The California Pastry Bakery 1927 to 1969: A Part of San Jose’s History, and the History of California Marie Wesenfeld May 9, 2008

This is the California Theatre, 345 South 1st Street, in Photo by Gordon Wesenfeld February 2008 This is the California Theatre, 345 South 1st Street, in San Jose, California. Notice the concrete wall behind the parked car. This is the former home of the California Pastry Bakery, 343 South 1st Street.

The city of San Jose was founded in 1777, the first Spanish pueblo in California. Here is a 1848 map of First Street. The bakery will be located on the south side of First Street, between San Carlos and San Fernando streets. California History Room, San Jose State University

is home to various types of businesses. The future By 1915, South 1st Street is home to various types of businesses. The future home of the California Pastry Bakery , 343 South 1st Street, is a cigar factory. http://0-sanborn.umi.com.mill1.sjlibrary.org/ca/817/dateid-000004.htm?CCSI=42n 5/08/2008

http.//www.shomler.com/calsj/info.htm 5/8/2008 The California Theatre opened in February, 1927. There is no building at the 343 address, although construction appears to be underway.

By the 1930’s, we find the bakery tucked alongside the theatre. San Jose Mercury News, circa 1938

This 1950 map shows the continuing commercial development of the area, now including the bakery. : http://0-sanborn.umi.com.mill1.sjlibrary.org/ca/817/dateid-000006.htm?CCSI=42n 5/08/2008

The California Pastry Bakery Opening Day, 1927 Photo collection of Margieann Boss Russell Egan Anita Fine Egan Henry Fine

In the 1940’s, the bakery added a lunch counter In the 1940’s, the bakery added a lunch counter. Here are Russell and Anita Egan and La Vern Fine with some employees after the completion of the remodeling. Photo collection of Margieann Boss

Russell Egan and Anita Fine were married in 1919 and made their home in San Jose. Anita’s ancestors had arrived in California 1769 and settled in Santa Barbara. Photo collection of Margieann Boss

Santa Barbara, 1783 Isabel Cota born Monterey, 1815 Filomena Pico born Pajaro, 1850 Juana Pomber born Castroville, 1875 Juanita Fine born Gilroy, 1900 Anita Fine born San Jose, 1912 Fine family moves

Photo by Gordon Wesenfeld Sometime before 1895, Juanita left Castroville to work for the Fine family in Gilroy. Juanita Mead Photo collection of Margieann Boss

Spencer and Margeline Fine lived on a ranch on Bodfish Mill Road, now Hecker Pass Road. They had seven children. Historical Atlas Map of Santa Clara County, Map #11, 1876

Spencer and Margeline’s oldest son, Spencer Jr., was born in In 1895 he married Juanita Mead and they began a family. Anita was their third child. Photo collection of Margieann Boss

In 1913 Spencer and Juanita moved their family to San Jose. Their youngest child, La Vern, was born in San Jose. Both La Vern and his older brother Henry worked with their sister Anita in the bakery. Photo collection of Margieann Boss

When the California Pastry Bakery opened in 1927, Anita and Russell had been married for eight years and had three young children. Anita’s mother, Juanita, lived with the family and cared for the children while Anita and Russell operated the bakery. After forty-two years of business, the bakery was sold in 1969. The building which housed the bakery and other businesses was torn down in the 1990’s, and in 2004 the remodeled California Theatre opened.

http.//www.shomler.com/calsj/info.htm 5/8/2008 San Jose Mercury News, circa 1938 Photo by Gordon Wesenfeld

Anita Fine and Russell Egan 50th Wedding Anniversary 1969 Egan Family Collection

Research Notes This project brings together some of the information I have discovered while researching family history. The resources of the California History Room at SJSU were particularly helpful to me in researching the early maps of Santa Clara County.

Sources Map of a part of the Pueblo de San Jose, 1848. California Room, San Jose StateUniversity. Northrop, Marie E. The Spanish-Mexican Families of Early California, 1769-1850 Volumes I and II. Burbank, California: Southern California Genealogical Society, 1976. Photograph collection of Margieann Boss San Jose City Directories. California Room, San Jose State University. San Jose Mercury News. Obituaries for Russell Egan, July 12, 1971 and Anita Egan, July 13, 1990. Thompson & West, Historical Atlas Map of Santa Clara County. San Francisco: Thompson & West, 1876. United States Census. Fine, Dorothy Wilson. A Fine Branch of the Family Tree. Privately Privately published, 1991. Digital Sanborn Maps. Accessed through SJSU at: http://0-sanborn.umi.com.mill1.sjlibrary.org/ca/817/dateid-000004.htm?CCSI=42n