Around Town: Monument stands tall representing cedar trees planted nearly 100 years

This 1.39 mile of cedar trees is still largely intact

By Robert Airoldi

Robert Airoldi

A new plaque dedicated to the Highway 152 deodar cedar trees installed at the southwest corner of the roundabout on the Hecker Pass thoroughfare near Burchell Road was dedicated Aug. 17, witnessed by several dozen people. The trees were added to the National Register of Historic Places thanks in part to Connie Rogers, president of the Gilroy Historical Society.

The story begins in 1928 when the road over Mt. Madonna, connecting Gilroy to the coast, was completed. A few years later, leisure travel by car was becoming popular and many cities wanted to beautify their entrances and some others in the state planted deodar cedar trees, which were known to thrive in our climate.

Participating in the first statewide celebration of Arbor Day, the school children of Gilroy planted 75 cedars on the south side of the newly paved Highway 32 in 1930.

The following year an additional 65 trees were planted.  Local groups under the direction of the Rotary Club celebrated the new highway by beautifying the western entrance to Gilroy. In 1933 ownership of this road was transferred to the state and renamed Highway 152. Today this 1.39 mile of cedar trees is still largely intact and continues to fulfill its original purpose of welcoming visitors.

When  the bridge between Burchell Road and Gilroy Gardens was replaced about 20 years ago, CalTrans suggested removing about half a mile of the cedar trees. Meanwhile, a CalTrans historian did research and proved the trees were eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. The Gilroy Historical Society decided to make it official and used its research to complete the application for the National Register in 2007.

We got word from the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority that it has been named the Outstanding Public Transportation System among “large” transit agencies throughout North America. This award from the American Public Transportation Association honors a public transportation system member which has demonstrated achievement in efficiency and effectiveness among agencies providing more than 15 million but fewer than 50 million annual passenger trips.

“Every employee, from our maintenance workers, bus and light rail operators, middle managers, administrators, and executives, have worked extremely hard and been resilient during the past three years,” said VTA General Manager/CEO Carolyn Gonot in a press release.

The award recognizes VTA’s excellence amid unprecedented challenges during 2021 and 2022, continuing to provide essential service during COVID-19 and making significant strides in restoring service to pre-pandemic levels, after emerging from a traumatic shooting attack and a crippling cyber-attack in the spring 2021.

By the end of 2021, pandemic-impacted bus service was restored to 91 percent of pre-pandemic levels, while light rail service was at 75 percent. Success is attributed to the network redesign, which focused on high-frequency service throughout the day. Ridership growth is also a significant achievement with steady major increases during the past three years.

“VTA provides one of the most critical services our local government can offer, the ability to get people where they need to go,” said Board Chair and Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez.

U.S. News & World Report’s 2024-25 Best Hospitals listing has ranked Santa Clara Valley Medical Center’s Rehabilitation Center as the 6th in the country and the best in California. Additionally, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center was designated as “high performing” in treating patients dealing with stroke, heart failure, pneumonia and hip fracture. SCVMC is a part of Santa Clara Valley Healthcare, the County of Santa Clara’s public hospital system.

“This incredible honor is a direct result of the talent and teamwork provided by our physicians, nurses, therapists, psychologists, social workers, case managers, and others working to deliver the best possible care for our patients,” said Paul E. Lorenz, chief executive officer for Santa Clara Valley Healthcare.

Chick-fil-A is coming to South Valley. The popular fast-food chain will open a new location in Gilroy Thursday, Aug. 22 at 7060 Chestnut St. It will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The new Gilroy location brings the number of Chick-fil-A restaurants in the greater Bay Area to 24, according to the company.

In addition, a location is planned for the former Marie Callender’s and Forbes Grill on Cochrane Road in north Morgan Hill. I’ve never been, but heard their chicken sandwiches taste fabulous.