Celebrating history & preserving community character

Historic Preservation happens right in M-Group's backyard in the heart of Downtown Campbell. The historic Farmers’ Union Packing House building is located at the entrance of Downtown on Orchard City Drive right alongside the historic train depot, which is run by VTA.

Back in the day, before the Bay Area became known as Silicon Valley, Campbell was miles of orchards and “The Heart of the Valley”. The Farmers’ Union Packing House, built in 1912, was a fruit storage and packing plant for the Campbell Farmers’ Union Packing Company and the first three-story building in Campbell. The first floor was used for packing, the second had bins for fruit storage, and the third contained grading equipment.

In 1919, the building was purchased by the California Prune and Apricot Growers Association and became known as Sunsweet Plant 1. In 1929, the association branched off as the Campbell-Los Gatos Prune and Apricot Association, continuing under the Sunsweet name. In 1970, the building transformed into the Bodega nightclub, hosting many famous performers including Neil Young, Bonnie Raitt, and The Doobie Brothers.

Preserving spaces like this honors community identity, connects past to present, and reminds us that meaningful places can continue to serve evolving needs.

To discover more historic preservation, visit Preservation Month California!