Gubserville, California
Gubserville
Gubserville in 1904
Location1481 Saratoga Ave, San Jose, California, US
Nearest citySaratoga, California
Coordinates37°17′47″N 121°59′14″W / 37.29639°N 121.98722°W / 37.29639; -121.98722
FounderFrank Gubser
BuiltJuly 5, 1882 (July 5, 1882)
Official nameGubserville
DesignatedApril 19, 1986
Reference no.447[1]
Gubserville, California is located in San Jose, California
Gubserville, California
Location in Santa Clara County, California

Gubserville (/ˈɡb, sr, vəl/) was a historic stagecoach, mail, and teamster stop along the road between West San Jose and Saratoga in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The early settlement was named after Frank Gubser, a German immigrant who worked as a barber, saloon keeper, and served as the village's first and only postmaster since July 5, 1882.[2] Gubserville ceased to exist when the post office discontinued operations in 1899. Today, the old ghost of Gubserville is marked by the California Historical Landmark #447.[3][4][5]

History

In 1882, Gubserville emerged as a small townsite, providing the first stop along the Saratoga-Santa Clara Road (now Saratoga Avenue) on the stagecoach route departing from Santa Clara. This was the location where the stagecoach driver stopped to exchange mail. This community was situated in the County Lane neighborhood of West San Jose and used to extend through the Rancho Quito region, close to Saratoga Creek.[6][7] The Gubserville U.S, post office operated from July 5, 1882[8] to April 15, 1899.[4][7]

The town earned its name from Frank Gubser, who held the roles of barber, saloon keeper, and postmaster. In 1905, Gubserville had a blacksmith shop, a Methodist church, and a two-story school. George W. Forbes operated the blacksmith shop and was known for creating the "Forbes Cultivator" used in agriculture. In the San Jose directory of ninety-two household heads from that era, prominent family names included Farr, Cox, and McCoy.[9][4]

During the 1880s, Frank Gubser's "Halfway House" was a layover on the northwest side of Saratoga Avenue, situated between San Jose and Saratoga. This establishment functioned as the local tavern, stagecoach stop, and a post office that catered to travelers and tradespeople journeying to and from Saratoga. Beer in wooden barrels was transported by horse-drawn wagons to the Halfway House.[3][10]

The United States post office in Gubserville ceased operations on April 15, 1899, and was absorbed by the Santa Clara post office. over time, both the town and its businesses integrated into the surrounding communities. Nerveless, it remained customary to refer to this as Gubserville as late as the 1920s.[3][4][11]

In 1951, the only structure that remained standing in the settlement was the Forbes residence. This two-story house, constructed from native redwood, consisted of seven rooms.[12][4]

California State Historical Landmark #447

Gubserville commemorative plaque

On April 19, 1986, the California State Department of Parks Recreation in cooperation with Alan R. and David R. Finn and the Mountain Charlie Chapter No. 1850, E Clampus Vitus, erected a commemorative plaque, that designates this site as California Historical Landmark #447, known as Gubserville. The registration for the Gubserville site dates to November 2, 1949. The marker is at 1481 Saratoga Ave, San Jose, California.[5][13][14][15]

The inscription on the plaque reads:

Named after Frank Gubser, a German immigrant and barber, Gubserville was an important stage, mail and teamster stop on the road between San Jose and Saratoga. Gubser served as the village's first and only postmaster, beginning July 5, 1882. Gubserville ceased to exist officially when the post office was discontinued on April 15, 1897.[5][4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Gubserville". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  2. ↑ Gudde, Erwin G.; Bright, William (1998). California Place Names The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names. University of California Press. p. 155. ISBN 9780520266193. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 Douglas, Jack (2005). Historical highlights of Santa Clara Valley. San Jose, California: History San Jose. ISBN 9780914139997. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Two More Places". Los Gatos Times-Saratoga Observer. Los Gatos, California. October 30, 1951. p. 6. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 "California Historical Landmark #447: Gubserville". noehill.com. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  6. ↑ "West San Jose's Country Lane Neighborhood Is No Longer A Hidden Treasure". Shelly Roberson Realtor. San Jose, California. October 3, 2014. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  7. 1 2 "Historic Spots in California". Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. 2002. p. 433. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Pacific Coast Postal Changes". The Sacramento Union. Sacramento, California. August 7, 1882. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  9. ↑ Douglas, Jack (1890). San Jose City Directory Including Santa Clara County. San Jose, California: Mrs. F.M. Husted. pp. 459–461. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  10. ↑ "History: Gubserville Beer Wagon in 1882". The Mercury News. San Jose, California. January 22, 2009. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  11. ↑ "California Historical Landmarks". Department of Parks & Recreation, Division of Beaches and Parks, State of California, Resources Agency. 1965. p. 70. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Historical, Descriptive, Statistical: a Souvenir of the San Jose Mercury". San Jose Mercury Pub. & Print. Company. San Jose, California. 1895. p. 219. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  13. ↑ "CA-447 Gubserville". Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Gubserville Historical Landmark". Office of Historic Preservation. November 2, 1949. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  15. ↑ "ECV1850 Plaque: Gubserville". www.mountaincharlie1850. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
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