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A stroll along the streets in downtown Saratoga or a visit to one of the many quaint shops and restaurants is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. It's also the perfect opportunity for curious or aspiring historians to learn about the evolution of some of the city's most significant landmarks, some of which date back to as early as the mid-1800s.
Leave the textbooks behind, but make sure to wear comfortable shoes and plenty of sunscreen. That's the recommendation from Linda Hagelin, a member of the Saratoga Historical Foundation, who leads residents on walking tours along Oak Street and Big Basin Way, the site of more than 20 historical structures.
The walking tour was a breath of fresh air and an eye-opener for Saratoga resident Pauline Bruce, who said she passes by many of the historical structures during her frequent walks in the downtown area and has oftentimes wondered about the stories behind the buildings.
"The tour was educational," Bruce said. "I walked away with a lot of interesting facts about the history of the buildings and the people who were associated with them. One of the most fascinating aspects was seeing how well the buildings are maintained."
The tour may also be a great avenue for meeting people with similar interests. Encarna Panadero said she enjoyed talking with other tour members like Bruce.
"The tour is great because you can do three things all at once," said Panadero. "You can get some exercise in, meet new people and learn about the history of Saratoga at the same time. One of the nice things about it is that I feel like I'm walking in historical times."
Panadero said she plans to recruit some friends to go on another tour with her.
The tour got Kristin Michaels interested in learning about the history of her neighborhood in San Francisco. Michaels, who happened to be in the right place at the right time with a friend, said she was impressed by the community's effort to keep the history of Saratoga alive.
The hour-long walk starts at the Saratoga Historical Museum on SaratogaLos Gatos Road and continues up the hill along adjacent streets, to sites such as the Lundblad's Lodge stand on Oak Street. The lodge was where actresses Olivia de Havilland and Joan Fontaine lived as young girls in the early 1920s. On the same street sits the 105-year-old Saratoga Grammer School, the oldest academic institution in the state, according to Hagelin.
A right turn on Sixth Street and another right down Big Basin Way reveals more historical landmarks, such as the Erwin T. King House, a classic colonial saltbox structure built in 1875 and owned by the town's blacksmith, and the Pettis Livery Stable, whose horses transported passengers to Los Gatos and the South Pacific Coast Railroad in the late 1800s.
"The history of Saratoga is very rich," Hagelin said. "Our historical museum's archival photos and records show the many changes from our origin as a stop for lumber wagons coming out of the Santa Cruz mountains, to paper milling, fruit growing and wine production. A lot of people who live in Saratoga know about our very interesting history. That's why we put on these tours every month. The more folks we have taking an interest in our history, the stronger our community will become and the better choices people can make in planning for the future of our community."
The tours will be offered the first Sunday of every month through November. Interested residents should meet at the Saratoga Historical Museum at 2 p.m. For more information, contact Hagelin at 408.867.3763.
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Photograph by My Ngo