IMAGES OF AMERICA: CAMPBELL

by Campbell Historical Museum & Ainsley House & Karen Brey, Arcadia Publishing

Book Review by Craig MacDonald

Campbell (west of San Jose) was once one of the nation's top fruit producing areas. Its apricots, prunes and cherries were shipped around the state, around the country and even around the world. No wonder the town's still called, "The Orchard City."

In 1851, Benjamin Campbell came to the area, once the home of the Ohlone Indians, and purchased 160 acres. He returned to Missouri and led a Wagon Train of 43, including his new wife, Mary, back to his Campbell farmland, which became known for its wheat & fruit. In 1888, he subdivided the land, which eventually became Downtown Campbell.

Within 5 years, the Campbell Fruit Growers Union was formed (grower-owned companies and coops). The Union would later merge into another group that would become Sunsweet.

The fascinating history of Campbell, and how it developed into a Fruit leader and much more, has been wonderfully put together with photos and words by Karen Brey, the caring and competent curator of the Campbell Historical Museum, and others.

Campbell had some of the first canneries in California—pictures show women sorting the fruit. In 1886, J.C. Ainsley, a native of England, came to Campbell, worked on farms before purchasing land.

The creative gent began experimenting with canning fruit on a stove. In 1891, he produced the first 1,000 cases of canned fruit, which he exported to England, where his brother distributed it.

The Aimsley Packing Company became a gigantic success. The firm was the first to market Fruit Salad (fruit too small to be canned separately). It also came up with Fruit Cocktail (diced fruits).

By 1929, the company produced more than 300,000 cases of canned fruit, which was sent to England & all over. It averaged producing from 5,000 to 6,000 tons of fruit a year!

J.C. Ainsley, the largest employer in Campbell, really cared for his 750 employees. He provided childcare & even a kindergarten; a nurse; built cottages for workers & offered everyone low-cost lunches.

This great book shares numerous photos of the owners, workers, fruit labels, nursery playground & more.

One of the most incredible things the author provides is a World War I letter from a soldier. In 1918, Ainsley received a Bluebell Brand Apricots label in the mail & a very thoughtful note from Cpl. Nelson Welburn, C" 316 Engineers.

On the battlefield of Belgium, Welburn couldn't believe his eyes. Atop a demolished tank, he spotted a can of apricots. He licked the can clean & had not had such a delicacy for many months. "Accept my profound thanks for the individual who can grow & can such a luxury. Amid this scene of desolation, death and destruction, it came like a gift from Heaven," he wrote.

In 1933, Ainsley sold his business to the Drew Canning Company, which later was sold to Hunts Food.

Readers will also learn about other history, businesses, education, community life and landmarks, such as the huge Pruneyard Shopping Center complex on South Bascom Avenue.

This book is chock-full of super local tidbits:

Campbell had the First Rural Route in the West! (mobile, horse-drawn post offices that carried stamps & postcards). The experiment was so successful, 14 Rural Routes were established in California by 1899.

The Mission Chicken Hatchery could ship 25,000 chicks to Utah, Idaho and elsewhere.

John Blaine invented the 3-legged Orchard Ladder, used to harvest fruit.

The Moreland School District, established in the early 1850s, is the Oldest Rural School District still operating in the state. Teachers used to live in various student's homes.

In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt visited Campbell & planted a tree on the proposed high school grounds.

The girls at Campbell High School had a basketball team before the boys.

Speaking of women, Maud Hyde was President of the Campbell Water Company. In 1908, a Reading Club, Pundita Circle ("learned women"), was created.

In 1863, Union School was built by local ranchers, who were pro-Union in the Civil War.

In the early 20th Century, a family of 5 paid $1 a month for water from the Campbell Water Tank.

In 1912, Campbell Volunteer Firemen paid $1 for their own badge.

Campbell, San Jose, Los Gatos & Santa Clara County helped create the very popular Los Gatos Creek Trail, which runs from San Jose, south through Campbell and Los Gatos. The Campbell section has a 3 mile paved walk/jog/bike path and a par course. (This same creek helped water the fruit trees that made Campbell & Santa Clara County world famous!)

Thanks to Karen Brey, the Campbell Historical Museum & Ainsley House, and everyone else involved in preserving this notable history, which gives us a real glimpse of an amazing California community that's still booming today.

(Editor's Note: The reviewer, who once lived in Campbell, appeared in print for the first time in The Campbell Press more than 60 years ago. (A poem, "The Bee in a Tree.") He lived near Billy Wilson, once the greatest end in San Francisco 49er history, and pulled his sister's wagon door-to-door throughout the town, as she sold Girl Scout Cookies.)