The San Jose population increased rapidly after World War II as a result of diversification efforts and aggressive annexation. City Hall moved from downtown in 1958 due to the burgeoning population. The opening of Valley Fair, the area’s first shopping center, signaled the decline of downtown. The downtown was revitalized during the last quarter of the 20th century.
Over the years, efforts were made to bring the capital back to San Jose. Still, for the most part, the town settled into being a farming community that supported the agriculture industry that was booming in the Santa Clara Valley. When World War II ended, the valley was the last vast undeveloped land surrounding San Francisco Bay; San Jose had a population of less than 100,000 in 1950.
Here are some stunning vintage photos that show San Jose, California in the 1950s.
#1 San Jose City Hall and Police Department on Hedding St, 1950s
#2 Sears Roebuck, First Street, San Jose, California, 1950
#3 Hospital in San Jose, 1959
#4 San Jose State College campus, 1955
#5 Moffet Field Planes, 1950s
#6 Corner view of San Jose City Hall 1953, with two automobiles parked in front.
#7 San Jose State College campus scene, 1955
#8 San Fernando Street at First Street, 1959
#9 Picnic tables at Alum Rock Park, 1959
#10 Beautiful interior of the Fox California Theatre, San Jose, 1957
#11 IBM Plant Dedication, Cottle Road/Monterey Highway, 1958
#12 San Jose City Exhibit, 1952
#13 Hales Dept store, San Jose, California, 1955
#14 Fire Station, Engine Company No. 5. 1959
#15 Kirk Elementary School, 1959
#16 Rose Garden Fountain, San Jose Municipal Rose Garden, 1950s
#17 Alum Rock Park, San Jose, 1950s
#18 Looking north on Second Street from San Carlos Street, 1959
#19 The old San Jose City Hall, 1950s
#20 Campbell Bros. Sunland service station, 1959
#21 San Jose City Exhibit, 1951 Santa Clara County Fair, 1951
#22 View of Post Street, San Jose, California, 1951
#23 The corner of Santa Clara and River Streets, San Jose, California during the 1958 flood.
#24 First and Santa Clara Streets, 1955
#25 San Jose City Hall, 1958
#26 First Street, San Jose, 1955
#27 Model of San Jose Civic Auditorium, 1951
#28 Looking north on The Alameda from the intersection with Race Street, August 9, 1957
#29 Sorting Prunes, U. S. Products Corp, 1951
#30 Corner of Santa Clara and Market Streets, 1959
#31 South First Street at Christmas, 1958
#32 Agnews State Hospital, 1952
#33 Crowd watching a wrestling match at San Jose Civic Auditorium, 1955
#34 Typical Apartment Development, Hamilton Avenue, San Jose, 1959
#35 Downtown San Jose Empty Lot, 1950
#36 Parade with Marching Band, San Jose, 1950
#37 San Jose City Exhibit, 1951
#38 Stanley Smock at Airport Village, San Jose, 1959
#39 Corner of Market at Park, 1955
#40 American-La France pumper, 1955
#41 The Alum Rock Sanitarium in east hills of San Jose catered to tuberculosis patients, 1958
#42 Western States Professional Photographers Awards Banquet, 1954
#43 Normal School San Jose, 1950s
#44 San Jose City Exhibit, 1952 Santa Clara County Fair, 1952
#45 Fountain Alley businesses,1959
#46 Looking northeast form the insection of Santa Clara and Market Streets, 1950s
#47 BIll Emerson posing with his jaguar sportscar on a country road, 1954
#48 Beyda’s Import Discount Store, 1957
#49 Casa Grande, 1953
#50 Mission San Jose De Guadalupe, 1950
#51 San Jose’s Old City Hall Before Demolition, 1955
#52 Car in front of Holy City buildings, 1950
#53 Henry Dyer Residence, 1950
#54 Businesses along South First Street. Blum’s was famous for its specialty ice creams, 1950
#55 Lou Thesz behind the bar at the Ringside, 1958
#56 Nuns attending Mass at O’Connor Hospital Chapel, San Jose, 1957
#57 World Heavyweight Champion boxer Joe Louis keeps the peace, 1953
#58 First and San Antonio Streets, San Jose, 1950
#59 San Jose City Exhibit, 1952 Santa Clara County Fair, 1952
#60 Chase Lumber Company, San Jose, 1955
#61 Chase Candy Company, San Jose, 1952
#62 Administration Building, San Jose State College, 1959
#63 Parade float along Saint James Park, with lettering on the side, San Jose, 1950s
#64 Typical Apartment Developmentt, San Jose, 1959
#65 San Jose City Exhibit, 1952 Santa Clara County Fair, 1952
#66 Agricultural Park bicycle track, in disrepair, with the San Jose & Santa Clara Railroad Company buildings and Fredericksburg Brewery in the background, 1951
#67 San Jose City Exhibit, 1952 Santa Clara County Fair, 1952
#68 San Jose City Exhibit, 1952 Santa Clara County Fair, 1952
#69 San Jose City Exhibit, 1951
#70 South First Street, Looking North, 1959
#71 C. Sepeda at 464 South Market Street, San Jose, 1957
#72 Housing development under construction, 1959
#73 Exterior view of San Jose City Hall with cars and a motorcycle parked alongside it, 1957
#74 Market Street North of Santa Clara Street, San Jose, California, 1957
#75 Girl Scouts Santa Clara Valley Day camping trailer, 1955
#76 Walls, building construction, 1950
#77 Mayfair Bus Line No. 53, 1953
#78 Market Street, north of Santa Clara Street, 1957
#79 Cement Mixer, 1951
#80 Brake & Bearing, 540 South First Street, 1955
#81 Men on work site, 1951
#82 Dole Pineapple Company, 1950s
#83 Parade in front of American Trust Company Bank Building, 1959
#84 Church of St John the Baptist, 1953
#85 Construction of interior with crew, 1951
#86 State House from the Grandstand, 1950s
#87 Mayfair Department Store, 1955
#88 San Jose City Hall, 1958.
#89 Cheim Lumber Company Fire, 1955
Cheim Lumber Company was located at Lenzen Avenue and The Alameda, San Jose. The fire was started on the afternoon of April 14th by three children playing with matches. It quickly spread to the Pacific Hardware & Steel Company and the Prime Rib Dining Room, located at the back of the Cheim Lumber property.
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#90 South Second Street, 1959
#91 Native Daughters of the Golden West Parlor No. 81., 1951
#92 North Market Street parking lot, 1957
North Market Street in downtown San Jose, California near intersection of West St. John Street. View overlooking street and City of San Jose Public Parking Lot No. 1. Greyhound bus and cars driving past on street in foreground. North San Pedro Street businesses and residences are visible on the other side of the parking lot, as well as the intersection of San Pedro and St. John Street. Stores visible behind the parking lot are American Welding Supply (75 North San Pedro) and C & D Automotive Service (85 North San Pedro).
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#93 Julian Street and Thirteenth Street, 1955
#94 Public Works Street Cleaner at Santa Clara County Fair, 1951
#95 First and Post Streets, looking west, 1955
#96 Montgomery Hotel Wide Angle Exteriors, 1956
#97 Sir Francis Drake Pharmacy, 1952
#98 Bona Sera Ford Edsel Dealership, 1957
#99 Entertainment at the IBM Plant Dedication, 1958
#100 Storefronts at 964-972 Main, Santa Clara, 1955
#101 Bill Eitel and Jack Mccullough in front of their new San Carlos plant, 1959
#102 Northwest View from City Hall, 1950
#103 Palo Alto High School, 1950
#104 Native Sons of the Golden West Drum Corps, 1950
#105 T & D Garage, 1950
#106 Group of men looking at large plans at construction site, 1959
#107 Elephants parading south on First Street at the corner of St. John, 1950
#108 South First at San Fernando, 1955
#109 Six-foot five-inch Mike Sharpe lifts lovely ladies Shirlie Montgomery, 1958
#110 Carried in style by Ben and Mike Sharpe, 1953
#111 Corner of Market at Park, 1955
#112 Shirlie Montgomery with camera, 1950
#113 Cheim Lumber Company fire, Lenzen Avenue and The Alameda, San Jose, 1955
The fire began at 1400 The Alameda at Lenzen Avenue on the afternoon of April 14th when three children were playing with matches. It quickly spread to the Pacific Hardware & Steel Company and the Prime Rib Dining Room, located at the back of the Cheim Lumber property. The heat from the fire was so intense that it damaged several hoses and put one engine out of commission. Seventy-seven firemen worked to control the fire.
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#114 The Torres brothers with friends at the Ringside, 1953
#115 Flood at Santa Clara and River Streets, San Jose, 1958
#116 Wrestler weight training with local fans, 1953
#117 Mayor Robert Welsh at Community Bank Building ground-breaking, San Jose, 1950s
#118 Tiny Mills versus Ray Eckert at the San Jose Civic Auditorium, 1953
#119 IBM Cottle Road plant dedication, San Jose, 1958
#120 Sandwich board displaying Montgomery’s photographs, 1955
#121 Nurses in training at O’Connor Hospital, San Jose, 1957
#122 Crowd watching a wrestling match at San Jose Civic Auditorium, 1955
#123 Chinese New Year parade, Valley Fair Shopping Mall, Santa Clara, 1950s
#124 South First Street, 1955
#125 Shirlie Montgomery, Enrique Torres and Angelo Cistoldi at the Ringside Bar, 1950s
#126 St. Patrick’s Day at the Ringside Bar, 1953
#127 San Jose City Hall, 1955
City Hall as it looked in the 1950s. Designed by the architect Theodore Lenzen, and constructed in 1887, it originally housed the jail on the ground floor, council chambers on the main floor, and public library on the third floor. This City Hall continued in use until it was demolished in 1958.
