San Jose Railroad history and a teaser for new museum

In 1864, the San Jose and San Francisco Railroad was completed after a decade of planning. If you think your commute is rough today, before the railroad was built it would take 8 hours by stagecoach to travel between San Jose and San Francisco. The railroad cut it down to "only" 3 hours.

In the short 3 minute video below, you will get a glimpse at the past and a teaser for a future museum near the Play Garden on Coleman. To learn more about the San Jose Railroad Museum, just check out the video below.

Source: WMS Media

Railroad Video Final from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

Sourisseau News: The Lives of Automobiles

Last week we posted a Sourisseau News video about bicycles--this week we have a video about early cars in the San Jose area. The two minute video is embedded below for your enjoyment.

To see an archive of past videos, head over here.

Sourisseau News: The Lives of Automobiles February 2017 from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

Sourisseau News: The Valley’s Love Affair with the Bicycle

While biking is extremely popular in San Jose today, and we are one of the most bike-friendly cities in the US, our love for bicycles goes all the way back to the 1880's. To learn more, check out the two minute Sourisseau News video below.

To see an archive of past videos, head over here.


Sourisseau News: The Valley's Love Affair With the Bicycle - March 2017 from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

Sourisseau News: Women Cannery Workers

The San Jose Fruit Packing company was once the largest cannery in the world and by the 1930s, Santa Clara Valley's 38 canneries were the largest employers of women in California.To learn more about the important role of women keeping these these canneries afloat, watch the latest episode of Sourisseau News below.

To see an archive of past videos, head over here.

Sourisseau News August 2017 Women Cannery Workers from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

Sourisseau News: Hotel Vendome

On First Street, just north of Downtown, there once stood the Hotel Vendome. The 150-room hotel was only around between 1889 and 1930, but featured several interesting amenities like a bowling alley. Eventually increased competition and damage from fires led it to shut down and the land was subdivided and sold off. It would have been nice to preserve this gem near Japantown, much like we were able to do for Hayes Mansion, the Hotel Montgomery, and the Hotel DeAnza.

Watch the two-minute video more to learn about this hotel and see some amazing historic photos.

To see an archive of past videos, head over here.

Sourisseau News: Hotel Vendome - April 2017 from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

Sourisseau News: Ice Cream

In this fascinating two-minute video, learn about the history of ice cream in San Jose. I wish I could travel back in time to experience some of the locations in the video like O'Brien's Candy Store!

To see an archive of past videos, head over here.

Sourisseau News Ice Cream January 2017 from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

Sourisseau News: Wetting your Whistle

It looks like I missed quite a few Sourisseau News videos from earlier this year so I will be playing catch-up for the next few weeks. The two minute video below highlights many of San Jose's famous watering holes from the past century. 50 years from now, I wonder if San Joseans will be watching similar videos about the top bars of the 2010s.

To see an archive of past videos, head over here.

Sourisseau News Wetting your Whistle November 2016 from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

Sourisseau News: Let’s Shop!

If you want to learn more about the history of shopping in San Jose, look no further than the latest two-minute Sourisseau News video below. It begins with HART's department store in Downtown San Jose and then provides a glimpse into the history of what we now know as Valley Fair mall. Can you guess which department store is in the photo below? (Hint: I had never heard of it before watching the video).

To see an archive of past videos, head over here.

Sourisseau News June 2017 Let's Shop! from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

Sourisseau News: From Willows to Glen

Did you ever wonder how Willow Glen got its name? How long was Willow Glen an independent city before being annexed into San Jose? Watch the latest two-minute Sourisseau News video below to find out, along with all sorts of other interesting tidbits.

To see an archive of past videos, head over here.

Sourisseau News Willow Glen December from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

Sourisseau News: The German Community in San Jose

Did you know the oldest social organization in San Jose was created for German immigrants? The site still exists today and partially houses one of the hottest new restaurants Downtown, Ludwigs German Table. The two-minute video below provides a great overview of German contributions to early San Jose.

To see an archive of past videos, head over here.


Sourisseau News: The German Community in San Jose October 2016 from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

PAC*SJ Throw Back Thursday Movie Night

The big PAC*SJ fall event this year is going to be a movie night with a vintage bar featuring "fruit cocktails," rock tunes, and a mid-century-themed potluck. There will also be prizes for best costumes and recipes.

Steven Yvaska, Mercury News columnist and antiques expert, will be the Master of Ceremonies. Joe Melehan and Jim Zetterquist, members of the Fruit Cocktail Club, will narrate the movies. The theme will be "Lost and Found", focusing on places, practices, industries, and technology that were once a part of everyday life and now exist only on film. Throughout the evening there will be classic items for sale and auction.

The event takes place on Thursday, November 17th from 6:30 PM to 10 PM at the San Jose Woman's Club (75 South 11th Street, San Jose, CA). Parking is free on nearby city streets or $5 in the SJSU North Garage.

Tickets are only $5 per person and you can reserve your spot right over here. You can also get more details at the PAC*SJ Facebook Page.

The Light Between Two Towers

Our good friend Thomas Wohlmut from WMS Media embarked on a mission to discover if there is any connection between the San Jose Light Tower and the Eiffel Tower. I think his findings will surprise a lot of people. The documentary film will be available in 2017, and the very first trailer is below!


The Light Between Two Towers - Trailer from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

Sourisseau News: Local Residential Architecture

The latest edition of Sourisseau News discusses a polarizing topic--residential architecture. San Jose has had a wide variety of residential styles over the decades, most of which you can still find in or near Downtown San Jose. Check out the two minute video below for several examples of local architectural styles, most of which we would now consider "historic homes."

To see an archive of past videos, head over here.


Sourisseau News April 2016 Local Residential Architecture from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

Sourisseau News: Smokestacks

The latest edition of Sourisseau News is all about the smokestacks found in San Jose's early factories. Just be glad we have moved away from coal and we no longer have soot raining from the sky! Check out the two minute video below.

Oh, and a huge congratulations to WMS Media for winning a CreaTV award for their outstanding documentary on one of San Jose's most famous photographers, DelCarlo.


Sourisseau News March 2016 Smokestacks from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

Sourisseau News: February 2016

The latest edition of Sourisseau News discusses San Jose fires. In addition to some pretty spectacular photos, learn about early San Jose fire protection, firefighters, and fire houses. There is even a plug at the end for the San Jose Fire Museum that is coming soon to Downtown San Jose. It is only a two minute video and is well worth your time!


Sourisseau News February2016 from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

Del Carlo Documentary

Tom Wohlmut from WMS Media has a special holiday treat for everyone today, a full-length documentary on one of San Jose's most famous photographers. Arnold Del Carlo photographed San Jose from World War II to the Valley of Heart's Delight to Silicon Valley. There are very few people in the world that have been alive throughout all three of these eras, let alone photographed them. The story is told by Del Carlo himself though interviews conducted when he was 93 and 94 years old.

At one point Del Carlo even purchased his own plane and became skilled at taking aerial photos across the valley. He has shot iconic photos of people, buildings, landscapes, and even some of the first electronics made in Silicon Valley (especially IBM products).

The photos and stories are incredible. Every San Josean should watch this!



Del Carlo - Professional Photographer from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

San Jose State University

Hart's Department Store in Downtown San Jose

Downtown San Jose Aerial

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Find the First National Bank Building

Do you know where the First National Bank Building is in Downtown San Jose? The building below was built in 1910 and still exists today, but looks completely different. To find out what the heck happened, head over to Think Bigger San Jose. We have several historic treasures hiding underneath fake facades unbeknownst to most San Joseans.

Sourisseau News: Andrew Hill

In the latest edition of Sourisseau News, we learn about the man Andrew Hill High School was named after. He was a painter and photographer known for several iconic photos of places like Mission Santa Clara, Stanford, and San Jose's Chinatown. He even climbed the San Jose Electric Light Tower to get an 8-photo panorama which you can see in the video below.

Andrew Hill had a studio in the Dougherty Building on South Second Street, which burnt down in the 1906 Earthquake. He ended up moving his studio to his home, which is currently on display at History San Jose. Check out the two minute video below for your monthly dose of San Jose history!


Sourisseau News December 2015 from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

San Jose Chinatown as photographed by Andrew Hill

Sourisseau News: Let's Go To The Movies!

In the latest installment of Sourisseau News, learn about the history of theaters in San Jose in under three minutes (embedded video below). It is unfortunate that many of these no longer exist today. SoFA used to be packed with theaters as you can see from the photo.


Sourisseau News November 2015 - Let's Go To The Movies! from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

Frontier Village Remnants Head to the New Museum of Los Gatos and Great America

Many years ago there was a theme park in San Jose called Frontier Village. It had a western theme and was inspired by Disneyland, but never gained enough traction to survive despite having a number of interesting attractions (including gunfights and a roller coaster). A San Jose resident named Shaughnessy McGehee has been collecting and recreating elements of Frontier Village over the years, but is now moving out of state. His vast collection was split among the New Museum of Los Gatos and Great America and the first showing of the collection is already on display in Los Gatos.

For more information, head over to this great write-up (with a lot more photos) at Searchlight San Jose.