of his life.

In 1966, Mays was quoted as saying, "I'll always be part of San Francisco, and San Francisco will always be part of me."

The image shows San Francisco Giants player Willie Mays posing with San Jose Mercury News sports editor Louis Duino, circa 1966. Likely taken by a San Jose Mercury News photographer at one of the exhibition matches in Buck Shaw Stadium between the San Francisco Giants and the Santa Clara University Broncos.
From the Louis Duino Papers, History San José.

Sources: espn.com, mlb.com, nytimes.com

02/01/2025

With thanks to ParkSJ, History San José is excited to offer a FREE open house at our historic downtown site throughout the month of February! While viewing of our downtown site is generally by appointment only, join us on the following dates for an exclusive peek inside the Gonzales/Peralta Adobe.

Saturday, February 15th: 12:00pm-4:00pm
Sunday, February 16th: 12:00pm-4:00pm
Saturday, February 22th: 12:00pm-4:00pm
Sunday, February 23th: 12:00pm-4:00pm
Gonzales/Peralta Adobe Only

We do appreciate pre-registration via our website, but no tickets are required. Come anytime between 12:00 and 4:00pm to see inside and chat with a knowledgeable docent. All ages are welcome, and the building is wheelchair accessible.

01/30/2025

Attention Teachers!

Looking for exciting, hands-on learning experiences for your students? History San José has you covered! Join our Virtual Open House for Teachers on February 26th from 4-5pm to learn about our engaging programs for the 2025-2026 school year.

🗓️ What to Expect:
🔍 A 30-minute info session highlighting our programs
❓ Q&A to answer all your burning questions
🎉 Exclusive Perk: Attendees get early access to pre-register before public registration opens!

Click the link to book your spot: https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/historysanjose/items/360582/calendar/2025/02/?full-items=yes

01/29/2025

Happy Lunar New Year!

While 2025 is the Year of the Snake, this Chinese New Year parade (featuring St. Mary's Chinese Girls Drum Corp) was held in San Francisco in 1984, the Year of the Rat.

From the Peninsula Times Tribune Photographs, History San Jose

01/25/2025

Happy Birthday to Eiichi Edward Sakauye!

He was born on January 25, 1912, right here in San José. Mr. Sakauye was a dedicated supporter of Japanese American organizations, including the Japanese American Resource Center (JARC) which evolved into today's Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj). He donated four migrant cabins to History San José which we use today in our education programs. Pictured here in 2004 at his farm, he passed away in 2005 at the age of 93.

Efforts to save the Sakauye Farmstead are currently underway. We hope the building will arrive at History Park by Fall of 2025. You can support the preservation of the Sakauye Farmstead by donating to the fund: https://historysanjose.ejoinme.org/MyPages/DonationPage/tabid/122468/Default.aspx

Image: History San Jose Photographic Collection

01/25/2025

Great story about the Chinese American Historical Museum!

The Ng Shing Gung Museum is a replica of a Chinese temple built in San Jose in 1888. The museum showcases the rich history of Chinese Americans in San Jose and the South Bay Area.

01/24/2025

Save the Date!

Join us at History Park for a vibrant celebration of our diverse AANHPI community! Experience the richness of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander heritage through captivating performances, community booths from local businesses, interactive crafts, and engaging discussions. This event is being put on in partnership with the Japanese American Museum of San Jose, the Viet Museum, the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project, and Mosaic America.

📅 Date: May 17th, 2025
📍 Location: History Park, San José

Interested in being a vendor? Applications are open—https://forms.gle/1CzdBQRQdpE7BeddA!
For sponsorship inquiries, email [email protected].

Graphics available in English, Japanese, Chinese, and Vietnamese—stay tuned for more information!