Research Collections

Research Collections

Anita Campos Collection

Materials relating to the San Jose chapter of the American GI Forum, a Hispanic veterans organization, compiled by Daniel and Anita Campos.

Bernal Research Files

The Bernal Files are a collection of materials gathered by Dr. James P. Delgado in the 1970s on the history of Rancho Santa Teresa and Santa Clara County pioneers, with an emphasis on the Bernal family.

Ernestina Garcia Collection

Organizational materials related to Mexican American political activity in San Jose from the 1960s-1980s.

Fiesta de las Rosas Collection

This collection consists of correspondence, fiesta guidelines, entry forms, tickets, pamphlets, and more. About the Collection This collection was compiled by the Fiesta de las Rosas Committee, and consists of correspondence, fiesta guidelines, entry forms, tickets, pamphlets, and more. The Fiesta de las Rosas was an annual festival and parade designed to highlight San Jose as a “garden city” and attract tourists. Fiesta de las Rosas began in 1896 as the Rose Carnival. In 1895, thirty acres of flowers were donated and $10,000 in subscriptions collected in preparation for the carnival. The name was changed to Fiesta de las Rosas in 1920. Noteworthy items in this collection include photographs of floats, the grand parade, and the fiesta princess and her court, as well as entries for the cutest baby contest, and material from the unsuccessful attempt to revive the Fiesta in 1969. The Digital Collection The King Library Digital Collection currently includes a representative selection of photographs and ephemera from the Fiesta de las Rosas Collection. New images are added to the collection as they are digitized. For information about using images from this collection, contact the California Room.

Frontier Village Collection

The collection comprises administrative records, photos and ephemera from San Jose's local theme park, Frontier Village. About the Collection The collection comprises administrative records, employee manuals, photographs, clippings, various printed matter, plans and drawings, and scrapbooks. The majority of the photographs are of costumed characters, amusement rides, stunt shows, mock gunfights, and promotional activities. About the Park Frontier Village was a western-themed amusement park which opened in 1961 and closed in 1980. The park was located on approximately thirty acres of what had previously been part of the Hayes' estate on Monterey Highway in San Jose. It was founded by Joseph Zukin Jr., a Palo Alto entrepreneur and small businessman inspired by a family trip to Disneyland in 1959. The look and design of Frontier Village is owed to Laurence (Laurie) Hollings, an experienced Hollywood set and amusement ride designer. After the park's closure, part of the property was made into Edenvale Garden Park. The Digital Collection This collection currently includes a representative selection of material from the Frontier Village Collection. New images are added to the collection as they are digitized. For information about using images from this collection, contact the California Room.

Henry Rountree Jr. Collection

This collection describes the family history and career of Henry Rountree Jr., a Baptist minister and civil rights activist in San Jose.

Pueblo of San Jose 1841 - 1850

This collection includes documents pertaining to the Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe and its adjacent mission, Santa Clara de Asis, 1841 - 1850. About the Collection Much of the material documents business transactions such as bills of sale for goods and services, and contracts for the sale or lease of property. Also represented are proclamations by local authorities or petitions to local alcades or judges to resolve disputes. The documents in this collection are related to a larger collection found in the archival holdings at History San José. We are working to provide transcription of documents in both Spanish and English. For information about using images from this collection, contact the California Room.

Sophia Mendoza Collection

Materials relating to the personal life and political accomplishments of San José-based activist Sofia Mendoza.

Townsend Family Papers (1826-1914)

This collection contains the personal and professional documents of Dr. John Townsend, his wife Elizabeth Townsend, and their son John Henry Moses Townsend. About the Collection The items in this collection offer a glimpse into the Townsends' lives, including their travels with the Murphy party, their real estate investments, and their roles as settlers of Northern California during the mid to late 1800s. Dr. John Townsend was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. His parents, John F. Townsend and Sarah McNamee, were among the first settlers of Fayette County, arriving in America from England in the late eighteenth century. John had six siblings, Sarah, Nancy, Hannah, Matilda, William and Thomas. Dr. Townsend received his medical degree from Lexington Medical College and later set up successful practices in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Missouri. In 1832, he married Elizabeth Louise Schallenberger in Stark County, Ohio. Dr. Townsend, his wife Elizabeth and her brother Moses Schallenberger were part of the Murphy-Townsend-Stevens party which brought the first wagons to California over the Truckee River route in 1844. Townsend and his wife died on December 8, 1850 in San Jose, California, during the cholera epidemic. They were survived by their only son, John Henry Moses Townsend, born in 1849. For information about using images from this collection, contact the California Room.

A-Z Collections Index