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Dear Friends of History San José,
As we come closer to celebrating the semiquincentennial celebration of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026, I would like to tell you the backstory of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Before I came to California, I cut my teeth on revolutionary history at Liberty Hall Museum. Did you know that the Continental Congress actually voted to approve the resolution for independence on July 2nd? In fact, John Adams famously predicted that the second would be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary of our independence. July 4th became the official date because the Continental Congress formally adopted the wording of the Declaration of Independence and had the "Dunlap Broadside," which was the very first printed version of the Declaration of Independence, printed on the evening of July 4, 1776. The 56 delegates of the Continental Congress did not begin to sign the Declaration of Independence until August 2, 1776, and the public did not learn the names of the signers until January 1777. Imagine hosting our Red White and Blue Picnic in the cold of January!
Yet even in January 1777, not everyone was free. It would be another 86 Januaries before the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, another two Januaries before the 13th amendment was ratified, and five more months before U.S. troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to inform the enslaved people that they were declared free (a moment now commemorated as Juneteenth). Even then, more work was (and still is) left to do. The American story is one of a continuing pursuit of “a more perfect union.” I share these stories to highlight that there is usually more behind each story when we study historical moments and themes in our history, and it falls to organizations like History San José to tell these complicated narratives faithfully.
Yet, as George Orwell wrote in his novel 1984, "Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past." Supporting organizations dedicated to holding memory is more important than ever before. As most of you know, our collective cultural heritage is under attack by the current administration in Washington. Although Congress created the bipartisan America250 Commission a decade ago to plan and orchestrate the nationwide celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence, President Donald Trump created his own Freedom250 Commission, through an executive order that established the White House Task Force on Celebrating America's 250th Birthday. Why create a second commission except to gain better control over the narrative?
The narrative control continues as the Department of Justice has begun to remove all news releases about criminal cases related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capital, calling the information about the prosecutions, “partisan propaganda.” As they continue to rewrite the narrative of American History and alter actual events it falls to historians, archivists, and museums to make sure the videos, photographs and first person narratives are protected so that future generations will know the truth of the times we are living in! As this distortion of American History continues, I want to assure you that the mission of History San José will not change with the whims of the government, and we will continue to tell the rich, diverse, history of San Jose, both the good and the bad!
Despite the challenges of our times, we are grateful for the members of our community who are advancing education, connection, and the arts. With this in mind, I do have some exciting news that I would like to share with you! I am thrilled to announce the honorees for HSJ’s annual Valley of Heart’s Delight Fundraiser. This year we will be honoring Local Color Executive Director, Erin Salazar with our History Maker Award, and Broadcaster & Educator Brian Adams with our Valley Legend Award. If you don’t know the amazing work of these two community leaders, you will soon! I hope you will join us on Thursday, October 8th as we celebrate these two incredible individuals by the glow of the Light Tower at History Park.
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Bill Schroh, Jr.
President & CEO
History San José
| | P.S. Your support matters! Whether it’s an annual membership, a donation, or major gift, every act of giving contributes to our mission! It keeps us anchoring the region’s diverse cultural history by offering compelling experiences–exhibitions, educational programs, and academic research– for audiences to discover the dynamic history of San Jose and the Santa Clara Valley for generations to come! | |
Announcing our 2026
Valley of Heart's Delight Honorees
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History Maker
Erin Salazar
Executive Director, Local Color
| Erin Salazar is a multidisciplinary artist, entrepreneur, and nonprofit leader who founded Local Color in San José in 2014. As Executive Director, Local Color has redistributed over $2.1 million dollars directly to artists, led the development of more than 300 public art projects, and opened 89,000 square feet of affordable creative space. | | |
Valley Legend
Brian Adams
Broadcaster & Educator
| Brian Adams has served as Vice President of Advancement at Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose since 2007, following a nearly 30-year career in local media and public relations, including 22 years at KICU Television where he earned regional and national awards, including two Emmy nominations. | |
Save the Date for our
Valley of Heart's Delight Annual Fundraiser!
Thursday, October 8, 2026 at History Park
Sponsorships available now!
Tickets on sale June 19th
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Experience the diverse cultures from our very own neighborhoods: food, arts, crafts, healing practices, vendors, music, dance, and more!
Celebrate the American mosaic of cultures at the Mosaic Festival in Silicon Valley at San José's very own History Park through multicultural music, dance, vendors, and activities.
View the upcoming program at mosaicfestival.org
🗓️ Saturday, June 6
🕰️ 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
📍 History Park
🎟️ FREE!
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"The best part about the Mosaic festival is that we get to see all of the diversity in our neighborhoods in one place."
Priya Das, Co-founder & Chief Programming Officer of Mosaic America
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Welcome In Wednedays
🗓️ Wednesdays, June through August
🕰️ 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
📍 History Park
🎟️ Free!
Looking for something fun and free to do midweek? Come explore Welcome in Wednesdays at History Park. Every Wednesday thru August, step inside one of our historic buildings, shop unique local finds at the gift shop, and enjoy hand-scooped Marianne's ice cream in O'Brien's Ice Cream Parlor.
Open buildings will be posted weekly on our social media pages. Follow us @historysanjose!
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Slice of History: San Jose Firsts
🗓️ Wednesday, July 1st
🕰️ 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
📍 History Park
🎟️ Free! Registration Required
🍕 Pizza lunch provided
Join History San José as we commemorate America's semiquincentennial with a walking tour of History Park to learn about San José's long history of innovation, followed by a pizza lunch. After lunch, participate in our Civic Season Wish Wall located in the Arbuckle Gallery. Wish Wall participants will answer the question, "What's your wish for America's future?"
Slice of History is presented as a part of Civic Season, a youth-led civic engagement initiative held annually between Juneteenth and July 4th!
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Red, White & Blue Picnic
🗓️ Saturday, July 4th
🕰️ 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM
📍 History Park
🎟️ Free for HSJ Members!
HSJ members enjoy exclusive access to History Park on July 4th for picnicking and a perfect view of the fireworks at Excite! Ballpark.
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Book Talk: South Bay Flashback
🗓️ Saturday, July 18th
🕰️ 12:00 PM
📍 Empire Firehouse at History Park
🎟️ $10 General Admission, $5 for HSJ Members
Step back into the 1960s, an era that redefined visual expression, with this stunning collection of psychedelic posters from legendary venues in San Francisco’s South Bay. Join authors Brian Conroy and Bill Guardino as they discuss their book, South Bay Flashback, a kaleidoscopic journey through the revolutionary art that captured the spirit of freedom, rebellion, and creativity from the Bay Area's rock 'n' roll scene.
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Shiny Side Up
🗓️ Sunday, July 19th
🕰️ 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
📍 History Park
🎟️ $10 General Admission, $5 for Children
This show is put on for bicycle enthusiasts of all kinds. At Shiny Side Up you will find everything from fully custom-built bikes to original rusted Schwinns. We invite anyone and everyone to bring your bikes out and enjoy a full day dedicated to bicycles!
| | | Collections Center Update | | We are happy to announce that we received a generous gift of artifacts and archives from the baseball players on the Moreland Little League team that won the 1962 Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania; the players on the Campbell-Moreland Pony League team that won the 1964 Pony League World Series in San Diego, California; and the players on the West Valley Colt League team that won the 1966 Colt League World Series in Shawnee, Oklahoma. In May, three of the players Duane Kubo, Milt Murata, and Vaughn Takaha made two trips to the Collection Center to donate these items and to give us some background on these remarkable achievements. | | |
Resto Shop Talk with Allan Greenberg:
1903 Haynes-Apperson
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The Haynes-Apperson automobile was designed by Elwood Haynes and the Apperson brothers and manufactured in Kokomo, Indiana. They began building automobiles in 1898, and in 1903 a total of 237 Haynes-Apperson automobiles were produced and sold for $1,500, equivalent to about $45,000 today. The 1903 Haynes-Apperson is a two-cylinder runabout featuring three forward gears and one reverse. It has no clutch; gear changes are made using a shifting handle located in the driver’s area.
The 1903 Haynes-Apperson entered the History San José collection in 1966, from the collection of Lew Bohnett. For decades, it remained in storage at HSJ’s warehouse until November 2018, when the decision was made to restore this historic vehicle. The goal of the project was to return the automobile to operating condition, not to recreate a “like-new” appearance. Restoration began with the purchase and installation of new white tires, after which the Haynes-Apperson was moved into the restoration shop for further work.
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Research first focused on understanding the operation of the automobile, its electrical, fuel, cooling, lubrication, and gearing systems. The ignition system, in particular, was unfamiliar to the restoration team. The car employs a “make-and-break” ignition mechanism, an early form of spark generation. In this system, two contact points inside the cylinder close to charge a large external inductive coil. At the precise moment of ignition, the points separate, causing a spark to jump the gap and ignite the fuel mixture within the cylinder.
Attention then turned to starting the vehicle. The original hand-crank mechanism, positioned at waist height, proved difficult to operate and required considerable force, posing a risk of injury. To address this, the team installed a combined starter/generator motor connected to the engine’s large flywheel with a heavy-duty serpentine belt, allowing the engine to be safely and effectively cranked.
| | After successfully starting the vehicle and confirming that all systems were functioning properly, the restoration was deemed complete. The author knows of only two surviving 1903 Haynes-Apperson automobiles. | |
Support HSJ's Restoration Shop
The Restoration Shop is funded entirely by donations. Please support the work of Allan and his team of volunteers by donating below.
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Now booking 2027 events!
Book HSJ for Festivals, Fundraisers, Parties & Weddings
Whether you’re looking for the charming backdrop of History Park or a downtown setting at the Fallon House, our venues are perfect for workshops, parties, corporate gatherings, and more.
Our dates book up quickly; secure your spot today!
Please fill out this form for more information and send it to events@historysanjose.org.
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Upcoming Modified Office & Park Hours
Please note that History San José's offices will be closed on Friday, July 3rd.
History Park will be open 9am to 4pm on Friday, July 3rd.
History Park will be closed to non-members on Saturday, July 4th.
Photo by Frida Arias Rivera
| | | | G&A's Gift Shop Spotlight | | |
With Father's Day just around the corner, we recommend a HSJ dad hat for the dads in your life!
Pick one up in person at G&A's:
Open Saturday & Sunday
11:30 AM -3:45 PM, and Wednesdays through August 11:30 AM - 3:45 PM or shop online 24/7.
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Writers' Cafe
🗓️ Sunday, June 14th
🕰️ 11:30 AM - 3:30 PM
📍 Markham House at History Park
🎟️ Free (donations appreciated)
Enjoy some distraction-free writing time in a calming environment and the opportunity to talk shop with a diverse community of local writers. Coffee and snacks provided, but feel free to bring something to share! Note that wi-fi access can be spotty, so it's recommended that you download any files you want to work on if you'll be writing on a laptop.
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Community Night with Jen Blazina
🗓️ Friday, June 19
🕰️ 7:00 PM
📍 BAGI Hotshop
🎟️ Free
| | We are excited to welcome Jen Blazina to the Bay Area Glass Institute this summer to teach her class "Mixing Glass with Printmaking" and share her unique combination of glassworking and printmaking with our community. We hope you will join us on Friday, June 19th at 7:00 p.m. for a Community Night celebrating Jen's class, it's a great opportunity to be together in community and learn about her work! | | Chinese Historical & Cultural Project | | |
Art, Poetry & Video Contest on Civil Rights in America
🗓️ Now through July 31st
📍Submit your entry online
Hear a powerful presentation and discussion by Historian David Lei with esteemed panelists, CHCP Advisory Board Member/Historian Connie Young Yu and Historian/Lecturer Dr. Anna Eng. Discover stories that shaped history and learn about the vital and often overlooked role Asian Americans played in shaping civil rights and social justice in America.
| | Portuguese Heritage Society of California | | |
Dia de Portugal
🗓️ Saturday, June 13
🕰️ 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
📍 History Park
🎟️ Free
Dia de Portugal is an annual free festival held every second Saturday in June at History San José, celebrating Portugal's national day with traditional food, live music, dance, and a colorful parade, and is one of the largest events in California honoring Portuguese culture, history and heritage
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HSJ Membership
Interested in joining or renewing your membership?
| | | Join today to secure your tickets to our Members' Red, White & Blue Picnic! | | History San José Walking Tours | | | | |
History Park
Wednesdays & Fridays | 10:00 AM
Tours are by reservation only through HSJ's website and are limited to 15 people.
$12 Adults | $10 Seniors
$10 HSJ Members (with ID number)
$6 Children under 12 yrs.
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The Gonzales/Peralta Adobe and
The Carmela & Thomas Fallon House
Saturdays & Sundays | 12:00 noon & 2:00 pm
Tours are by reservation only through HSJ's website and are limited to 15 people.
$12 Adults | $10 Seniors
$10 HSJ Members (with ID number)
$6 Children under 12 yrs.
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Mark Your Calendar for our 2026 Events! | | |
July 4: Members' Only Red, White & Blue Picnic
July 19: Shiny Side Up
August 1: Spirit of ‘45
September 12: Cars in the Park
October 8: Valley of Heart's Delight Annual Fundraiser
October 23: Slash N’ Sip
October 24: Children’s Halloween Haunt
November 7: San José Roots
December 5: Heritage Holiday Tea
December 11: Gingerbread Village Workshop
| | If you have not already, follow us on our socials to stay up-to-date on all things HSJ! We post our weekend schedule of events, open buildings, other Park activities, and of course more about local history on our social media platforms. | | Add us to your contact list to make sure you don't miss out on the many happenings at HSJ! | | | | |
