This Tues. June 8 at 5:00 our City Council will decide on issues that will be the turning point for the future of our historic downtown: will we protect and enhance our irreplaceable buildings and ensure the existence of the restaurants and retail that make Castro Street a lively, safe and unique public space for residents and visitors OR will they allow first floor offices that will take over the restaurants and shops and leave us with darkened windows, closed doors such that Castro will become an office park next to the train station? Click thru to see how to show your support to council by sending them a message.
Livable Mountain View is pleased to announce the eligibility of Mountain View’s Weilheimer House (939 Villa, currently Chez TJ) and the Air Base Laundry (954 Villa, currently Tied House) for the National Register of Historic Places and the California Register of Historic Resources.
These historical buildings link Mountain View’s history from
the Gold Rush to today’s Silicon Valley.
How did this come about? The State Historical Resources Commission (SHRC), a nine-member state board which identifies, registers and preserves California’s cultural heritage, reviewed our nominations which included written documentation of the historical and architectural significance of these two buildings. The owners (who opposed historical designation) presented their chosen documents. A public hearing was held in Sacramento on February 2, 2019. Both sides were allotted time for oral and visual presentations. Public discussion and deliberation followed.
What does this mean? As stated in the attached qualifying letters, historic status does not restrict the owner from normal use of the property but any project that would cause “substantial adverse changes in the significance of a registered property may require compliances with local ordinances or the California Environmental Quality Act.”
Weilheimer House circa 1894
Why these buildings? Weilheimer House was built in 1894 by Julius Weilheimer, son of Seligman Weilheimer, a German-Jewish immigrant who, with his brother, settled in the hamlet of Mountain View in 1853. The town was located at the stage coach stop near Grant Road and El Camino. The Seligman’s general store was followed by many other family businesses including a hotel, livery, and additional general stores.
In 1865 the “new” Mountain View was laid out along the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks. Known as “Villa Lands” this is the Mountain View we know today. It included Castro, Hope, Villa, Dana, Franklin and Oak Streets. Julius Weilheimer, born in Mountain View in 1860, eventually ran many of the family businesses which by then were located on and around Castro Street. He served as trustee, mayor (holding city council meetings in Weilheimer House), vice-president of the local bank (now Red Rock Coffee) and led the effort to rebuild the downtown after much of it was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake. The Weilheimer’s Farmers’ Store built in 1874 (now the site of Oren’s Hummus) is believed to be the oldest building in Mountain View and possibly the Peninsula. (See more on the history of Castro Street here.)
The Weilheimer House — or Chez TJ, as it’s been known the past 30 years — was built in the 1890s by early Mountain View settlers and features Queen Anne architecture.
Weilheimer House is also significant as it is an excellent, well preserved example of the Queen Anne style of architecture. This includes a street façade and many original windows which retain their historic integrity. Reused as a restaurant since 1982, the interior has many original features and materials.
Although Julius Weilheimer moved in 1910, the historic
significance of his house did not end because the next occupants, Arthur Free
and his family, moved in. Arthur Free, a Stanford graduate, was the only Congressional
Representative from Mountain View. He served five terms representing Santa
Clara County.
What is significant about Arthur Free and Weilheimer
House? In the midst of the Great Depression cities across the state
competed to be the site of a new airfield to house the massive dirigibles being
developed to protect the west coast. Through the efforts of Free and local
leaders, Santa Clara County was awarded the airbase in 1930. Congressman Free introduced the “Free Bill” to
establish the base and authorize $5 million for construction of what we now
know as Moffett Field/Ames Research. President Hoover (who had attended
Stanford and knew the area) signed the Free Bill on Feb. 20, 1931 giving control
of the site to the Navy who named it after Admiral William Moffett. Thirty
Spanish Revival style buildings, a power plant and a laundry were recorded as
being built in 1931-1932.
As dirigibles became obsolete, the base was transferred to
the Army in 1935 where it became a training facility for the Army Air Corps
(U.S. Air Force). In 1939 Congress
allotted $10 million for aeronautical research (Ames Research).
Pilot training continued at Moffett during World War II. Trainees,
including actor Jimmy Steward (It’s a Wonderful Life), frequented Castro
Street. We will never know if he was a
customer of the Air Base Laundry as well.
Thus, Weilheimer House directly links Gold Rush pioneers to
the research and development of technology which is Silicon Valley.
1931 Air Base Laundry Announcement in Register-Leader
Tied House – today
Why Preserve Air Base Laundry/Tied House? Built in 1931, at the same time as the Air Base, this building served the Base and was clearly built to match the thirty beautiful Spanish Revival Buildings which are on the National Register of Historic Places. It retains its stucco finish, red roof, original upper story windows and corbels below the roof line. Although updated since 1931, the materials and scale of the doors and windows are consistent with that of the original building.
Thus, by history, function and design the Air Base Laundry is
our link to the earliest air and space technology and the events which brought
us today’s technological world.
• 1852
The first Mountain View was a tiny settlement formed around the first
stagecoach stop for the first stagecoach service originated by John W. Whisman
near Grant Road and El Camino. Richard
Carr opened the first general merchandise store.
•
I853 the Weilheimer brothers,
Seligman and Samuel, German-Jewish immigrants, arrived from Germany and to take
a shot at the American Dream. they opened the second general merchandise store.
Competition and diversity had an early start in Mountain View.
•
1854 The settlement is named
“Mountain View” by a local store shop keeper and post master, Jacob Shumway.
•1856
The Weilheimer brothers established a general store, livery, and hotel in
Mountain View.
•1860
The census listed Julius Weilheimer as being 9 months old. He will eventually run
the family businesses, serve as town mayor, town trustee, help create and serve
as vice president of the local bank (now
occupied by Red Rock Coffee) which eventually became Bank of America, built and
resided in the Weilheimer House at 938
Villa in 1894(currently occupied by
Chez TJ), lead the effort to rebuild a shattered downtown after the 1906
earthquake, and serve as postmaster and Wells Fargo representative among other
contributions to our city.
•1864
The railroad in the form of the Southern Pacific arrived and by locating its
rail line in its present location, the Mountain View we know today grew and
prospered.
•1865
The new Mountain View town grid was
laid out and remains today with Castro as the main street. The area was called Villa Lands.
•1867
Rengstorff House was built.
•1870-71 The Weilheimer brothers thrived and opened
more businesses on and near Castro Street. Their 1874 Farmers Store at 124 CastroStreet remains today and is
occupied by Oren’s Hummus. It is believed to be the oldest building on Castro Street and perhaps the peninsula.
•1880
The Weilheimer family built its home and opened a stable on what is now Evelyn
Street with and another general merchandise store in the first block of Castro
Street.
• 1902 Mountain View was
incorporated, Mountain View High School opened. We had electric streetlights,
telephone service and a municipal water system.
•1905The Ames Building at 171 Castro Street, was
built with its Spanish influenced tiled roofline and is one of Castro’s oldest commercial structures. For decades it was occupied by the Jehning family lock business and Lock
Museum.
•1906
The Mockbee Building at 191 Castro Street, occupied by Knapps, is an example of the Italiante Style of
commercial buildings popular in Mountain View. It was originally a hardware
store and meeting place for civic groups.
•1906
the San Francisco Earthquake destroyed many downtown businesses including the
Ames Building which was quickly rebuilt.
•1913
The Jurian Buildingat 194 Castro
Street, most recently a candy and
pop shop, was a drug store and general merchandise building that had a hall
upstairs for dances, civic gatherings and celebrations.
•1920
The Farmers and Merchants State Bank at 201 Castro Street, now occupied by Red Rock Coffee was built with the
participation and investment of Julius Weilheimer and remains a distinguished
building with Romanesque features and elaborate decoration.
•1933
U.S. Naval Air Station, Moffett Field was established with buildings in the
Spanish Revival style then popular in California. The Air
Base Laundry, now occupied by Tied House, opened at 954 Villa Street to
serve the needs of the Air Base and utilized the same Spanish Revival
architecture, as do other buildings in Mountain View, Sunnyvale and Palo Alto.
An old idea is making a comeback as Bay Area Cities invest in Land Trusts. Why hasn’t Mountain View considered this option? Read this article about how it’s working in Oakland.
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