The history of garage doors in *Gilroy*, California, parallels that of the development of the community itself: from being a rural farming town to an active suburban city in the South Bay Area. And so, as the city grew and became more modern, there arose the need for more efficient, secure, and better-performing garage door systems for residential and commercial establishments alike. Here’s a look at how garage doors have evolved in Gilroy, reflecting the city’s growth and technological progress over the years.

In the early 1900s, Gilroy was still, for the most part, an agricultural community, and many homes and properties didn’t have garages. In fact, many folks relied on barns or simple outbuildings for storage, including their vehicles. During this period, vehicles like horse-drawn carriages were more common, and the need for dedicated garages was minimal.
However, with widespread adoption of automobiles in the 1920s and 1930s, there was greater need for personal vehicle storage. During the 1940s and 1950s, Gilroy, like all California, experienced the earliest stirrings of suburban expansion. Houses were being put up, and garage space became an integral part of any house building.
Following World War II, Gilroy was subject to tremendous suburban growth. Housing construction skyrocketed as people continued to move into the area. The 1950s and 1960s marked the rise of the automobile in American culture, and with it, the demand for secure, functional garage spaces grew.
Attached garages were typical for homes built during this time. Many had basic manual garage doors that homeowners would have to manually lift and close. Early garage doors were constructed from wood and had to be manually operated. All that changed in the 1960s and 1970s when the *electric garage door openers* were introduced into the market. It is possible to remotely control a garage door, opening or closing it using a button. This greatly enhanced convenience and security.