Jess Orosco

Jess Orozco, former Union City School Board member and a successful businessman, reminisces the good old days in Santa Barbara, California, his home town, but was glad that he came and visited his brother in Union City and stayed.

Jess was born on January 20, 1924. He is 77 years old, but he looks young for his age.

In 1946 after World War II, Jess, 21 years old and still single, visited his brother in Union City to help tend his brother's store in the old Decoto. He came from Santa Barbara. He was discharged from the Marine Corp and stayed for a couple of weeks. He liked the place and stayed. He then worked for Pacific States Steel for a year and a half.

He married Ruth, now age 73, some 50 years ago and have 3 offspring. They are Andrew, John, who with his wife Claudia and two children, Aaron and Andrea live in Pleasanton, and Ruben, who lives in Rocklin with his daughter Sarah.

When Jess and Ruth got married, they lived in a 3-bedroom house at 33617 6th and F street, that they bought for $9,000. The house is still there. With his GI Bill, he bought another lot and built a service station. He sold Flying A gasoline until 1949.

He got very interested in his businesses that the businesses multiplied. He had a liquor store on Mission Boulevard and also sold automobile parts.

In 1967, Jess became a School Board member. "I felt that I owe this community for the good life given to me and I want to repay the community by holding office and helping the young Mexican-Americans improve their lives and be successful," Jess said.

His business was thriving at that time; he was travelling everywhere and got so busy, he resigned as a School Board member.

He retired from his job at age 58. He became active in the Union City Merchants Association; he was a charter member of the Union City Lions and very active in Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church under Father Duggan.

He members landmarks in Union City such as the Quonset huts used in the Army camps. One of them still stands as the Centro Del Servicio building in Decoto. He also remembers that this same building used to be variety store, owned by Al and Marcela Rodriguez, who still live in the Decoto area.

The said that the only mistake they made that time was they did not zone the lands right; there should have been more homes that time.

He and Ruth now relax in their beautiful home, which Ruth spruces up and they travel a lot. Jess plays gold and is very interested in the US Open. He was a volunteer worker for the past three Opens. He is also a volunteer worker for the Senior Tournament in Sacramento for the past 12 years. He was very proud of his Purple Heart award that he cherished through the years.

Jess and Ruth are amazed of the big change in the little town called Union City, especially the half a million dollar homes and Union Landing, which boasts of the big theater, the huge Lucky Sav-On, the big hotel and the many businesses and up-scale restaurants.

July 13, 1999 - Grand Opening of Lucky Sav-On, Union Landing

The ribbon cutting ceremony of the new Lucky Sav-On Food & Drug store was held on Tuesday, July 13, 1999. The store is located in the big sprawl of Union Landing. Paul Keller, Lucky Store Manager, invited everyone to be the first to experience all the great service, selection and savings available at the store. Some of the services are Customer Service Center, Service Seafood Department, Service Deli & Bakery, Olive Bar, Service Floral Department, Healthy Foods Center, Organic Produce, Sushi Bar and full services of a Bank of America Branch. The store's motto is "Freshness First".

May 14 to 18, 1999 - Grand Opening of Union City Century Theater 25

The new Century theater at Union Landing, Union City's new retail power center, hosted a VIP Charity Event to celebrate the opening of Northern California's largest theater last May 14th to 18th.

The theater boasts stadium style seating, all digital theater sound, love seats and rocking chair lodge seating, all auditoriums, cupholder arm rests, starcade video game room, and Cafe cinema gourmet treats.

Although people missed the old fashioned drive-in theater, people from all of the place came to the first showings.

Union City - Many Years Ago

Alvarado District

This is an old settlement having been settled in 1850, and known variously as New Haven and Alvarado. The population is over 800, and there are a number of historical buildings. The principal feature, however, is the beet-sugar factory, which has been in operation many years.

There were also the Alvarado Stow works, the Oakland Water Company's pumping plant, etc. The land was very fertile, being well adapted to the growth of all kinds of garden produce, fruits and sugar beets.

During those years, Alvarado has improved more than any other towns in the county. Business of all lines were well represented.

The leading merchant at that time was Mr. I. V. Ralph, who had been established in Alvarado for many years. He had a well-stocked store of general merchandise on Levee Street in which was also the post office, and he was the postmaster. This was also the office of the Sunset Telephone, Mr. Ralph being the agent. He also had a carpet and furniture store across the street, where he also carried a good stock of window shades, matting and upholstered good, etc.

Decoto District

After the rail line was built, the town of Decoto, a previously unknown, unimportant plot of land was born. A few trees, a few miles of railroad track, and the interest of the Decoto family, and Decoto was on the map.

The first owners of the land, the Decoto family, which originally spelled their name "de Coteau" were of French-Canadian extraction. They moved to the Southern Alameda County area from the town of Three Rivers in the Maritime Provinces of Canada.

Ezra Decoto, the first Decoto to come to California, was born in 1833. He came to California to make his fortune in the mining business, traveling via the Isthmus of Panama.

When the town was formed, a few families bought lots, and with the surrounding farmers, decided to form a school district, call the Cosmopolitan School District. It was later divided into three separate school districts - Valle Vista, Tennyson, and Decoto.

Politically speaking, Decoto was separated from Alvarado in 1896 and given its own voting precinct. At that time Decoto had a total population of 580 and about 100 registered voters.

The Incorporation of Union City

Development remained relatively stable in 1950; a major turning point for California as a state began to experience incredible growth. Southern Alameda County developed quickly and the cities of Fremont, Newark and Hayward began to eye the townships of Union City/New Haven/Alvarado/Decoto for potential inclusion into their city boundaries.

To preclude such an event, a citizen's committee was formed, which included Tom Kitayama, John Ratekin, Oscar Dowe, Kenneth Garcia, Joseph Lewis and Elvin rose among others. They petitioned for incorporation, and on January 13, 1959, the city of Union City came into being, binding together the four areas. Today, the 15 square-mile city is growing rapidly as new residents and companies wishing to expand or relocate in the Bay Area turn to the attractive environment of the city of Union city.