Monterey Road did not look like Monterey Road 100 years ago. The
dirt street was lined with Ford Model Ts and storefronts that were
labeled rather simplistically: Drugs, Meat Market or Garage.
Monterey Road did not look like Monterey Road 100 years ago. The dirt street was lined with Ford Model Ts and storefronts that were labeled rather simplistically: Drugs, Meat Market or Garage.
In one photo from March 7, 1911, a horse and buggy navigated a flooded Monterey Road. Some things never change in a small town.
As the town of Morgan Hill grew – at an appropriate pace, Ian Sanders said, the author of a new book “Views of Morgan Hill” – its scenery and aesthetics developed appropriately as well. That visual tour is found only in Sanders 141-page full-color book (save the black and white photography). It’s a journey through 110 years in Morgan Hill.
“I really feel like (Sanders) did the best job of capturing the essence of where we have come from – all of the agriculture and all those things that united us as a community and kept us going back then,” said Jennifer Tate, president of the Morgan Hill Historical Society.
Saturday and Sunday the Society will sell the $19.99 book at its Taste of Morgan Hill booth.
The idea of composing the book happened after Sanders took a San Jose State University course about the history of Morgan Hill at the Community and Cultural Center. It was taught by Morgan Hill expert, former councilwoman, mayor, author, professor and history buff Beth Wyman, who was penned as a contributor to the Sanders’ book.
Sanders had been collecting bits and pieces of local history, mostly postcards, and after Wyman’s class concluded in spring 2009, he called Wyman to share a cup of coffee.
A quick “hello” to Sanders at Nob Hill or a Starbucks will reveal he’s not born-and-raised in Morgan Hill, or in the United States.
“I didn’t want people to say ‘What does he know about Morgan Hill?'” Sanders said, who grew up in Harrow-on-the-Hill, a northwest suburb of London. Sanders moved to Morgan Hill in 1987 to start a family with his wife about 10 years after moving to the United States to pursue a career in technology.
“When we decided to have a family, we wanted (our daughter) to come from somewhere,” Sanders said. “To me, you can’t come from Almaden Expressway or Blossom Hill Road. Those places are fine, but to me they’re too big, too sprawling. We would go back to England and show her this is where Dad went to school this is where Dad lived and this is where Dad bought ice-cream. It’s just nice to come from somewhere.”
Sanders’, who is now retired from IBM, affection for Morgan Hill grew into a full-blown project that needed a publisher, an artist, local support and more material from his professor.
It’s been said many times before that in Morgan Hill there aren’t six degrees of separation – only two degrees. A true statement for Sanders and Wyman, who turned out to be neighbors on Llagas Road – under the shadow of El Toro Mountain.
Wyman gave Sanders “a box of old stuff” and he went to work piecing through it to find the best material. Sanders said he’s considering a second edition to add in more photographs and postcards.
“Views of Morgan Hill” is the only true visual history – between two covers – of the town, Sanders said. The endorsement of the Morgan Hill Historic Society was vital to Sanders as well as support from Brad Jones at BookSmart Enterprise Inc., which published the book. San Martin artist Bob Snow designed the book’s cover and engineered the layout.
“Once I got the Historical Society excited about it, I realized it was something worthwhile. I really like what John Lennon said that ‘Life is what happens when you’re making other plans.’ It was a bit of spontaneous stupidity. All that being said, it was truly a labor of love,” Sanders said.
“Morgan Hill is ideal. It’s self-contained. It’s a place. It’s a place with some character. “I’ve given my daughter some roots,” Sanders said about his now 19-year-old daughter who was born and raised in Morgan Hill. “She might not care right now, but one day I’m convinced, hopefully, she will bring her kids back and say ‘this is where your mother grew up, this is where your mother went to school.’ ”
