Words by Diane Holcomb
N estled within bustling Silicon Valley lies a poignant reminder of the region’s agricultural roots—the Los Altos Heritage Orchard. Visitors to the orchard can experience the changing seasons as they watch the trees emerge from winter dormancy, erupting into spring blossoms before giving way to leafy green branches adorned with ripening fruit, then changing to a golden hue in autumn. Established 123 years ago, this orchard at the Los Altos Civic Center stands as a testament to the area’s rich farming history. In 1901, J. Gilbert Smith planted five acres of Blenheim apricot trees next to the farmhouse he built from mail-order blueprints. The young carpenter later expanded his apricot orchard to 15 acres.
In 1954, when Los Altos city founders were looking for a place to build a city hall, they opted to purchase Smith’s land. The deal included an unusual commitment: to preserve it as a working orchard. After Smith and his wife Margaret died, the city took ownership of both the orchard and the farmhouse. Now a California Historical Point of Interest and a cornerstone of Los Altos History Museum’s collection, the City of Los Altos recently entrusted the museum with revitalizing what’s now a roughly two-acre historic orchard. That work, overseen by orchardist Terrence Welch, included installing water-efficient drip irrigation, enriching the soil by using green landscaping practices and planting 289 Blenheim saplings alongside the venerable old trees. One of three heritage orchards protected by cities in the region once famously known as the Valley of Heart’s Delight, the Los Altos Heritage Orchard stands as a living connection between the past, present and future. This month, as harvest time approaches, come by for hands-on activities at the family-friendly Apricot STEM Fair on June 29.