477 California Avenue today, busy with bagels and bicycles. Photo by Ian Sears.
California Avenue was the commercial center of the town of Mayfield, which was founded in 1855, predating Stanford University by 26 years.
While Palo Alto was established as a ‘dry town’ in 1894 (where alcohol was banned), Mayfield was known for its saloons and rowdy environment. In 1925, Palo Alto annexed Mayfield and the wild times came to an end.
This photo, taken in the 1930s, shows the pioneer spirt of the original Mayfield even though the town was gone. In 2015, this same location is the home of Izzy’s Brooklyn Bagels, which has been on California Avenue for almost 20 years.
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