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Morgan Hill, in short
Which trees in Morgan Hill need a permit to remove?
A protected tree needs a permit to remove, dead or diseased ones included. In Morgan Hill the code protects native trees such as oaks, California bays, madrones, sycamores and alders; any other tree 13 inches or more across; and every street tree, whatever its size.
The story of Morgan Hill
Morgan Hill, named for Hiram Morgan Hill and incorporated in 1906.
The town is named for Hiram Morgan Hill, who with his wife Diana built the country estate Villa Mira Monte in the 1880s. The City adopted the name when it incorporated in 1906. By the 1920s, the City says, the town was known for its prunes, apricots, peaches, pears, apples, walnuts and almonds.
The City says peaceful tribes of Native Americans had inhabited the lush Santa Clara Valley for thousands of years.
The Society’s centennial trail has Juan Bautista de Anza and his party camping at Llagas Creek in 1776, on the way from Mexico to the City of San Francisco.
The City’s history page says that under Spanish and Mexican jurisdictions, instituted in 1778, a vast region that includes present day Morgan Hill was “one of the most substantial Spanish land grants for nearly 3/4 of a century.”
The trail has the Rancho Ojo de Agua de la Coche granted to Juan Maria Hernandez in 1835. The City’s history page says, “In 1845, Martin Murphy, Sr. acquired 9,000 acres known as the Rancho Ojo de Agua de la Coche.”
The State’s landmark text says the 21-Mile-House “was built in 1852 by William Host beneath a spreading oak that later was called the Vasquez Tree.”
The trail has the Butterfield Stage Company beginning service to Morgan Hill in 1858.
The Santa Clara and Pajaro Railroad came to Morgan Hill in 1869, the trail says, and was later bought by the Southern Pacific Railroad.
The City’s history page says, “In 1882, Diana, their precocious daughter, secretly married Hiram Morgan Hill.”
The Historical Society says Hiram Morgan Hill built the house at Villa Mira Monte for his bride, Diana Murphy Hill, in the 1880s, on land that overlooks Murphy’s Peak, now known as El Toro.
The City’s history page says that in the early 1880s much of the Hills’ land was turned over to the C.H. Phillips Land Company for subdivision and sale; the Society’s trail says the Hills sold most of their land in 1892.
The City’s history page says the railroad referred to this area as Huntington when the first Southern Pacific station was built, and that the stop became known as Morgan Hill.
George Edes started publishing the Morgan Hill Sun in 1894, the trail says; it is now the Morgan Hill Times.
The trail has the town’s first bank, a branch of the Bank of Italy established by A.P. Giannini, opening in 1905 in the new Votaw Building at the northeast corner of 2nd Street and Monterey Road.
The General Plan says that in 1906, upon reaching the required population of 500 people, the City was incorporated and named Morgan Hill. The City’s history page puts the incorporation vote at 65 to 36.
The City’s fire page says the Morgan Hill Fire Department was established on January 17, 1907, by ordinance #14 of the City Council, and disbanded in 1995.
The trail has Leonard Coates establishing his nursery on West Dunne Avenue in 1908, and says he is “credited with developing a larger, juicier French prune”.
The Society says the Morgan Hill Museum is housed in the 1911 farmhouse of orchardist John Acton and his family; it was moved twice, and in October 2005 it was moved to Villa Mira Monte.
By the 1920s, the City’s history page says, “the city was known for its agricultural products including prunes, apricots, peaches, pears, apples, walnuts, and almonds.” “The region boasted prosperous vineyards until Prohibition demanded that production temporarily cease.”
The Society’s trail says Italian immigrants came “between 1880-1930”, planted orchards and vineyards across the valley floor, and that in 1925 Emilio and Emilia Guglielmo established a family winery on West Main Avenue.
The trail has the Crown Prince and Princess of Sweden visiting Morgan Hill in 1926 for the dedication of Sveadal, a Swedish resort in Uvas Canyon.
Around the 1950s, the City says, Morgan Hill “experienced an economic transformation from an agricultural center to a suburban residential community.”
The trail has a section of the US 101 freeway opening in 1970 between Cochrane Road on the north and South Monterey in Gilroy, bypassing both downtown Morgan Hill and downtown Gilroy.
The City’s history page says, “Growth began to accelerate rapidly in the 1970s as Silicon Valley developed and workers were attracted to Morgan Hill’s small-town atmosphere, sense of community and reasonable housing prices.”
The trail has the first Mushroom Mardi Gras Festival in 1980.
The trail lists the 1984 Morgan Hill earthquake at “6.2 on the Richter Scale”.
The trail has the Sunsweet fruit drying plant closing at 3rd and Depot Streets in 1987.
The trail has the year-long Centennial Celebration ending on November 10, 2006, the centennial of the incorporation, and the Centennial History Trail at Villa Mira Monte was created to celebrate it.
Fire safety
The State’s map and Morgan Hill
The State published its 2025 fire hazard maps for local areas in four phases between February 10 and March 24, 2025. Read from that map, the Very High class reaches inside Morgan Hill. By our count on a grid of sample points over the city, the Very High class covers about 8 percent of it, the High class about 18 percent and the Moderate class about 11 percent, and about 62 percent is non-wildland land. The City’s Hillside Combining District page says many Hillside properties lie in a Very High Fire Severity Zone, and “there are additional requirements to ensure fire safety”.
State layer read Oct 26 2026; the City’s Hillside page undated, read Oct 26 2026
The City’s page on the 2025 maps
The City’s page on the fire hazard severity zone maps says, “As a local government, we are required to adopt, by ordinance, updated Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) in our jurisdiction within 120 days of being published.” It points to a lookup: “Check out the Interactive Map Viewer, where you can enter your address and check which zone your property is in.” The page is undated and describes the City’s adoption of the maps as still to come.
City page undated, read Oct 26 2026
See 5 more
The City’s fire code
Chapter 15.44 of the Municipal Code adopts the 2025 California Fire Code, and the City’s Ordinance 2368 amended the chapter on November 19, 2025. The code says the fire code “shall be enforced by the bureau of fire prevention in the Morgan Hill Fire Department”.
Code read Oct 26 2026 (Ordinance 2368, adopted Nov 19, 2025)
The Fire Marshal
The City’s Fire Marshal page says, “Fire prevention inspections are conducted by the Fire Marshal and Engine Company personnel assigned to the Morgan Hill Fire Department.” To report a fire hazard or concern, “Contact the Fire Marshal directly. You may remain anonymous.”
Page undated, read Oct 26 2026
A neighbor’s weeds
For a complaint about a neighbor’s weeds, the Fire Marshal’s page says, “Contact the Santa Clara County Weed Abatement Program at 408-282-3145.”
Page undated, read Oct 26 2026
Defensible space and home hardening
The City’s Ready, Set, Go! page says, “It takes the combination of both Defensible Space and the hardening of your home to really give your house the best chance of surviving a wildfire.” CAL FIRE’s page on defensible space tells homeowners, “Remove all dead and dying plants, weeds, and debris (leaves, needles, etc.) from your roof, gutter, deck, porch, stairways, and under any areas of your home.” It is CAL FIRE’s guidance for homeowners across the state.
City page undated, read Oct 26 2026; CAL FIRE page undated, read Oct 20 2026
Zone 0, the State’s rule: where it stands
The State’s rule for the first five feet around a home, called Zone 0: adopted by the Board; in final review with the Office of Administrative Law; no effective date known. This is the status on our standing check of October 22, 2026.
Standing check of Nov 7 2026
Need a hand with this? Gutter guards
Morgan Hill this month
Storm season: Valley Water says its sandbag sites and sandbags are “only available from November 1 through April 15 of each year”. Sand and empty bags are at the Community Park parking lot, the City’s page says, and it asks you to bring your own shovel.
The Morgan Hill blog starts when there is enough local news to keep it current.
Culture and history
Villa Mira Monte
The Historical Society says “both the Hiram Morgan Hill House and the Morgan Hill Museum are open on Saturdays from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm with docents to welcome visitors and provide tours.” The Society, which owns and runs the site, keeps the Centennial History Trail there, where you pass “approximately 100 raised post markers” describing events in the history of Morgan Hill and the surrounding area. More in The story of Morgan Hill, below.
Society’s home page, hours as printed, read Oct 26 2026 (refresh before use)
Historic downtown walking tours
The Society holds a free docent-led tour on the “Second Saturday of every month”, from 10:00 am to noon, meeting at the Morgan Hill Parking Garage.
Society’s page and the City’s community calendar for October 2026, read Oct 26 2026; the tour is monthly
See 6 more
The Morgan Hill History Trail
The Morgan Hill History Trail has 19 stops, “10 walking stops (1-10) and 9 driving spots (11-19) beginning at the historic Votaw Building”. Leadership Morgan Hill’s Class of 2026 made it in partnership with the Historical Society.
Society’s page read Oct 26 2026
The Mushroom Festival
The Mushroom Festival is annual: its own site calls the 2026 festival the “45th Annual”, on “Memorial Day Weekend”, May 23-24, 2026, in downtown Morgan Hill.
Festival site read Oct 26 2026; the 2026 dates are past and the site shows no later date
Annual events downtown
The City’s Downtown page says, “Several annual events take place Downtown, including the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival, Wine Stroll, 4th of July Freedom Fest, Friday Night Music Series, Brew Crawl, Safe Trick-or-Treat, and Holiday Lights Parade.” It adds that the Morgan Hill Farmer’s Market and Sidewalk Saturdays Makers Market “occur regularly on Saturdays.”
City page undated, read Oct 26 2026; no 2026 dates for these events were read, so none is given
Henry W. Coe State Park
The State’s page says the park “protects and preserves 87,000 acres of scenic hills and mountain ridges in the Diablo Range”, and gives the Coe Ranch Entrance and Visitor Center as in Morgan Hill, 13 miles east on East Dunne Avenue.
State Parks page read Oct 26 2026
A name from the Hills
Morgan Hill is named for Hiram Morgan Hill, who with his wife Diana built the country estate Villa Mira Monte. More in The story of Morgan Hill, below.
Prunes and orchards
By the 1920s, the City says, the town was known for its prunes, apricots, peaches, pears, apples, walnuts and almonds. More in The story of Morgan Hill, below.
Community
Morgan Hill Historical Society
The Society says it was “Established and incorporated in 1971”, and its mission is “To preserve and share the history of Morgan Hill, and its environs, to inspire a sense of community.”
Society’s Mission page read Oct 26 2026
Downtown Morgan Hill Improvement District
The City’s Downtown page says “Established in 2023, the Downtown Morgan Hill Improvement District (DMHID) was formed as a public / private partnership”. It describes downtown as “Home to more than 100 independent businesses”.
City page undated, read Oct 26 2026
See 2 more
Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras, Inc.
The non-profit behind the Mushroom Festival says it “began awarding scholarships in 1984” and that “over 1500 students have been awarded scholarships”.
Organisation’s Scholarships page read Oct 26 2026
Sister Cities
The City’s Community Resources page says, “Morgan Hill hosts Sister City relationships with: Headford, Ireland; Mizuho, Japan; San Casciano in Val di Pesa, Italy; Seferihisar, Turkey; and, Ameca Mexico.”
City page undated, read Oct 26 2026
City rules and regulations
Re-roofs
A re-roof takes a permit and inspections. The City’s Residential Re-Roofs page says, “If you are going to have a contractor perform the work, the contractor should obtain the permit for you.” It adds, “You will need a roof final inspection”, with a Roof Sheathing Compliance Form and a Certification of Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors Form at the final. The Building Division lists “Reroofs” among the permits a contractor can apply for online: “Online permits are restricted to residential only and only those applied for by a contractor.”
City pages undated, read Oct 26 2026
The 2025 building codes
The Building Division says, “As of January 1, 2026, all permit applications must comply with the 2025 California Building Standards Codes as adopted and amended by the Morgan Hill Municipal Code.” The City’s Municipal Code, Chapter 15.08, adopts the 2025 California Building Code and Residential Code (Ordinance 2368, adopted November 19, 2025) and amends only a short list of State sections, none of them about roofs.
City pages and Municipal Code read Oct 26 2026
See 4 more
Which trees are protected
The City’s Tree Removal page says, “Protected trees include but are not limited to the following species: Oak trees (all types), California Bays, Madrones, Sycamore, and Alder trees.” A permit is required “to remove any protected tree, including dead or diseased trees” and “to prune any protected tree”. The Municipal Code (Chapter 12.32, Ordinance 2363, adopted March 5, 2025) defines a protected tree as any native tree, a significant tree, a tree designated for protection during review of a development project, or a public or street tree. A significant tree has a trunk diameter at breast height of 13 inches or more for a non-native species and 6 inches or more for a native species. The code says, “‘Prune’ means the selective removal or modification of twenty-five percent or more of the tree branches, roots, buds, or limbs in such a manner that impacts the structure of the tree.”
City page and Municipal Code read Oct 26 2026
Street trees
“All street trees are protected trees, regardless of size or species.” Street trees stand in the public right-of-way, on a landscape strip next to a sidewalk or, where there is no sidewalk or strip, within 5 feet of a public street. The City’s page adds that “you will need to obtain an Encroachment Permit through the Engineering Division if you will be in the public right-of-way (street or public walkway) to conduct removal or pruning of the tree.”
City page read Oct 26 2026
Applying to remove a protected tree
The application goes to the Planning Division by email, and the permit has a fee, which the City sets in its Planning fee schedule. “You will be required to post a Public Notice either on the tree or in a visible location on the property for the public to view.” The posting stays up “for a minimum of 10 days”. “It is required that you plant a replacement tree of the same or similar native tree species after you receive an approved permit and remove the protected tree.”
City page read Oct 26 2026
A tree that is a safety risk
The City’s page says, “You do not need a permit before removing a tree that poses a safety risk to life or property. However, payment of the tree removal permit fee is still required within 5 days even in the case of an emergency.”
City page read Oct 26 2026
Need a hand with this? Roofing
Storms, flood and drainage
Sandbags
The City’s floodplain page (“Update as of November 2025”) lists sand and empty bags for residents at the Community Park parking lot; the page’s mapping address is “171 W. Edmundson, across from the tennis courts.” It lists a second station on Old Monterey Road near Llagas Road: “The closest nearby address to map to is the El Toro Fire Station, 18300 Old Monterey Road.” “Sand bag supplies are removed when rainy weather subsides.” Valley Water’s page says, “Sandbag sites and sandbags are only available from November 1 through April 15 of each year.” It adds that “some sites require proof of residency” and that “During storm events, all of the sites may only be stocked with sand and empty bags.”
City page “Update as of November 2025”; Valley Water page; both read Oct 26 2026
What floods homes here
The City’s 2025 flood report says, “Flooding in our City is generally caused by the following: a creek overtopping its banks, clogged catch basin or storm drains, poor site drainage, and mud and debris-laden flows from the hills above Morgan Hill.” About one-twelfth of the City is in a high-risk flood area, the report says, generally near nine creeks: Llagas, West Little Llagas, Edmundson, Foothill, Paradise, Tennant, Coyote, Maple and Corralitos.
City report read Oct 26 2026
See 6 more
Your roof before a storm
The City’s flood report asks owners, “Inspect your roof to prevent leaks and keep rainwater out of the structure.”
City report read Oct 26 2026
Trees before a storm
The same list says, “Trim the trees around your property, especially those that could fall on power lines during heavy storms.”
City report read Oct 26 2026
Clogged street drains
The report also asks owners to “Check street catch basins or inlets near your property.” If public catch basins are clogged, it says to report the issue to the City’s Street Maintenance Division. Those are the street’s drains, not roof gutters.
City report read Oct 26 2026
Check the flood map for your address
The City says it adopted FEMA’s Flood Insurance Rate Maps, and its flood report tells you how to get yours: “To obtain a copy of the FIRM for your property, visit the FEMA Map Service Center website at msc.fema.gov.” The City keeps a map of known flood locations on City roadways, and says it is “provided to share areas of past flooding, and not all areas always flood during rain.”
City pages read Oct 26 2026
Flood insurance
The City’s flood report says, “Homeowners insurance or rental insurance does not cover flood damages, and floods may occur even in areas designated as moderate or minimal risk.”
City report read Oct 26 2026
The Upper Llagas Creek project
The City’s 2025 flood report says the Upper Llagas Creek Flood Protection Project “is under construction, and is managed by Valley Water”, and that “Phase 2B is scheduled for completion in Spring 2027.” “Once completed, approximately 1,100 homes, 500 businesses, and over 1,300 acres of agricultural land in southern Santa Clara County will be protected from the 100-year flood.”
City report read Oct 26 2026; the completion date can change
Need a hand with this? Gutter cleaning
Programs, loans and insurance
Check back Housing Rehabilitation Grant: check back
The City’s Housing Rehabilitation page says, “In collaboration with Rebuilding Together, Morgan Hill offers a Low-Income Senior and/or Disabled Homeowner Rehabilitation Grant Program for Owner-Occupied Single Family and Mobile Home Housing.” “An applicant is eligible for a repair grant when the applicant is a senior (62 years of age or older) and/or disabled.” “The gross annual income of the Senior and/or disabled applicant may not exceed 80 percent of Area Median Income (AMI).” The page’s list of eligible repairs includes “Gutter” and “Roof”, and its emergency repairs “include roofing”. The page does not say whether the program is open or funded, so check back; for more information, “email the Client Services Manager for the Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley” or call 408-578-9519.
City page undated, read twice on Oct 26 2026
County-wide Valley Water rebates
The City’s water-conservation page sends residents to Valley Water: “Visit Valley Water’s website for complete details and to start your application for the rebate.” Valley Water’s Rainwater Capture Rebate is for a home with an existing gutter or downspout system not currently capturing rainwater: “Valley Water will help you install rain barrels, cisterns, and rain gardens.” Residents and business owners in Santa Clara County are eligible. Valley Water’s page says, “Current program funding lasts until June 30, 2027, or until depleted,” and that applications are accepted “in the order received as long as funds remain available.” The steps to qualify are on Valley Water’s online application portal; the rebate amounts, how many times you can use it and how long the benefit lasts are not on the pages we read, and whether funds remain today is not known.
City page read Oct 26 2026; Valley Water pages (undated) as read for the county sheet of Oct 14 2026
See 6 more
County-wide Home repairs: Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley and Habitat for Humanity
Rebuilding Together Silicon Valley lists Morgan Hill among the places it serves. To qualify you must own the home as your primary residence and have a household income below 80% of the area median; its page lists income limits by household size. The page says, “Applications are accepted year-round, however that does not guarantee repairs,” and “Resources are limited, and applications will be reviewed on a first come, first served basis.” It describes its work as “essential, no-cost home repairs”. Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley lists Morgan Hill among the cities where its Home Repair Program is available, for low-income homeowners; its critical repairs include roof repairs, and “All home repairs are performed by licensed contractors”. You start with a Request for Service form. Habitat’s page does not say whether applications are open now, and the pages we read give no income limit or cost for Habitat’s program.
Program pages (undated) as read for the county sheet of Oct 14 2026
County-wide Energy rebates and weatherization: Silicon Valley Clean Energy, BayREN, PG&E
Silicon Valley Clean Energy names Morgan Hill among the communities it serves as the official electricity provider; the pages we read give no rebate terms for it. BayREN’s EASE Home program, which lists Santa Clara County, is for households that “Are a PG&E customer,” “Have a household income under or at 120% AMI,” and “Live in a single-family home (four or fewer units) built before 2010.” It says, “BayREN covers 80% of the cost for essential weatherization upgrades, including insulation and duct sealing,” with your portion “capped at 20% of the project cost,” and “Households can only benefit once from CPUC incentives for the same improvement, product, equipment or service.” PG&E’s Energy Savings Assistance Program offers to “Improve the energy efficiency of your home at no cost to you” in a house, mobile home or apartment “at least five years old”, with furnace and water heater repair or replacement for eligible homeowners “if PG&E determines that existing natural gas units are inoperable or unsafe.” Neither program’s page says whether it is open now, and PG&E’s page names no county, so it is not known whether a given Morgan Hill home qualifies.
Program pages (undated) as read for the county sheet of Oct 14 2026
The City’s low-income water and sewer discount
The City’s Low-Income Discount page gives a fixed credit on the water and sewer bill to customers who show a PG&E bill with the CARE discount, and says, “Biennial renewal occurs during the month of February of odd years.”
City page undated, read Oct 26 2026
State-wide LIHEAP and the Weatherization Assistance Program
LIHEAP, the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, is run in California by the Department of Community Services and Development through local service providers, and the household applies to the local provider. The Department’s page says, “Eligibility for LIHEAP services can vary depending on income, household size, place of residence, and other factors.” It describes one-time help with a utility bill, help in an energy crisis, and free weatherization upgrades. The Department also works with local providers on the federal Weatherization Assistance Program for low-income homeowners and renters, and says, “Use the Find Services in Your Area function to locate the agency in your area, then contact them to apply for assistance.” Its toll-free help line is (866) 675-6623. The pages give no dollar amount per household and warn that “some households eligible for LIHEAP may not qualify for a benefit”. They do not say whether LIHEAP is open or closed (both are marked “Updated April 2026”), and no page we read names the provider for Morgan Hill.
Pages read Oct 20 2026
State-wide Check back Earthquake Brace + Bolt: check back
Earthquake Brace + Bolt is a program of the California Residential Mitigation Program, a joint body. Its page says it “offers up to $3,000 for homeowners to seismically retrofit their houses”, and “An EBB seismic retrofit is only done on wood-framed, pre-1980 homes with a raised foundation.” Households with an income of $94,480 or less “can also apply for an additional grant of up to $7,000”. The program’s 2025 ZIP-code list for Northern California has a row for Morgan Hill with ZIP code 95037; the list says, “Eligibility based on ZIP Code only, city provided as reference.” The page says, “EBB program registration is open for a limited time each year.” When the registration page was read on Oct 20 2026 it said, “The EBB Program is currently closed.” It offers a sign-up to be told when registration opens. No 2026 ZIP list is linked.
Program pages read Oct 20 2026
State-wide Check back California Safe Homes: check back
California Safe Homes, the State’s grant program for roof replacement and the first five feet around the home, is not open.
Standing check of Oct 8 2026
Who serves your home in Morgan Hill
- Fire: The City’s own Morgan Hill Fire Department. Since January 2013, the City says, it “entered into an agreement with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to provide staffing and administrative services for both fire protection and emergency medical services (EMS) within Morgan Hill City limits.”
- Water: The City, which “operates sixteen groundwater wells that collectively distribute clean, safe drinking water to approximately 47,000 residents.”
- Sewer: The City “provides waste water services for customers within the City’s Urban Service Area.” Its sewer system “connects to the South County Regional Wastewater Authority facility in Gilroy”, which “is jointly owned by the cities of Gilroy and Morgan Hill.”
- Garbage and recycling: Recology South Valley, which “is the franchised solid waste hauler for the City of Morgan Hill.” Residential service “includes the unlimited collection of garbage, recyclables, and organic waste.”
- Electricity: Silicon Valley Clean Energy; its service-area page lists Morgan Hill among the communities it serves.
- Storm drains: The City “owns and operates approximately 41 miles of storm drainage pipeline, pump stations, and detention and retention basins.” That is the street’s drainage system, not roof gutters.
- Creeks and flood control: Valley Water, which the City’s 2025 flood report says “is responsible for improving and maintaining these major creeks”: Llagas, West Little Llagas, Edmundson, Foothill, Paradise, Tennant, Coyote, Maple and Corralitos.
Useful links: Morgan Hill Unified School District · City of Morgan Hill: Fire Department and Fire Marshal · City of Morgan Hill: Fire Hazard Severity Zones Maps · City of Morgan Hill: Building Division (permits and re-roofs) · City of Morgan Hill: Tree Removal · City of Morgan Hill: Floodplain Management and sandbags · City of Morgan Hill: Utility Inspections at Property Sale · Santa Clara County Weed Abatement Program · Valley Water (sandbags) · Recology South Valley · Silicon Valley Clean Energy · Morgan Hill Historical Society · Morgan Hill Mushroom Festival · Henry W. Coe State Park
The homes of Morgan Hill
Morgan Hill’s median home was built in 1990, by the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 survey. The State counted about 16,500 homes in January 2026, about 56 percent of them single detached houses and about 7 percent mobile homes, our own calculations from its count. About 72 percent of the occupied homes are owner-occupied, and about 10 percent of all the homes were built before 1970, our own calculations from the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 tables.
1899
A modest turn-of-the-century house
The City’s 2006 historic account calls the George Edes house “an excellent example of a modest, turn of the century residential building”, “highly ornamented with scroll brackets and carved capitals”.
The 1880s
Queen Anne and Eastlake/Stick
The Historical Society says Villa Mira Monte’s Morgan Hill House is “an elegant and unique historic home, incorporating features of Queen Anne and Eastlake/Stick designs”.
1911
Craftsman
The Society’s home page describes the museum building as “a delightful 1911 Craftsman style home, built by a local orchardist”.
1958
The first tract housing
The City’s 2006 account says the first modern tract housing “did not appear in Morgan Hill until 1958”, on Claremont Street, “designed with modest ranch houses, each approximately 1000 square feet”. They sold for around $18,000, the account says.
Today
Mobile home estates
The City’s Mobile Home Information page lists mobile home estates in town, among them Madrone Mobile Estates, Acacia Mobilehome Park, Hacienda Valley Mobilehome Estates, Hill Haven Mobilehome Park, Windmill Mobilehome Estates and Woodland Estates.
Older roofs and gutters need a different hand: Gutter Repair · Roof Repair · Gutter Installation
The story of Morgan Hill
History and character
The City says peaceful tribes of Native Americans had inhabited the lush Santa Clara Valley for thousands of years.
The Society’s centennial trail has Juan Bautista de Anza and his party camping at Llagas Creek in 1776, on the way from Mexico to the City of San Francisco.
The City’s history page says that under Spanish and Mexican jurisdictions, instituted in 1778, a vast region that includes present day Morgan Hill was “one of the most substantial Spanish land grants for nearly 3/4 of a century.”
The trail has the Rancho Ojo de Agua de la Coche granted to Juan Maria Hernandez in 1835. The City’s history page says, “In 1845, Martin Murphy, Sr. acquired 9,000 acres known as the Rancho Ojo de Agua de la Coche.”
The State’s landmark text says the 21-Mile-House “was built in 1852 by William Host beneath a spreading oak that later was called the Vasquez Tree.”
The trail has the Butterfield Stage Company beginning service to Morgan Hill in 1858.
The Santa Clara and Pajaro Railroad came to Morgan Hill in 1869, the trail says, and was later bought by the Southern Pacific Railroad.
The City’s history page says, “In 1882, Diana, their precocious daughter, secretly married Hiram Morgan Hill.”
The Historical Society says Hiram Morgan Hill built the house at Villa Mira Monte for his bride, Diana Murphy Hill, in the 1880s, on land that overlooks Murphy’s Peak, now known as El Toro.
The City’s history page says that in the early 1880s much of the Hills’ land was turned over to the C.H. Phillips Land Company for subdivision and sale; the Society’s trail says the Hills sold most of their land in 1892.
The City’s history page says the railroad referred to this area as Huntington when the first Southern Pacific station was built, and that the stop became known as Morgan Hill.
George Edes started publishing the Morgan Hill Sun in 1894, the trail says; it is now the Morgan Hill Times.
The trail has the town’s first bank, a branch of the Bank of Italy established by A.P. Giannini, opening in 1905 in the new Votaw Building at the northeast corner of 2nd Street and Monterey Road.
The General Plan says that in 1906, upon reaching the required population of 500 people, the City was incorporated and named Morgan Hill. The City’s history page puts the incorporation vote at 65 to 36.
The City’s fire page says the Morgan Hill Fire Department was established on January 17, 1907, by ordinance #14 of the City Council, and disbanded in 1995.
The trail has Leonard Coates establishing his nursery on West Dunne Avenue in 1908, and says he is “credited with developing a larger, juicier French prune”.
The Society says the Morgan Hill Museum is housed in the 1911 farmhouse of orchardist John Acton and his family; it was moved twice, and in October 2005 it was moved to Villa Mira Monte.
By the 1920s, the City’s history page says, “the city was known for its agricultural products including prunes, apricots, peaches, pears, apples, walnuts, and almonds.” “The region boasted prosperous vineyards until Prohibition demanded that production temporarily cease.”
The Society’s trail says Italian immigrants came “between 1880-1930”, planted orchards and vineyards across the valley floor, and that in 1925 Emilio and Emilia Guglielmo established a family winery on West Main Avenue.
The trail has the Crown Prince and Princess of Sweden visiting Morgan Hill in 1926 for the dedication of Sveadal, a Swedish resort in Uvas Canyon.
Around the 1950s, the City says, Morgan Hill “experienced an economic transformation from an agricultural center to a suburban residential community.”
The trail has a section of the US 101 freeway opening in 1970 between Cochrane Road on the north and South Monterey in Gilroy, bypassing both downtown Morgan Hill and downtown Gilroy.
The City’s history page says, “Growth began to accelerate rapidly in the 1970s as Silicon Valley developed and workers were attracted to Morgan Hill’s small-town atmosphere, sense of community and reasonable housing prices.”
The trail has the first Mushroom Mardi Gras Festival in 1980.
The trail lists the 1984 Morgan Hill earthquake at “6.2 on the Richter Scale”.
The trail has the Sunsweet fruit drying plant closing at 3rd and Depot Streets in 1987.
The trail has the year-long Centennial Celebration ending on November 10, 2006, the centennial of the incorporation, and the Centennial History Trail at Villa Mira Monte was created to celebrate it.
Morgan Hill, roof and gutters
The City’s General Plan calls Morgan Hill “a City of 13 square miles located in the southern part of Santa Clara County” and says “Highway 101 bisects the City”. Most of it lies in a valley “characterized by a relatively flat topography that transitions to steep slopes along the western and eastern foothills”, between the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Diablo Range.
Yearly rain is 21.06 inches, our own average of NOAA’s 1991-2020 normals for the two nearest stations with a published normal: Gilroy, 19.77 inches, and Watsonville Municipal Airport, 22.35. The City’s storm-drainage plan says its wet weather season “typically starts in October and ends in April”. By NOAA’s monthly normals at Gilroy, about nine-tenths of the year’s rain falls from November through April, by our own calculation.
The City’s Master Street Tree Plan, adopted by the City Council on March 6, 2019, sets which species are planted on the City’s streets. By the plan’s own foliage column, our own count finds 33 kinds of tree in it: 17 deciduous, 14 evergreen and 2 evergreen or partly deciduous. On the City’s list the coast live oak and the interior live oak are evergreen, the valley oak, blue oak and black oak are deciduous, and so is the Chinese pistache. For native trees that the county is named for, the Forest Service’s Fire Effects Information System says of the valley oak, “leaves fall: November” and “acorns ripe: October to November”; of the coast live oak, “Leaves emerge from February to April; and old leaves are shed at the same time,” and “Most of its acorns are dropped in fall, but some remain attached to trees until spring”; of the blue oak, “leaves fall: August to mid-November”; of the California bay (it calls it California laurel), “seed disseminated: Nov-Jan”; and of the Pacific madrone, “In June, the second-year leaves turn orange to red and begin to fall shortly after the new crop of leaves has fully grown.” These are the Forest Service’s general accounts of the species, not Morgan Hill’s trees in particular.
We have been working on Bay Area roofs and gutters since 2002. If yours hasn’t had a look in a while, we’d be glad to come by.
Landmarks and parks
Villa Mira Monte
The Society says it “owns, operates and maintains the 2.5-acre site known as Villa Mira Monte”, which holds the Hiram Morgan Hill House, the Morgan Hill Museum and the Centennial History Trail.
Morgan Hill Museum
The Society says the museum “was first opened to the public in November 1984”.
21-Mile House site
Listed by the State as Historical Landmark 259, at the northwest corner of Tennant Avenue and Monterey Highway; the State’s entry says the station is “Now destroyed”.
Machado School
A State-listed place, and stop 19 of the Morgan Hill History Trail; the trail says the school was founded in 1895 on Sycamore Avenue.
Railroad Park
The City says it “is the largest of four Downtown parks”, with a stationary train and bridge, long tube slides and a rock-climbing net.
How we can help in Morgan Hill
Why Sunshine Gutters and Roofing
- Family-owned since 2002, trusted by thousands of returning Bay Area homeowners
- Licensed (CSLB #1053780), bonded, with $2 million in general liability coverage
- Our own crew, never subcontractors
- We keep track of local regulations, fire safety rules and insurance programs
- We show you what we found, with photos, so you decide what happens next
Morgan Hill questions
What Morgan Hill homeowners ask us
Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Morgan Hill?
A permit and inspections apply. The City’s Residential Re-Roofs page says, “If you are going to have a contractor perform the work, the contractor should obtain the permit for you.” It adds, “You will need a roof final inspection”, with a Roof Sheathing Compliance Form and a Certification of Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors Form at the final. If you wish, we can also pull the permit for you, as most of our customers ask us to.
Do I need a permit to remove a tree on my property in Morgan Hill?
The code protects native trees such as oaks, California bays, madrones, sycamores and alders, any other tree 13 inches or more across, and every public or street tree. For a protected tree, yes: “A permit is required to remove any protected tree, including dead or diseased trees”. You post a public notice on the tree or the property for “a minimum of 10 days”, and you plant a replacement tree of the same or a similar native species after the permit is approved. “You do not need a permit before removing a tree that poses a safety risk to life or property.” The City says the permit fee is still due within 5 days even in an emergency.
What do I have to do when I sell my house in Morgan Hill?
The City’s Utility Inspections at Property Sale page says, “The seller of a property is required to complete the utility inspections prior to property sale.” It adds, “Buyer submits the Certificate of Compliance when applying to start water services with the Utility Billing Department.”
How do I find out if my Morgan Hill home is in a fire hazard severity zone?
The City’s page on the fire hazard severity zone maps says, “Check out the Interactive Map Viewer, where you can enter your address and check which zone your property is in.” The page is undated and describes the City’s adoption of the 2025 maps as still to come.
What our customers say
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Where we work
Morgan Hill neighbourhoods we serve
Downtown
The General Plan says, “Downtown includes the commercial area around Monterey Road from Main Avenue to Dunne Avenue, and from Del Monte Avenue to Depot Street”, and that it “has been carefully planned as the social and civic center of Morgan Hill.”
Monterey Road corridor
The General Plan speaks of “the Monterey Road corridor north and south of Downtown”, and the City’s Planning page lists a “Monterey Road Corridor Study” and “Monterey Corridor: Form-Base Code”.
Madrone
The City’s 2006 historic account says Morgan Hill “encompasses the formerly unincorporated areas of Madrone and Tennant”. The Morgan Hill Times says that in 1958 the city “officially annexed the community of Madrone as a district.”
Tennant
The same account says the Morgan Hill post office’s current boundaries “encompass what originally was two separate postal districts: Morgan Hill and Tennant.”
Paradise Valley
The General Plan names “the Llagas and Paradise Valleys” in its open-space action, and the City runs a park named Paradise Park.
El Toro
The General Plan names El Toro Mountain the City’s “landmark natural feature”, and the City’s El Toro Fire Station stands on Old Monterey Road.
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