On a crisp, very sunny Palm Sunday morning the Santa Clara
Valley Model T Ford Club began gathering at Rancho Shopping Center
in Los Altos for our April tour. Count included 14 Model T's,
2 Model A's and 34 people, 2 of which came all the way from Germany
to join us (Bob Beaman's brother and his wife). Soon we were
on our way with our 4 page directions in our hands. It didn't
take long to discover Los Altos Hills does have hills as we climbed
up, up and then down. One Model T had so much trouble climbing
one hill that he gave up and turned around. We were happy to
see Dave Stoner reappear later in the tour. The purpose of the
tour was to find and view remains of history in this area. Having
passed a barn and tank house and the Merriman-Winchester House
we then crossed through Mountain View and on to Sunnyvale. Stop
lights were in abundance and proved to separate us from each
other.
In Sunnyvale we found the oldest house in town, the Cranberry
House built in the 1860's and then the oldest brick winery, now
a home. We drove on to find more of the beginnings of Sunnyvale,
redwoods planted by Manual Vargus (Mr. Sunnyvale), a water tower
from the Libby, McNeil & Libby, a lamp post made by Hendy
Iron Works and in the first cul-de-sac in Sunnyvale.
Stopping in Murphy Park for a much needed rest from right turns,
left turns and U- turns we enjoyed beverages, grapes and sweets.
On our way again found us driving down the Murphy Ave. business
district. It was quite a sight as 16 "old" cars drove
by.
Next stop was the newly opened Sunnyvale Historical Museum which
is a near replica of the Murphy Family home. The Murphy's founded
Sunnyvale. We also visited the Bianchi Barn and were royally
hosted by Ralph Appio. He provided coffee and donuts and conversation
about the purpose of the barn (which is caring for the city owned
orchard which surrounds the museum and barn).
It is hard to imagine, in this land of track homes and concrete,
how this area looked as an agricultural land at the beginning
of the last century. For first hand memories of growing up in
Sunnyvale and the surrounding areas ask John and Dorothy Walker,
Vickie Wildman, and Bob Edwards.
We ended this tour our favorite way eating together and sharing
stories, getting to know each a little bit better at Marie Callender's.
Helen Christensen
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