- The Los Altos Hills History Committee Presents - Some Random Notes to Accompany a Walk around Moody Road and Environs
So take it for what it is - perhaps interesting and perhaps apocryphal in some detail - but nevertheless providing some historical fabric of interest to the casual hiker through the neighborhood, one that can perhaps enhance enjoyment of the walk by providing some deeper texture than mere superficial observation of the landscape as we observe it through today's eyes.
Following is a map of the neighborhood, with the locations of the various points-of-interest marked by numbered circles. The the notes themselves may be found further down the page below the maps, each being identified with a number matching the one in the circle.
Where you see this symbol within any of the notes, clicking on that symbol will take you to a side-page with further or more detailed information - use the "back" function in your browser to return to the main page.
A map of the general area, with circled numbers marking points of interest mentioned in the notes below
1847 The early history behind the general area George Washington Moody comes from Missouri with 15 families by ox team wagon train. Emily Lyn, who was also on the journey soon married G.W. Moody. In 1848 James Lynn, her father, and Moody bought the Fremont House, the first Country Inn in California. They bought it from George Harlan who had established it a year earlier near Mountain View.
John W Whisman, the first American in California established the first Stage Coach service from San Jose to Mountain View to San Francisco in 1849.
Moody and Lynn ran the Fremont House until the 1860’s.
The San Francisco San Jose Railroad Company started service in 1864 with a stop at the Mountain View Station. This later became the Southern Pacific RR. Charles McLaughlin (Western Pacific RR) contemplated a Westward route from Mountain View to the coast by way of the route that became Moody Road, and in 1864 Moody bought 68 acres near what was to become the Hidden Villa Girls Scout Camp.
Simon Haines, stage-coach driver and owner of the Bayview House Saloon in Mountain View RR Statin and Moody bought 240 acres. They ran a Stage Line that went to Pescadero. That was probably the origin of the 1860’s barn and blacksmith shop to serve the Stage Coach.
1869 Moody petitioned for establishment of a public roadway between Mountain View RR Station and Mayfield-Pescadero Road (later known as Page Mill and Alpine) to haul lumber and loggers to and from the redwoods and Page Mill near the current Portola Park Nov.1869 The “Moody Alpine Road” The Central Pacific RR reached San Francisco via Ferry from the Oakland Pier. The Moody Road Western Pacifc RR was not to be. Moody sold 76.94 acres to Peter Minor in1877 who sold to R. Wilkinshaw in 1883. The white halfway house served Wilkinshaw Stage Line as lodging half-way between San Jose and Pescadero. Moody became a cattle rancher in Santa Barabara and later Fresno. ∼ 1896 Moody Road renamed “El Monte” road from Elena to Springer. 1928 Cement bridge built at Moody / Elena / El Monte junction.
A collection of four maps/aerial-photos of the area illustrating the different eras of this neighborhed (sub-division of the orignianl "Taaffe Partition" / Country Estates / Orchard Farms / Silicon Valley Suburb).
1 Original Taaffe Home – Lake Grove Elizabeth Yuba Murphy Taaffe was the 1st child born to immigrant parents in California. Demolished to be replaced by the Willard M Griffin home in 1901
Willard Griffin – ship builder in Maine,
Japanese Fish Pond and Tea House
The Willard Griffin Estate became today's Foothill College. Royal Baking Powder executive,
Griffin & Shelley Owl Brand Packing
Charles & Andrew (sons) California Packing Corporation -> Del Monte Corporation
2 Dana / Holt / Lohman Ranch Site 1904 Henry and Lillie Dana built a home . 1908 Purchased from Dana by Charles Holt for Grace Holt – 60 acres of apricots and prunes 1864 Charles Henry Holt – Stocton Wheel Service, C.H.Holt & Co. Wood Wheels 1892 Founder (with brother) Holt Manufacturing Co. Steam Traction Engine, Combine Harvester, 1st practical caterpillar tractor (crawler type) . 1904 Holt Caterpillar Company (Holt Model 70-120 built the Los Angeles Aqueduct) Developed military tanks in Great Britain France and Germany. Her Majesty’s Centipede Helped Allies win WWI After The Great War had surplus of large machines so started producing road-building equipment 1925 Holt Caterpillar Co merged with C.L. Best to form the Caterpillar Tractor Company Grace Jeanette Holt married Ralph Lohman John Holt Lohman born. 1949 Ranched – home became Faculty Club at Foothill College 1961 Moved to Willow Pond in Pink Horse Ranch – Camera store in Rancho Shopping Center – developed Quail Lodge and Green Meadows in Carmel Valley. Home site became Lohman Theatre.
3 Little Gables 1910 Built by Tredegar Percy Morgan for parents Cosmo George Morgans retirement Later became the William Simrell Jr home – founder of Los Altos Hills. 1962 Gill Murray home – Navy Ensign MIT Heavy metals – Manhattan Project, Yellow Cake Mine in Casper Wyoming 1978 Zinc mine Iran – Shiites took 28 employees hostage, killed Phd employee. Gill Murray put $2Million in suitcases and flew Pan Am to Tehran and negotiated the release of the 28 employees.
4 Horace Hill Barn & Silos, Toyon Farm 1915 Silos still preserved
Spanish style Dairy Barn torn down in the 1970’s
290 by 90 ft lake
Ohlone artifacts1935 William Henry Davis
Toyon Stock Farm
House on La Loma
Mrs Frances Lawler
Harry Cookes1950 $150,000 Far West Enterprises – Pink Horse ranch resort and restaurant. Painting of Silos (1981), and photos of Barn with Silos, and hillside Wine Cellar entrance.
5 Toyon Heights / Toyon Stock Farm / Pink Horse Ranch 1857 Juan Prado Mesa heirs – 894 acres 1869 Donald McClea Ranch 800 acres – served under Commodore Perry in the Mexican War 1889 (date ambiguous decipher) Stone and Sandborn ∼ 1900 Barroilhets 365 acres 1915 Horace Hill 290 by 90 ft lake 1935 William Henry Davis Mrs Cunningham describes Pink Horse Ranch – lake and barn 1950 1950 Far West Enterprises – Pink Horse Ranch Resort and Restaurant (Barn) 1956 Hugh Monahan Red Calvin – The Diamond Ranch
David Gulick
Colin Peters
Wendell RoscoeToyon Stock Farm becomes Pink Horse Ranch.
6 Leighton Bledsoe Estate - 25525 Moody Rd 1951 Member of Los Altos Hills City Council
Hidden springs, old hand-pump water well.
7 Walter and Marie Singer House 1961 Walter Singer “Mr Los Altos”
Father arrested in Nazi Germany and died in the camps
Brought to the U.S. by his mother
“Adopted” by the Duvenecks
Los Altos Stationary Store
Los Altos Festival of Lights
Bust to be set up at Los Altos Chamber of Commerce (was on Veteran’s Plaza)
Town Crier article (July 3, 2023) - Singer bust set up and now publicly visible again.
8 Dr. D. E.Neidman Estate Famous Botanist – assistant to Asa Gray, the most important botanist of the 19th Century
9 Jack’s Chicken Ranch 1960's William Scott “Bill” and Carol Phy Fairchild Research Labs Schlumerberger MG TD was restored in the old Chicken Coops and raced at the Bonneville Salt Flats
11 B.P. Oliver Estate “The Folly” 1912 Born SF 1855
Oliver & Co – Montgomery Street
Chairman of the SF Grand Jury that indicted Abe Ruef for political corruption in 1912
Daughter Helen died in childbirth in Tientsin China, husband was Standard Oil of New Jersey executive.
1922 Gave the 53 acre estate to The Daughters of Charity who named it Mt Helen in her honor Set up the kitchen 52 Ritch Street to provide meals for the hungry and set up St. Patricks Shelter for homeless in SF 1970 Gerald B Ferrari obtained the Conditional Use Permit for the Seton Provinciate allowing much of the 54 acres to remain in Open Space.
12 Francemont – The Frances Bloch Estate Formal gardens – Lake
Mr Davidson – Full-time care-taker
Daffodil Oval
1955 Corvette
The “Garlic King” Gilroy
13 Shangri La Gemello’s vacation for a day
Picnic spot
(Gemellos was well-known winery in Mountan View, later liquor store on El Camino)
14 Colonel William Grafton Austin 1916 Called “Chaparral Hill” in 1855
Large brick house
Electric generator
Beautiful view
Formal Gardens
Dairy
7th Cavalry Indian Wars
Medal of Honor Battle of Wounded Knee 12/29/1890 “Wonded Knee Massacre”
Cotton business, Savannah Georgia
Captain Spanish American War
Chief of Police Savannah
Cadillac dealership
Commander of 302nd Stevedore Regiment WWl
Sold to P.H. McCarthy, Mayor of San Francisco1929 Suspicious fire which destroys much of the property and "art collection" contents
Bought by Ernst Noe, salvaged brick
Four acres purchased by Thomas McReynolds (subsequent Mayor of LAH 1979)
Rebuilt the caretaker’s home
Preserved the “Austin Ruins”.
15 26220 Moody 1935 Milton Haas, Vice President Consolidated Chemicals, 300 Montgomery Street, SF $250,000 English Country Estate
Albert Farr, J. Francis Ward, 7 architects
35 acres formal gardens, one of the loveliest estates on the Peninsula
27 servants, housemen, and gardeners1945 Henry Waxman – Waxmans’s Bakery in SF
Swimming Club1950 Added 28 acres and pool
Evening Dinner Dancing
500 Person Supper Club
Adobe Creek Lodge
Put Shangri La picnic ground out of business, Mario Gemello sold 3rd pool, now 100 acres
2000 car parking Lot
Table + BBQ for 7000 diners and an 80 ft bar
Ray Anthony, Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, Leighton Noble, Ansaa Weeks performed1955 Frank Martinelli 1961 Dave and Al Belluci Los Altos Hills Country Club → Adobe Creek Lodge → La Raza Unida
16 Farell Ranch $10,000 1906 Colonel Bernard and Bertha Barnitz
Bertha’s father served U.S. Cavalry under General George Custer later Peelle
Medal of Honor 1899
Bought 200 acres upon retirement
Bertha widowed, married Stanton Peale, Chief Justice U.S. Court of Claims, Washington DC1968 Daughter Bety Byrne de Zahara donated 25 acres to Town of Los Altos Hills, sold 100 acrs to A G Lambert for development 1968 Dr Albert Barnitz Byrne made 55 acre gift to Nature Conservancy, sold to Town of Los Altos Hills $99,500
Became known as Byrne Park – renamed as Byrne Park Open Space after successful voter’s initiative ballot in 2002.
17 Hermendingers Quarry Moody Rd Association – formed to shut down quarry- Frank Duveneck.
18 Mission Santa Clara Olive Grove 1777 Olive Grove established (At what is now Main Entrance to Hidden Villa)
19 Hidden Villa 1887 Otto Arnold 1923 Frank B and Josephine Duveneck purchase 1929 Occupy 1932 Build Main House 1937 Youth Hostel 1945 Multi-racial summer camp – Cesar Chavez 1948 re-settlement housing and support for Japanese Americans 1965 Supported Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta – National Farm Workers Movement UFW
