By Khalida Sarwari
It’s a fact most South Bay old-timers know but newbies and transplants may find unfamiliar: Long before the birth of Silicon Valley, the region used to be overrun with orchards, canneries and trees that produced real apples and other fruit. Back then, when Del Monte ruled the land and before Google existed, the area was known as “The Valley of Heart’s Delight.”
This is the era that the Fruit Cocktail Club wants the world to see more of.
The group, whose members are all Willow Glen natives, is in the business of collecting archived newsreels, clips and video footage, some even dating back to the 1890s, and digitizing them not only for posterity but to screen at various events around the Valley. Formed in 1995, the Fruit Cocktail Club is an offshoot of the California Pioneers of Santa Clara County, another local group that works to promote, preserve and celebrate the history of Santa Clara County, with members that once served in the agricultural workforce.
On Jan. 24, the Saratoga Historical Foundation will host the group at the Foothill Club for the first-ever screening of its film, “Soil Before Silicon,” an exploration of the agricultural age and the rise of technology in the ’20s, ’40s and ’60s. The film begins with a train scene in San Francisco and winds down at a beach in Santa Cruz, showcasing locally shot orchard footage. According to Fruit Cocktail Club member Bill Foley, each film is customized based on the screening’s audience, so “Soil Before Silicon” will include footage of downtown Saratoga in 1950 that was shot by a local firefighter.
“(It) shows all the different businesses he would walk past and places he’d frequent,” he said. “It’s neat because you still see some of the same buildings that a lot of people will recognize.”
The best part, said Foley, is that the footage from the firefighter is of high quality, given that it was shot on 16mm film when most people back then were using 8mm. Foley creates these types of films using a scanner and other equipment that can digitize old film footage. It’s a labor of love that he started about 10 years ago.
“The idea was Bill Foley’s,” said Jim Zetterquist, a founding member of the Fruit Cocktail Club and president of the California Pioneers of Santa Clara County. “We’d collected books, ephemeral materials furnishings, all kind of things that dated back to the 1850s, but what we didn’t have—and nobody else seemed to be doing it back then—we spent over $15,000 on acquiring equipment that could digitize old film footage.”
The Fruit Cocktail Club boasts an impressive inventory that includes, for example, film footage taken by Thomas Edison in San Jose in the 1890s and clips of President John F. Kennedy’s visit to San Jose during his campaign for president in 1960.
The films typically last about 40 minutes, and forget about shushing any chatty neighbor in attendance; audience participation at these presentations is invited and welcomed.
“We tell everybody put all your manners your mother taught you aside,” said Zetterquist. “If you see someone (you recognize), shout out: ‘Hey I know that person!’”
The idea, said Zetterquist, is to create a shared experience that brings people together.
“Part of this is to just promote fellowship among the residents of Santa Clara Valley,” he said. “We share a rich culture and heritage.”
The Saratoga Historical Foundation’s screening on Jan. 24 will begin with a potluck at 6:30 p.m., followed by the film screening at 7:30 p.m. Those participating in the potluck are asked to bring food to share and their own utensils and cups. The film will be free for members, while non-members will be asked to make a $5 donation. The event will take place at the Saratoga Foothill Club, 20399 Park Place in Saratoga.
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