Mtn. Review Special Edition Late Summer 2020 | Page 10

MV Q&A
Due to shelter-in-place, the MVHA had to cancel all of our in-person events over the past six months. To help
make up for it, we turned our Facebook page into an on-going Q&A session on Mountain View history. Some
highlights are shared below! Join the conversation at: facebook.com/MVHistory .
Lucas R. shared the newspaper clipping below and asked:
Q:
“What was the “Mountain View
Community Council”?”
A: Father
Leonard Bose was founding pastor of St. Athanasius Catholic Church of
Mountain View and a member of the “Mountain View Community Council,” a former
name of the Community Services Agency (CSA) in Mountain View. The CSA’s website
(www.csacares.org/about-csa/history/) nicely summarizes the organization’s history.
Here’s an excerpt that explains the name changes over the years:
“CSA has grown from humble origins. In 1957, a group of Mountain View residents,
concerned about the welfare of low-income families in the city, gathered to talk
about the plight of the local migrant farm workers. They decided to form the
Mountain View Welfare Council to address the needs of this population. Within a
year, the council was incorporated, and it was planning its first sharing of holiday
gifts for families.
By 1967, the interests of the council had expanded to include housing issues,
immigration issues, and the needs of senior citizens. Accordingly, its name was
changed to the Mountain View Community Council.
With a move into larger, permanent office space in 1974, the organization changed
its name once again, this time to Mountain View Community Services, reflecting the
increasing services provided, such as meals and counseling.
CSA assumed its present name, Community Services Agency, in 1982, in recognition
of a client base that extends through Los Altos to Los Altos Hills.”
As we make our way through the current crisis, let’s find inspiration in the CSA’s
history and remember to look out for one another, and especially for those who
are most vulnerable in these challenging times. We’re all in this together.
Renee S. asked:
Q: A:
“We just moved into 990 California
(renters)—some parts are in great
(original?) condition! Can you tell us
more about this house’s history?”
990 California Street was the home of Elbert (aka Bert) Zivley Hitchcock and Mary
Hitchcock, built c. 1905. You can see the couple pictured here in the older, circa 1915,
photo. We couldn’t find much information about Bert in our digital archives, but we
were able to learn more about Mary. Mary came from a prominent Irish family with
deep roots in Mountain View. Her father was James Campbell, who came to Mountain
View from Ireland in 1862. James married Margaret Leornard Burke, also a native of
Ireland, in Mountain View. For 16 years they were tenant ranchers at the Hale Ranch in
modern-day Los Altos where they grew grain and raised stock. They later moved to San
Mateo County and continued ranching.
In 1890 the couple returned to Mountain View and built a home at 394 Franklin Street
(the house still stands today). Mary was one of their 10 children. Mary married Elbert
on March 4, 1901. The couple had a daughter who passed away at a very young age.
We’ve been waiting to get permission to use a historic photo we found of Mary and
Bert sitting inside the house’s living room from a private collection, but haven’t heard
back from the owner yet. If we do get permission, we’ll follow up with more photos!
Jill H. saw our response and replied:
990 California Street c.
“They are related to
me—my uncle lived
in the home until his
death—I loved going
inside, it was like a
mansion to me!”
990 California Street circa 1977
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