Martin Murphy , Sr . was the patriarch of the family and , at 60 years of age , brought his grown children and their families to California by wagon train , scaling the escarpments of the Sierra Nevada . The Murphys were immediately thrown into the chaos of California transitioning from Mexican rule to the flood of Americans streaming in to grab a stake in the Gold Rush . Riding into the Planos de los Robles from San Jose , he knew this was where he wanted to settle and purchased the Rancho Ojo de Aqua de la Coche from Juan Hernandez , the holder of the original land grant . This rancho became the basis for the City of Morgan Hill in 1906 .
Diana Murphy Hill was Martin ’ s granddaughter . Her father was Daniel Murphy , who had been very successful in the gold diggings ( Murphy ’ s Camp ) and utilized his fortune to acquire vast tracks of land and cattle . Daniel and his brothers established a redwood sawmill and built a new hacienda for their father at the eastern end of San Martin Avenue . Daniel called the San Martin rancho Ivy Farm and it was here that Daniel and his young wife , Maria Fisher Murphy , welcomed Diana ’ s birth in 1859 . Hiram Morgan Hill , he preferred just Morgan Hill , was a Missouri boy who worked in San Francisco and set his sights on young Diana Murphy . They were secretly married in 1882 because her father and mother did not approve of their courtship , especially since she was Irish Catholic and he a southern Baptist . She was twenty-two and he was thirty-three .
Shortly after their marriage , they suffered through the emotional turmoil of Daniel Murphy ’ s illness and death as well as other family dramas . Diana inherited the original Murphy rancho and she and Morgan started planning their family . The Hills were more accustomed to the city life of San Francisco and yet they did decide to build a country estate , a charming Queen Anne home in between Monterey Road and the railroad tracks . At the time , trains traveling south from San Jose would stop at Coyote , Madronne , Tennant , Mil ’ s Switch ( San Martin ) and Gilroy . The only reason the train would stop near Villa Mira Monte was when the Hills or their friends came for a visit . The conductor would call out Morgan Hill ’ s Ranch .
In 1884 , Diana and Morgan became the proud parents of Diane Murphy-Hill and the young family watched their new get-away home being constructed of local redwood and Douglas fir . It is sad to say that even with their inherited wealth and society aspirations , the family relationships were strained . And in 1892 , the property known as Morgan Hill Ranch was contracted to a real estate developer for subdivision . The Hills continued to own the home and 200 acres until 1912 — renting Villa Mira Monte to various families . Two families , the Costas and Walgrens , owned the property for much of the 1900s . For nearly twenty years , the Walgrens operated the Homestead Antique Shop out of the house . When Mrs . Walgren passed way in 1984 , the Hills ranch house , in need of much tender loving care , sat vacant and was then deeded to the City of Morgan Hill in 1986 . Finally , in 1993 , the Morgan Hill Historical Society , with the help of numerous community grants and private donations , purchased Villa Mira Monte and began a restoration project lasting five years .
The Villa Mira Monte property is open for tours and includes the residence of the Hills as well as the transplanted house of the Acton family , which serves as our local museum , and a circular history garden called the Centennial Trail . The Morgan Hill Historical Society owns and maintains Villa Mira Monte and supports the property through an active volunteer group and membership funding . The Society promotes our local history through a variety of events and programs including school field trips and historic home tours . The home of Diana and Morgan Hill is also available for private parties , weddings and business meetings .
Mike Monroe has lived and worked in this area for over 30 years . He is active in the Historical Society , a local businessman , volunteer at local parks , and the sponsor of a natural history program in Morgan Hill .
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