Half Moon Bay Memories & El Granada Observer

…When, in fact, you’re standing in a historic Redwood City courthouse 40-feet up from the street outside.

Mitch Postel, top man at the San Mateo County History Mueum in Redwood City, explains:

Dear June,

……Next up is a permanent exhibit with Coastside interest. We are going to create a computerized, interactive display on the big Maverick’s surfing contest at Pillar Point. The exhibit will include an outlook from one of our windows, 40 feet above the plaza, as high up as a surfer gets when riding that most fearsome wave. Surfing artifacts, videos, and, of course, a virtual ride will be part of the fun. Internationally regarded surfer, Grant Washburn, is our advisor on the project.

I bet you know people on the Coastside who will be interested in this one!

Sincerely,

Mitch Postel

Purisima, The Town That Could Have Been Half Moon Bay: Part I

(Town of Purisima, circa 1870s, as depicted in the book, “The Illustrated History of San Mateo County,” Moore & DePue, publishers [1878]; reissued by Gilbert Richards Productions, Woodside, California in 1974)
Click on the image to get a bigger picture!

By June Morrall

[I wrote this in 1977, using resources at the San Mateo County History Museum, Redwood City County Courthouse.]

As the first Americans reached “La Costa,” [the coast] in 1853, some purchased land, some lived a simple existence on rented soil–and still others, called “squatters,” ignored the formal rules of land ownership.

When a group of these squatters descended upon the Rancho Miramontes in Half Moon Bay on Sept. 24, 1853, they found Mr. Miramontes’ friends waiting to run them off the land. Unable to defend themselves in the face of strong opposition, the squatters drove off to drum up support.

And–soon, the Americans returned with reinforcements, boosting their number to 40 or 50. During the heated confrontation, the squatters, who caught the Spanish off guard, managed to seize even more land than before. [But, apparently, their victory was short-lived.]

Within a year, some of these Americans–sensing confusion over a narrow strip of disputed land, located between the Canada Verde and Purisima Creek, headed straight for the controversial territory. Merchants, who dreamed of developing a prosperous business district on the north side of Purisima Creek, followed behind.

And in this magnificent rural setting, four miles south of Half Moon Bay, the new village of Purisima rivalled Spanishtown.

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I’ve known Mitch Postel, executive director of the San Mateo County History Museum in Redwood City since “we were kids.” Initially I met Mitch when he was the fundraiser for the museum when it was located at the College of San Mateo.

I was doing two things: researching the history of the Coastside via the museum’s extensive files and working as a part-time clerk, helping people choose books to buy, etc.

Mitch, who is very smart and a scholarly historian, quickly caught the eye of the board of directors who hired him to head up the museum, including the complex move from CSM to the organization’s gorgeous new home in the old Redwood City Courthouse–a must see architectural gem.

Mitch Postel has authored many books and papers on the history of San Mateo County–and his new one is available in the museum’s bookstore.

What our own County History Museum located in Redwood City’s historic courthouse will soon look like:

777 Hamilton St, Redwood City
650.299.0104