July 27, 2006

Trying to save history

Committed citizens rally to save historical Feed and Fuel

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

The Hacienda School has disappeared.

The Lone Hill Vineyard, Robertsville Road House, Greystone Quarry, Pfeiffer’s Resort, Southern Pacific Railroad Depot, the 8 mile house and others are history.

Lauren Bowker, Arthur Boudreault, Mark Erickson, Ed Della Monica and Denelle Fedor discuss saving the Feed and Fuel. Photo by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

All were bulldozed to make room for progress in Almaden.

One more may be demolished by the wrecking ball—the Almaden Feed and Fuel, a stagecoach stop when originally built in the 1890s, then gas station, store, bar and restaurant through the years. A group of committed citizens are rallying to save the vacant building before a deadline that is fast approaching.

“The Almaden Feed and Fuel is the second oldest existing building in the city limits of Almaden Valley,” said New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association archivist Arthur Boudreault. “The Feed and Fuel was built on property owned by the richest mine in California, the Quicksilver Mining Company and served as one of nine or more transportation stops for residents of Almaden Valley since the 1890s.”

“The building has served as a restaurant, gas station and country store for over 120 years until a few weeks ago. The Almaden Feed and Fuel needs to remain available as the gateway to the richest mine in California. There is no other building along Almaden Road with the same importance as the Feed and Fuel building and location,” added Boudreault.

The Almaden Feed and Fuel officially closed its doors this past May. Jon Carson, the current owner, has applied to the city for a development permit to rezone the property for 14 single-family homes. Almaden residents Mark Erickson and Ed Della Monica had already been researching the building and the possibility of relocating the building to another site. They discovered that the enterprise would be too costly and that the building would have to remain at the present location to gain historical status. And that began a time consuming research of the Feed and Fuel to gain the necessary points for consideration by the City of San Jose Historic Preservation Landmark Commission.

“We’re just looking to save the Feed and Fuel,” said New Almaden resident Ed Della Monica. “We [he and Mark Erickson] tried our best to have it moved but it didn’t work out. Our hearts are in the Feed and Fuel. It was such a community place; fund-raisers for our troops, after school parties, get-togethers for birthdays, weddings. It was the Cheers of Almaden. Everybody knew everybody and great friendships were made.”

“It’s not about just saving the bar,” said Erickson. “The focus is on the historical aspects of the Feed and Fuel.”

Della Monica concurs that what is most important is to save the structure whether it becomes a restaurant or a business office.

In May, Lauren Bowker and Janet Harper-Beam visited the New Almaden Quicksilver Museum to research the history of the Feed and Fuel. They met archivist Boudreault who embarked on a full-scale investigation. That snowballed into the Feed and Fuel Committee—a group of dedicated citizens who want to save the landmark.

The Feed and Fuel’s previous evaluation rates the building and location a high level “Structure of Merit” at 56.43 percent just a few points shy of a Candidate City Landmark at 67 percent. Boudreault noticed that the Bulmore collection at the Bancroft Library, the Snyder collection at the Stanford University, History San Jose and the extensive collections donated to the Almaden Quicksilver Museum had not been researched in the original historic evaluation prepared for Carson.

Boudreault has discovered an additional 38.45 points to add to the original report. The total of 94.88 points creates a Category of Significance that may earn the Feed and Fuel a recommendation from the Historic Landmarks Commission to City Council for designation of a City Landmark. The momentum is building with the Feed and Fuel Committee and all interested citizens to attend the meeting Aug. 2 to present the new historical facts.

Denelle Feder grew up in Almaden Valley from 1978 to 1997. She remembers fondly visiting the Feed and Fuel for a hamburger and soda after hiking in the woods and horseback riding.

“It was like ‘Gunsmoke’ visiting the Feed and Fuel,” said Fedor who joined the Feed and Fuel committee when she heard the historic site was in danger of demolition. “I like history and we would always call it the stagecoach. And I loved Blondie. When I heard it was closing I wrote a letter and Ed [Della Monica] contacted me. It’s not just the homeowners who make a community. It’s the businesses, schools and houses. Historic areas have been successful in Portland and Chicago. We should look at them as to how to integrate history with growth. It is worth my time and energy because the Feed and Fuel is very close to my heart.”

Fedor is an important member of the Feed and Fuel Committee. She was policy aid for past Councilmember Pat Dando and is familiar with the inner workings of city hall.

Blondie Barnd owned the Feed and Fuel in the 1980s and 1990s and has lived in Almaden over 30 years. And she has seen the growth of what once was a rural area turn into a suburb of large tract homes.

The 1939 Almaden Day Parade participants enjoy the day in front of the Hills View Inn—one of the many businesses that resided at the Feed and Fuel site through the years. Photo courtesy of New Almaden Quicksilver Museum

“When I sold the Feed and Fuel I was promised that the building would stay there,” said Barnd. “It is a historical building and should stay that way. You visit the East Coast and there are whole towns that are historical with thousands of tourists visiting. San Jose could do the same thing. It’s all about money. Tear down the old and build the new. Soon it will take 30 minutes to get to Blossom Hill Road from here.”

But the Save the Feed and Fuel Committee is optimistic with the new research being presented. The location was originally owned by the Quicksilver Mining Company, which sold it. Boudreault found some evidence that a Pfeiffer family member may have built the structure. The research also includes the 1985 mural paintings by internationally known “tromp d’oeuil”artist John Pugh that are painted on the walls. And, the building is architecturally similar to as the office building at the New Almaden Quicksilver Mining Company, a style no longer seen elsewhere in the area.

“This is the wisest and best use for the land for the continuing generations,” said Bowker who has worked on the project from the beginning. “It is the gateway to the New Almaden community. New Almaden doesn’t start at Bertram Road. It started here at the Feed and Fuel.”