A example of early 20th century rural architecture can be seen
in the Morgan Hill Historical Museum, located on West Main just
behind the library. The house was originally built on Warren Avenue
which is on Nob Hill, the watertower hill west of Monterey, between
Dunne and Second Street.
A example of early 20th century rural architecture can be seen in the Morgan Hill Historical Museum, located on West Main just behind the library. The house was originally built on Warren Avenue which is on Nob Hill, the watertower hill west of Monterey, between Dunne and Second Street.
Built in 1911 by John Acton who had arrived in town from Minnesota with his family early the year before, it was naturally ever-after referred to as the “Acton House.” The building cost was $2,700, a reasonable amount of money for the time.
After John and his wife, Charlotte, died in 1955 and 1956 respectively, their daughter, Halcyon (a name uncommon to classrooms today) inherited the house. It left Acton family ownership in 1958 or 1959.
Chris and Ida Williams (of Ida’s Restaurant), donated the house to the City of Morgan Hill in 1980 to provide space for a historical museum. The building was moved to its present site on Main in 1983 and refurbished inside and out, upstairs and down. Until recently an apartment upstairs was rented to low income and worthy applicants.
Norma Edes Link (Edes is another old Morgan Hill name) was the first executive director of the Morgan Hill Museum Foundation. It was this foundation that secured funds, volunteers and donated services from local businesses to pay for the move and to rehabilitate the house. Since then, the Morgan Hill Historical Society has installed and operated the museum visited by countless third graders studying local history.
However, the Civic Center location on Main, too, has proved temporary. To make room for a possible new library or park on the corner of Main and DeWitt, the city plans to remove this building which now occupies part of that land.
It will go, with the little Acton house now up on wheels on Fourth Street, to the Villa Mira Monte site at 17860 Monterey. When installed and refurbished, the two new buildings will make, with the original Morgan Hill House (Villa Mira Monte) a definite historical park for the town and its citizens.
Details on the museum’s hours of operation are available by calling 779-5755. www.mhhistoric.com
