Founders

Founders of the Milpitas Historical Society

From the lower left corner, going clockwise, pictured are Pat Loomis, Ed Cavallini, Bob McGuire, Leo Murphy, and Elaine LevineFrom the lower left corner, going clockwise, pictured are Pat Loomis, Ed Cavallini, Bob McGuire, Leo Murphy, and Elaine Levine

Back in 1980, Milpitas’ Parks and Recreation Director Bob McGuire recalled that, “Elaine Levine, co-publisher of the Milpitas Post, asked myself, school superintendent Leo Murphy and Librarian Ed Cavallini to join her for lunch, and before we left she had us convinced that Milpitas should form a historical society to maintain our heritage.” Seventy-nine residents comprised its first year’s membership.

Two Local Historians with Milpitas Memorabilia

Velma ValenciaVelma Valencia
Mabel MattosMabel Mattos

Two local historians who were instrumental in preserving the history of this region are Velma Valencia and Mabel Mattos. Both had lived in Milpitas most of their lives and both had kept alive an oral history rich in facts and accounts of the city’s Portuguese immigrant heritage. Their collection of Milpitas memorabilia are extensive and their spirit of and reflections on the past are an important part of Milpitas as it evolves into a modern city as part of high-tech Silicon Valley.