Bank of Milpitas Safe

In early 1912, Milpitas was a thriving and busy little town, rebuilding from a devastating fire 18 months earlier, exhibiting a “can-do” spirit. One of its plucky citizens was Edward Giacomazzi, born in Pajaro, Monterey County, and the son of Swiss-immigrant farmers. The family moved to San Jose in the 1890s. In 1904, when he was 26 years old, Edward opened a dry goods store in Milpitas, became deputy postmaster, and in 1912 became the founder-president of the Bank of Milpitas

Of course, the bank needed a safe in which to store money and important records, so Giacomazzi bought a used Mosler screw-door safe made around 1890 with a Mosler Type 1 time-lock of which less than ten are known to exist today. These screw door safes were also known as “Banker Money Chests,” typically used in the office as an addendum to a main bank vault.

The safe was used in the Bank of Milpitas until Bank of America bought the bank in 1936. B of A rebranded the façade of the building in 1937 and also made several inside security enhancements.