San Jose, CA – Celebrate early San Jose and the heritage of the Californios who settled along the Guadalupe River. History San José is hosting a Fandango on Sunday, August 25 at the Peralta Adobe Historic Site from noon to 4.
“Fandango is a fun way to celebrate the heritage of what we know today as Silicon Valley,” said Alida Bray, President and CEO of History San José. “ So much of our language, foods, and aspects of our daily lives have been influenced by Spanish and Mexican culture. Come see how it all started!”
Typical of that era, there will be music and dancing, as well as a descedant of the original horses that were brought by the Spanish explorers. Children will have the opportunity to make sombreros, corn husk “pocket buddies”, candles, rope a steer named ‘Fernando’ and learn more about the original settlers, the Ohlones, and the rancho period of California.*
In the true meaning of Fandango, which is a Spanish dance, live music will be performed by Los Arribeños.
Special horse, ‘Stone Shield’ will make her appearance at Fandango. She is a paint mare, 18 years old with blue eyes, whose ancestry can be traced to horses ridden by Spanish settlers as they came to the new world. By 1492 Spain planned the expansion of their power, including into North America. It was the Spanish horses that carried the DeAnza party to settle Alta California and today provides the framework for thoroughbreds, standard breds, and the Morgan and quarter horse. Only 2,000 of the Colonial Spanish horses remain and are critically endangered.
At the Peralta Adobe historic site, located in the heart of what is today San Pedro Square Market, Luis Maria Peralta was one of the original residents. He was the Californio who lived in the Peralta Adobe with his family, and was one of the first Alcades (mayors) of Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe.
Home tours of the Peralta Adobe, as well as the Fallon House across the street, are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors, and $6 for children ages 12 to 17. As usual, members of History San José receive free admission. Adult tours of the Peralta Adobe and the Fallon House will be held at 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Tours especially created for children ages 4 to 11 will be at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. and cost $5. These hands-on tours will allow children to dress in period costumes while learning about life in the early 1800’s. Reservations are suggested for the tours by calling 408 918 1040.
* Activitiy tickets are one dollar each or six for $5. HSJ members earn six free tickets when presenting membership card. Visit historysanjose.org to print four free tickets. Activities will cost between one to four tickets.
The Peralta Adobe – Fallon House Historic Site is located at 175 West Saint John Street, in downtown San Jose, CA 95110. For more information call 408 918-1047 or visit www.historysanjose.org
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About History San José:
History San José is a non-profit organization that collects, preserves and celebrates the stories of diversity and innovation in San José and the Santa Clara Valley. HSJ manages one of the largest and most comprehensive regional history collections in the State of California, from 1784 Spanish governmental records to twenty-first century Silicon Valley technology.
History San José 1650 Senter Road San José, CA 95112 408.287.2290
Website: historysanjose.org
Blog: historysanjose.org/blog
Facebook: /historysanjose
Twitter: @historysanjose
I live downtown, am a supporter of all things downtown, but the 33 murders in our city and especially yesterday's (just a few blocks from my home) have left me pretty rattled. I wish you would address the violence in San Jose in your blog. I love downtown but am starting to consider moving out. It's getting too close to home....too often. S.
ReplyDeleteI might do another open forum thing on crime, I think that is a good idea. However, I don't think you will find a safer large city. For example last year Oakland had 131 murders and San Francisco had 68, and San Jose only had 46 despite having double the population of Oakland and 15-20% more people than SF (and half the officers).
DeleteMost of the murders happen in East San Jose, and once in a while you get one in the Downtown area (usually on the outskirts but not always). I think the more high-end residential towers they build Downtown, the lower the crime will go. We need to make the area very uncomfortable for those that would consider committing crime and I think people paying $3k/mo for an apartment will be more proactive in helping clean parts of Downtown.
I guarantee that open forum post would be filled with comments from Police union lobbyists, much like every Merc article or SanJose Inside post. The bottom line is the union encouraged officers to leave the city and transfer to other departments. In doing so,they have hurt public safety just as much as they claim the city council has.
DeleteThankfully I don't think the lobbyists made it to this site yet, and you know what... I agree with your comment about the union.
DeleteHow can one be "proactive" in helping clean parts of downtown?? I am just so troubled by this. My family was walking a block away from the murder when it happened in broad daylight yesterday. Same thing a few months ago up in the Hensley District. All due respect, building high towers is a third world solution to crime. Let's all hide up in a guarded tower and not be able to transit the streets. I don't know. I think you giving Oakland and SF statistics is a low-bar consolation. I mean no disrespect, but we are very vulnerable as residents. Structural and governmental assistance is required.
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, please know that I appreciate your work so, so, so much but another "discussion" and "consolation" statistics aren't going to solve much.
S
I would be pretty shaken up by that as well. I don't think there is a proactive way to prevent those types of murders directly. Heck, even if we quadrupled the number of officers Downtown, there would still be murders. What we can be proactive about is reducing the number of people Downtown that would be inclined to commit these types of crimes. If you walk down Santana Row or Downtown Palo Alto, you see fewer people that would make you uneasy than Downtown San Jose. There are a lot of factors that go into why this is, but the types of housing, retail, etc. there are all factors.
DeleteI'm not saying to hide in towers and avoid the streets, I'm basically saying the opposite. The more "normal" people that walk the streets of Downtown, the less comfortable the trash that commits these types of crimes will feel in Downtown San Jose. It is not an immediate solution (I wish I could think of one) but more of a long term direction that should reduce crime over time with the right mix of elements Downtown.
Agreed. I also wish more homes were spruced up/renovated to bring in nicer tenants (like the nice apartment house on third, about a block or two down from the murder site). That stretch of Julian St., where the murder site took place, is frightening (and has several registered sex offenders living there, according to the state sex offender registry- database).
ReplyDeleteMy family was walking up from the Devine Coffee Shop yesterday.
Thanks, Josh.
S.