Frenchman's Tower is a two-story red brick structure located in Santa Clara County, California, that resembles a medieval fortification.

[1][2][3] 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 Mayfield, California in 1875.

The tower, situated near Matadero Creek, was originally connected to one of six tunnels used to provide subterranean water to his farm and to his lake.

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 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.

Caperon developed the land into a thriving stock farm and eventually directed the construction of a tower to distribute water.

[6] 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,[citation needed] made speculations, and spread rumors about the intended purpose of the tower.