What San Jose looked like in the 1910s Through Spectacular Historical Photos

Advertising in storefront window for Hudson Bicycles. Men can be seen standing inside the store. A man sits astride bicycle in front of the shop.

The cannery was located on the north side of Stevens Creek Boulevard near the intersection of Leigh Avenue.

The electric light tower is prominent in the background, with a street car approaching to its left. Horse-drawn carriages travel the street. Herold's shoe store is on the left of the picture. A sign for "Eagles Celebration" hangs from the tower.

Signage on storefront: Sporting Goods and Toy Vehicles, Imported Bicycles and Accessories, Sporting Goods, Fishing Tackle, Bicycles. Bicycles are displayed in windows on either side of door.

In 1912 the Guadalupe River was dammed near St. John, and a recreational lake created. Small boats could be rented from Port San Say for an afternoon's pleasure." Located at Santa Clara Street near Delmas Avenue, San Jose.

One of the original 4 grade schools in San Jose. One in each quadrant-Horace Mann High, Lincoln, Lowell, Washington, Longfellow. The big chimney fell through the west side of building in 1906 earthquake.

Pierce Avenue was between Market Street and Orchard Street (Almaden Road), and Balbach Street and Colfax Street.

A. D. M. Cooper's studio, designed and built in 1909 by the artist to house his larger canvasses, was located on the corner of 21st and San Antonio in San Jose. Resembling an Egyptian temple, it was described as one of the "Beauty spots of San Jose.

Columbia Hospital, which stood at 357 South Market Street at the corner of Auzerais Avenue, as it appeared about 1920.

Home of Dr. James M. and Eloise Jones Dawson, at the corner of the Alameda and Polhemus Street (later Taylor Street), San Jose. Dr. and Mrs. Dawson and their son Thomas B. Dawson started the first canning operation in San Jose in their home's backyard in 1871.

Pedestrians, horse drawn vehicles and an automobile pass in front of the San Jose Safe Deposit Bank. Founded in 1885, the bank stood at the southeast corner of First and Santa Clara Streets. The bank was demolished in 1925 and the Bank of Italy constructed in its place.

Man seated in horse-drawn San Jose Paper cart with umbrella. In the background are signs for Sperry Flour, and A. H. Short.

On the left stands the McKinley monument, seen from the side; on top is a bronze sculpture of McKinley the sculpture stands on a rectangular pedestal at the peak of three steps; across the street stands the four-storey St. James Hotel.

The electric light tower can be seen in the distance. An automobile is making its way down the street. A blacksmith shop appears to be on the left. Featured in the "City with a Past" exhibit with this caption: The 1911 flood of the Guadalupe on Santa Clara Street looking east. The river has periodically flooded downtown San Jose.

Postcard promoting Osen & Hunter Auto Co., showing a Mitchell car outside of Lick Observatory. Business address: 50 West St. John Street, San Jose, and 407 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco.

Commercial Building at 28 North First Street, San Jose, California On far left near top note water storage tank. All buildings of a certain type built in 1920s had to have a water storage tank, because of the disaster in San Francisco in the 1906 earthquake.

Following record rainfall, parts of San Jose flooded in March 1911. Two people drift in a boat near the intersection of Viola Avenue and Orchard Street (now Almaden Avenue).

De Luxe Dyeing - Imperial Dyeing & Cleaning Works (now De Luxe Cleaners) Two horse drawn delivery wagons and one motorized truck in front of 224-226 East Santa Clara Street, San Jose California. Owners were Adolphe Heymann and John Marten.

Laurence Higuera stands by the mission bell marker at the Mission San Jose monastery. Two bicycles are at the hitching rail.

View of East Hall on the campus of the University of the Pacific located in the College Park area of San Jose. East Hall housed the men's dormitory on the third floor and classrooms, a library, and laboratories on the other floors. University of the Pacific moved to Stockton in 1925.

Photograph taken from the roof of DiFiore Cannery in San Jose looking northward. The cannery was located on the north side of Stevens Creek Boulevard near the intersection of Leigh Avenue.

A horse-drawn carriage and several pedestrians can be seen in the distance along a palm-lined street in San Jose.

The Auditorium Rink opened in 1909. It stood on the east side of Market Street just north of San Carlos Street. The rink was used for roller skating, flower shows, dances, basketball games and other diversions. The building was demolished in 1918. The site is now occupied by the Casa Del Pueblo Retirement Community.

Pedestrians stroll by the new YMCA building at the corner of Third and Santa Clara Streets. An automobile is parked in the street in front of the building. The building opened in 1913. Facilities included a reading room, a billiard room, a swimming pool, an assembly room, and 75 dormitory rooms.

The first building on the far right is the Santa Clara County Hall of Records. The Hall of records was built in 1892. It held county records such as deed, birth and death certificates. It was demolished in 1962. The building on the right with the dome and front columns is the Santa Clara County Courthouse.

Fruit drying at Dutard Ranch. Men are seen arranging the drying trays. The orchard is seen in the upper left corner.

It was a luxury hotel in San Jose that opened in 1889. It was purchased by a real estate syndicate in 1930 and subsequently demolished in order to subdivide the property into lots for residential housing.

An automobile is parked outside the building while smoke emerges from three smokestacks. The Pacific Manufacturing Company was founded in 1879 and manufactured a variety of wooden products.

Stereoscopic photograph of South Market Street where Grey Eagle Livery Stable and Luther Schroeder Wholesale and Retail Grocers were located. 5 people are standing under the awning with 5 barrels out front.

First National Bank, built in 1909 at the southwest corner of First and Santa Clara. It was the second "skyscraper" in San José, and towered over everything except the Electric Light Tower. Car 129 was later restored to operate again in the downtown Transit Mall.

The 1911 flood of the Guadalupe on Santa Clara Street looking east. The river has periodically flooded downtown San José.

On November 30, 1915, the Rotary Club of San Jose organized a caravan of 130 private automobiles to transport 500 local school children to the Panama Pacific Exposition in San Francisco. For most of the children, it was their first experience riding in a car.

Car 124 is driven by two, 65-horsepower electric motors, and is referred to as "California" style because of its open-air design. Purchased by the San José Railroads for $5,700, it ran in San José on the Santa Clara and First Street Lines from 1912 to 1934. In 1934 the body was sold for use as a house, and was later one of the first cars to be donated to the California

In 1912 the Guadalupe River was dammed near St. John, and a recreational lake created. Small boats could be rented from Port San Say for an afternoon's pleasure.

View of West Santa Clara Street looking towards First Street. The Bank of San Jose is in the background, and a "Mercury" bike stand can be seen in the right foreground, at 30 West Santa Clara Street, headquarters of the Mercury and Herald newspapers. From an album of snapshots by Clifford J. Owen.

In 1900 brothers Jay Orley "Black" Hayes and Everis Anson "Red" Hayes bought the Evening Herald, followed by the Mercury in 1901. The Hayes family controlled the paper for the next half-century. In 1932 the brothers established a family corporation, and their sons became co-publishers. Seen here at a banquet during the early days of the Mercury are Clara L. Hayes and J. O. Hayes seated, 8th & 9th from left; E. A. Hayes standing,14th from left at head table.

Courthouse and Hall of Records on North First Street on July 4th, 1914. In 1931 the Courthouse was gutted by fire. It was reconstructed with a new third story and without the dome.