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The Bordi Family - Mountain View Pioneers

John Battista Bordi was born in Parma, Italy on January 24, 1841. Orphaned at nine years old, he learned how to fend for himself at an early age. He became a soldier and a world traveler visiting England, Morocco and South America. He finally immigrated to the United States and arrived in Mountain View July 15, 1871. He first leased a farm and raised vegetables. After making that a successful business he saved enough money to begin purchasing land in Mountain View. In 1876 he married Dussolina Grasso in San Mateo. They had five surviving children Baptista, Stephen, Placido, Antone, and Isabella.

In 1881 he purchased a lot at the corner of Bryant and Villa. This is the lot where he would build a saloon and hotel, the International Hotel and a family home on Bryant. Around 1897 Battista leased the International Hotel to Bellomi and Tambini.

Battista also ran the National Hotel on Bryant street built around 1897 pictured to the right.

A newspaper advertisement from the Mountain View Register Leader dated 1904 described the hotel as follows:

"The National Hotel
Villa Street, Mountain View
B. Bordi, Proprietor
The Bar is stocked with the finest Wines, Liquors, and Cigars"

In 1881 Battista bought 167 1/2 acres for a ranch on Stevens Creek. Later he purchased an adjoining ranch of 120 acres, making 287 1/2 acres in all, which he cleared and cultivated about 100 acres. He planted an orchard and started a small family winery.

The original main house he built still stands atop a stonewalled wine cellar that continued to operate during Prohibition. Some of the old wine casks are still inside.

To the left is an undated photograph of Battista and Dussolina Bordi with many family members in front of the Bordi Winery.

Pictured to the right is Antone "Babe" Bordi driving a wagon pulled by mule team. The photo shows how wagons were used to transport timber from La Honda to the San Francisco docks for sale. By 1900 loggers had cleared Stevens Creek Canyon of timber up to Skyline Boulevard.

Dussolina died in 1928 at age 65 and Battista died a few years later in 1931 at the age of 89. After his death the children continued managing the family business of farming and wine making.

On December 7, 2004 the 240 acre Stevens Creek Ranch was sold to the Peninsula Open Space Trust using a million dollar grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. POST plans to transfer the property to a public agency for long term stewardship.

Pictures courtesy of Hip Telmont.