The property of the Motherhouse of the Sisters of the Holy Family (SHF) is a rich wellspring of history and beauty. Many of the visitors to these beautiful grounds question the landscaped acres or the interesting people and events that have shaped the site known as “Palmdale.”
There have been eight major occupants of the land beginning with the original settlers, the Ohlone Indians. Beneath the Callison Day Home (now the neighboring Montessori School), an Ohlone burial site still rests where once an Ohlone village existed also.
In June of 1797, the Mission San Jose was founded. By 1836, José de Jean Vallejo had arrived, and was appointed administrator by Pio Pico. He, his wife and all his children lived here until 1850. The Gold Rush brought many more settlers than Vallejo could manage, and they settled around the Mission and contested its right to the lands. In 1867 the United States issued patents to settlers. The first real pioneer of “Palmdale” was a part of this settlement, Elias Lyman Beard.
E. L. Beard established a general store and a nursery. He “purchased” and named Palmdale in 1859 and landscaped the property by bringing in native and imported trees, especially palm trees. In fact, the first fruit exported from California came from this property. Pears grown here were sold for a dollar a piece in Hawaii and on the East Coast, and were even shipped directly to the White House.
Juan Gallegos, coffee plantation owner and successful banker, was from Costa Rica and purchased the property from Beard’s widow in 1881. He brought his large close-knit family to the estate where he cultivated the grounds, the palm trees (especially the date palms) and grapes, as well as the lawns, and the ornamental grounds. The ruins of his winery can still be seen. Gallegos added to the properties lakes and fountains. In 1892, the U.S. Government seized the winery for tax evasion. The property was moved into the family holdings called the Palmdale Company.
Henry Lachman purchased the estate from the Palmdale Company in 1905. During this time trees from Australia and England were planted and a large area of roses were established. The Lachmans lived on the property until 1927, when the property was sold to the Starrs and the Bests.
Mrs. Starr and Mrs. Best were sisters and they quickly made their marks on the property. They built the Tudor style country homes, which continue to grace the land. The Heart Garden was built to surprise Mrs. Starr on Valentine’s Day, and the sacred gardens were built by Mrs. Starr. In 1939 the grounds’ lawns were used as turf for the San Francisco World’s Fair. Since neither couple had children, when they wanted to move back to San Francisco and Oakland, they decided to sell the property.
The Sisters of the Holy Family bought the estate in 1948 for their Motherhouse and training facility for the younger Sisters. It already had some religious shrines put in by Mrs. Starr and Mrs. Best. The SHF used the two houses on the property for 10 years until the Motherhouse was built. At one time the Best House served as a library and college for the Sisters, but now both Tudor style homes are used for administrative offices and rented out for weddings.