Messina Orchard, San Jose, California
historic place
Messina Orchard is a historic place in San Jose, Santa Clara County, California. A historical marker at the site states: "The Messina Orchard Plaque (1922). Established by Stefano and Marie Messina during the Agricultural Era of the Santa Clara Valley. Their son Richard and his wife Anita continued harvesting the orchard until Richard's death in 2001. These historic homes, barns, and remaining orchard trees incorporate the family's original homestead. This Messina Orchard is a rare example of the Valley's once dominant fruit growing legacy." Stefano and Marie Messina migrated from Sicily in 1905 and acquired forty acres of orchard land in 1922, cultivating apricots, prunes, and peaches. The property includes two residences, built in 1935 and 1949, showcasing Spanish Revival and Mediterranean Revival architectural styles. Messina Orchard was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 9, 2018. This site preserves a tangible link to the Santa Clara Valley's agricultural heritage.