Everyone should have been well-fed after our breakfast meeting
at Holder's Country Inn on Saturday morning, so lack of sustenance
was no excuse for not making it through the tour. Perhaps there
was another obstacle. Evidently, Model T tours fall in 2 categories.
Hilly, or filled with stoplights. The threat of the latter
frightened one would-be driver to hand over the key. Yet, was
driving going to be more challenging than navigating?
Bonnie, the little green T, was ready to go. She'd been
prepped for a REAL 25-mile tour, not one of those kinda, almost,
sorta 25-mile tours that fall a tad shy on the odometer. She
knew it was going to require keen navigation, full focus on traffic
conditions, and some physical stamina, but she was anxious to
see the sights along with her 6 siblings (other T's), a niece
(Model A), and three young'ns.
The warm-up stretch was a fairly straight shot to Santa Clara's
last farmstead dating from 1864. Open to the public, the Harris-Lass
Preserve is complete with house, barn, summer kitchen, and tankhouse.
But not today…
Now, on to visit some of our past Presidents - Franklin,
Jackson, Harrison, Monroe, and Madison to name a few streets.
With turns in quick succession, we were able to catch a glimpse
of a few Santa Clara historic homes and a church dating from
1851 through 1935. The parade of cars even caught itself coming
and going as we circled a few blocks.
Bonnie felt right at home amongst the bungalows on Park Court.
This subdivision dates from 1925 and remains largely intact.
The small houses line the narrow street with just enough room
for one-way driving, prompting one member to worry that we'd
meet a car coming the opposite direction.
On we drove through the grand scale of University Avenue
of the Rose Garden area, and the elegance of The Alameda. Bonnie
would have been dodging trolley cars along this stretch in her
younger years. San Francisco on a Dime (the sight-seeing car)
was trying to dodge the raindrops that briefly fell along this
stretch, but her passengers bravely rode on.
Did you know the Hanchett neighborhood was once part of the
fairgrounds? Trolley cars also traveled along Martin Ave. to
Park Ave.
Next came the candy shop (Schurra's), the Paul Bunyan statue
(Babe was there in name only), and then, Italy! Yes, Little
Italy as in the old working-class neighborhood of River Street
District, home of world-famous Henry's Hi-Life (formerly the
Torino Hotel).
Friday's paving work was complete but left Coe Ave. with
huge depressions that made Bonnie feel like she was back on the
farm. We were able to visit Palm Haven and revel in another
1920's neighborhood suitable for cars of her era.
Downtown Willow Glen was bustling but the sidestreets were
calm. We saw a lonely storefront on a residential street, a
mansion from the early 1900's (to which we must return for a
group photo in the semi-circular driveway), and another old farmstead
along Dry Creek Road. People used to go for picnics at "The
Willows" by this farm.
A tour of the Ainsley House needs a little background history.
We drove through downtown Campbell to see what buildings and
homes existed when the Ainsley's started their cannery. We even
saw some cannery housing that was available for rent at $15/month
back in 1927.
At last we reached our destination. During a short cookie
break, these comments were heard:
"That wasn't 25 miles!" No, it was probably closer
to 26.
"I feel like I deserve an endurance award."
"and I should earn a patch for navigating."
"I don't think I've taken a tour with so many turns. It
had more than the lowland tour!"
Twenty-one members toured the Ainsley House in two groups
starting with the video in the Carriage House. We learned that
J.C. Ainsley modeled his home after those from his hometown of
Stokesley, North Yorkshire. Many of you may remember when the
house stood in its original 1925 setting at the corner of Bascom
and Hamilton Avenues surrounded with towering redwoods. Did
you know it was vacant for 40 years? Certain members were quite
interested in the period clothing in the closets. (Is anything
missing?) Others were examining woodwork, hinges, and the $65,000
table lamp.
Perhaps someone will benefit from Mr. Ainsley's solution
to his wife's speeding. To prevent her from running her Studebaker
through the back wall of the garage, he planted a palm tree in
front of the garage door, forcing her to slow down before entering.
A few members still had enough energy to cross the street
and visit the Campbell Museum complete with the electric car
Allan Greenberg helped restore.
Oh, by the way, did anyone count the number of stoplights?
Becky Harrison
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