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Pellier Historical Park
Louis Pellier brought his native
prune plant to this country in 1849, after leaving France for the
warm Santa Clara Valley, where this unusual plant would become the
dominating agricultural feature for almost a century. Louis came
here during the gold rush days and headed for the northern mines up
by Redding. He and his partner, Giacomo Yocco, tried to strike it
rich, like all the other prosecutors trying to find the rich veins
or grounds where the dust could be scooped up like dirt and make
them millionaires. Before they were completely broke, they quit the
mining business and headed back to San Francisco, where they found
apples selling for a dollar a piece. They soon realized that perhaps
agriculture was a better chance for developing a thriving and
profitable business, so Pellier moved to San Diego and began a
nursery at the property that is where San Pedro and St. James
Streets meet today. Pellier knew about the success of French prunes,
so he sent his younger brother, Pierre, back to France to get Louis'
fiancée and collect various prunings of peach, apple, prune, plum,
cherry and pear cuttings back to the new territory. The special
cuttings would be placed inside two large trunks to make the long
journey and the 500 pound shipment arrived safely in San Francisco
in 1856, then shipped in a steam paddle wheel boat and finally in a
wagon to San Jose. The cuttings were then planted and soon
flourished with over a 100,000 acres of the plentiful valley covered
in the fruit trees in their heyday, with 52,000 acres in prune trees
alone. A small park would be raised in his honor and his important
role in the creation of the city in 1977, and although it is located
there, it never opened because a constant lack of funding kept it
from happening; although it is presently being refurbished by
developer Barry Swenson, who is building a project next to it and
will eventually open after waiting for 30 years. However, at
this writing, the small park is barren with only a few unhealthy
looking prune trees, and some faded plaques. The heavy iron gate is
rusted shut, and it has become the most barren place in the city.
There is a sign next to it that reads "Site of City Gardens Nursery
of Louis Pellier, native of France and founder of California's prune
industry, came to California in 1849. In October 1850, he
established a nursery called "City Gardens" on this site. Here,
aided by his brothers Pierre and Jean, he introduced the French
prune, "La Petite D'Agen," during the winter of 1856 and 1857." The
small park was dedicated on November 29, 1977, the bicentennial of
the city.
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