Centerville
Centerville Depot — On Saturday morning May 29, 1909, the first steam-powered passenger train into Centerville received a hearty welcome. A cannon was fired, the locomotive was decorated with flags, and the train crew was presented with Centerville’s choicest fruits and flowers.
Historic Mission San Jose
Historical Marker at Mission San Jose
Historic Mission San Jose — The official website of the mission.
Mission San Jose History — The Franciscan missionaries had long hoped to establish a “chain” of missions in which each link of the chain would be a day’s ride apart on horseback.
Ohlone College Archives — The official website of the Ohlone College Archives
Gardens at Palmdale Walking Tour — Please note that the garden is not open to the public yet, and tours are not yet available. Palmdale has a long history reaching back to the Ohlone Native Americans. They were once part of the old Mission San Jose. The gardens were later owned by a series of owners: E.L. Beard, Juan Gallegos, Henry Lachman, the Metzger family, and the Starr and Best families. Most recently, Palmdale was home to the Sisters of the Holy Family for seventy years, from 1948-2017. The gardens continue to be a significant feature of the historic Mission San Jose District. In 2019, the Garden Conservancy will hold the conservation easement and the park will be opened to the public. Please check the website and Facebook page for updates.
Niles
Belvoir Springs Hotel — When Charlie Chaplin dined at the Hotel Belvoir, he sat in a formal dining room under 15-foot ceilings, while waiters served up famous chicken dinners from stained glass trays.
Save Niles Canyon — Information about Niles Canyon History and about a community to Preserve Niles Canyon.
Niles Canyon Railway (NCRY) — A railway museum where the exhibits come alive.
Niles Depot Website — includes information about Niles Depot Museum, Tri-City Society of Model Engineers, Niles Depot Historical Foundation. There is also historical information about Western and Southern Pacific Railroad Depots in Niles, Centerville and other nearby depots.
Niles Tower and Environs — A history of southern Pacific and Western Pacific Railroad in the East Bay.
California Nursery Historical Park — The 20.1 acre property is the remnant of the California Nursery Company, a once a grand nursery operation that brought notable presence to the East Bay and was significantly associated with the evolution of the nursery industry on a statewide level. See also this page on the Math/Science Nucleus site.
I was NILES when Niles wasn’t cool
Shinn Historical Park & Arboretum – The beautiful Victorian home was built in 1876. House tours and open archives available.
Niles – Film Industry
Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum (NESFM) — The Museum offers a way to rediscover America’s movie pioneers, and see their remarkable work in an authentic setting – a theater where Charlie Chaplin and Broncho Billy Anderson saw themselves and their contemporaries on the screen. This museum keeps the spirit of silent films alive.
Warm Springs
The Stanford Label Winery in Warm Springs — Leland Stanford wanted to spend his retirement years making the finest wines in the world. Unfortunately, he never achieved this goal, but not for lack of trying.
