Community Corner
Thanksgiving at the Los Gatos Tevis Estate in 1917
After the 1906 earthquake destroyed the mansion he had just purchased near Los Gatos, Dr. Harry L. Tevis built an even more impressive residence.
In early 1906, Dr. Harry L. Tevis purchased a vast estate just south of Los Gatos near the town of Alma from James C. Flood.
Tevis was a graduate of the University of California Medical School and an associate of Senator George Hearst in the firm of Haggin and Tevis.
On April 18, 1906, the 40-room mansion on the property suffered major earthquake damage and had to be demolished.
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When Tevis rebuilt shortly thereafter, he incorporated sophisticated planting areas and irrigation systems for his prized dahlias and roses, a craftsman style stable for his Tennessee walking horses and a clubhouse for entertaining that also served as his library.
In this 1917 photograph, the dining table in the clubhouse is lavishly set for a Thanksgiving feast.
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Tevis died in 1931 and in 1934 the Jesuits purchased the property and established Alma College. The clubhouse served as their chapel.
Source: Hooked on Los Gatos, the Library and Museum History Project
