History

Martial Cottle Park's history

“I was born here. I’ve spent my entire life here. It would be nice for kids in future generations to know what it was like before it all changed.” Walter Cottle Lester (Mercury News, 2013). 

Established by Edward Cottle in 1856 and continually maintained and farmed by his descendants until 2014, this land remained in agricultural production under one family for over 150 years. Martial Cottle Park now celebrates our shared agricultural heritage and how the tradition of farming and sharing food continues to shape our landscape, people, and history.

Vermont-born Edward Cottle emigrated from Missouri to Santa Clara County by wagon in 1854 and settled near Coyote Creek. Two years later he purchased a portion of Rancho Santa Teresa from the Bernal family and began raising milk cows and cattle, and planting grain and row crops. Edward later divided the land between his two sons, Martial and Warren. Martial Cottle’s approximately 350-acre parcel remained in agriculture with his descendants living and farming there until 2014, when his last living heir, Walter Cottle Lester passed away.

As the agricultural economy of the Santa Clara Valley changed, so did the products of the Cottle ranch and farm. From cattle and dairy pastures to wheat fields and row crops, this land helped sustain the valley’s growing population and changing agriculture markets. During World War I and again in the 1920s and 30s, portions of the ranch were leased to Japanese tenant farmers who grew sugar beets, onions, carrots, peppers, and strawberries. 

Although large-scale fruit orchards symbolic of Santa Clara County’s agricultural history were not planted here, there were some plum, apricot, cherry, quince, and apple trees. The Cottles and Lesters did, however, manage large fruit orchards on other family-owned properties around the valley.

In order to maintain its agricultural history and preserve this land for future generations, the Cottle-Lester family withstood the pressures of urban development and turned down fortunes offered by developers. In 2003 Walter Cottle Lester, in accordance with his mother Ethel Cottle Lester’s wishes, transferred his remaining 287 acres to the State and County for development of a public park that informs and educates the public about the agricultural heritage of the Santa Clara Valley.