Troy Laundry, San Jose, California
historic place
The Troy Laundry, a historic place in Santa Clara County, San Jose, California, was established in 1895. Charles Larnell Southgate founded this business, originally known as Troy Steam Laundry. The original structure, built in 1895 at 722 Almaden Avenue, exemplified 19th-century false-front wooden industrial architecture. It operated continuously from 1896 until 1979, serving a wide range of clients. These included local establishments like the Hotel Montgomery and San Jose State University, as well as distant sites such as Lick Observatory and Stanford University. Laundry was transported using horse-drawn wagons and later by trucks from the Southern Pacific Depot. The Troy Laundry was recognized for its historical significance and listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 28, 1982. The building was demolished around 1995 and the site is now occupied by the Troy Apartments. This site represents an important part of San Jose's commercial and industrial development.