The Evening News, a local weekly newspaper published January 1, 1898 through December 30, 1922, ran a series of articles called When San Jose Was Young. These history articles include Spanish, Mexican and American settlement, oral traditions, biographies, romances, and "firsts" of Santa Clara County. This series was introduced September 18, 1916:

Many people have the mistaken idea that history is dull. How can it be dull, when it is the recalling to life of thousands of interesting men and women who trod this earth before we did? How can it be dull, when it quickens the imagination, and fills the waste places of today with the busy hum of voices and songs of long ago? Wine, that stores up within itself the sunlight and chemical energy of years gone by, has never been accused of being dull, whatever else may have been said against it. And history is a sort of wine, sparkling and revivifying, containing the vital essence of olden days, and enlivening our own times with the memory of brave deeds and beautiful characters of earlier years.

We see that history is veritably an intoxicating draft from life's wine cup, and by no means the dull thing that it is pictured by those who simply remember it as a string of hard to remember dates painfully studied at school.

The historical series entitled "When San Jose Was Young" is bound to interest all those who feel that the mere food and drink of the moment are not the only things worth thinking about. It will awake in all readers a keener appreciation of the present if they gain the knowledge of the past which these articles will give.

You can browse these articles, or search for keywords using the search engine.

The following articles have been transcribed:

1. The Great Adventure
2. The First Pueblo In California
3. Life At The Mission
4. The Saint
5. The Alameda, The Beautiful
6. School Days In The Pueblo
7. First Church In The Pueblo
8. Wine and Brandy In The Pueblo Days
9. Law And Order In The Pueblo. Part I.
9. Law And Order In The Pueblo. Part II.
9. Law And Order In The Pueblo. Part III.
10. San Jose As A Child
11. Making A Living In The Pueblo. Part I.
11. Making A Living In The Pueblo. Part II.
12. Days Of The Dons. Part I.
12. Days Of The Dons. Part II.
13. The House Of Don Jose
14. The Daughter Of Don Jose. Part I.
14. The Daughter Of Don Jose. Part II.
15. The Death Of Don Jose. Part II.
16. The Unconquered One. Part I.
16. The Unconquered One. Part II.
17. The First House. Part I.
17. The First Frame House. Part II.
18. The Sunols Adobe Ruin


The following articles are available in .pdf format:

19. Two Romances, 1916-10-18
20. The Miracle Ranch Part 1, 1916-10-19
20. The Miracle Ranch Part 2, 1916-10-20
21. Fremont And Don Bruno Bernal's Horses, Part 1, 1916-10-21
21. Fremont And Don Bruno Bernal's Horses, Part 2, 1916-10-23
22. Don Antonio And The Horse Thieves, 1916-10-24
missing - 23. 1916-10-25 need to find original paper
24. Costumes In The Thirties And Forties, 1916-10-26
25. Amusements In The Forties, 1916-10-27
26. Two Mother Pepper Trees, 1916-10-28
missing - 27. Part I 1916-10-30 need to find original paper
27. Original Spanish Grants Part 2, 1916-10-31
28. El Flor De San Jose, 1916-11-01
29. How The Eschscholzia Was Named, 1916-11-02
30. The Pathfinder's Victim Part 1, 1916-11-03
30. The Pathfinder's Victim Part 2, 1916-11-04
30. The Pathfinder's Victim Part 3, 1916-11-06
31. Lynching An Innocent Man 1916-11-07
32. Chaboya And The Indian Horse Theives 1916-11-08
33. Relics Of Father Magin Catala 1916-11-09
34. A Love Story 1916-11-10
35. Massacre Of Indians 1916-11-11
36. Romances Of Long Ago 1916-11-13
37. Second Indian Rebellion 1916-11-14
38. The Shadow People 1916-11-15
39. Civilizing The Indians 1916-11-16
40. Early California Architecture 1916-11-17
41. First California Feminist 1916-11-18
42. The New Almaden 1916-11-20
43. The Great Discovery 1916-11-21
44. The New Almaden Part III 1916-11-22
44. The New Almaden part IV 1916-11-23
44. The New Almaden part V 1916-11-24
44. The New Almaden part VI 1916-11-25
45. The Madonna Of Almaden, 1916-11-27
46. Revival of New Almaden, 1916-11-28
47. The Survivor, 1916-11-29
48. The Belles of 1829, 1916-11-30
49. Indian Wars In Santa Clara, 1916-12-01
50. Santa Clara Indians, 1916-12-02
51. Inygo of Inygo Ranch, 1916-12-04
52, Marcello, The Builder, 1916-12-05
53. An Indian Duel, 1916-12-06
54. The Big Bear Hunters, 1916-12-07
55. A Strange Prisoner, 1916-12-08
56. The Bull Fight Promoter, 1916-12-09
57. A Bull Fight Romance, 1916-12-11
58. Lost-A Mission Site, 1916-12-12
59. Neighbors in 1841, 1916-12-13
60. The Origin of Marcello, 1916-12-14
61. The First Race Track, 1916-12-15
62. San Jose's Oldest Painting, 1916-12-16
63. Father Serra's Last Visit, 1916-12-18
64. School In The Golden Age, 1916-12-19
65. Curious Documents, 1916-12-20
66. Foreigners In The Valley, 1916-12-21
67. War In The Santa Clara Valley Part I, 1916-12-22
67. War In The Santa Clara Valley Part II, 1916-12-23
67. War In The Santa Clara Valley Part III, 1916-12-25
67. War In The Santa Clara Valley Part IV, 1916-12-26
68. The Battle of Santa Clara Part I, 1916-12-27
68. The Battle of Santa Clara Part II, 1916-12-28
69. The Punishment Of A Spy, 1916-12-29
70. Indian Warfare in 46-47, 1916-12-30
71. An Indian Fighter, 1917-01-01
72. The First Survey of San Jose, 1917-01-02
73. Revolutions In California, 1917-01-03
74. The First Hanging, 1917-01-04
75. The Second Hanging, 1917-01-05
76. Humor In Hanging, 1917-01-06
77. Demasio Berryessa's Wake, 1917-01-08
78. Alvarado's Wedding, 1917-01-09
79. Old Santa Clara, 1917-01-10
80. Old Santa Clara Customs, 1917-01-11
81. Santa Clara Mission Festivities, 1917-01-12
82. Santa Clara's Day, 1917-01-13
83. Wash Day In The Guadalupe, 1917-01-15
84. Spanish-Gringo Romance, 1917-01-16
85. Relics Of A Haunted House, 1917-01-17
86. Spanish Serenades, 1917-01-18
87. Cholera In San Jose, 1917-01-19
88. William Fitts' Omnibus, 1917-01-20
89. Don Luis Arguello's Revenge, 1917-01-22
90. Marcello's Age, 1917-01-23
91. First English School, 1917-01-24
92. Early English Schools, 1917-01-25
93. Early Frame Houses, 1917-01-26
94. How Black Swan Won, 1917-01-27
95. The Castro Twins Part I, 1917-01-29
95. The Castro Twins Part II, 1917-01-30
96. Trailing Valencia, 1917-01-31
97. First American Marriage, 1917-02-01
98. Early Travel, 1917-02-02
99. Committee Of Safety Part I, 1917-02-03
99. Committee Of Safety Part II, 1917-02-05
100. First American Children, 1917-02-06
101. First Cemeteries, 1917-02-07
102. Bride Of The Trail, 1917-02-08
103. Survivors Of The Battle, 1917-02-09
104. San Jose Under Military Rule, 1917-02-10
105. San Jose, The Capital, 1917-02-12
106. First Admission Day, Race, 1917-02-13
107. First Inaugural Ball, 1917-02-14
108. Gold, 1917-02-15
109. San Jose in Early Fifties, 1917-02-16
110. Alcalde Government, 1917-02-17
111. Anastasio or One Eye Indian, 1917-02-19
112. Vanished Friends, 1917-02-20
113. Forty Nine And Now, 1917-02-21
114. Roble Alto Ranch, 1917-02-22
115. San Jose's First Big Politics, 1917-02-23
116. Work of First Legislature, 1917-02-24
117. Removal of Capital, 1917-02-26
118. Mustard Industry, 1917-02-27
119. Pioneer Dwellings, 1917-02-28
120. San Jose a Winter Resort, 1917-03-01
121, First Mills, 1917-03-02
122. Santa Clara Recollections, 1917-03-03
123. Tree Planters Part I, 1917-03-05
123. Tree Planters Part II, 1917-03-06
124. First Nurseries, 1917-03-07
125. First Artesian Wells Part I, 1917-03-08
125. First Artesian Wells Part II, 1917-03-09
125. First Artesian Wells Part III, 1917-03-10
missing - 126. No Sunday edition, numbering error?
127. First Orchards, 1917-03-12
128. Introduction Of Prunes, 1917-03-13
129. What A Woman Did For Fruit, 1917-03-14
130. First State Fair, 1917-03-15
131. Fruit Wizards, 1917-03-16
132. Introduction Of Honey Bees, 1917-03-17
133. Slap Jack Hall, 1917-03-19
134. Early Weddings, 1917-03-20
135. First Blacksmiths, 1917-03-21
136. Volunteer Firemans' Ball, 1917-03-22
137. First Piano In San Jose, 1917-03-23
138. Reed-Conner Tragedy Chap I, 1917-03-24
139. First Grief Of The Donner Party Chap II, 1917-03-26
140. Indians Met By Reed-Donner Party Chap III, 1917-03-27
141. Desert Disaster of Reed-Donner Party Chap IV, 1917-03-26
142. First Tradgedy Of Reed-Donner Party Chap V, 1917-03-29
143. Trail Justice Among Reed-Donner Party Chap. VI, 1917-03-30
144. The Outcast Of The Reed-Donner Party Chap VII, 1917-03-30
145. Walking To California Chap VIII, 1917-04-02
146, Death At Truckee Lake Chap IX, 1917-04-03
147. The Donner Party's Forlorne Hope Chap X, 1917-04-04
148. Christmas At Donner Lake Chap XI, 1917-04-05
149. Second Forlorn Hope Of The Donner Party Chap X, 1917-04-06
missing Chap XI. - Chap numbering error? jumps from Chap X on 04-06 to Chap XIII on 04-07
missing Chap XII - Chap numbering error? jumps from Chap X on 04-06 to Chap XIII on 04-07
150. Hunger At Donner Lake Chap XIII, 1917-04-07
151. Relief Chap XIV, 1917-04-09
152. How Reed Saved The Donner Party Chap XV, 1917-04-10
153. The First Donner Relief Party Chap XVI, 1917-04-11
153. The First Donner Relief Party Chap XVII, 1917-04-12
154. Donner Party At Starved Camp Chap XVIII, 1917-04-13
155. Slavery In San Jose, 1917-04-14
156. San Jose in 47, 1917-04-16
157. Mission San Jose in 40's, 1917-04-17
158. Mission San Jose Account Book, 1917-04-18
159. First Open Air School, 1917-04-19
160. Duties and Prices Under Gov. Fages, 1917-04-20
161. Real Penetencia Creek, 1917-04-21
162. Beaux Of The Fifties, 1917-04-23
163. Mrs. Chaboya's Metate, 1917-04-24
164. First Banks In San Jose, 1917-04-25
165. Prevost's Southern Silk Venture, 1917-04-26
165. San Jose's Distinguished Wine Merchant, 1917-04-27 (numbering error? two no. 165's, no 166)
167. Adobe of San Jose's Richest Man, 1917-04-28
168. Don Luis Peralta's Will, 1917-04-30
169. Peralta Will Contest, 1917-05-01
170. Don Luis Peralta's Letters, 1917-05-02
171. Santa Clara's Beginning, 1917-05-03
172. Early Troubles Of Santa Clara Mission, 1917-05-04
173. Father Serra's Handwriting, 1917-05-05
174. Early Deaths At Santa Clara Mission, 1917-05-07
175. Early Baptismal Records, 1917-05-08
176. Language Of Santa Clara Indians, 1917-05-09
177. Marcelo's Age, 1917-05-10
178, Mission Recipe For Olive Oil, 1917-05-11
179. Mission Medicinal Remedies, 1917-05-12
180. Duran's Missionary Expedition, 1917-05-14
181. Father Catala As A Missionary, 1917-05-15
182. Violent Deaths, 1917-05-16
183. Treatment of Indians By Missionaries, 1917-05-17
184. Mission Recipes, 1917-05-18
on 1917-05-19, published Voyage of Father Riobo manuscript, no WSJWY column. Manuscript
185. Duels in Spanish California, 1917-05-21
186. Tales From Baptismal Records, 1917-05-22
187. Painter Davila, 1917-05-23
188. First Foreigners Baptized, 1917-05-24
189. Last Toreador, 1917-05-25
190. Mission Christmas Celebrations, 1917-05-26
191. Spanish Californian Horsewomen, 1917-05-28
192. Bull fight At Mission Dolores, 1917-05-29
193. School Life At Missions, 1917-05-30
194. Secularization Of Santa Clara Mission, 1917-05-31
195. California's Oldest University, 1917-06-01
196. Life At Rancho Laguna Seca, 1917-06-02
197. Haunted House Of Laguna Seca, 1917-06-04
198. First Strawberry Farm, 1917-06-05
199. Early Suffragists In San Jose, 1917-06-06
200. Civil War Relief In San Jose, 1917-06-07
201. Opening Father Nobili's Grave, 1917-06-08
202. Survivor Of Terry-Broderick Duel, 1917-06-09
203. First San Francisco Train, 1917-06-11
missing - 204. Goat Industry In San Jose, 1917-06-12, need to find original paper
205. Forty Years Of Goats, 1917-06-13
206. Defying The Sultan, 1917-06-14
207. The Prince Of Farmers, 1917-06-15
208. San Jose In The Civil War, 1917-06-16
208. San Jose In The Civil War Part II, 1917-06-18
209. Oldest Business Firm, 1917-06-19
210. Magnetic Telegraph, 1917-06-20
211. First Train East, 1917-06-21
212. San Jose's Great Scientist, 1917-06-22
213. Letters Of 1851, 1917-06-23
214. Oldest Hotel Man, 1917-06-25
215. San Jose's Greatest Architect, 1917-06-26
216. Oldest Banker, 1917-06-27
217. Before Protestant Churches, 1917-06-28
218. First Methodists In San Jose, 1917-06-29
219. First Presbyterian Church, 1917-06-30
220. The Oldest Methodist, 1917-07-02
221. First Methodist Church South, 1917-07-03
222. Oldest Protestant Church Building, 1917-07-04
223. Completing First Telegraph Line, 1917-07-05
224. American Schools in Fifties, 1917-07-06
225. First Newspapers Part I, 1917-07-07
225. First Newspapers Part II, 1917-07-09
226. With Sherman To The Sea Part I, 1917-07-10
226. With Sherman To The Sea Part II, 1917-07-11
226. With Sherman To The Sea Part III, 1917-07-12
226. With Sherman To the Sea Part IV, 1917-07-13
226. With Sherman To The Sea Part VI, 1917-07-14 - s/b Part V
226. With Sherman To The Sea Part VI-2, 1917-07-16
226. With Sherman To The Sea Part VII, 1917-07-17
226. With Sherman To the Sea Part VIII, 1917-07-18
227. General Sherman In San Jose, 1917-07-19
229. San Jose's Grand Old Man, 1917-07-20
229. Early Theaters Part I, 1917-07-21
230. Oldest Opera House, 1917-07-23
231. Founder of Brohaska's Theater, 1917-07-24
232. Oldest Impresario, 1917-07-25
233. Amateur Actors, 1917-07-26
234. San Jose's Princess, 1917-07-27
235. Sybil Sanderson's First Admirer, 1917-07-28
236. Founder Of The News, 1917-07-30
237. San Jose's Oldest Mill Man, 1917-07-31
238. Master of Thrills, 1917-08-01
239. San Jose's Great Animal Painter, 1917-08-02
240. San Jose's Great Inventor, 1917-08-03
241. Chinese In San Jose, 1917-08-04
242. Old School Tragedy, 1917-08-06
243. First Railway Conductor, 1917-08-07
244. Railroad Celebration Barbecue, 1917-08-08
245. Home Guard In civil War, 1917-08-09
246. Czar Reed In San Jose, 1917-08-10
247. Introduction Of Palms, 1917-08-11
248. Oldest Musician, 1917-08-13
249. New Almaden in 1849, 1917-08-14
250. Teaming For New Almaden, 1917-08-15
251. Riding With Murietta, 1917-08-16
252. Los Gatos' First Inhabitant, 1917-08-17
253. Drought In 1864, 1917-08-18
254. Pioneer Charles E. Wade, 1917-08-20
255. Oldest Brewery, 1917-08-21
256. Oldest Lumber Man Part I, 1917-08-22
257. Oldest Lumber Man Part II, 1917-08-23
258, Saving The Redwoods, 1917-08-24
259. With A Pioneer To Alviso, 1917-08-25
260. Alviso's Adobe, 1917-08-27
261. Oldest Well Borer, 1917-08-28
262. Founders Of Notre Dame Convent, 1917-08-29
263. Notre Dame Founders In Oregon, 1917-08-30
264. Coming Of Sisters To San Jose, 1917-08-31
265. Early Struggles Of Sisters, 1917-09-01
266. First Growth Of Notre Dame, 1917-09-03
267. Faith Rewarded, 1917-09-04
268. Old Convent Days, 1917-09-05
269. Poetess Of Notre Dame, 1917-09-06
270. Miss Fitzgerald Of Mossy Woodland, 1917-09-07
271. Sister Mary Catherine's Memoirs, 1917-09-08
272. Sister Mary Catherine's Memoirs, 1917-09-10
272. Sister Mary Catherine's Memoirs Part II, 1917-09-10
273. Sister Catherine's Memoirs Part III, 1917-09-11
274. Historic Floods, 1917-09-13
275. Organizer of Pioneers, 1917-09-14
276. Mountain Charley, 1917-09-15
277. Beginning Of Water Company, 1917-09-17
278. US Gov And Santa Clara Mission, 1917-09-18
279. Diplomacy With Santa Clara Mission, 1917-09-19
280. Changing Alcaldes in 1847, 1917-09-20
281. Election Troubles in 1847, 1917-09-21
282. Sherman and Gov Mason at New Almaden, 1917-09-22
283. Artment Beginning Of The Fire Dep, 1917-09-24
284. Life Of Fireman in 1850s, 1917-09-25
285. Life Of Early Firemen, 1917-09-26
286. Ex-Chief Bill D Brown, 1917-09-27
287. Ex-Chief Brown's Recall Elections, 1917-09-28
288. Life of Our Old Firemen, 1917-09-29
289. Organizing Hook And Ladder Company, 1917-10-01
290. Famous Old Fires, 1917-10-02
291. Big Fires Of Old, 1917-10-03
292. Father Of Fire Department, 1917-10-04
293. Torrent Volunteers, 1917-10-05
294. Exempt Volunteers, 1917-10-06
295. Franklin Fire Volunteers, 1917-10-08
296. Alert Volunteers, 1917-10-09
297. Changing The Fire Dept, 1917-10-10
298. Flag Boy of Hook And Ladders, 1917-10-11
299. Governor's Mansions, 1917-10-12
300. Introduction Of Gas, 1917-10-13
301. San Jose's First Photographer, 1917-10-15
302. Oldest Janitor in San Jose, 1917-10-16
303. Old Hotels, 1917-10-17
304. Oldest Student at Santa Clara Univ, 1917-10-18
305. Visiting in San Pedro Street, 1917-10-19
306. One Of The Dons, 1917-10-20
307. Eating Pancakes With Fremont, 1917-10-22
308. San Juan Bautista in the Forties, 1917-10-23
309. Murietta In San Jose, 1917-10-24
310. How San Jose Lost The State University, 1917-10-25 - Correction Letter To The Editor - Reply
311. Oldest Methodist Church Records, 1917-10-26
312. Pancho Daniel, Bad Man, 1917-10-27
313. San Juan Bautista Transformed, 1917-10-29
314. Murietta Gambling In San Jose, 1917-10-30
315. First Landscape Gardener, 1917-10-31
316. Christmas Sport Of Fifty Years Ago, 1917-11-01
317. Rockefeller Incog In San Jose, 1917-11-02
318. First Commercial Bodies, 1917-11-03
319. Early Physicians Part I, 1917-11-05
320. Murietta Shopping Near San Jose, 1917-11-06
321. Story Of Alum Rock Park, 1917-11-07
322. Early Physicians Part II, 1917-11-08
323. Old Jail Breaks, 1917-11-09
324. Father Of Free Public Library, 1917-11-10
325. Felipe, The Terrible, 1917-11-12
326. Before Physicians Came, 1917-11-13
327. Story Of Plaza Part I, 1917-11-14
327. Story Of Plaza Part II, 1917-11-15
328. Washington Square, 1917-11-16
329. Women Church Builders, 1917-11-19 - printed out of date order
330. St James Square, 1917-11-17
331. First Normal School Part I, 1917-11-20
332. Normal School Comes To San Jose Part II, 1917-11-21
333. Early Normal Life And Teachers, 1917-11-22
334. Old Pleasure Gardens, 1917-11-23
335. Santa Clara's Greatest Bull And Bear Fight, 1917-11-24
336. Santa Clara County's Greatest Social Event, 1917-11-26
337. Lawers Of Forty Nine, 1917-11-27
338. Postoffices And Postmasters Part I, 1917-11-28
338. Postoffices And Postmasters Part II, 917-11-29
339. Santa Clara's Strong Woman, 1917-11-30
340. Saratoga's Cannon, 1917-12-01