In a remarkable commitment to preserve Santa Clara County’s rich
agricultural history, Walter Cottle Lester of the Cottle Ranch
family has donated land, allowing preservation of 290 acres into a
historic agricultural park.
In a remarkable commitment to preserve Santa Clara County’s rich agricultural history, Walter Cottle Lester of the Cottle Ranch family has donated land, allowing preservation of 290 acres into a historic agricultural park.
Lester donated 153.3 acres and, in a separate transaction, sold State Parks 136.5 acres at a significant discount. The county will develop and manage the entire property as the Martial Cottle Park, named after Lester’s grandfather, who originally settled the property in the 1860s.
The 290-acre property, located in San Jose and bounded by Snell Avenue, Branham Lane and Chynoweth Avenue, is surrounded by suburban development and represents one of the largest public donations of its kind in the county’s history. The donation will expand county parkland to 43,328 acres with an additional 700 acres leased for operation by other agencies.
“The County of Santa Clara shares the same vision for this farmland as Mr. Lester,” said District 1 Supervisor Don Gage. “This joint County-State Park will be developed into a agriculture history museum and park, preserving the legacy of Martial Cottle and the significance of farming in Santa Clara Valley.”
Under the County transfer agreement with Lester, he will donate the 15.3-acre parcel to the county, subject to restrictions and the obligation to develop a historic agricultural park. The park will provide the public with a unique view of farming at the turn of the last century and the importance of this legacy to the history of Santa Clara County. Lester will reserve a 32-acre life estate that includes the historic house, outbuildings and water rights for the remainder of his life.
Under the State Parks agreement with Lester, the State will pay $5 million to acquire the former estate property of Edith E. Lester, Walter Lester’s sister, who is deceased. Lester also will transfer title of the 136.5-acre parcel to the state subject to deed restriction and the obligation to enter into a joint powers agreement with the County to develop, manage and operate the property.
The State’s purchase of the land for $5 million will be paid for by Proposition 40, which includes funds for parkland acquisition.
Martial Cottle, a Santa Clara Valley settler and farmer, arrived with his parents in San Jose in 1854 after crossing the plains from Missouri. Cottle and his father acquired the Lester property, a portion of the original Santa Teresa Rancho, in 1864. Cottle then set up his own farming operation and eventually developed the existing farmhouse by adding improvements to the original 1878 structure. The farmhouse is listed in the Santa Clara County Heritage Resource Inventory.
