Los Gatos (Images of America: California)

Rating:
Summary: An amazing collection of photos and town history
Review: Peggy Conaway's fascinating collection of historical photographs of our little town reveals what makes Los Gatos unique and the rich California history that it shares with many other communities; it should be interesting to any student of California settlement history. I thoroughly enjoyed the photographs, many (most?) of which have never before been published. This book project uncovered many photographs that had been unknown, and shares several from the late newspaperman John Baggerly's personal collection. I have researched Los Gatos history and it was delightful to finally see some characters that I had only known by name. One photograph of the new freeway (built in the 1950s) conveys better than words the optimistic sense of "progress" the citizens must have felt even as the freeway bypassed the business district, bulldozed the town's park, replaced the grand Main Street bridge, and entombed the natural creek in concrete. I highly recommend this book!