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and eventually directed the construction of a tower to distribute water. He seemed friendly but would not discuss his past. When local residents discovered that Peter Coutts (Paulin
Caperon) had actually purchased the land in the name of his children's governess, the townspeople grew suspicious, made
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In 2006 photographer Eric Chan took photos of the tower, including photos documenting his presence both outside and inside the tower. He described how he climbed through a small hole in the back and found it "pretty scary inside". The photo on the right, showing the inside of the structure, is one
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Over the years, many different ideas and stories regarding Paulin
Caperon's tower and tunnels have been told. Caperon, who also went by the alias Peter Coutts, is said to have "enjoyed mystifying his neighbors" and often helped perpetuate these stories by neither denying nor confirming the fanciful
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policies and opposed the Franco-Prussian War." He founded a private bank, which he sold in 1873. Because of problems in France, he left France for
Brussels, Belgium, and then went to New Orleans using identity papers of his deceased cousin Peter Coutts. He traveled to San Francisco and then to the
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on trail alignment expressed concerns that proposed trail segment AD05 would attract more visitors, possibly leading to the tower being further vandalized. The report also stated that more bike and foot traffic might make the tower more visible, possibly protecting the tower. To mitigate the risk,
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reporter Ken
Bastida interviewed local historian Steve Staiger. Staiger said he did not believe the structure was constructed as a water tower as the builder alleged because the tower was too far away from water or the rest of his property. Staiger offers a reward to anyone who solves the mystery.
447:, was originally connected to one of six tunnels used to provide subterranean water to his farm and to his lake. Workers had to remove tons of earth before reaching a sufficient underground water source. Bricks for the tower were made by Albert Bowman and Company from a clay deposit discovered in
660:
from
Jeremiah Clarke for $ 90,000. Caperon had a heart ailment, and his wife was an invalid. He felt concerned that he and his wife might both die, and his children might have difficulty inheriting his estate, so he took title to the land in the name of his children's governess Eugene Cloyensen.
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have carved names or initials into almost every brick of the tower within their reach. Some dates go back over 100 years. In 1970, the landowner bricked in the windows to protect the structure from vandals. Frenchman's Tower stands on Old Page Mill Road, midway between
Foothill Expressway and
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published a 1948 article describing how
Frenchman's Tower "standing stark and alone" on the banks of Matadero Creek is one of the Peninsula's most famous landmarks. The article goes on to tell the story of Paulin Caperon through interviews with family
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Although not referencing sources, the
Stanford Historical Society published a 1981 article, "Coutts was no eccentric, history study shows", detailing the life of Paulin Caperon. The article provides explanations for many of his seemingly strange
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The second floor held a water tank, while the first floor was used as a library. The original owner, Paulin
Caperon, spent many hours in his library reading and studying. The building never had any doors, requiring entry through a window
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Paulin
Caperon eventually reacquired legal title to valuable property he had owned in France. "Using his true identity, Caperon and his family returned to Paris in May 1883," and he spent the rest of his life in France.
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speculations, and spread rumors about the intended purpose of the tower. In 1882, only eight years after his arrival, Paulin Caperon suddenly returned to his native France and sold the land for the sum of $ 140,000 to
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the land on which he built his university." The article continues with information based upon interviews with surviving members of Coutts's family and household, explaining the reason for Peter Coutts's strange
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tales. These include the construction of tunnels and a fortified tower to "withstand a siege by his enemies" and harboring the French Empress, neither of which were true.
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in 1875. Coutts returned to France in 1882 without letting his California neighbors know what happened to him and ordered a bank to liquidate his Mayfield property.
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reporter William Baeck described how he climbed over a wire fence and crawled past poison oak. Then he held his camera inside the tower and began photographing.
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The structure was built under the direction of land owner Paulin Caperon, a native of France who had assumed the name Peter Coutts when he moved to
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began a 1954 article with the sentence, "No tale in California history has had stranger diversities than the one about the man who sold to
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Paulin Caperon was the son of one of Napoleon's officers. He lost both parents when he was only 26 years old. He "openly criticized
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township of Mayfield. Paulin Caperon continued using the name Peter Coutts when he arrived in Mayfield (present day
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the landowner agreed to inspect the tower every six months and to take action upon discovery of further damage.
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at Stanford University Libraries, California 94304-6064, includes paper letters from Caperon's granddaughter.
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An Enduring Heritage: Historic Buildings of the San Francisco Peninsula By Dorothy F. Regnery, Page 72
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The TV report shows an entry-hole vandals chopped through the bricks on the back side of the tower.
746:, Sacramento California: Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks, November 3, 1969
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1041:, Stanford Historical Society Newsletter: Stanford Historical Society, p. 3, archived from
340:. Built in 1875, the structure was listed as a California Point of Historical Interest in 1969.
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France in 1822 and died in Bordeaux, France, in September 1889 at the age of sixty-seven.
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Bridge built on Caperon's land. The area is now a park and Stanford faculty housing.
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archives contain photos of Frenchman's Tower taken during August and September 1975.
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Popular news media of today sometimes casts the tower as an unsolved mystery.
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DeFord, Mairiam Allen (June 1954). "Palo Alto's "Mysterious Frenchman"".
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Baeck, William (September 3, 2010), "The mystery of Frenchman's Tower",
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Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record
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Damage caused by names being carved into bricks on Frenchman's Tower
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905:, Peninsula Life Magazine: C-T Publishers, San Carlos, California
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along the top and Gothic windows, giving it a style similar to
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Jean-Baptiste Paulin Caperon was born of wealthy parents near
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Gothic windows and simulated Battlements on Frenchman's Tower
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Elizabeth Traugott's interview with Steve Staiger's in 1997
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Frenchman's Tower 1910-1930 photo in San Jose Public Library
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Some articles show the writer's curiosity about the tower.
774:, Planning Department, Santa Clara County, pp. 4.5–12
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A panorama of graffiti painted on the inside of the tower
1002:"What's The Story Behind That Tower On Page Mill Road?"
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Frenchman's Tower was built in 1875 and has miniature
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Tourist attractions in Santa Clara County, California
960:, Planning Department, Santa Clara County, p. 2
768:
Supplement to the Stanford University Community Plan
1171:: Geoffrey Bilson, "Peter Coutts - 'The Frenchman'"
1249:Buildings and structures in Palo Alto, California
454:
451:in the same year that the tower was constructed.
432:built between the 15th and 19th century. In the
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520:A 1910-1930 photo shown on the right is in the
363:, within a strip of land within the borders of
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332:is a two-story red brick structure located in
173:2065 Old Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, California
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108:
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1274:Stanford University buildings and structures
1035:Coutts was no eccentric, history study shows
428:built hundreds of years earlier, not unlike
864:, Sterling Publishing Company, p. 36,
672:Caperon developed the land into a thriving
656:In 1875 he bought 1,400 acres (4.7 km2) of
1259:Ranchos of Santa Clara County, California
1244:History of Santa Clara County, California
60:Frenchman's Tower in Palo Alto California
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804:California Historical Society Quarterly
501:California Point of Historical Interest
413:built between the 15th and 19th century
322:California Point of Historical Interest
33:Frenchman's Tower on Old Page Mill Road
16:Water tower in Palo Alto, United States
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1183:Photos at Palo Alto Historical Society
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1104:The Campus Guide, Stanford University
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116:Frenchman's Tower (the United States)
1163:Guide to the Peter Coutts Collection
1081:"The Frenchman's Tower — circa 1880"
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1198:The best of Santa Clara Valley 1997
1079:Margaret Feuer (October 25, 2013).
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63:Show map of San Francisco Bay Area
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1269:1895 establishments in California
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1106:, Princeton Architectural Press,
1008:, event occurs at 11:47 PM (PST)
714:Rancho Rincon de San Francisquito
658:Rancho Rincon de San Francisquito
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506:Listed on the Santa Clara County
313:Paulin Caperon (aka Peter Coutts)
1066:The Frenchman's Tower 05.04.2006
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470:Plaque next to Frenchman's Tower
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1151:The Legend of Frenchman's Tower
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1000:Bastida, Ken (March 30, 2011),
902:The Legend of Frenchmen's Tower
398:Frenchman's Tower built in 1875
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455:Public interest and notability
334:Santa Clara County, California
88:Frenchman's Tower (California)
1:
1169:Unpublished papers including
1083:. Palo Alto Stanford Heritage
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561:California Historical Society
119:Show map of the United States
954:Santa Clara County Resources
7:
1212:The mysterious Peter Coutts
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625:environmental impact report
508:Heritage Resource Inventory
10:
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1063:Chan, Eric (May 4, 2006),
1032:Regnery, Dorothy (1981),
977:Boucher, Jack E. (1975),
443:The tower, situated near
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1264:Towers completed in 1895
1154:a 1951 article from the
1102:Joncas, Richard (2006),
937:: CS1 maint: location (
899:Cady, Theron G. (1948),
585:Inside Frenchman's Tower
221:37.396132°N 122.161895°W
858:Laney, Jocelyn (2006),
553:Peninsula Life Magazine
522:San Jose Public Library
426:Medieval fortifications
305:Design and construction
279:15 ft (4.6 m)
266:32 ft (9.8 m)
240:200 ft (61 m)
164:San Francisco peninsula
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367:on land now owned by
338:medieval fortification
226:37.396132; -122.161895
91:Show map of California
1158:by Evalyn Slack Gist.
1127:"History of Stanford"
699:Palo Alto, California
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617:
601:of many he posted on
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743:OHP Listed Resources
345:Mayfield, California
719:Franco-Prussian War
683:Stanford University
593:In a 2010 article,
547:Historical articles
515:Library of Congress
369:Stanford University
355:Interstate 280, in
336:, that resembles a
257:Stanford University
217: /
150:Architectural style
129:General information
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529:Popular news media
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357:Santa Clara County
924:California Bricks
842:San Jose Examiner
610:Official concerns
537:In a March 2011,
503:November 3, 1969.
330:Frenchman's Tower
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289:Structural system
284:Technical details
22:Frenchman's Tower
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1216:Palo Alto Online
1190:Palo Alto Online
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449:Mountain View
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430:Chindia Tower
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411:Chindia Tower
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1130:. Retrieved
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1085:. Retrieved
1074:
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1047:, retrieved
1043:the original
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1010:, retrieved
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776:, retrieved
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646:Napoleon III
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375:Architecture
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318:Designations
310:Architect(s)
178:Town or city
1204:Metroactive
494:Recognition
434:Middle Ages
352:trespassers
350:Since then
297:Floor count
224: /
212:122°09′43″W
199:Coordinates
145:Water tower
1238:Categories
1214:in a 1998
1132:2011-08-07
1087:October 8,
1012:2011-08-07
987:2011-08-07
983:, habshaer
964:2011-08-23
909:2011-08-15
877:2011-08-28
844:, San Jose
778:2011-08-16
750:2011-08-26
725:References
709:Battlement
674:stock farm
361:California
271:Dimensions
209:37°23′46″N
1049:April 13,
685:in 1891.
651:Palo Alto
568:behavior.
365:Palo Alto
245:Completed
237:Elevation
182:Palo Alto
137:Completed
1006:CBS news
933:citation
824:25156487
693:See also
639:Bordeaux
595:Examiner
572:actions.
556:members.
539:CBS news
276:Diameter
160:Location
1218:article
1192:article
623:A 2004
422:crenels
188:Country
170:Address
1110:
868:
822:
603:Flickr
263:Height
134:Status
1039:(PDF)
958:(PDF)
820:JSTOR
772:(PDF)
253:Owner
1108:ISBN
1089:2017
1051:2021
939:link
866:ISBN
559:The
513:The
248:1875
142:Type
1201:at
812:doi
653:).
1240::
1020:^
1004:,
935:}}
931:{{
885:^
850:^
832:^
818:.
808:33
806:.
786:^
758:^
733:^
371:.
359:,
1225:.
1207:.
1135:.
1091:.
941:)
826:.
814::
605:.
524:.
510:.
300:2
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