Washington Township Museum of Local History

Tri-City History (A-Z) in Photographs

A monthly column in the Tri-City Voice

Starting in 2024, the Tri-City History column will start going through the alphabet, with historical photos on a shared theme for each letter.

Have a topic or idea you’d like us to explore? Email us at info@museumoflocalhistory.org.

M: Maps

No. 13: January 28, 2025: Maps

Map (noun): A diagrammatic representation of an area of land or sea showing physical features, cities, roads, etc…

All photos courtesy of the Washington Township Museum of Local History

This map shows Alvarado (Union City) in 1878.

This map shows Newark in 1876.
This map shows Warm Springs (in Fremont) in 1878.

This map shows Washington Township—Fremont, Newark and Union City—in 1909.

N: Nurseries

No. 14: February 25, 2025: Nurseries

Nursery (noun): a place where young plants and trees are grown for sale or for planting elsewhere.

All photos courtesy of Washington Township Museum of Local History

Aerial view of Four Winds Nursery, 1957. (Mission San Jose).

Aerial view of California Nursery, 1937. (Niles)
Aerial view of Edenvale Nursery, 1955. (Niles)

Advertisement for Shinn Nursery, 1876. (Niles)

N: Orchards

No. 15: April 1, 2025: Orchards

Orchard (noun): a piece of land planted with fruit trees:

All photos courtesy of Washington Township Museum of Local History

View looking west from the Durham orchard, ~1900-1910. (Irvington)

Picking and packing fruit in an orchard, 1967. (Fremont)
Mayhew Hill and orchard, ~1880-1885. (Niles)

A student walks among the olive trees in the orchard on the campus of Ohlone College, 1970s. (Mission San Jose)

P: Panama Pacific International Exposition

No 16: April 22, 2025

Panama Pacific International Exposition (proper noun): a world’s fair held in San Francisco from February 20th to December 4th in 1915.

In 2025, from April to October, various locations around Fremont are celebrating the 110th anniversary of the PPIE. View exhibits and learn about local contributions to the infamous fair that took place in San Francisco in 1915.

All photos courtesy of Washington Township Museum of Local History

After the conclusion of the fair, the Japanese Commissioners’ Office was sold and barged to Ardenwood Farm. Clara Patterson hired California’s first woman architect, Julia Morgan, to remodel it into a residence at the site. Clara died in 1917 and the work was never fully completed. Courtesy of Washington Township Museum of Local History
Centerville residents Carrie Stevenson Emerson, Dr. Henry Emerson and Beattie Heaken attend the fair. Courtesy of Washington Township Museum of Local History
Centerville resident John A. Bunting’s PPIE admission passport. Courtesy of Washington Township Museum of Local History
Before the fair opened, hundreds of palm trees were transported from Niles to the construction site. Weighing 8-30 tons each, the trees were from the California Nursery Company. Courtesy of Washington Township Museum of Local History

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Fremont, CA 94539