During the 1960s, City Manager A. P. “Dutch” Hamann led San Jose in an effective growth campaign. For suburban development, the city annexed adjoining areas, such as Alviso and Cambrian Park. A reaction against rapid development emerged in the 1970s, led by Norman Mineta and Janet Gray Hayes. Although the city established an urban growth boundary, imposed development fees, and incorporated Campbell and Cupertino, development did not slow but was instead directed into already-incorporated areas.
Uncontrolled growth resulted in a high municipal debt load, degraded public services (including double sessions at public schools and overburdened fire and police departments), and environmental degradation, resulting in a populist revolt against Hamann’s growth machine. Several anti-growth candidates were also elected to the City Council in the late 1960s.
Here are some fascinating photos that will take you back to the 1960s in San Jose, California.
#1 Town and Country Theatre, located in the Town and Country complex, now Santana Row, San Jose, 1966
#2 Fox California Theatre, San Jose, 1967
#3 Winchester Mystery House. Santa Clara-Los Gatos Road near San Jose, 1960
#4 South First Street looking north, San Jose, 1961
#5 Murphy building, Market and Post Street, 1962
The Murphy building on the corner of Market and Post Streets in San Jose. For a time it housed the 1862 Santa Clara Courthouse upstairs.
Leave a Reply
3 Comments
#6 Garden Theatre, Lincoln Avenue in Willow Glen district of San Jose, 1966
#7 Old Italian Hotel and Manny’s Cellar located at 175 West Saint John, San Jose, 1967
#8 Wild Bill Kelsey, Frontier Village, San Jose, 1961
#9 The first two Century theaters, San Jose, 1966
#10 San Jose, looking southwest, 1960
Aerial view of San Jose, looking southwest from First Street and Post Street. St. Joseph Church, left, towards the top. Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Building (95 Alamden Avenue) towards the top right.
Leave a Reply
2 Comments
#11 Parde Theater, First National Bank, Herold’s, Zukors, National Dollar Store, 1961
#12 Moonlite Drive in Theater sign, 1966
#13 Downtown San Jose, 1965
The view east on Santa Clara Street toward the intersection of First and Santa Clara Streets. Two major stores sit at the northern corner of First and Santa Clara: J.C. Penney and Roos Atkins Clothing Store. Both stores would eventually abandon downtown San Jose for the suburban malls.
Leave a Reply
#14 San Jose Municipal Airport, 1968
#15 South First Street at Fountain Alley, 1962
#16 Highway 17, Los Gatos, 1960
#17 San Jose Hospital, 1964
#18 East San Jose Carnegie Library, 1960
#19 The intersection of Hobson Street and Coleman Avenue, 1967
#20 San Jose Civic Center, City Hall, 1960
#21 Beech-Nut Lifesavers Plant, San Jose, 1962
#22 Bicyclists at opening of Guadalupe Freeway, 1960
#23 Bicyclists at opening of Guadalupe Freeway, 1960s
#24 Old Italian Hotel, 1967
#25 Flying A Service station at corner of 7th and Taylor, 1964
Frank's Service station at the corner of East Taylor Street and North Seventh Street, San Jose.
Leave a Reply
12 Comments
#26 Aerial view of San Jose downtown, 1967
#27 Heald Business College, 1968
#28 Mesa Drive and Galllup Drive. Kooser Road and Gallup Drive, 1967
#29 Wendt’s Meat Market, 1960
#30 Three men on top of the Mercury and News tower looking down on First Street, San Jose, 1965
#31 Trucks parked in the yard of the San Jose Water Company, 1962
#32 House at 112 Alma Avenue, San Jose Residence of Mrs. Emma Rios 1955 Found in 1955 San Jose City, 1960
#33 Front of postcard shows San Jose City Hall on a beautiful day in 1963.
#34 San Jose Hospital neighbourhood, 15th and Santa Clara Street, 1965
#35 Frontier Auto Movie, San Jose, 1966
#36 The Fox Bayshore Drive-In was located at First and Brokaw Streets, San Jose, California, 1966
#37 Speech & Drama Building, San Jose State College, 1962
#38 Redevelopment Agency Photos San Jose Chamber of Commerce Convention / Visitors Bureau on Market St, 1960s
#39 Looking north on South First Street near the Fox Theatre, San Jose, 1960
#40 Town & Country Theatre, San Jose, located in the Town & Country shopping center on Stevens Creek Boulevard, 1960
#41 Beech-Nut Lifesavers factory, 1962
#42 Newhall railroad yard, San Jose, 1960
#43 The Alameda Building at 1625 The Alameda, San Jose, 1968
#44 YMCA building corner of 3rd and Santa Clara Streets, San Jose, 1965
#45 Park Center Redevelopment, 1967
#46 Park Center Redevelopment, 1967
#47 Corner of East San Carlos Street, 1960
#48 Dicks 150 Club Tavern, 1960
#49 Imperial Hotel, 1965
#50 San Jose Museum of Art building, 1965
The 19th century former library building currently housing the San Jose Museum of Art. The art museum opened in 1969.
Leave a Reply
3 Comments
#51 Reconstruction of First National Bank Building, 1963
#52 Stagecoach ride, Frontier Village, 1961
#53 Canoe ride at Frontier Village, 1961
#54 T & M Club, Last Bus Trip from Franklin Street, 1967
#55 Parking lot on South Market Street, 1960
#56 Mountain swimming pool activities, 1965
#57 Cambrian Branch Library interior, 1960s
#58 Lobitos 256 Acres – West, 1966
#59 Al Alquist Family Group, 1960
#60 Embassy Room Opening Day Bus Eureka Group May, 1962
#61 Frequency Standard, 1965
#62 Embassy Room, July 1964
#63 Fireman’s Rodeo Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, 1961
#64 Orchard Supply Hardware store exterior, 1969
#65 Campbell Bros. Sunland service station, 1961
#66 Aircraft and Fleet Vehicles for Radio Station KXRX, 1967
#67 North First Street, 1960, Victory Building, Hoefflers Coffee Shop, 1960
#68 Ground-breaking of Community Bank Building at San Pedro and San Augustine Streets, 1963
#69 Federal Building S.F. Mar., 1963
#70 Second Street at Santa Clara at night, 1962
#71 Hall of justice demolition, 1962
#72 Richard Nixon campaigning in San Jose, 1960
#73 Aircraft and Fleet Vehicles for Radio Station KXRX, 1967
KXRX was the first local news-talk radio stations, and one of the first to utilize aircraft for reporting highway conditions. The plane is a Mooney, and is shown with five of the station's staff cars. The aircraft is now displayed at the San Jose Airport, Terminal C.
You would think they could have built a more modern looking structure in 1966
I love the architecture of the T&C’s. They reflected the times which was still mostly agricultural. The large sweeping tile roofs and airy walkways were very inviting.
Now it’s a fake “planned community” with a bunch of people in competition to see who looks like they make the most money and has the most stuff.
I love that architecture. There was also one in Palo Alto and Cambrian.
Saw Die Hard there, it was perfect for it and was projected from a completely pristine print. ❤️
I even thanked the manager afterwards for taking such good care of it.
they had a 70mm print for “Die Hard”
Or watching Eddie Murphy as a foreign exchange student from Camaroon! “Remember the pavillion? We had big fun there!”
Saw The Shining there
my memory is starting to fade over the years… but I believe there was a Ticket Tron office tucked in the corner there.
I worked there in the early 80s. Had so much fun (a LOT of pranks and goofing around). Plus, the original Pizza Time Theater was just across the parking lot.