By Clyde Noel
Residents of Los Altos when the city was incorporated in 1952 were invited to the History Museum Thursday to commemorate the city’s 50th anniversary, “Celebrating 50 years of Community.”
The invitation coincided with the opening of the museum’s newest exhibit, which features events in the community from the 1950s to the present.
The gathering turned into a social event reuniting many who have lived in the Los Altos area 50 years and more. Longtime residents recalled the early days of the community.
Irv Martin came to Los Altos in 1951 and wasn’t an advocate for the Los Altos incorporation.
“We have had some good councils and bad councils during all these years,” Martin said. “But aren’t we lucky how things turned out. Just look around at where we are today.”
Barbara and Howard Phillips moved to Los Altos in 1951 and were awed by the what the volunteers accomplished in representing each decade since incorporation.
“I can remember some of these things,” Barbara said. “I also remember all the apricot trees on the property we bought.”
Janet Eglington and her husband moved here in 1950 and built a house that cost about $10,000. Now a widow, she still lives in it because she loves the area.
Savoring munchies and white wine, old-time residents socialized and expressed appreciation for what the town has given them.
Lyman and Mary Margaret Clark moved here in 1948 from Oakland. Lyman was on the original committee to incorporate.
“I attended the first meeting. There were about 20 of us. (A. Watson) Conner was there and he became mayor,” Lyman said. “We were afraid Mountain View was going to take us in.”
The Clarks attended with other early Springer Street neighbors.
“We were a group; it was the Jones, Clark, Owen and Giesker families,” Mary Margaret said.
Ken and Doris Jones sat on a bench still holding hands after all those years.
“There is no other place I want to live since Ken retired,” Doris said. “I can’t imagine anyone wanting to live anyplace else.”
The exhibits prompted memories of life in the young city. A broadside of the “African Queen” starring Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn represented the 1950s. Attendees remembered the movie and going to Palo Alto to see it.
Anyone born here in the 1950s also qualified as 50-year-residents. Dick Liewer was born in Los Altos in 1943 and retired from the Los Altos School District this year. George Estill’s father was one of the early council members.
“My father came here in 1934,” said Bart Nelson. “He built the Los Altos Pharmacy where Mac’s Tea Room used to be.”
Goodwin Steinberg enjoyed seeing many old friends. He came to Los Altos in 1952 from Illinois to be close to Stanford University. Many of the buildings in the city are his architectural designs.
Two of Steinberg’s earliest commissions include the Los Altos Chamber of Commerce and the Kahn’s Pharmacy buildings on Main Street.
“I worked with Larry Nelson, Bill Russell, Jack Houston and Sam Kahn to build a chamber building that expressed the spirit of the area,” Steinberg said.
“It was a real community effort. Many of the building’s elements are the same as I use today.”
Sponsors of the historical and social event included Coldwell Banker. Larry Chu, longtime Los Altos Hills resident provided the wine.
