San Jose was hit hard by the economic collapse of the 1930s. Many businesses failed, workers lost their jobs, and families became poor. Social messiahs offered alluring panaceas promising relief and recovery when the political response to the depression was often confused and ineffective.
The non-contracted workers went on the offensive. Farmers and farm owners engaged in yet another round of total engagement. Thousands of investors and depositors lost everything when businesses and banks throughout the state closed their doors in the 1930s. The number of building permits in 1933 was one-ninth of what it had been eight years earlier. Many landowners lost their farms and their homes. By 1932, unemployment in California reached 28 percent, and one in five Californians was on public assistance.
#1 First St. San Jose, looking north from San Carlos Street, 1930s
#2 Civic Auditorium, San Jose, located at West San Carlos Street near Market Street, 1937
#3 San Jose Railroads Car #75 traveling eastbound on The Alameda near Newhall Street in San Jose, 1937
#4 Rosicrucian Museum, San Jose, California, 1935
#5 Demolition of the Wells Fargo Building, 1937
#6 Hotel Sainte Claire, San Carlos and Market Streets, San Jose, 1930s
#7 San Jose Civic Auditorium, 1930s
#8 View of Front and Gardens of Mystery House, Winchester Park, San Jose, 1930s
#9 View of houses behind Municipal Rose Garden, San Jose, 1937
#10 House, 802 North 4th, San Jose, 1930s
#11 Women Golfers at San Jose Country Club, 1935
#12 McAdams speaking at dedication of Cahill Station, San Jose, 1935
#13 Civic Auditorium under construction, 1934
#14 Post Office San Jose, 1930s
#15 Municipal Rose Garden, San Jose, 1930s
#16 St. Josephs Church, San Jose, 1930s
#17 Talisman Rose, Rose Garden, 1937
#18 Fallon House, Italian Restaurant, San Jose, 1930s
#19 San Jose Merchants Association float, 1930
#20 Mitynice Donut Demonstration, 1935
#21 Pumping gas from a barrel, San Jose, 1930
#22 San Jose Water Works, 1934
#23 Pine tree in front of residence, dusted with snow, snowstorm in San Jose, 1932
#24 Miniature Golf Course, near 1040 The Alameda, San Jose, 1935
#25 Automobile on Highway 101 south of San Jose, 1931
#26 Santa Clara County Hospital, 1930
#27 The Buller home at 23 Scharff Ave, San Jose, 1939
#28 Southern Pacific Railway Station – San Jose, 1936
#29 Looking west on Santa Clara Street from 2nd Street, San Jose, 1930
#30 Chamber of Commerce, San Jose, 1939
#31 Compton Blvd. and Tamarind St., Compton, 1933
#32 Southern Pacific Train Engine #501, 1936
#33 Red Star Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Co. delivery vehicle, 1938
#34 St. Joseph’s Church, 1935
#35 Hotel Sainte Claire Lobby, San Jose, 1937
#36 View of the Santa Clara County Courthouse fire from a local office window, 1931
#37 M.R. Trace School children at Rose Garden, San Jose, 1937
#38 Sainte Claire Hotel, San Jose, 1930s
#39 The San Jose Railroads #75 traveling east bound on The Alameda, 1937
#40 Hotel Sainte Claire Lobby, 1937
#41 Pool and roses at Rose Garden, San Jose, 1937
#42 King Road trolley, San Jose, 1938
#43 Cannery was located at 361 North Fourth Street, San Jose, 1930s
#44 Santa Clara County Hospital and nursing school, 1930
#45 San Francisco building across the water, 1939
#46 Hale Brothers store on First and San Carlos streets, 1930
#47 Post Office, San Jose, 1933
#48 Bemis and Moe Super Station, San Jose, 1930
#49 South First Street, San Jose, 1930s
#50 San Jose Railroads car No.2, 1938
#51 First Street and Santa Clara Street, San Jose, 1937
#52 Temple of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, San Jose, 1930s
#53 Close up of the Municipal Rose Garden fountain, created and paid for by the Rotary Club of San Jose in the 1930s
#54 Grower’s Market at 7th and Taylor Streets, 1937
Series of four photographs from the Grower's Wholesale Market located near the corner of East Taylor Street and North Seventh Street, San Jose. The Mobilgas sign is visible in the bottom right of the first image; the service station was located right next to the market. San Jose Berry & Produce can be seen in the last image.
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#55 Downtown San Jose, First Street, 1930
#56 Japanese family in front of their house, 1930
#57 Nickell’s Transfer and Storage, 1935
#58 Group of school children on steps, 1930
#59 Robert F. Benson Studebaker, San Jose, 1933
#60 Tower of the Sun, 1939
#61 The Court of Pacifica, 1939
#62 Marsh Station interior, 1933
#63 Group of workers picking apricots, 1930s
#64 Marsh Station, Palo Alto, 1930
#65 Economy Cleaners located on the north west corner of Second and Santa Clara Streets about 1935.
#66 Vehicle towing older car as young boy looks on from the curb, 1932
#67 Seal Rocks, San Jose, 1938
#68 Load of mattresses for L. Hart & Son, 1930
#69 The Firestone Auto Supply and Service Station, 1935
#70 Front of the Peralta Adobe, May 1993
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Luis María Peralta Adobe, St John Steet
#71 Robert F. Benson Auto Agency, Palo Alto, 1933
#72 Marsh Station interior, 1932
#73 Hester Grammar School, 1930s
#74 E.H. Renzel warehouse loading dock in 1930
#75 Sainte Claire Hotel, 1935
#76 Flood conditions near Agnew, California, 1931
#77 Start of bicycle race, 1933
#78 Standard Oil Products Service Station, 1935
#79 Courthouse Fire, 1931
#80 San Jose, Moffett Field, Airship mooring mast, 1933
#81 Central California Traction Company car, 1937
#82 Permanente Corporation Cement Facility, 1939
#83 Bicycle race track, 1933
#84 Dairy cattle in field next to dairy buildings near Bayshore Highway, 1930s
#85 University of Santa Clara, 1930
#86 Santa Clara County Courthouse Fire, 1931
#87 Hotel De Anza, 1934
#88 Food Machinery Corporation, 1930s
#89 Children harvesting prunes, 1930
#90 Field workers in fruit drying yard, 1935
#91 Spartan Stadium, San Jose State University, 1933
#92 San Jose State College, 1935
Students mingle on the quadrangle among the lawns and trees of San Jose State College. On the left is Tower Hall. To the right of Tower Hall is Morris Dailey Auditorium. The tower, auditorium and colonnaded arcade were built of reinforced concrete in 1910. The arcade has since been demolished but the tower and auditorium still survive.
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#93 Old Post Office building under construction, 1932
Post Office building under construction on St. James Park, with automobiles parked in front, and Hotel St. James in the background. The street railroad lines can be seen in the middle of the street. The old Post Office building was a Works Progress Administration project designed by Ralph Wyckoff, and this image was likely taken by him.
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This is actually a view of the old Santa Clara County Courthouse being remodeled after suffering a catastrophic fire on May 18, 1931. The framing in this post-fire view shows the construction of a 3rd floor and hip roof addition. Before the fire, the structure had been a domed, two storied building. The fire-damaged interiors, front stairs, and portico were rebuilt. The dome was not.
One can see a bit of the Hall of Records (since demolished) in the foreground, adjacent the courthouse.
The new WPA post office would be built in 1933 about where we see the Hotel St. James, and a few shorter buildings beyond. Looks like the hotel building is up for sale here.
#94 Three men with horses, in the woods, holding rifles, 1937
#95 Corner of North First Street and St. John Street, 1932
#96 Roosevelt Tennis Courts, San Jose, California. People playing on one of three tennis courts, 1935
#97 Three men with horses, in the woods, holding rifles, 1937
#98 San Jose Post Office Building, 1935
#99 San Jose Building and Loan Association, 1935
Exterior view of San Jose Building and Loan Association at 81 West Santa Clara Street. Several cars are parked along the street. Also visible is Ellert's Clock Shop, which was next door to the San Jose Building and Loan. Cars are parked in front of the building.
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#100 Norris’ Silk House window displays, 1936
#101 Berryessa trolley No. 126, 1938
#102 Red Star Laundry, located at 360 Park Avenue, San Jose, 1939
#103 Hale Brothers department store, 1930
#104 San Jose, Bank of America Building, 1930
#105 Santa Clara County Courthouse fire, 1931
#106 Santa Clara County Courthouse fire, 1931
#107 Nun and Students from Notre Dame High School Outdoors, 1932
#108 The Knox Block, 1935
#109 Ground-breaking ceremony for Civic Auditorium, 1934
#110 Birney Streetcar North bound on Second Street crossing Santa Clara Street, 1938
#111 Schurra’s Candies, 1935
#112 1940 South First Street, San Jose, 1935
#113 San Jose, Beach Building, 1930
Businesses of the northeast corner of Second Street and Santa Clara Street include Economy Cleaners, Haig's Jewelry Store, Harold H. Shanley Insurance, Gordon Hatters and Artana Drugs. Most of these establishments were housed on the lower level of the Beach Building. Cars are parked on the streets. The Beach Building was built in 1889 by Tyler Beach and was remodeled in 1913.
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#114 San Jose, Burrell Building, 1930
#115 Sainte Clare building from First and San Carlos Streets at Christmas time, 1930s
#116 Porter Building, 1930
The Porter Building stands at the northeast corner of Second and Santa Clara Streets. Several pedestrians are crossing the street while two streetcars meet at the intersection. The Porter Building was demolished in the 1960s and the Pacific Telephone building constructed in its place.
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#117 Vertin Building, 1935
#118 Girls Pose on See-Saw, 1932
#119 Moffett at Air Base, 1931
#120 American Legion Red Devils Band on parade.1932
#121 YWCA Building, 1935
#122 Exterior view of the restored ruins of an Administrative Building of the San Jose Mission, 1937
#123 Robert F. Benson’s multiple-use building, 1936
#124 Adobe of the Alvisos of Rancho Milpitas in San Jose, 1937
#125 Bank of Italy Building, 1932
#126 Casa Flores adobe, South Pasadena, 1936
#127 Mission San Bernardino Asistencia, 1939
#128 Ng Shing Gung Building, Heinlenville, 1932
The Ng Shing Gung building was used as a multi-purpose community place for worship, community meeting room, Chinese school, and hostel for visitors without family in Heinlenville. This image is part of the Heinlenville Chinatown Exhibit and shows the temple with guardian effigies during Da Jui, "Feast of the Hungry Ghosts." The huge figures made of paper mache were burned at the last evening of the festival to satisfy the spirits. A reconstruction of the original Ng Shing Gung now houses the Chinese American Historical Museum at History Park.
