Sunnyvale, California - City of Destiny
Sunnyvale - City of Destiny
Around 1900, Walter E. Crossman, a local real estate developer, published his visionary map of Sunnyvale - City of Destiny, with his company, the W.E. Crossman & Co, the sole agents. Following the San Francisco earthquake in 1906, he began to promote Sunnyvale as an ideal industrial community and attracted the Joshua Hendy Iron Works, Jubilee Incubator Company, and the Libby, McNeil and Libby Food Processing Plant. From a population of not much over 100 in 1900, Sunnyvale grew to over 1,200 people by 1912. That year an advertisement in Collier's Magazine described Sunnyvale as "a manufacturing suburb of San Francisco" and the Santa Clara Valley as "a poor man's paradise."
(Information and image from Images - Sunnyvale's Heritage Resources)
Around 1900, Walter E. Crossman, a local real estate developer, published his visionary map of Sunnyvale - City of Destiny, with his company, the W.E. Crossman & Co, the sole agents. Following the San Francisco earthquake in 1906, he began to promote Sunnyvale as an ideal industrial community and attracted the Joshua Hendy Iron Works, Jubilee Incubator Company, and the Libby, McNeil and Libby Food Processing Plant. From a population of not much over 100 in 1900, Sunnyvale grew to over 1,200 people by 1912. That year an advertisement in Collier's Magazine described Sunnyvale as "a manufacturing suburb of San Francisco" and the Santa Clara Valley as "a poor man's paradise."
(Information and image from Images - Sunnyvale's Heritage Resources)
1910's & 1920's & 1930's
Although Sunnyvale was promoted as a manufacturing suburb of San Francisco. It was mainly agricultural. There were fruit orchards and open fields.
The Yonemoto family arrived in Sunnyvale around 1915 to start growing flowers, carnations, zinnia, and chrysanthemums on 20 acres. The population was probably less than 2,000 in 1915.
Although Sunnyvale was promoted as a manufacturing suburb of San Francisco. It was mainly agricultural. There were fruit orchards and open fields.
The Yonemoto family arrived in Sunnyvale around 1915 to start growing flowers, carnations, zinnia, and chrysanthemums on 20 acres. The population was probably less than 2,000 in 1915.
Moffett Field - 1930's
In 1931 the City of Sunnyvale purchased 1,000 acres of farmland and gave it to the US government as a home base for the Navy USS airship Macon. Moffett Field opened in 1933, and the airship Macon crashed off the shore of California in 1935. No other airship replaced it, but its hangar remains a landmark. Moffett Field played an important role in the life of my family, both visually and audibly. Jets from Moffett Field would fly over our house constantly. My high school's nickname was the Sunnyvale Jets.
The Moffett Field certainly increased the population of Sunnyvale and brought a certain amount of prosperity during the Great Depression of the 1930's.
To see more images of Moffett Field, click here.
In 1931 the City of Sunnyvale purchased 1,000 acres of farmland and gave it to the US government as a home base for the Navy USS airship Macon. Moffett Field opened in 1933, and the airship Macon crashed off the shore of California in 1935. No other airship replaced it, but its hangar remains a landmark. Moffett Field played an important role in the life of my family, both visually and audibly. Jets from Moffett Field would fly over our house constantly. My high school's nickname was the Sunnyvale Jets.
The Moffett Field certainly increased the population of Sunnyvale and brought a certain amount of prosperity during the Great Depression of the 1930's.
To see more images of Moffett Field, click here.
1940's and 1950's
By 1940 the population was about 4,400, but the town was still very rural and very agricultural. The street in front of our home was still unpaved in 1941. World War II was in many ways a good time for Sunnyvale resulting in population growth. Hendy Iron Works became a major industrial hub making all the motors for submarines. Moffett Field played an important role as the Naval Air Station. But World War II also resulted in the forcible removal of people of Japanese descent from their homes and businesses in Sunnyvale. My family did not return until the end of 1945.
By 1950 the population of Sunnyvale increased to about 10,000. There were still some orchards near the Yonemoto Nursery, but small tract homes were also being built nearby, including across the street from our home. This is the Sunnyvale that I remember.
By 1940 the population was about 4,400, but the town was still very rural and very agricultural. The street in front of our home was still unpaved in 1941. World War II was in many ways a good time for Sunnyvale resulting in population growth. Hendy Iron Works became a major industrial hub making all the motors for submarines. Moffett Field played an important role as the Naval Air Station. But World War II also resulted in the forcible removal of people of Japanese descent from their homes and businesses in Sunnyvale. My family did not return until the end of 1945.
By 1950 the population of Sunnyvale increased to about 10,000. There were still some orchards near the Yonemoto Nursery, but small tract homes were also being built nearby, including across the street from our home. This is the Sunnyvale that I remember.
1960's and later
By 1970 the population had grown to 96,000. The nursery land was sold in 1974 and apartments grew when flowers had been raised. The orchards were long gone. The Santa Clara Valley was gone, replaced by Silicon Valley.
By 1970 the population had grown to 96,000. The nursery land was sold in 1974 and apartments grew when flowers had been raised. The orchards were long gone. The Santa Clara Valley was gone, replaced by Silicon Valley.
Images of Sunnyvale
Please enjoy a gallery of postcards and other paper ephemera from the Kay Yonemoto collection.
Murphy Avenue
The Yonemoto Nursery was located at 271 North Murphy Avenue in Sunnyvale. On the other side of the railroad tracks was the commercial center of the town. The 100 block of South Murphy between Evelyn and Washington Streets had everything that a child could need in the 1950's. There was a movie theater that had a 25 cent Saturday matinee. Across from the Bank of America (previously the Bank of Sunnyvale) was the Kirkish Dry Goods store where my sister and I could buy Brownie uniforms and my brothers could buy Boy Scouts uniforms. My doctor, Dr. Diesner, had an office on this block. Also there were rather unsavory five card rooms at the north end of this block which we kids walked quickly by to get to the movie theater. In 1959 the city banned gambling for money and the card rooms quickly closed.
This block is a Heritage Landmark District with a marker which reads "The 100 block of South Murphy Avenue is the original commercial district where most of the structures were built between 1900 and 1940." It is about the only street in downtown Sunnyvale which looks like it did during my childhood. except it is now full of trendy restaurants serving food that reflects the current multi-ethnic population of Sunnyvale and the surrounding communities.
The Yonemoto Nursery was located at 271 North Murphy Avenue in Sunnyvale. On the other side of the railroad tracks was the commercial center of the town. The 100 block of South Murphy between Evelyn and Washington Streets had everything that a child could need in the 1950's. There was a movie theater that had a 25 cent Saturday matinee. Across from the Bank of America (previously the Bank of Sunnyvale) was the Kirkish Dry Goods store where my sister and I could buy Brownie uniforms and my brothers could buy Boy Scouts uniforms. My doctor, Dr. Diesner, had an office on this block. Also there were rather unsavory five card rooms at the north end of this block which we kids walked quickly by to get to the movie theater. In 1959 the city banned gambling for money and the card rooms quickly closed.
This block is a Heritage Landmark District with a marker which reads "The 100 block of South Murphy Avenue is the original commercial district where most of the structures were built between 1900 and 1940." It is about the only street in downtown Sunnyvale which looks like it did during my childhood. except it is now full of trendy restaurants serving food that reflects the current multi-ethnic population of Sunnyvale and the surrounding communities.
Industrial Sunnyvale
Joshua Hendy Iron Works arrived in Sunnyvale after the Great Earthquake of 1906. By the 1950's it was the Westinghouse plant where some of my friends' fathers worked. Libby, McNeil, Libby cannery arrived around the same time. It was still a major employer when I was a child. I used to see women dressed all in white going to work in the morning. I thought they were nurses and I wanted to grow up to be just like them-a nurse. Sadly the cannery closed in 1985. The property is now an office park with only a water tower painted to look like a fruit cocktail can as a reminder of Sunnyvale's agricultural past.
Joshua Hendy Iron Works arrived in Sunnyvale after the Great Earthquake of 1906. By the 1950's it was the Westinghouse plant where some of my friends' fathers worked. Libby, McNeil, Libby cannery arrived around the same time. It was still a major employer when I was a child. I used to see women dressed all in white going to work in the morning. I thought they were nurses and I wanted to grow up to be just like them-a nurse. Sadly the cannery closed in 1985. The property is now an office park with only a water tower painted to look like a fruit cocktail can as a reminder of Sunnyvale's agricultural past.
Public Buildings
The Post Office shown below was built in 1917. Yonemoto Nursery's post box was Box 2. The Sunnyvale Grammar School was built around 1920 near the site of the old City Hall. Fred, my father, attended this school. The old City Hall was where I took dancing lessons. Both the school and the City Hall were torn down in 1979 to make way for the Sunnyvale Town Center, the failed retail development.
The Post Office shown below was built in 1917. Yonemoto Nursery's post box was Box 2. The Sunnyvale Grammar School was built around 1920 near the site of the old City Hall. Fred, my father, attended this school. The old City Hall was where I took dancing lessons. Both the school and the City Hall were torn down in 1979 to make way for the Sunnyvale Town Center, the failed retail development.
Maps
Sunnyvale is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay.
Sunnyvale is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay.