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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Resolution 21-060 Point of Interest Marker -Glen Una RanchRESOLUTION NO: 21-060 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA AUTHORIZING THE INSTALLATION OF A POINT OF INTEREST MARKER FOR "GLEN UNA RANCH" WHEREAS, on February 1, 2017, the City Council of the City of Saratoga adopted Resolution No. 17- 007 which authorized a process for establishing Point of Interest Markers to increase knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the City's past by commemorating events and places that are identified with the region that are no longer in existence, and WHEREAS, the City Council determined on February 1, 2017, that a site marked as a Point of Interest does not signify the site as a cultural or historical resource, is not identifying a heritage site nor is it to be associated with the Saratoga's Heritage Resources Inventory, and WHEREAS, Dr. George Handy purchased 450 acres of land in 1883 in Saratoga to grow fruit. He spent the next 10 years planting cherries, pears, grapes and prunes. He named the canyon Glen Una after his daughter Una, and WHEREAS, Handy sold the ranch in 1891 to George W. Hume, owner of Pacific Coast Salmon Canneries. Hume gave the ranch to his son, Frank H. Hume. Frank married Una Handy in 1892. Frank Hume expanded the ranch to 680 acres, the largest prune ranch in the world. He created a model self-sufficient farm with private water works, electric power plant, paint shed and blacksmith shop, and WHEREAS, the Heritage Preservation Commission has recommended that a Point of Interest Marker be installed at the intersection of Saratoga -Los Gatos Road and Austin Way to identify the site of the Glen Una Ranch, and WHEREAS, the text for the proposed marker was drafted, reviewed and edited by the Heritage Preservation Commission and the Director of Community Development, and WHEREAS, the Director of Public Works reviewed and recommended the marker location within Wildwood Park, in consultation with the Heritage Preservation Commission and the Director of Community Development, and WHEREAS, this action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act because there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment (CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3)). NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Saratoga hereby: 1) Authorizes the final text shown in Exhibit F to the staff report for this resolution and marker design described in the staff report for this resolution; 2) Authorizes the location to install the Point of Interest Marker shown in Attachment H to the staff report for this resolution; and 3)Authorizes the Director of Community Development and the Director of Public Works to proceed 1 with contracting for the manufacturing and installation of the marker in cooperation with the property owner. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Saratoga on this 211t day of July 2021 by the following vote: AYES: Mayor Yan Zhao, Vice Mayor Tina Walia, Council Members Mary -Lynne Bernald, Kookie Fitzsimmons, Rishi Kumar NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: Yan Mao, Mayor Attest: Date: % % /Zo 2-/ IYG15bie E retschneider, City Clerk 1235572.1 2 GLEN UNA RANCH -- LARGEST PRUNE RANCH IN THE WORLD 1883-1919 DR. GEORGE HANDY RETIRED AS AN EYE SPECIALIST IN SAN FRANCISCO AND PURCHASED 450 ACRES OF LAND IN 1883 IN SARATOGA TO GROW FRUIT. HE SPENT THE NEXT 10 YEARS PLANTING CHERRIES, PEARS, GRAPES AND PRUNES. HE NAMED THE CANYON "GLEN UNA" AFTER HIS DAUGHTER UNA. IN 1891, HE SOLD THE RANCH TO GEORGE W. HUME, OWNER OF PACIFIC COAST SALMON CANNERIES. HUME GAVE THE RANCH TO HIS SON, FRANK H. HUME. FRANK MARRIED UNA HANDY IN 1892. FRANK HUME EXPANDED THE RANCH TO 680 ACRES MAKING IT THE LARGEST PRUNE RANCH IN THE WORLD. HE CREATED A MODEL SELF-SUFFICIENT FARM WITH PRIVATE WATER WORKS, AN ELECTRIC POWER PLANT, A PAINT SHED AND A BLACKSMITH SHOP. HE INSTALLED A TELEPHONE AS WELL AS ELECTRIC LIGHTS. GRAVELED ROADS WERE CONSTANTLY REPAIRED USING HIS OWN GRAVEL PIT AND SPRINKLING WAGONS. WATER WAS PIPED FROM THE SPRINGS TO EVERY BUILDING. WORK INVOLVING THE PACKING OF DRIED FRUIT WAS DONE AT NIGHT TO KEEP THE DRIED FRUIT CLEAN. FRANK EMPLOYED 25 MEN YEAR-ROUND AND 75 TO 100 WERE EMPLOYED DURING HARVEST TIME. THE PRUNES WERE PACKED IN BOXES LABELED "GLEN UNA PRUNES." EACH DAY A WHISTLE COULD BE HEARD OVER 10 MILES AWAY AND BLOWN SIGNIFYING WORK WAS DONE, CAUSING ALL THE LOCAL COYOTES TO HOWL. HIS HOME, CALLED DOTSWOOD, WAS A CENTER OF ENTERTAINMENT. DOTSWOOD HOSTED WELL-KNOWN ARTISTS, WRITERS, AND PEOPLE IN THE THEATER AND SPORTED THE VALLEY'S FIRST PRIVATE SWIMMING POOL. THE RANCH WAS SOLD IN 1919 AND SUBDIVIDED.