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Household and Neighborhood Dynamics in Historic San José, California

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Abstract

San José is a flourishing urban center within Silicon Valley that emerged from the first pueblo in California. Recent results from five archaeological excavations provide a greater understanding of the individual household dynamics and neighborhood development that created the texture of this city. Archaeological data is used to address its citizens’ material wellbeing, including women headed households, and aspirations, along with factors responsible for transforming city life. These findings are compared to historical urban trends in the San Francisco Bay region and those further afield.

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Acknowledgments

Long-time San José historian Charlene Duval conducted initial historical research for several of these projects, was available to answer specific questions and provided copies of uncopyrighted historical photos. Michael D. Meyer graciously answered specific ceramic questions. Most of the archaeological projects were conducted for Holman & Associates of San Francisco with Miley Holman providing initial financial assistance for a problematic project. One project was conducted through the Anthropological Studies Center at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, California. Big thanks to David Bieling, who over the course of these projects lent support in so many ways. Thanks also to Mark Groover who refereed two anonymous reviewers’ comments and Charles Orser Jr. who provided journal reviewers comments that enhanced this article.

It was beyond my expertise and connections to find anyone to conduct the faunal analyses for the One South Market Project features. If anyone is interested in volunteering their skills, please contact the author or History San José and reference collection 2020-14.

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  1. Holman & Associates, 1340 Kelly Avenue, Sebastopol, CA, USA

    Sunshine Psota

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Correspondence to Sunshine Psota.

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In 2020 to May 2021, laboratory work and analyses for The Grad artifacts were completed as a regulatory project through Holman & Associates of San Francisco, California. The author was paid for her efforts along with Holman & Associates initially funding the laboratory work for One South Market, with the bulk of the cataloging and analyses volunteered by the author. No grants or other funding sources were used to produce this article.

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Psota, S. Household and Neighborhood Dynamics in Historic San José, California. Int J Histor Archaeol 27, 1100–1133 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10761-023-00703-9

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