Gross Street and Mattos Drive

Milpitas People and Places
Street Name Stories

Gross Street Map

Named for former Milpitas Mayor Ben Gross (1921-2012), Gross Street is appropriately located in Milpitas’s Sunnyhills neighborhood.

In addition to being the first black mayor (1966-1970) of a sizeable city in the US, Ben Gross was an official in the United Auto Workers Union and was central to the development of Milpitas’s Sunnyhills neighborhood, the first planned integrated housing development in California.

Ben Gross moved west to Richmond, CA in 1947, went to work in the Ford plant there, and became a member of the UAW Local 560. When Ford opened its new plant in Milpitas in 1954 (Mr. Gross was chair of the union’s Housing Committee) which saw a huge problem looming to find housing for African-American Ford plant workers in almost all-white Santa Clara County.

Mayor Gross Makes Sunnyhills Development a Reality

Working with the federal justice department, local developers, the Quakers, and other church groups, Ben Gross was able after much hard work to make the Sunnyhills development a reality. His dedication to community service in this and other projects led to his repeated elections to the City Council, where he served with distinction, and eventually to his election as Mayor.

He initiated the request that eventually led to having a Russian delegation, including Nikita Krushchev, visit Milpitas in 1962 to experience a racially integrated neighborhood.

As befitted a passionate and effective champion of civil rights, Ben Gross’s life was celebrated here on February 23, 2013; speakers included his sons Ben Gross Jr. and Ashley Gross, Mayor Jose Esteves, former Mayor Denny Weisgerber, and Milpitas Post Founder Mort Levine.

by mhs March 1, 2013

Mattos Drive Map

Mattos Drive in Milpitas, CA, near Yosemite and Falcato Streets, was named for Manuel Joseph Mattos. The street is marked with a blue sign, indicating that he died while in the United States Armed Services.

Twin Brothers Manuel and Joseph Mattos Born in 1919

Manuel Mattos and his twin brother, Joseph, were born at home in 1919 to parents Manuel and Rose on a small ranch in an area known as Wayne Station in San Jose, CA.He had an older brother, Alfred, a younger brother, Henry, and a younger sister, Edith.

While off duty, Manuel went swimming in the ocean on June 29, 1942, was caught in an undertow,and lost his life

by drowning. He was buried at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in San Jose. Honored by his city, he is still loved and appreciated by his family.

Manuel was drafted into the army in October of 1941 and was sent to Camp Roberts, CA for basic training, and upon completing that training, was sent to Yachats, OR to join the Army Signal Corps.

Extended Mattos Family

Read about Mabel Mattos

There is also a Mattos Avenue in San Jose, about a mile and a half south of Milpitas off Piedmont Road. But this street was named for John Mattos, who had a large apricot ranch in that area and whose sons invented a widely-used apricot cutter.

This San Jose Mattos family is not directly related to the Milpitas Mattos family, but was also descended from people who emigrated in the 19th century from the Azores Islands.

by mhs April 2, 2013