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What San Jose, California looked like in the 1890s

San Jose is the largest city in Northern California by both population and area. It is known for its innovation, cultural diversity, mild climate, and sunny days. San Jose is one of the wealthiest major cities in the world, with the world’s third-highest GDP per capita and the fifth-most expensive housing market. There is an extensive network of municipal and regional parks. Kelly Park, located along Coyote Creek, houses a zoo, a Japanese garden, and an outdoor museum of restored and replica buildings from early San Jose.

San Jose flourished and developed rapidly in the 1890s. Paul P. Austin became mayor in 1894. The First Unitarian Church, Hall of Records, Associated Charities, Post Office, and several other major infrastructures were also built in the 1890s.

Here are some stunning historical photos that streets, towns, and everyday life of San Jose in the 1890s. Also check, San Jose in the 1860s, 1870s and 1880s.

#3 Mrs. Winchester’s Bedroom. Winchester Mystery House near San Jose California, 1890s

#7 The Garden City Winery owned by A. Lagna on South Almaden Boulevard, 1890s

#9 Manual Training Room, San Jose State Normal School, San Jose, California, 1892

#10 Students in front of East San Jose School, located on McLaughlin Avenue, East San Jose, 1892

#12 Members of the San Jose State Normal School Tennis Club, 1893

#14 Interior Hammer and Lewis store, 28 North Market Street, San Jose, 1890s

#15 Trolleys in route on the Alameda between Santa Clara and San Jose, 1890

#18 The New Century block or deSaisset building, corner of 2nd and Santa Clara Streets, San Jose, 1890s

#19 East San Jose School, Adams Street near Alum Rock Avenue, 1891

#21 Students on the lawn of San Jose State Normal School, 1895

#22 Postcard of Fruit Canning, San Jose, California, 1890s

Postcard of Fruit Canning, San Jose, California, 1890s

On the left women are preparing and packing fruit. On the left a group of mostly male workers pose.

#23 Start Sunday School Commission in San Jose in 1894

Start Sunday School Commission in San Jose in 1894

A procession of women, children and men in formal dress is walking down the middle of the street. The sidewalks are filled with onlookers.

#28 Fredericksburg Brewery employees with mugs of beer, 1895

#32 Children with employees of Fredericksburg Brewery, San Jose, 1895

#33 First Presbyterian Church interior, located at 56 North Second Street, 1891

#34 Willow Glen School, Minnesota & Lincoln Avenue, 1897

#36 Man driving in horse-drawn cart down a street, seen from the front. Likely Evergreen, near San Jose, 1920

#41 Post Office, San Jose, 1895

Post Office, San Jose, 1895

Horses and carts are parked outside of R. Wallace Grey Eagle Livery Stables on the right side. Sign for Garden City Nursery can be seen next to the post office building.

#42 Electric Light Tower from First and Santa Clara Street, 1890

#43 John Balbach, Jr’s carriage trimming and painting shop was located on the northwest corner of Market Street and Pierce Avenue, San Jose, 1896

#45 Hotel Metropole building, Northwest Corner of Market Street and Post Street, 1896

#46 Agnews State Hospital, long shot across field from rear-side, San Jose, 1890

#47 Agnews State Hospital, rear side, with gardener and pedestrians, 1890

#48 Agnews State Hospital, front view up new, Palm tree lined drive, 1890

#49 Real Estate office in San Jose, California, 1890s

#50 Fitzpatrick & Kelley, Blacksmithing and Horsehoeing, San Jose, 1890s

#51 Women at the Alum Rock swimming pool, San Jose, 1897

#52 First Methodist-Episcopal Church altar, San Jose, 1894

#54 Stagecoaches enroute to Mount Hamilton on Alum Rock Avenue near the San Jose Country Club, 1895

#58 Street Scene, North First Street., San Jose, 1890

#61 San Jose, Los Gatos, Saratoga Interurban R. R., 1895

#62 Horsecar on The Alameda, 1895

Horsecar on The Alameda, 1895

In 1868 the first horsecar began running along The Alameda. The fare between San Jose and Santa Clara was 10 cents. According to driver A. C. Clevenger it took an hour and forty-five minutes to drive his horsecar between San Jose and Santa Clara.

#63 Parade at First and St. John Streets, 1890

Parade at First and St. John Streets, 1890

Fourth of July Parade, 1890, looking southeast across the intersection of First and St. John Streets. The Park Exchange Building site was later occupied by the Elks Building (now on North Third). Note the spire of the First Presbyterian church in background.

#64 Statehouse Replica at Market Street Plaza, San Jose, 1899

#65 Looking down at Market Square/Market Plaza, with the old San Jose Library building and St. Joseph’s Church, 1890s

#67 Early San Jose Mercury Newspaper Office, 1890

Early San Jose Mercury Newspaper Office, 1890

The space used by the San Jose Mercury is on the right and the space used by the Santa Clara Valley Land Agency is on the left. Both spaces are fronted by long counters with men sitting/standing behind them. More men are standing at the rear of the photograph. This office was located at 171 West Santa Clara Street in San Jose. Office space was shared by these two companies for only a few years.

#71 Group of San Joseans during the Spanish American War, 1898

#77 Mangrum & Otter, Plumbing and Hardware; 85 East Santa Clara Street, 1890

#85 Building set back from the road, with tall trees in front of it. Appears to be a mountain setting, 1892

#90 Fredericksburg Brewery on the corner of Cinnabar and The Alameda, 1895

#92 American Fish Co., F. Locicero; lots of fowl, 1890s

#108 Lick Observatory, Mt. Hamilton, Altitude 4200 ft, 1895

#113 Palo Alto Parlor No. 82, N.S.G.W., 1898

Palo Alto Parlor No. 82, N.S.G.W., 1898

Native Sons of the Golden West on either Third or Fourth Street. The house in the background belonged to Dr. Ed Ulrich who died in 1916.

#122 Trolley Barn on The Alameda, near Race Street, 1890s

#124 College of the Pacific Conservatory of Music interior, 1896

#126 Robertsville Store, Prosper Estrade proprietor, 1890s

#137 Company “B” leaving, Broad Gauge Depot, 1898

#138 Mount Hamilton Stagecoach at Grandview House, 1890s

#139 Schiele Avenue, San Jose (California), 1897

Schiele Avenue, San Jose (California), 1897

A letter from a previous owner (Walter Torbet) that accompanies the letter reads, "In the sixties when my Dutch wife and I were living in San Jose, a Dutch relative sent us the enclosed photo. At the time we checked, and the house was still there. Other than that, I know nothing about the photo. Three children and their parents are standing in the front yard outside a Queen Anne/Victorian style one-story wood-framed house. A rose vine extends the length of the front porch.

#140 Robert F. Peckham Home, 615 East Santa Clara Street, 1890s

#145 Robert F. Peckham Home at 615 East Santa Clara Street, 1890

#148 De Saisset building on corner of 2nd and Santa Clara Streets, San Jose, 1895

#149 First & Santa Clara Streets, 1890s

First & Santa Clara Streets, 1890s

The Bank of San Jose is the main focus. A Spring & Co. horse-drawn trolley is visible on the left; another street railroad trolley is approaching on tracks from the center. Horse-drawn carriages are parked outside the bank. St. Joseph's domes are visible in backround.

#155 New Almaden Stage, 1896

New Almaden Stage, 1896

Driver, Pancho Alcaraz left New Almaden in the morning and returned from San Jose in the late afternoon. The Concord Stagecoach in this image could carry 18 passengers, nine inside the coach and nine on top.

#159 San Jose Hall of Records, 1895

San Jose Hall of Records, 1895

Exterior view of the San Jose Hall of Records, court house, and the Hotel St James. The image is taken looking south on North First Street.

#164 California Jubilee Parade, 1899

California Jubilee Parade, 1899

Members of the San Jose Police Department march past the Pacific Hotel and Saint Joseph's Roman Catholic Church. The Electric Light Tower can be seen in the background. The California State Legislature had met for the first time in San Jose fifty years before.

#165 California Pioneers of Santa Clara County picnic, 1897

#168 Gubserville, 1904

Gubserville, 1904

Gubserville in Santa Clara County was established as a post office on the stage route from San Jose to Saratoga on July 5, 1882, and named for Frank Gubser, the first postmaster.

#169 The Linda Vista Sanatorium located near Alum Rock Park, 1890s

The Linda Vista Sanatorium located near Alum Rock Park, 1890s

The Linda Vista Sanatorium is located near Alum Rock Park, and catered particularly to people with the dread disease Tuberculosis.

#173 Twelve Mile House, 1890

Twelve Mile House, 1890

Twelve Mile House was a rest stop on the stage line between Monterey and San Jose. As the name indicates, it was located twelve miles south of San Jose in the Coyote area. Twelve Mile House also served the local population as a general store, saloon, hotel and post office.

#174 Replica of California’s First Statehouse, 1899

Replica of California's First Statehouse, 1899

Black-and-white photograph of a replica of California's first Statehouse. It was built to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the meeting of the first State Legislature in San Jose.

#175 San Jose High School, 1898

San Jose High School, 1898

San Jose's first high school was built at the southwest corner of Seventh and San Fernando Streets. The $100,000 brick-and-stone structure was designed by Jacob Lenzen and Son and included an assembly hall that could seat up to 2000. The new school opened in September 1898 but was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake.

#180 View from San Jose City Hall looking north up Market Street, 1895

View from San Jose City Hall looking north up Market Street, 1895

View from the upper floors of San Jose City Hall looking north up Market Street. The city hall was located in the middle of Plaza Park, now known as Plaza de Cesar Chavez. On the right the tan sandstone building with the clock tower is the San Jose Post Office. Beyond the post office is St. Joseph's Cathedral with its dome and twin spires.

#184 Company B: Camp, Officers of Friendship Lodge No. 210, 1895

#187 The Rea Building taken from under the Light Tower, 1895

#191 Hay Press Crew and Cook, 1892

Hay Press Crew and Cook, 1892

Black-and-white photograph of six man Hay Press crew and cook. Note that the cook (at right) has lost his hat. Cook wagon is in the background right.

#193 The southward view of San Jose City Hall and the plaza, 1895

#194 Guadalupe River flood near Notre Dame College, 1890

#196 North First Street, 1895

North First Street, 1895

View looking down North First Street. Streetcar tracks run down the center of the street. The street is empty of vehicles and there are no pedestrians to be seen. The exact location of this stretch of North First Street is not known.

#198 Rea Building, 1893

Rea Building, 1893

Hensley House (later Rea Building) under construction. Thomas Rea purchased the building at the corner of Market Street and Santa Clara Street in 1885 and added two stories to the building. The Electric Light Tower intersection is in foreground.

#199 State House replica with people on balcony, 1899

State House replica with people on balcony, 1899

People tour the replica of the first California State House, erected on The Plaza in 1899 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of first meeting of the California State Legislature.

#200 Myles P. O’Connor residence, 1890

Myles P. O'Connor residence, 1890

View of very large two-story house on a corner lot with bare trees lining the streets. This was Judge Myles P. O'Connor's house. It stood at the corner of Second Street and Reed Street. O'Connor later gave the house to the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. They used it for an orphanage, the Notre Dame Institute, and then it was used for Notre Dame High School.

#201 State Normal School, 1890

State Normal School, 1890

Across a lawn planted with palm trees is the second San Jose State Normal School building. It was built in 1881 to replace the original Normal School building which was destroyed by fire. It was built of brick and stone to in an effort make it more fire resistant and incorporated a 5000 gallon water tank on the third floor. But the brick was unable to resist the strong shaking of the 1906 earthquake and the building was too badly damaged to be repaired. The gray building on the right held elementary school classrooms where student teachers could practice before graduation.

#202 Cattle graze by a stream on the Dunne Ranch near Gilroy, 1895

#205 Twelve Mile House, 1890

Twelve Mile House, 1890

The Twelve Mile House was a rest stop on the stage line between Monterey and San Jose. As the name indicates, it was located twelve miles south of San Jose in the Coyote area. Twelve Mile House also served the local population as a general store, saloon, hotel and post office.

#206 Mountain View Railroad Station, 1890s

Mountain View Railroad Station, 1890s

A man stands in front of the station next to a small child sitting on a window ledge. On the second floor a women and small child look through a window. To the right of the station is a handcart holding a trunk.

#208 The Mission San Jose Band of 1895, Organized by its Leader August Sunderer, 1895

#210 Front View of Santa Clara College, near San Jose, 1890

#214 Mount Hamilton Stage stopped at Smith Creek Hotel, 1897

#215 Mountain View railroad station, 1890

Mountain View railroad station, 1890

A man stands in front of the station next to a small child sitting on a window ledge. On the second floor a women and small child look through a window. To the right of the station is a handcart holding a trunk. The depot was built in 1888 and torn down in 1959.

#218 Several men pose with their bicycles and horses in front of Twelve Mile House and Coyote Store, 1890

#222 South Second Street looking north, 1890

South Second Street looking north, 1890

South Second Street looking north. Parade passing the Empire Fire House, which burned down in 1892. A replica of the fire house can be seen at History Park in San Jose.

#223 San José Electric Light Tower, 1895

San José Electric Light Tower, 1895

The Electric Light Tower spanned the intersection of Market and Santa Clara from 1881 to 1915, a symbol of technology and progress

#224 Hester School, 1892

Hester School, 1892

Hester School, located on The Alameda at Schiele. The 1890 San José City Directory lists teachers as J. M. Allen, Emma Stockton, M. C. Burt, Rosa Denne, Susie W. Rucker, Virginia Calhoun, Olive M. Knox, Ester Summers, and Miss Wood. On display at the Andrew P. Hill House, History Park.

#225 South First looking east on San Antonio, 1899

South First looking east on San Antonio, 1899

Hale's, an early San José department store, outgrew these quarters and moved to First and San Carlos.

#226 Jamison Fish Market, 1898

Jamison Fish Market, 1898

Jamison Fish Market, on the northeast corner of Third and Santa Clara. A wide variety of food was readily available in local markets.

#228 Mangrum & Otter Plumbing and Hardware, 1892

Mangrum & Otter Plumbing and Hardware, 1892

Mangrum & Otter Plumbing and Hardware, located at 85 East Santa Clara Street, San Jose. On display at the Andrew P. Hill House, History Park.

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