Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Mary Foster, curator at the Forbes Mill Museum, demonstrates how this pedal sewing machine from the late 19th century operated.

Exhibit takes new look at old Los Gatos

By Bob Aldrich

"The milk of human kindness is not pasteurized."

That's a sign that Kenneth Peake posted for years at his Claravale Dairy Farm in Monte Sereno. Currently it's on view at Forbes Mill Museum, 75 Church St., where "A New Look at Old Los Gatos" opened May 4.

Among the varied memorabilia is a case filled with items from Peake's farm, including a stack of hay with a toy cat perched on top, milk cans and bottles, pitchfork, bale cutter and a cowbell that belonged to a favorite bovine named Romance. Photographs and paintings of the dairy farm are posted in this part of the exhibit.

Besides the farm display, Forbes Mill curator Mary Foster has assembled enough photographs, paintings, souvenirs, apparel, artifacts and mementos to give any local resident a nostalgic twinge and to catch the attention of out-of-town visitors.

One display pays special heed to two distinguished Santa Cruz mountain artists who achieved renown in their time. George Dennison (1873-1966) and Frank Ingerson (1880-1968) created various art works, from elaborate needlepoint to paintings and ornate sculpture. Their Ark of the Covenant, commissioned for Temple Emanuel in San Francisco, is pictured in this exhibit, along with photographs of the artists. Some samples from their work are shown along with Dennison's two-volume A Bundle of Thoughts.

Dennison and Ingerson lived on the Menuhin family property at Alma and were close friends of violinist Yehudi Menuhin and young Olivia DeHavilland, whom they aided in the beginning of her career.

On a homier level, there is a display of the flatirons used in Grandma's day, old-time carpenters' planes, and an 1880s-90s Wilcox & Gibbs pedal sewing machine, plus a collection of early typewriters.

Among these are a 1920s Underwood, a Smith and a Corona (two different makes in the early 1900s), and Remington, as well as an ancient Marchant adding machine.

Award-winning paintings of town landmarks that were submitted in the 1987 Los Gatos Centennial competition also are on view. They include Ken Schirle's Forbes Mill; R. M. McNamara's Novitiate; Pat Young's Old Town; William Cunningham's Los Gatos High School; and Jeanine Gensiracusa's Los Gatos train depot.

The Claravale farm display features a reprint of a story about the farm by former reporter Tracy Palazzo from the Nov. 1, 1995 Los Gatos Weekly-Times and an editorial headed "Monte Sereno Wants Dairy." Photographs by Barbara Saulus picture Peake, his cows and scenes of the milking and bottling process. Paintings of Claravale farm sites are by Millicent Bishop, Stephanie Durston, Katherine Politopoulous and Ted Glauser.

One case is filled with women's dresses, gloves, handbags and other apparel items, some dating to 1830 and 1903. They are from the museum's permanent collection.

Photographs of Forbes Mill are accompanied by a printed account of "Don Diego" (James Alexander) Forbes, who built the mill in 1853.

Foster has taped 87 video interviews with longtime Los Gatos residents, most of which have been shown on KCAT, Channel 6. These are available for viewing at the museum.

"A New Look at Old Los Gatos" will continue through Sept 1. It will be followed by an exhibit about old Los Gatos schools. Forbes Mill Museum is open Wed.-Sun., noon to 4 p.m. There is no admission charge.