It’s Christmas!

santaclarapottery — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Do you know how you can tell it’s the Christmas season when you live in Santa Clara? By the lighting of the city’s sixty-foot Christmas tree, of course! Lit earlier this month, the city also hoisted a stuffed “teddy bear” to the top to take its earned place of recognition that it has held for 99 years that’s since 1911 when Alice Dixon Hills shared her beloved bear with the city when she was only one year old. At the time her father, James Dixon, was the utilities superintendent for the Santa Clara municipal electric utility and he thought his daughter’s bear (named “Teddy” after President Theodore Roosevelt who refused to shoot an injured bear cub) would serve as a useful adornment, and Alice’s “teddy” has been hoisted every year since. In years past the stuffed bear had been pecked by birds and damaged by winter storms to the point that he was held together by duct tape. Today, city electricians have built him a clear protected box and he is decorated by a “green glow” thanks to the use of renewably powered lights provided by Santa Clara Green Power. You bet this bear has some stories to tell as he makes his way into the new wave of green energy! And you just have to know that next year as “Teddy” celebrates his 100th year is going to be a big one for all of Santa Clara and its surrounding communities.

Historic Sites to Visit in Santa Clara

admin — Wed, 12 May 2010 14:51:39 +0000

Founded in 1777, Santa Clara has many different historic sites that you might want to visit. Some of the most popular include the Mission Santa Clara de Asis, which is located on the grounds of the University, the Harris-Lass House Museum, and the South Bay Historical Railroad Society. If you enjoy history, you will find plenty to love in Santa Clara.The Mission is the eighth of 21 missions built in California, and it has an interesting history. The first mission on the site was built in 1777, but it was abandoned because of a flood. A new Mission was built on higher ground, but in 1818, an earthquake destroyed it. Finally, a third Mission was erected and finished in 1825. It still stands today on the grounds of the university, and it is a popular attraction.The Harris-Lass House Museum is located on Market Street in the downtown area of Santa Clara. It is the last standing farm site in the city, and guests will be able to visit the house, the barn, the summer kitchen, and the landscaped gardens. The admission price for adults is 3, for seniors aged 60 and over it is 2, and for children between 6 and 12, the admission is only 1.The South Bay Historical Railroad Society contains a museum within the historic Santa Clara Depot. Visitors to the site can see the historic buildings in the area, railroad artifacts, and scale model displays. Admission to the SBHRS is free.You can also take the “Stroll into the Past”, which is a self-guided tour that you can take, leading you around the city to many historic sites. The tour offers 28 plaques that will take you from the first Native American settlement in the area all the way to the present day.

Santa Clara Living » Historical Santa Clara

It’s Christmas!

Historic Sites to Visit in Santa Clara