November 4, 2004

Kolte Redwoods survive 58 years of growth near Almaden Expressway

By Jeanne C. Lewis
Staff Writer

They’ve stood tall and proud for 58 years and watched Almaden change from a two-lane road into an expressway.

Now surrounded by Santa Clara County Water District headquarters, the pinaceous trees are a reminder of another time and place in the valley.

The two old redwood trees are a reminder of the past. Photos by Jeanne C. Lewis

In the 1940s, Marion and Ivan Kolte were members of the Sequoia Sempervirens [always green] sponsored by First Methodist Church at Fifth and Santa Clara Streets in San Jose. The group acquired Coast Redwood evergreens from a member’s father who lived in Boulder Creek, which they transplanted in planter boxes to be used as room décor at the church. The best of the 3-foot saplings were used; Ivan took the remaining four home and planted them in cans. Only two of the four survived the transplanting.

In February of 1946, Ivan and Marion acquired a piece of property on Almaden Road that was formerly a peach orchard and had been subdivided in to approximately 12 lots. They planned to build a house and planted the two redwoods in March of that year. They envisioned a hammock hanging between them.

In March of 1948 they began construction on the house. They were still living downtown on Second Street but made special trips to hand water the growing trees. They hired a contractor and assistant to build the home but an unfortunate mishap of the contractor losing his thumb and two fingers while cutting firewood brought a halt to the job. Ivan and the assistant framed the house and then Ivan finished it. The Kolte family moved into their new abode in November of 1948 with five of their six children.

The redwoods continued to grow in the backyard of the Kolte’s home, which had a mailing address of Route 3, Box 439K [for Kolte], with a Los Gatos mailing address.

The oak tree that still grows north of the redwoods was in the neighbor’s backyard.

In the 1950s, San Jose’s growing population was moving south and the city made plans for the future enlargement of Almaden Road.

“It froze the value of the property at that period of time,” said Ivan Kolte, commenting on the history of the area. “I knew it was just a matter of time and we would have to move.”

The Koltes lived in the house on Almaden until 1964, when the family moved to Willow Glen. They continued to own the home until 1975 and received the 1950s price set by the city. Around 1977, the property was condemned and razed to make way for Almaden Expressway.

When driving north on Almaden Expressway, at one point drivers pass through what was once the Kolte’s living room. The Santa Clara Valley Water District offices are to the right of the trees in the parking lot. Between the two long carports, the redwoods still stand next to the old oak tree.

“When I first saw the carports being built,” marveled Kolte, “I thought the redwoods would be coming down but they [the water district] kept them.”

Kolte drives by the trees he planted 58 years ago every Tuesday when he has lunch with his daughter who lives just down the road from the old homestead, near Almaden Country Club.