Let’s rock ‘n’ roll back in time to the days of sock hops, soda fountains, and poodle skirts.
We’re back with another decade of San Jose’s history , and this time, we’re traveling to the 1950s.
📈 Population
: 95,280
🗳️ Mayors: Fred Watson (1948-1950), Clark L. Bradley (1950-1952), Parker Hathaway (1952-1954), George Starbird (1954-1956), Robert Doerr (1956-1958), Louis Solari (1958-1960).
1950 — James Lick High School opened its doors. Now-closed El Rancho Drive-In Theater opened on Almaden Road.
1951 — An F2 tornado ripped through the Bay Area, causing damage in SF, Sunnyvale, and San Jose. The Old Fire Station One opened on Market + St. James streets.
1952 — César Chávez became a part of the Community Service Organization , spearheaded in east San Jose. The Alviso flood displaced hundreds of families.
1953 — Crowds of ~70,000 came to DTSJ for the “Dollars From the Sky ” event where 500 ping pong balls containing a combined $640 were dropped from a helicopter. Eggo frozen waffles , made by San Jose brothers Tony, Sam, and Frank Dorsa, were introduced in supermarkets across the US.
1954 — Milpitas was established as incorporated city.
1955 — Ford Motors moved its assembly plant from Richmond to Milpitas, where the Great Mall now sits. Tom Smothers of the Smothers Brothers enrolled at the then-San Jose State College.
1956 — Valley Fair Mall was built. Luis Molina became the first San Jose boxer to make the Olympic team. Original Joe’s opened.
1957 — San Jose Peace & Justice Center was founded. San Jose State College turned 100 years old. San Jose City Hall was relocated from Plaza Park to North First and Mission streets.
1958 — The then-Giorgio’s Pizza House opened on Foxworthy Avenue.
1959 — Former CA Governor Edmund Gerald “Pat” Brown
visited Lou’s Village while he was in office. Mildred Overfelt
donated the site of Overfelt Gardens to San Jose.