History San José: Our Mission

History San José involves diverse audiences in exploring the varieties of human experience that contribute to the continuing history of San José and the Santa Clara Valley.

History San José Institutional History

In celebration of the centennial of the California Gold Rush and statehood, in 1949 the City of San José constructed a replica of the building in which the first state legislature met in 1850. This replica was later moved to the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, and historical collecting began in earnest under the direction of Clyde Arbuckle’s an unpaid City Historian. In 1971 twelve acres at the south end of the city’s largest park were dedicated to a history museum designed as a replica Victorian village.Over the next 25 years, 26 historic and replica structures were relocated to, and constructed on, the site and managed as the “San José Historical Museum” by City employees through the Regional Parks program. The Museum eventually accumulated the largest regional historical collection in the California. In the early 1970’s the San José Historical Museum Association was founded to raise private funds in support of the museum. However, by 1996, the Association was operating a separate historic site, the City-owned Peralta Adobe and Fallon House, as a totally separate institution.At the City’s initiation, between 1994 and 1998, the Association evolved into a full operating organization re-named the Historical Museums of San José (HMSJ). HMSJ signed a thirty-year Agreement to manage both the city-owned Historical Museum and the Peralta Adobe-Fallon House Historic Site. By April 1998, HMSJ began hiring a totally new professional staff. Under the terms of the Agreement, the City retains ownership of all collections received to that date, buildings, and grounds. Title to any collections acquired after April 1998 rests with the new organization. HMSJ assumed responsibility for daily management and operations, for which the City provides an annual subsidy of approximately $1 million.From the beginning, the new organization renamed “History San José” in 2000, has been passionately committed to expanding service and access to the broadest possible community.

For more information about History San José visit www.historysanjose.org.