ECV1850 Plaque:
Keesling's Shade Trees

[ Photo of Clyde Arbuckle with plaque. ]

Historian Clyde Arbuckle
at the dedication ceremony.

[ Photo of plaque. ]

KEESLING'S SHADE TREES
THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA BLACK WALNUT TREES SEEN ALONG THIS HIGHWAY OWE THEIR EXISTENCE TO HORTICULTURIST HORACE G. KEESLING OF SAN JOSE. WHILE PASSING THIS WAY BY CAMP WAGON ON A BLISTERING SUMMER DAY IN 1900, KEESLING COULD FIND NO ROAD- SIDE TREE OFFERING ENOUGH SHADE TO RELIEVE HIS SWELTERING FAMILY AND HORSES, WHERE- UPON, HE RESOLVED TO "PLANT SHADE" - - AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. THE RESULT WAS A 30-MILE ROW OF TREES ON EACH SIDE OF THE ROAD FROM SAN JOSE TO GILROY, A PROJECT THAT KEESLING, ASSISTED BY HIS SON HAYES, FINISHED IN 1911. AND EXCEPT FOR STRETCHES WHERE URBAN GROWTH AND MODERN HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION HAVE DE- MANDED REMOVAL, THESE TREES STILL SERVE THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH THEY WERE PLANTED.
CALIFORNIA REGISTERED POINT OF HISTORICAL INTEREST NUMBER SCL-056 DEDICATED NOVEMBER 23, 1985 by CALIFORNIA PIONEERS OF SANTA CLARA CO. AND MOUNTAIN CHARLIE CHAPTER No. 1850. E CLAMPUS VITUS. "RIGHT WRONGS NOBODY"

KEESLING'S
SHADE TREES

THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA BLACK WALNUT
TREES SEEN ALONG THIS HIGHWAY OWE THEIR
EXISTENCE TO HORTICULTURIST HORACE G.
KEESLING OF SAN JOSE. WHILE PASSING THIS
WAY BY CAMP WAGON ON A BLISTERING SUMMER
DAY IN 1900, KEESLING COULD FIND NO ROAD-
SIDE TREE OFFERING ENOUGH SHADE TO RELIEVE
HIS SWELTERING FAMILY AND HORSES, WHERE-
UPON, HE RESOLVED TO "PLANT SHADE" - - AT
HIS OWN EXPENSE.

THE RESULT WAS A 30-MILE ROW OF TREES ON
EACH SIDE OF THE ROAD FROM SAN JOSE TO
GILROY, A PROJECT THAT KEESLING, ASSISTED
BY HIS SON HAYES, FINISHED IN 1911. AND
EXCEPT FOR STRETCHES WHERE URBAN GROWTH
AND MODERN HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION HAVE DE-
MANDED REMOVAL, THESE TREES STILL SERVE
THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH THEY WERE PLANTED.

CALIFORNIA REGISTERED POINT OF
HISTORICAL INTEREST NUMBER SCL-056
DEDICATED NOVEMBER 23, 1985 by
CALIFORNIA PIONEERS OF SANTA CLARA CO.
AND MOUNTAIN CHARLIE CHAPTER No. 1850.
E CLAMPUS VITUS.
"RIGHT WRONGS NOBODY"

This plaque is located on the west side
of Monterey Highway (State Route 82),
(next to the train tracks) in
San Jose.
Santa Clara County, CA.

0.5 (one-half) mile south of Capitol Expressway, or
0.34 mile south of Senter Road, or
0.16 mile north of Skyway Drive.

Note: There is no stopping or parking
allowed on this part of Monterey Highway.
Park at one of the nearby businesses
on the east side of the road between
Skyway and Senter Road and carefully
cross the busy highway on foot.

GPS Keesling's Shade Trees
WGS84 Datum
N 37.27416°
W 121.38162°

ECV1850 Plaque: Keesling's Shade Trees

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ECV1850 Plaque:
Keesling's Shade Trees

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