Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum

Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum is a vision of the entire community under the leadership of the founder, Laura Babcock. It took five years to raise the funds needed to build the museum. The museum takes you on a journey from the days of the indigenous Ohlone, to the early settlers, to the modern technological accomplishments of Sunnyvale and Silicon Valley.

The Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum has an emphasis on the Murphy family, especially Martin Murphy Junior and his arrival to the Valley of the Hearts Delight. The Murphy family, starting in Council Bluffs, Iowa, was the first organized expedition and successful wagon train to cross the Sierra Nevada.

They crossed two years before the famous Donner Party. Martin Murphy founded Murphy Station (later called Sunnyvale), San Martin, and Murphys in the Sierra foothills. Martin Murphy Junior was instrumental in the development of San Jose, Santa Clara, and of course Sunnyvale.

He owned land as far south as San Luis Obispo. With the Murphy’s money, they started Notre Dame de Namur and Santa Clara University.

The museum’s exhibits walks you through the decades of fruit orchards, and then the corporate technologies of Lockheed Martin, Hendy Ironworks, and what is now the technological center of Silicon Valley, Sunnyvale. Open Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday from noon to 4:00 p.m. There is no charge but donations are encouraged. A few miles away is historic Murphy Avenue with 30 restaurants in one block.