Half Moon Bay Memories & El Granada Observer

Decades before Coastside artist Linda Montalto Patterson and her classical musician husband, Richard, bought the historic “Hastings House” in Miramar, cows and a cantankerous bull grazed on the neighbor’s land. At that time eveyrbody had an outhouse and the one nearest the bull was outfitted with a window so that whoever was using the outhouse would know it was safe to come out.

The cows and the bulls are gone and Linda has tamed the land, turning it into a garden paradise by the sea. Here’s a peek at one of the most beautiful gardens i’ve ever seen. And, by the way, the Hastings House is a favorite place for garden weddings. Talk about creating memories,,,

Mildred and Theodore (”Tad”) wanted to move in full time to their house at Rancho del Oso but Stanford University and Palo Alto had too many claims on them.

Theodore was still the dean of the School of Engineering and Mildred helped organized the Palo Alto Art Club, known today as the Pacific Art League. She was president of the club when the membership included the famous newspaper cartoonist James Swinnerton and artists Elizabeth Norton and Phimster Proctor.

Art club member and Stanford geologist Bailey “Earthquake” Willis had a special relationship with the Hoovers. Bailey’s son, Cornelius, wed the Hoover’s daughter, also named Mildred, at Rancho del Oso in 1922.

But the Hoovers visited Rancho del Oso at every opportunity.

As brother Herbert Hoover’s fame continued to skyrocket–ultimately as the 31st president–Theodore’s reputation as a resident of the Waddell also grew. After all he was he the president’s brother. To the locals, he was “Our Mr. Hoover.”

…to be continued…

(to catch up, please see previous stories 1-6….Theodore and Mildred Hoover purchased property in the Waddell Canyon, south of Pescadero…Hoover was the dean of the Engineering School at Stanford, a conservationist and the older borther of the 31st president. Mildred was a writer whose books were published about California history).

Mildred’s study of the Waddell proved to be a labor of love. She learned its name was derived from William W. Waddell, a Kentucky woodsman who established a sawmill at what was t hen called “Big Gulch.” To move the lumber from deep within the Waddell canyon to a wharf near Ano Nuevo on thhe Pacific, Waddell had constructed a five-mile tramway., marked with more than 10 bridges, an amazing achievement.

This rough-and-tumble man also raised flowers in a hot-house near his home and built living quarters for his mill workers.

Waddell had prospered for a quarter century, taming nature but then nature, almost in retaliation, saw fit to cut him down. Waddell’s life ws ended as the result of an attack by a grizzly bear.

Upon Waddell’s death, the logging industry fell into decline–but the descendants of the mill stayed on, scratching out a living by farming and whatever else they could do to make ends meet. The Hoovers, who knew every inch of the property, befriended these folks and found them to be remarkable sources of local history.

…to be continued…

Ed Davis http://www.eddavisphoto.com/index.html kindly emailed me these photos of Cathy Duncan.

Ed writes: “Two photos of Cathy taken 10/87 at a 40th birthday for a woman named Sue Gagliardo at the Princeton Inn (now Mezz Luna). The man in the photo is Frank Gagliardo, a commercial fisherman, boatbuilder, contractor.

The woman in the center of the second photo is Eva Grissom. The other woman is known as ‘Texas Terry,’can’t remember her last name. She was an RN, had a private pilot’s license and was working as a commerical fisherman (fisherwoman?). Haven’t seen her for years.”

Where are you, “Texas Terry?”

Watch them here (on Main Street, at the Chamarita)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UiFe_XiwK8

Below, the beautiful Half Moon Bay Chamarita Queen, Elizabeth Rocha, holding the crown emerges from the service at the Catholic Church, behind her two pretty “side” queens, Christina and Melissa; a member of the Half Moon Bay High School band takes a break, and three cute “little” queens take your heart away. Big enthusiastic crowd this year–lots of applause for the HMB High School band–they were terrific.

with Cunha’s Country Grocery Store in the background (left hand side), later heading for and arriving at the old Catholic Church.

Throughout the decades the Chamarita has grown to include Festival Queens from Tracy, Newark and Santa Clara participating in the celebration at Half Moon Bay. But the Chamartia remains a small town festival sporting a carnival atmosphere with a Ferris Wheel and carousel.

Originally, Pescadero and Half Moon Bay jointly celebrated the Chamarita, but in 1900, apparently after a series of squabbles, ties between the sister-communities were severed. Since then–with only one interruption during WWII when soldiers occupied the I.D.E.S. building on Main Street, Pescadero has sponsored its own Chamarita.

Although the Chamarita has been celebrated on the Coastside for more than 100 years, many people remain unaware of the colorful pageant.

In the late 1890s the Brotherhood of the I.D.E.S. Society (The Society of Divine Holy Spirit) was organized and the first order of business was to raise funds for a new Crown to be owned by the Portuguese religious organization so that future Chamaritas would be assured of their precious symbol.

I.D.E.S founder Manuel Phillips Dutra became instrumental in the fundraising effort as he traveled in a horse drawn carriage throughout San Mateo County, collecting donations amounting to 400 silver dollars. The coins were melted down and molded into the society’s first crown–24-inches tall and weighing a hefty 30 pounds. This irreplaceable silver Crown has been used until the present day.

Dutra, who passed away in 1923, also donated land on Main Street in Half Moon Bay for construction of the I.D.E.S. building where future festivals would be held.

…to be continued…

A band from Redwood City joined the festivities, playing marches. Along the route multi-colored Roman candles burned and there was the constant rat-a-tat-tat of small firecrackers.

Almost everybody in town attended the Catholic service, standing room only in the church. After the blessing of the Crown, services concluded, with the happy crowd bursting through the doors into the fresh Coastside air. The celebration continued just like in days of old. Tables, hundreds of feet in length, were loaded down with specially prepared “Chamarita” beef, baskets of bread and pitchers of wine.

Later all ages danced the Chamarita to the accompaniment of a guitarist. The Redwood City Band provided contemporary music until midnight. Everybody came to have a good time and they were not disappointed.

…to be continued…

In the early days men led the procession as Mrs. Brown’s Crown was carried to the church and blessed by the priest. Afterward the festivities continued at Mrs. Brown’s home where the revered Crown was on display. In the afternoon a free delicious barbecue was enjoyed by all–followed by the Chamarita dance.

But two decades later, in 1893, the once simple affair had mushroomed into an event comparable to a Fourth of July celebration. Wearing a tiara, Miss Mary Freitas, that year’s festival queen, carried the Crown to the church. She headed up a torchlight procession, now 300 strong, marching from Mrs. Brown’s resident, just outside Half Moon Bay to the old Catholic Church in the center of town.

Miss Freitas represented Queen Isabel, and at her side stood several maids of honor, or “side queens,” all attired in wedding dress white and capes, carrying fragrant flower bouquets. As a Portuguese band played the home country’s “National Anthem,” the queen and her attendants walked the mile-long rfoute inside of four fabric-covered “rods” held by the younger girls.

..to be continued…