This plaque is located in a park named after Balermino. The park opened in 2016. The plaque reads:
FIRST PEOPLE: "The Ohlone-speaking First People have lived in what we now call the San Francisco Bay Area for thousands of years. The bay and surrounding- landscape provided ample fish, animals and plants for the thriving community: Both the bay and landscape played a key role in the daily lives of the First People: fish, plants, and animals formed the basis for food, shelter, and clothing.
The Ohlone-speaking tribal groups were and are master basket weavers. Baskets carried everything from water to food harvests arid were used for storage, cooking and ceremonial practices. Unfortunately, few baskets crafted by the Ohlone-speaking tribal groups remain from life before the mission period. As part of a ritual practice, many baskets and other possessions were burned at the time of the owner's death. Some surviving baskets are exhibited in museums all around the world, including the Oakland Museum, the Musee du Quai Branly in Paris, and the British Museum in London."
WHO WAS ROBERTO ANTONIO BALERMINO?: "Roberto Antonio Balermino played a key role in San Jose's early development. Born circa 1782 to Ohlone-speaking parents, Balermino grew up within Mission Santa Clara. On September 26, 1785, his father, Guascai, and mother, Sulum, had Roberto Antonio baptized at the mission. As time passed, Balermino and his parents would cultivate the land and raise cattle, pigs, and sheep within the Mission.
In 1821, Mexico gained its independence from Spain and acquired California. By 1836, Balermino had built his adobe home and managed the land called Rancho de los Coches (Ranch of the Pigs) Already well developed, Balermino petitioned to have his ranch, over 2,200 acres, officially granted to him by Mexico. In 1844, after 8 years, the Governor of California, Manuel Micheltorena, finally granted Balermino ownership of Rancho de los Coches as well as his emancipation. Much time has passed, but you can still visit his adobe home today at 770 Lincoln Avenue.
During Mexican rule of San Jose, First People like Balermino had an opportunity to bridge ancestral traditions with new European-style farming and ranching practices.Tribal practices were often misunderstood. The traditional rancho landscape, that appeared to settlers as unkempt and overgrown, was instead artfully maintained by Balermino to provide everything from construction materials for his home, to food for his family and farm animals. A visitor unfamiliar with Balermino's ranching practices wrote:
...willows so thick, and so thickly woven together with wild blackberry vines, wild roses and other thorny plants, that it appeared at first as if I never could get through. I could see nowhere but by looking straight up, for the willows were in places fifty feet high and a foot in diameter"
- American settler William A. Manley
Despite Balermino's success at managing his sizable ranch, he was no match for the highly successful and shrewd Spaniard Antonio Maria Sunol. Through business dealings, Balermino became indebted to Sunol by an amount of $500.00; this was an enormous sum in 19th century San Jose. Balermino's only option for repayment was to give Sunol his beloved Rancho de los Coches. Sutiol was not heartless; he allowed Balermino and his family to live on and manage the ranch for the remainder of their lives. Balermino's son, Juan Crisostoma, was the last family member to live on the ranch. According to Sutiol, Crisostoma passed in 1851. Suilol, another locally significant figure, is remembered in San Jose by Sunol Street just blocks from Balermino's adobe home.
Balermino and his ancestors were from the Tamien triblet of the Ohlone--speaking First People.While there are no known descendants of Balermino today, we do know about his parents, marriages, and children. At the Mission Santa Clara, Balermino married a Tamien triblet member named Maria Estafana in 1801, and they had four children. Maria Estafana died only ten years later. Balermino remarried in approximately 1815 to his second wife, Chebuunot. Together, Roberto Antonio and Chebuunot had seven children."