Gilroy's 150th Anniversary

Much of the life of Gilroy’s namesake is unknown to many people, said Phill Laursen of the Gilroy Historical Society. As the city’s sesquicentennial wraps up, Gilroyans now have the chance to learn more about John Gilroy and how he arrived in Rancho San Ysidro,...

For nearly a century, the two blocks of Monterey Street south of 7th Street in Gilroy were home to two thriving groups of immigrant business owners—first Chinese and then Mexicans. It was a vibrant part of the small city where racial segregation forced a concentration...

The Gilroy Museum was preparing to open its new exhibit celebrating Gilroy’s 150th anniversary when the Covid-19 pandemic hit and forced it to close in March 2020. More than a year later, the museum is open to the public. The museum’s new exhibit shows the...

The Sesquicentennial Time Capsule, featuring items that represent 2020 in Gilroy, has been sealed and will stay shut until 2070. Gilroy artist Carol Peters, a retired Gilroy High School art teacher and the creator of the winning sesquicentennial logo design, painted the capsule.  “When asked to...

Gilroy’s sesquicentennial was one for the history books. But not in the way anyone had imagined going into 2020. A once-in-a-century pandemic transformed daily life for not only Gilroyans, but the world. As a result, various sesquicentennial events planned throughout 2020 were canceled. However, Gilroy’s 150th...