Saratoga Historical Foundation Museum

Located in Saratoga Historical Park, this local history museum is housed in a commercial building that was constructed in 1905 and originally stood on Lumber Street. The building was moved to this spot in 1975 to be converted into a museum which was dedicated on July 4th, 1976, during celebrations for the American Bicentennial. Just feet away from the museum is one of the oldest houses in Saratoga, the McWilliams House (20460 Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd.). The McWilliams House dates back to around the 1850s and it was moved to its present location to save it from demolition in 1973. 

Martin and Hannah McCarty were the first settlers to survey and plat out an area in Santa Clara County in 1852 that came to be known as McCartysville. McCarty was an Irish immigrant who was a veteran of the Mexican American War and moved from New Orleans to California as part of the Gold Rush. He married Hannah, a recent Irish immigrant, around 1852 in San Jose. The young couple applied for a homestead claim of 320 acres in the West Valley. They built and rented out buildings and sold lots in their new town overlooking Saratoga Creek. The town had to be replatted in 1862, since some of the acreage was found to belong to the Quito Rancho; the McCarty's had to re-purchase some of the land. The village's main business street was Lumber Street, which headed into the hills and nearby lumber mills. Martin McCarty died in an accident in 1864, leaving Hannah with four young children. The village was renamed Saratoga in 1865. Hannah donated some of her land along Oak Street for a village school; she lived until 1893.

Residential development of the Village of Saratoga increased after the introduction of an interurban railway system from San Jose to Los Gatos in 1904. The annual blossom festival, held at Saratoga since 1900, also brought the area into view of thousands of visitors. Several residential districts sprang up in the 1910s. A grand estate, Villa Montalvo, was built nearby in 1912 by the mayor of San Francisco (now the Montalvo Arts Center; also a Clio entry). Around 400 people called Saratoga home by 1918. The city incorporated in 1956, partly to save it from being annexed by San Jose.

Florence Russell Cunningham established the Saratoga Historical Foundation (SHF) in 1962. Miss Cunningham was a history teacher and chair of the History Committee of a local women's club, the Foothill Club. She bequeathed her extensive collection of local memorabilia and funds to start a local history museum. The museum is housed in a 1905 commercial building that originally stood on Lumber Street (now Big Basin Way). The building, which had held the Swanee Dress Shop since 1950, was moved to this spot in 1975 and was renovated to become the museum. The architectural style is Western Falsefront, with a tall front wooden wall extending taller than the roof. The museum was dedicated on July 4th, 1976, during celebrations for the American Bicentennial.

Just feet away from the museum is one of the oldest houses in Saratoga, the McWilliams House (20460 Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd.). The McWilliams House dates to around the 1850s and was built by blacksmith Henry Jarboe. In 1864, another blacksmith, James McWilliams, purchased the house. McWilliams was an immigrant from Scotland and lived in the house with his wife, Martha, and their daughters; his blacksmith shop was nearby. The house was owned by the McWilliams family until 1900, when James died of a brain hemorrhage at age 64; his wife passed away in 1899. To save it from demolition, the McWilliams House was moved to its present location in 1973 by the SHF and is one of the highlights of Saratoga Historical Park. The town of Saratoga was named a California Historical Landmark in 1949.

The mission of the SHP is to stimulate public interest in Saratoga history; to carry on research and collect information and items related to local history; and to maintain a museum for display and archiving of the material. The SHF offers programs on Pioneer Living geared toward third and fourth grade students including hands-on experiences at the museum and the McWilliams House. They also can provide docents to provide presentations to classrooms or groups. The foundation generally depends on membership dues and fees for its operations and welcomes high school and adult volunteers. The City of Saratoga also works on preserving the exterior of the buildings in the park.

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