DOWNTOWN SUNNYVALE

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This boo!dct was printed to commemorate the celebration of Sunnyvale's
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WALKlNG TOUR
I OO'h anniversary.
August 25, 1912 to August 25, 2012
You are welcome to visit The Heritage Park Museum located in the
Community Center on Remington Drive and Manet
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Hours
Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday
1200 to 4:00 PM
DOWNTOWN SUNNYVALE
Other days by appointment
HERITAGE DISTRICT
For more information
Call the museum at (408) 749-0220
Or visit www.heritageparkmuseum.org/
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EARLY SUNNYVALE
In 1850, six years after crossing the Sierra Nevada, Martin Murphy Jr. and his
family settled in the Santa Clara Valley. Martin purcbased one half of the
Pastoria de las Borregas Ranchero, a total of 4800 acres for approximately $1
per acre. He called this property Bayview Ranch.
In 1864, The Central Railroad (now Southern Pacific) built a line between San
Francisco and San Jose which crossed Bayview property. The Murphy's
cooperated with the railroad by granting this land access. In tum they were given
the right to establish a "Flag Stop" ncar their ranch. They named it "Murphy's
Station." Another stop named "Lawrence Station" was located east of the ranch
on the present day border of Sunnyvale and Santa Clara. The town grew along
the railroad line. This growth and development can be credited..to W. E.
Crossman, a far-sighted Realtor. In 1898, he bought 200 acres ofthe Murphy
Estate from Martin's son, General Patrick Murphy for $38,000. Mr. Crossman
promoted the town called Encinal, renamed Sunnyvale in 190 I, incorporated in
1912 and dubbed '!he City of Destiny." The town was also promoted as an
industrial center. John Hendy was enticed with an offer of free land to relocate
his iron works from San Francisco after it was destroyed by the 1906
earthquake. Others soon to follow were Jubilee Incubator Company, Johnson
Tractor, Goldy Machine Company and Libby, McNeill & Libby Cannery.
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151 West Washington-second fire house
100 BLOCK SOUTH MURPHY AVENUE
HERITAGE LANDMARK DISTRICT
The first aU volunteer fire department was located on Evelyn east of Murphy
Station then moved to its own building at # 151. Later it became a music store.
Designated in 1987
Down the alley was a small Police Station and a jail built by Hendy Iron Works.
127 West Washington-tbird Post Office
We are fortunate today to be aIle to view Sunnyvale's early history through
the buildings on South Murphy Avenue. Many of the very early wood frame
Sunnyvale's first Post Office was known as Encinal dating from 1897. It was
buiIdings are gone but we do have our [lfst busine ss buil/ding, # 10 I now the
inside the general store at 103 S. Murphy. It relocated to 127 S. Murphy and
Thai Basil Cafe still at the comer of Evelyn and MUfll1hy Avenue. This
remained there until 1917 when it moved to West Washington.
huilding dates back to 1897 and was the location of the general store and
Sunnyvale's fust Post Office. TIle town's commercial core area developed
along Evelyn Avenue and the railroad tracks at the intersectiou of Murphy
Avenue (originally Main Street). This historic distriet characterizes the heart
of the fledg'ling city. Preservation of this significant history began in 1979
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with an in~entory of cultural resources by the Department of Community
Development. Recommendations for the protection of these resources were
made so that the "Sense of identity is made secure through the )isual
experience o[kno",-jng where the city has been and where it is headed." The
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fimt recommendation was the creation of a I city Heritage Preservation
Commission to over/see the preservation efforts within the city. Out of this
action came the designation of the 100 block of Murphy Avenue as a
HeriUlge Landmark District A Marker was placed in 1987 stating; "The 100
125 West Washington
A beauty Parlor located here was originally Desmond Jewelry.
block of South MUfllhy Avenue is the original downtown commercial district
121 West Wasbington---entrance to Edytbe Hotel
where most of the structures were built between 1900 and 1940."
C.L. Stowell built this "L" shaped concrete building in 1924 which wrapped
1929 was the [lfst year that numbers were included wi th the addresses around
aroillld the comer Bank. The ground floor on Murphy Avenue was occupied by
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downtown. Prior to that a busi ness location was described simply as "On
the Enterprise Market. The second floor housed apartments and was named after
Murphy Avenue, Sunnyvale':
his daughter Edythe. Just inside the front door was a shoe shine stand and a
public telephone.
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119 West Washington-first city offices.
193/195 South Murphy
Through this doorway were the small offices of ilie newly incorporated city of
Here is the site where W. E. Crossman's Land Company was first located. The
Sunnyvale in 1912. Here Ida Trubschenck, affectionately known as "Miss Ida"
current building was built in ] 924. In the 1930s Orton Dearborn ran a liquor
kept all official records serving as City Clerk. Later this section of the building
store. Through the years it has been Sunnyvale Hardware, a small Safeway
became Lombardo Brothen; Barber Shop.
store, H. G. Wanderer Electrical and Appliance store and Arthur's Furniture
store.
199 South Murphy
Built in 1907 by Charles C. Spalding. This impressive building was the Bank of
Sunnyvale and Mr. Spalding was the president. The facade was altered in the
1950s but the structure remains,essentially the same. In 1908 the Conservatory
of Music was on the second floor. Also upstain; were the dentist's offices of Dr.
Hall and Dr. Harry S. Thompson. Downstairs was the Mann Jewelry Shop and
Annanini Drug Store. The back room of this building in 1912 was ilie small city
office of the newly incorporated City of Sunnyvale. The room had a door iliat
In 1948 it was ilie Sunland Creamery. By 1958 it was Western Auto'9.wn ed by
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Mr. Ken Watters.
exited at 119 W. Washington.
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197 South Murphy
1711173 South Murphy
Door # 197 opens onto a stairway that leads to the second story of the bank
building. In front of the building near door # 197 there
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a plaque placed by The
In the late 1920s Henry Bull had a plumbing shop here. By 1935 it was the
Sunnyvale News Agency operated by Alfred Lanz who advertised cigars, candy,
Sunnyvale Heritage Preservation Commissi 0 n.
magazines, sheet music and notions. The following year it included the
189\191 South Murphy
Greyhound Bus Depot, its telephone number was Sunnyvale 122-W. In 1942 it
The doublc doors enter on to stairwells. # 189 on the right,leads down. At this
writing the sign on the door reads "Billiards" parlor. There is a pay phone inside.
Door # 191 leads up to the second story of the building described in # 193 and
#195. The upper floor offices of Drs. Diesner, George Hall and Dr. Tolbert
Watson had P. O. mail boxes at street level labeled 192 S. Murphy.
187 South Murphy
This structure dates to around 1924 and is called the Trubschenck Building. In
1930 James M. Gillogly ran a store for men's furnishings. In 1935 it was a
became Cockrell's Stationery then the Gonzales Shoe Shop.
165D South Murphy
Numbered 167 in 1921, this was the site of Geiger's Shaving Parlor and Bath
establishment. Variously numbered over the years but probably including
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167,168 and 169. It was a good location for Jewelers, Grocers, Confectioners, a
Christian Science Reading Room and Tnna Erickson's beauty shop. The
A,B,C,D division of addresses occurred in 1966.
grocery store owned by David Leer. Then Edward Smith opened a Jewelry store.
WALKWAY
A barber shop was operated by Bill Wetterstrom!"'ho was also the Fire Chief. It
was sold to Pete Dram who converted it to a smoke shop. By the 1940s it was
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thc State Market. Gone now is #185 incorporated into #187, In 1924 it was the
Mr. Vitale's Shoe Repair was here until 1952. Later it was Two Heels Shoe
home of Sunnyvale Plumbing.
Repair. In 1930 when there was a #161, Joseph Vitale ran the Owl Shoe Repair
175 South Murphy
The first real theater in town was located herc and on a 191 1 map it was eaUed a
Nickelodeon. In 1930 Peter's Billiard Parlor was opened. Later Rusty Harrison's
and advertised "What others cannot do, bring to me, 35 years experience." In
1956 the walkway was covered.
163 South Murphy
Farmer's Hardware was next door to Theiler's Market. The meat market that
The current building was built in 1955. An earlier building housed Hertzog's
existed at #181 disappeared in 1930. It was absorbed by a greatly renovated
restaurant in 1920. The John F. Beatty meat shop at #1 59 was gone in 1930.
building that would become the Tao Tao Restaurant.
Perry Johnson's City Cafe was here around 1946 to 1948. From 1948 to 1969,
Jerry Babbit's Copper Skillet restaurant was here.
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155 South Murpby
The building was originally a shoe repair store in 1921. In J930, Ralph Canete
and his son Ernest ran a men's furnishings store. In 1935, Mrs. Louise Mendosa
had a needle art shop which advertised "millinery and la'dies dresses,
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135 South Murphy
Now Murphy's Law, it seems this building has always been a tavern. Built in
1924 it opened as the Pastime Tavem.
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hemstitching, embroidery suppl ies, art goods and gift novelties." Rooms to let
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were on the upper story that was owned by W. R. Livingston, a jeweler and
watch repairer. Thai building burned down in the late 1930s.
151 South Murphy
Between 1935 and 1940. this building waS constructed. An earlier building on
this site was the fIrst official telephone office in Sunnyvale. The telephone
switchboard was formerly in th°e back of Cecil Stubbs stationary store. In the
1920s it became the Palace Meat Market. Later it was Fernando's Photo Studio
then a barbcr shop.
141 South Murphy
In 1920 this was Caneti Shoe Repair and by 1940 it was Sunnyvale Studio
Photographe~.
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Long gone is # 147 that was The Deluxe Barber Shop also where
Pedro (Pete) Campoy had a liquor store.
139 Soutb Murphy
133,127,125,123,121 South Murphy
Sometime between 1939 and 1941 this property was acquired by the Seijo
SWlshine Grocery was thc flfst supennarket chain storc in Sunnyvale in 1920.
famify. They built the building and moved their bakery here from its prior
Over the years there has been the Charles Mercer Spirit Shop and Carl's Fixit
location across the street from the train depot on Evelyn. #121 was the entrance
Shop. Between 1970 & 1975 this was the first horne of Sunnyvale Community
to the bakery. The door numbered 123 was the entrance to their residence on the
Services.
second floor. Augustina Seijo lived here until 1990. During the war it served as
Prior to 1959 there were fevc card rooms on South Murphy Avenue. The Pan
the U.S.O. Around 1946 it was divided into two stores and eventually into four.
Club, The Joker, Eagle Inn, Gordon's and Mira Mar were closed when the
#133 was Western Auto in the 1940s. In May, 1951, the bakery was sold to Mrs.
city voted to ban gambling for money.
Seijo's brother Cipriano Guteirrez and nephew Faustino (Tino) Rodriguez noted
SlIIrn.l'val~
Stondard April/5. /959
for their Spanish bread. They owned it Wltil the bakery closed in 1966.
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TRAIN
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MURPHY
DEPOT
FORMER DEL
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SQUARE
EVELYN AVENUE
101
160
148
145
100-5
103
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100
100-4
mmll
ml
105
114
111
118
121
mrrm
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124
123
130
125\127
140
133
142
135
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146
139
152
141
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156
155
157
160
160 B
A
163
WALKWAY
WALKWAY
168
A
171/173
172
1751181
176
187
182
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182
186
188/192
rmm-
190
197
127
125
198
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WASHINGTON AVENUE
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149
111 South Murphy
The original building predates 1906 named the Pash Building. Cecil Stubbs
was a Stationer. He carried a stock of watches, books and cigars.
Documentation described it as "On the west side, a couple of doors down
148 West Evelyn
Built in 1925 by the Bond family. Late in the 1940s, Bee Ritchie's Processed
Fruit moved into #148. Bee Ritchie's was world famous for chocolate covered
fruit especially prunes. It was owned and operated by the Ritchie's until 1991.
from Evelyn. SunnJ";ale's telephone system began in 1906 when Mr. Stubbs
installed a switchboard in the back of his stationary store. It had 25
160 West Evelyn
subscribers. It was the location of Sunshine Grocery #6. 4ccording to an old
This was the first location of the Depot Bakery. When the bakery relocated to
photograph. Between 19] 7 and ]921 John Petal owned a new/ used furniture
Murphy Avenue in the 1940s, the named changed to Seijo Depot Bakery.
store where he bought and sold carpets, stoves and tents. In the 1930s
Anthony Popovich was the proprietor of the furniture store. What stands here
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now may be a much remodeled, renovated or a new building that would
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become the Sunnyvale Grocery. The now disappeared #113 storefront was
Mr. Hood's Plumbing in the 1930s, then Pete's Fumiture store. Upstairs in the
1940s were apartments owned by the Ruiz family.
1011103/105 South Murphy
Earliest commercial building in Sunnyvale dating back to 1897 when it was
F. E. Cornell's Country Emporium store and Post Office. Sunnyvale's first
Post Office was known as Encinal "Place where 'the live oak grows" it
occupied a corner of the small store at #103 (today's Thai Basil). Mr. CorneII
sold penny candy and later it was a coffee shop. In the 1930s you could buy
groceries and play billiards. Door # 105 leads upstairs where Judge Bond had
his office. Starting from the late 1930s or early 1940s, #101 became a
restaurant, and still is today.
MURPHY SQUARE
101 East Evelyn
145 West Evelyn
Murphy Square sits across the street from one end of Murphy Avenue.
In the early days this was a railroad express office. Later it became a card
(Formerly Rieder's Feed Store). It was the location of the first all volunteer fire
room .operated by Phillip Nieto. Now it is a storage room for Thai Basil.
department. The original equipment included a two-wheel hand drawn hose cart
bunt with money raised by public subscription.
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100-5 South Murphy
DEL MONTE, LANDMARK BUILDING
East Evelyn at Sunnyvale Avenue
There is now a street level business on the bottom floor of the Del Monle
Building near the comer.
(now a parking lot)
100-4 South Murphy
Around 1907 this was the site of the Asahi Japanese Laundry until it
mysteriously burned. For a short period it was Minton's Lumber Store. Then it
became a Standard Oil Gasoline Station owned by Emil Corboline, a former
Sunnyvale Mayor. Other car related businesses operated here until the I960s.
P.R. Wightman also sold lumber in the 1940s that was stacked in the back on a
lot that faced onto Arques (now Sunnyvale Avenue). The double wide staircase
next to #104 provides access to the second floor of the Del Monte building
where a large room can be rented for special oceasions.
114/118 South Murphy
This 1940 building was built and owned by the Gimenez family who ran a
grocery store until 1991. The door numbered 118 was the entrance to their
upstairs residence. The store was replaced by the Sunnyvale Supply Company
owned by C. W. Shepard.
124 South M urpby
Construcled around 1926, this is probably not the original building that stood
The structure built in 1904 by the Madison & Bonner Packing Company on the
here. In the 19205 and 1930s, Rufino Yglesias was the proprietor of a billiard
parlor.
original site of Martin Murphy's grain storage/winery, was used for processing
130 South Murphy
dried fruit from nearby orchards: Cannery mergers in 1916 fonned the
The modem look of this 1911 budding is due to the changes made to the front in
California Fruit Packing Corporation better known as "Del Monte." Between
1930 and 1986, the building was used for seed processing and research. In 1993,
the building was moved across the street to 100 South Murphy Avenue.
later years. Around 1911 or 1912, C. D. Samuels ran the Columbia Bicycle
Shop. In 1920 it was the Mountain View Garage and in the mid 1930s Paul F.
Rieder moved his feed store here, which had been at the east end of the Murphy
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·Station Building. It is now Paul and Harvey's bar.
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140 South Murphy
156 South Murphy
# 140 is the only address remaining at this location. Numbers 134 through 138
were absorbed when the building was enlarged or remodeled. It dates back to
In 1925 this was the Supreme Market, by the 1930s it was the Washington
1928. In the 1930s, # 136 is where Henry Armor sold meat and Rosa Aboud had
Market. Sprouse-Reitz took over as a five and dime in 1952 and in 1965 it
a beauty salon. Then it housed Tiny's Cyclery, Jack Taylor's Radio Shop and
was Pete's Tavern.
160 A South Murphy- on the walkway
earlier it was a liquor store. In the 1930s Oscar and Esther Edquist tailored and
cleaned clothing at #138. In the1940s the railway express office was located
By 1920 Albert Schurra had his candy shop adjacent to the walkway and Jack
here where people could pay their P.G.& E. bills. At one point Josephine
and Tula Faust had their creamery and lunch counter in the same building.
Granstedt ran her beauty shop here. Around 1920 before the current building
For thirty years starting in 1944, George and Helen Constantine ran the Padre
was erected, this was the location of the Sunnyvale Realty Company.
Pharmacy. In 1974 the walkway was covered and the floor space was divided
142 South Murphy
into three smaller units that included 160 Band 160 C These would be
The door munbered 142 was entry to a small business that occupied only a
Kathy's Coiffures, Zirles Jewelry and Fred's Tailors. These shops remained
corner on the left of the theater building, described on a 1911 map as
open for most of the next decade.
"Confections." On the rigbt side of the theater was a similar door numbered 150
(now gone). At one time it was the University Creamery
146 South Murphy
168/172 South Murphy
#168 and #172 together made up the two-story American Hotel which caught
fue on March 7, 1909. The damage was reported to be about $2,000 with slight
Established in 1928 the theater was a fine example of modern architeeture
injuries to two people. By 1925 a hardware and dry goods store could be found
designed by Mr. Serra. Over the years it bas been known by many different
here. From 1936 to 1942 it was Farmer's Hardware owned by Mr. C. Coote. In
names. First it was the Strand later it was The Empire, The Sunnyvale, The
1942 it became the Enterprise Market operated by Herbert Wilson and in 1948
Blanco and The Cinema. The "Sunnyvale" electric sign was made large so that it
it was the Sunnyvale Fish Market.
could be seen from the highway (EI Camino). Recently, the building has been
used as a nightcl u b .
176 South Murphy
This building was constructed around 1928 and in 1930 John Geiger is listed
152 South Murphy
Another 1920s' building with a fayade added in the 1960s. A variety of goods
as hav ing his barber shop here. In 1935 the barber I beau ty shop was named the
Elite Barber Shop.
could be purchased starting with meat and vegetables at Samuel Barulich's
Washington Market, ice cream and treats from Treadwell's Creamery, corrective
shoes at Gwinn's (Red Goose dealer) and a variety of notions from Sprouse
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Reitz. It was once a Kirkisb store and one ofMarm'sjewelry stores.
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182 South Murphy
(198 South Murphy cont.)
In 1909 this was location of the James Building. The current structure was
erected about 1913. It was updated in 1924. In 1917 it was the Bobton Bakery.
The upstairs was used for social and cultural meetings known as Stowell Hall. It
In 1925 it was listed as a variety store. The Sunnyvale Bazaar was operated by 1.
was the site of the popular Fireman's Masquerade Ball. This is where meetings
R. Mourning and J. A. Norwood. The following year 1. A. and Pearl Norwood
of the Masonic Lodge and Internal Order of Odd Fellows were held. The first
were the proprietors. In 1931 Orville Braucht opened a stationary and art supply
floor at the very comer was F. 1. Fewing's Department Store. This is the second
shop. In 1935 Joseph Lucchetti was the owner of a fruit and grocery store.
site in the 100 block of Murphy Avenue that was a dry goods Kirkish business.
Around 1940 it was again a meat market and butcher owned by Pete Compoy
The original Kirkish Dry Goods was at 152 South Murphy established by Mike
and Bill Nave. Through the 1940s the Kong brothers operated a Chinese market
and Frieda Kirkish.
called The State Market In 1948 the State Market moved to Washington
Avenue.
186 through 198 South Murphy
One of the most recognizable buildings in town is the S. & S. Building
alternately known as the C. C. Spalding and C. Stowell Building that was built
by these men in 1907. Both men were prominent city "Fathers." Mr. Spalding
was the president ofthe Sunnyvale Bank and Mr. Stowell was the president of
the Sunnyvale Land Company. At street level, the building housed the Tree
Grocery Store in 1920. By 1930 it was The Red & White Market operated by 1.
W. Reynolds, E. W. Wilson and O. Z. Dearborn. They advertised "Fancy and
staple groceries and highest quality meats." #188 was the Infant Purity Store in
1930 with B. R. Glendening as Manager. At #190, Kirk's Drug Store was
operated by Wade Manohan. This was also a store -front. church and later the
Western Union Office. By the late 1930s it was Swanson &White Drugs. The
143 East Washington
door at #188 opens onto a stairway leading to the second story where Tolbert
Watson had his office. He is listed as being "Trustee- Board of Education and
Frank Rios was the proprietor of the Sport Barber shop in 1941.
Pbysician." He was joined later by Dr. H. Diesner and Dr. Weber, a dentist.
153 East Washington
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In 1943 this was a restaurant.
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WALKING TOUR COMMITTEE
Laura Babcock
Director
Monte Stamper...
Editing and graphics
Jeanine Staneck
Research
Allen Rountree .. '"
,
Layout
Chiyo Winters
Don Adams
Bob Shouse
Any information that can be provided will greatly enhance the accuracy of our
records and will be genuinely appreciated. Send such information to Sunnyvale
Historical Society
P.O. Box 61301
Sunnyvale, CA 94088
Leave a phone message at: 408-749-0220
Sources
Smuly>al. P1lbbc libr.ry, s.""yval. CMmIxr ()(Comm,m:, Sanborn M,,,,. ~",)"a1. SbDdM1l
Sunnyval<: HiSoiOilad Society, SanIa Ckaa PublJc Libfdr)". Polk 8usinb!!
Dir~oI)'>
SumyvaS<:i Hai!agc Pre.iClV31lon Commi~on.,
...."'any Kirk. Sanla 0= CounJy Reconler
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