Photograph by Robert Scheer
OHPIE's Joe Gutierrez and Citibank's Steve Heng survey a model of the project.
By KATHERINE PETERSEN
Silicon Valley used to have a different name. Many people remember this area, now brimming with high-tech industry, high-density housing and freeways, as the Valley of Heart's Delight during the business boom of orchards and canneries.
For many who don't know Sunnyvale's heritage, it might be difficult to picture acres and acres of apricot and cherry trees where Lockheed Martin and other businesses now stand.
Through the Orchard Heritage Park Interpretive Exhibit, the Sunnyvale Historical Society and the city hope to bring these times to life for children, newcomers to the area and other members of the community.
The historical society has always had a vision of people having a chance to glimpse the years gone by, said Bobbe Smirni, chairwoman of marketing for the Orchard Heritage Park Task Force.
Four years ago, the city donated 10 acres of apricot orchard behind the community center, which is now known as Orchard Heritage Park, for this hope to become a reality. The land is worth $10 million, Smirni said.
The historical society is raising funds to build an open-air amphitheater near the orchard and display two- and three-dimensional exhibits depicting the valley's heritage, said Joe Gutierrez, an architect who is a member of the society and heads up the OHP Task Force.
"I think it's important now more than ever with the Olsons negotiating the sale of their last, most productive 15 acres. All that's left will be these 10 acres, and we need something here as a living museum--a record for our children and new arrivals to know what this place was like 75 years ago," Gutierrez said.
The buildings will be steel barn-like structures with roofs but no walls. Panels of exhibits will take the place of walls, Guiterrez said.
The panels will contain photos and descriptions of the history of the orchard industry, names of important families and explanations of fruit harvesting and canning.
"It will be a place for children, seniors, tourists and service clubs to go and be educated about this facet of Sunnyvale's history," Smirni said.
The historical society has so far raised $75,000 toward a $500,000 goal, although it needs only $350,000 to break ground on the park facility, which it would like to do by next spring.
Gutierrez and other architects designed and built a model of the interpretive exhibit project, which, until the end of March, is housed at Citibank's South Mary Avenue branch. Last year, the bank stepped forward as the project's first corporate sponsor, with a donation of $25,000 in cash and $6,000 in in-kind donations, Smirni said. She would like to see more interest from other businesses, large or small.
Citibank took a leadership role by serving on the task force, assisting the group with financial management and lending staff members to the cause, Smirni said.
Citibank will host a Sunnyvale Chamber of Commerce mixer at the South Mary branch March 27, where people can view the model and learn how they can help the project come to fruition.
"We were looking for a project to get involved with. It made sense for us to do this. We liked the fact that it was unique, and the types of exhibits were attractive to us and in the same city," said Barbara Duggan, manager of Citibank's South Mary Avenue branch.
Duggan wanted to find a project through which the bank could give back to its community.
"This is one a lot of people will be able to enjoy and participate in. A lot of people don't realize what this valley used to be," she said.
The historical society is selling bricks for $100 that will be engraved with the buyer's name or whatever name the buyer chooses and will be incorporated into a heritage walkway and patio near the amphitheater.
"It's a way that people like you and me can have a personal participation in the project," Smirni said.
A group of people got together and purchased a brick in memory of John Christian, the city's former director of Parks and Recreation, who passed away last year, Smirni said. Christian had a large hand in bringing the city and historical society together on the project. The historical society has so far sold 50 bricks.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, March 26, 1997.
©1997 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.