Check out this amazing collection of photos put together for History San Jose. Thanks to Arturo from the Skyscraper City Community for finding this. I have posted some of my favorites below (check out what St. James Park used to look like in 1890!).
Downtown San Jose didn't any livelier than today's downtown on Thurs. back in the 1950's. There were alot of auto traffic that required cop directing traffic.
Eastridge put a final nail in the coffin for downtown. In 1970-72, downtown was bustling with shops like JC Penny's, Root Atkins and others. They all went to Eastridge by 1973 and some to Valley Fair. By 1976, downtown was a virtual ghost town and really lost it all in 1977. It was more lively downtown in the early 70's than today by far.
I attended San Jose State in the mid-to-late seventies and I remember downtown San Jose South 1st Street area prostitute and dirty bookstores and so many of the old buildings were leveled. one of my college professors mentioned that downtown San Jose look like Berlin after world war II bombing.
Downtown San Jose didn't any livelier than today's downtown on Thurs. back in the 1950's. There were alot of auto traffic that required cop directing traffic.
ReplyDeleteWow....what happened! From these pictures it looks like Downtown San Jose took a step backwards.
ReplyDeleteTwo words, Valley Fair. We're coming back though!
DeleteEastridge put a final nail in the coffin for downtown. In 1970-72, downtown was bustling with shops like JC Penny's, Root Atkins and others. They all went to Eastridge by 1973 and some to Valley Fair. By 1976, downtown was a virtual ghost town and really lost it all in 1977. It was more lively downtown in the early 70's than today by far.
DeleteI attended San Jose State in the mid-to-late seventies and I remember downtown San Jose South 1st Street area prostitute and dirty bookstores and so many of the old buildings were leveled. one of my college professors mentioned that downtown San Jose look like Berlin after world war II bombing.
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ReplyDeleteThank you so much for these pictures; absolutely amazing!!! St. James–would love to see it flourish like that again.
ReplyDeletecool pictures
ReplyDeleteI lived is San Jose 1958-1998