By Carolyn Leal
Members of the American Civil War Association will recreate a battle encampment Thursday at Villa Montalvo as part of Saratoga's first Fourth of July celebration.
"We're going to set up four tents and there will be 10 to 15 of us, men and women, in period costume, with rifles and pistols," said Col. William Jones, vice president of the association. His group normally recreates Union and Confederate camps and reenacts Civil War battles, but there is not enough room at Montalvo for a battle scene, Jones said. Instead, the Fourth of July encampment will be a living history demonstration.
Saratoga's July 4 celebration, marking both Independence Day and the city's 40th birthday, will take place from 1 to 6 p.m. at the historic center for the arts, although celebrants will not be allowed to drive to the estate, off Highway 9. Instead, they will be bused free of charge to Montalvo from the main parking lot at West Valley College on Fruitvale Avenue.
City Manager Harry Peacock said the cost of the buses and other costs have been underwritten by sponsors: "It's not costing the taxpayers anything."
The staff of Saratoga Springs Resort will barbecue chicken and hamburgers. Beverages, ice cream and popcorn will be for sale, and families are invited to bring picnic lunches. Activities include a puppet show, Taiko drummers, live music and children's and family games, coordinated by the city's parks and recreation department staff.
The day gets under way at 1 p.m. with a flag ceremony by Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts.
Congressman Tom Campbell will speak at 3:30 p.m.
"We're hoping to have a thousand people, and it will be a roaring success," Peacock predicted.The list of citizens and organizations involved is "huge," he said.
Although some Montalvo neighbors have objected to the Fourth of July celebration because of noise, city officials hope to make it an annual event.
Sponsors include Villa Montalvo, which is donating use of the estate to the city, Michael Fox, Comerica Bank Cali Investments, Realty World Alain Pinel, Contempo Realty, Green Valley Disposal, Guadalupe Landfill, South Bay Cable and Pacific Gas & Electric Co.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, July 3, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved