 Benjamin
Campbell, Campbell's founder, came West in 1846 with his family.
His father, William, is noted for having surveyed the cities of
San Jose and Santa Clara, and for starting a sawmill near the
town of Saratoga. In 1851, Benjamin Campbell bought 160 acres
and planted it with hay and grain. This acreage later became
Campbell's historical downtown core.
In 1878, Mr.
Campbell sold an acre of his land for $5 to the railroad and,
by1887, the first subdivision was recorded west of the railroad
from Campbell Avenue to the spot where the Water Tower Plaza now
stands. The area became the center for shipping fruit, and
within a short period of time, the drying grounds and canneries
made Campbell an important rail center. The Campbell Fruit
Growers' Union became a well known cooperative with its 17-acre
drying yard.
There were three
major canneries in Campbell the J.C. Ainsley Packing Company,
Hyde Cannery, and Payne Cannery. Most of the output of high
quality fruit from the Ainsley Cannery was shipped to England.
Ainsley Park, located between Harrison and the railroad tracks,
commemorates the man and his cannery. Of special interest in the
park are two giant black walnut trees that were planted by the
Swope family, descendants of Benjamin Campbell.
With all the
industry, Campbell needed a bank, and in 1895, the Bank of
Campbell was established at the corner of Campbell and Central
Avenues. The Bank of Campbell, now called the Farley Building,
is Campbell's oldest commercial building. President Theodore
Roosevelt visited Campbell in 1903. He came at the request of
Professor J. Fred Smith, the first principal of Campbell Union
High School. While here, President Roosevelt planted a redwood
tree on the school grounds. The Campbell Union High School
closed its doors in 1980 and now serves as a community center,
providing a meeting place for a variety of clubs and
organizations. Campbell was first known for its churches, which
once directed community life. Later, the Board of Trade became
the leading community service. The Board of Trade is now known
as the Campbell Chamber of Commerce.
Campbell was
officially incorporated as a city in 1952. City offices occupied
several buildings, such as Fire House No. 1 and the old
Congregational Church, before the official City Hall was built.
Campbell has grown from a small farming community with a
population of approximately 5,000 to a progressive community
with a population of over 38,000.
|
