the Gardens at Palmdale

Historical Roots

The oldest residents of the Mission District are the beautiful trees and ornamental horticulture within the Gardens at Palmdale. These trees are dear old friends and are co-dwellers on our land.

The Monterey Cypress which occurs natively only on the Monterey Peninsula was probably planted by the Franciscan Missionaries and is estimated at over 200 years old.

Explore the History of Palmdale

Palmdale's history began with the native Americans when this was known as the Oroysom village. The gardens were later part of the mission lands, then part of the Mexican ranchos, later the growing grounds of early Californians, and continued to be planted with trees from many parts of the world. The beautiful gardens still reflect the sacred grounds and beautiful gardens of the many people and animals who have called this spot home.

Before 1797

Ohlone Era at Oroysom Village

1797–1821

Mission San José, under Spain

Mission San Jose's gardens, aqueducts, orchards, and vineyards extend for miles around the main Mission structures, including onto Palmdale grounds.

First map of San Francisco Bay

1833

Mexico secularized the Mission system. Some Padres and Ohlone continue to live at Mission San Jose through the 1830's.

1821–1850s

Mexican Alta California "The Great Confusion"

1850s–1881

Palmdale: The Estate of E.L. Beard

~1865

E.L. Beard is granted the grounds to the west of Mission Boulevard which he names Palmdale and oversees for the next twenty-two years

1870s

Beard constructed a residence for his family located in the vicinity of the present day Best House and at the end of the palm-lined lane that led into Palmdale from Mission Boulevard

Beard laid out the basic landscape features still seen today at Palmdale and plants spruces, firs, pines, more palms, acacias, persimmons, olives, oranges, pears, figs, chestnuts, walnuts, orchards, and vineyards

1881

Juan Gallegos, a member of a wealthy Costa Rican family, purchased Palmdale, the vineyards, and surrounding lands

The Gallegos Wine Company started in 1881; one source notes that Eduardo Bale of Napa, grandson of Mariano Vallejo, was manager of the construction team. At the time of its founding, the winery was the largest in California in both volume and square footage. Gallegos applied the engineering ideas from his efficient coffee plantations in Costa Rica and Guatemala. The gravity-flow design meant that wagon loads of grapes from vineyards just up the road entered at the back of the third floor.

The original Palmdale garden layout was maintained; four lakes and some fountains were added

Photo: Museum of Local History

1889

Charles Howard Shinn wrote that Palmdale is a rare example of Spanish landscaping combined with early 19th Century American gardening; Gallegos was devoted to his palms, olives and pear trees

1905

The Lachman family purchased the portion of Palmdale containing residence and gardens

"Enter the gates of Palmdale, in the little town called Mission San Jose, and you are in fairyland. Imagine all the beautiful trees and shrubs of the sub-tropics and north temperate zone gathered together, and every one a perfect specimen of its kind.
Imagine avenues of palms as tall as pines—palms planted by the mission fathers. Imagine fruits of every conceivable variety. Here, long rows of grapes, purple and white; there, almond and walnut trees, with spreading branches; a few steps further and you pass beneath the branches of giant fig trees, weighted down with purple fruit; a turnstile in the hedge brings you to a little orchard, where branches of the dark green trees bend to the ground with their weight of oranges. Beyond, yellow lemons grow luxuriantly. Berries of all sorts; the alligator pear; the loquot; the persimmon; all the southern and northern fruits here grow together.And as for flowers, in the dusky reaches of the ever-living stream are great masses of pale calla lilies; roses brighten the green lawns; great sheaves of cannas, ten feet high, are massed near the dwelling, over which clamber purple-flowered vines.
Nowhere in the world may the man who loves beautiful gardens and takes delight in the profusion and variety of tree and vine find such a garden spot in which to plant his dwelling, as here on the warm southwestern slopes of the Alameda County hills.
From Alameda County, the ideal place for your California home, 1915

1927

The eastern portion of Palmdale was sold to Irene Wagness Hansen Best, her sister Hazel and Hazel's husband Oscar Starr

~1930

Irene married C.L. Best. Many exotic horticultural specimens are planted including Japanese maples, kumquats, loquats, and Indian and Chinese ginkgos

1948

After deciding to sell Palmdale, the Best-Starrs offered the property at a special price to the Sisters of the Holy Family. They built the last two grottos in 1948.

1948-2019

The Sisters of the Holy Famly were stewards of Palmdale for 70 years. They wished to preserve these gardens for posterity and began the long work of creating a park for the enjoyment of the public.

2019

Garden Conservancy & Dedication

Report abuse