Back in August 1974, six people who had a common interest — the owned old houses in San Jose — met for the first time, creating the Victorian Preservation Association of Santa Clara Valley, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last weekend with a dinner at downtown’s Teske’s Germania.
Historic preservation was gaining steam at the time, a push back to urban renewal plans in many cities across the nation, but the folks who gathered in San Jose had a mission that wasn’t just advocacy: They also wanted to share ideas, tools and best practices for renovating their old houses.
Marcus Salomon, president of the Victorian Preservation Association, speaks during its 50th anniversary celebration on Sept. 7, 2024, at Teske’s Germania in downtown San Jose. (Sal Pizarro/Bay Area News Group)
“Slowly it grew over the years, and it’s hard to imagine the sustainability of what actually happened here,” said Marcus Salomon, who has served as president of the group for 11 of the past 13 years.
“We were able to find resources for the restoration of our houses and lend expertise and information to the newer folks who were trying to restore their homes. One by one, it started to actually happen, and we were able to bring these old beauties back to their original glories,” he said.
The dinner brought together several of the group’s past presidents, including Bill Glick (1982), Scott Mathieson (1985-86), Betsy Mathieson (1988-89), Greg Winsloe (2004-06) and Keith Shukait (2019-21), as well as preservation advocates like Larry Ames and Krista van Laan, who designed the 50th anniversary logo for VPA.
A special logo was created for the Victorian Preservation Association’s 50th anniversary, which was celebrated Sept. 7, 2024, at Teske’s Germania in downtown San Jose. (Sal Pizarro/Bay Area News Group)
Probably the biggest project the group ever took on was the restoration of the Andrew P. Hill House, a late 19th-century Queen Anne style house that was moved from Sherman Street to History Park in San Jose in 1997. Volunteers from the organization, led by Tony and Paulette Ornellas, took on the challenge of restoring the house, a project that took more than a decade before its completion in 2009.
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“At the end of the day, we can hang our hats and say we’re proud of that one,” Salomon said.
By the way, you don’t have to own a Victorian — or any other vintage house — to join the group. It’s open to anyone with an interest in the city’s older homes, be they architecture or history fans. Find out more at www.vpascv.org.
