National Historic Landmark

New Almaden

San Jose, Santa Clara County, California
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
66000236

About this property

New Almaden, known in Spanish as Nuevo Almadén, is a historic community and former mercury mine in the Capitancillos Hills of San Jose, California, located at the southwestern point of Almaden Valley in South San Jose. New Almaden is divided into two parts: the mines and much of their immediate surroundings, including historic ghost town settlements in the Capintancillas, which together form the Almaden Quicksilver County Park; and the largely residential historic district surrounding the Casa Grande. Discovered in the 1820s by Mexican settlers, the New Almaden mines are the oldest mines in California and were one of the most productive mercury mines in the country. Long before the arrival of the Spanish, Mexicans, and Americans, the indigenous Ohlone people had long utilized the area for its cinnabar, which they used in paint production.

Location

San Jose, Santa Clara County, California
37.17842, -121.81951

Categories

INDUSTRY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about New Almaden

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

Hayes Mansion
Industrial
5.8 mi
We and Our Neighbors Clubhouse
Industrial
7.6 mi
Yung See San Fong House
Industrial
8.2 mi
Malaguerra Winery
Industrial
9.1 mi
Young, Earl and Virginia, House
Industrial
9.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was New Almaden listed on the National Register?

New Almaden was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is New Almaden?

New Almaden is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is New Almaden a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. New Almaden has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for New Almaden?

The period of significance for New Almaden is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near New Almaden?

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