1977:Letter tells the History of Amesport
Hi June,
“The pier and warehouse called Amesport Landing were owned and operated by the Pacific Steamship Co.
“A small steamer (about 200 feet) was operated up and down the coast, carrying farmer’s crops–mosty oats, barley and hay to San Francisco.
“The produce to be shipped was raised in this area and stored in a large warehouse until the steamer arrived which was about once or twice a month, during harvest season.
“The warehouse, about 100′ feet wide and 300′ feet long, had a track down the center, which extended out to the end of the pier. The pier was 1000′ feet long. Horse drawn flat cars carried the freight from the warehouse to the steamer which was tied to the wharf and also the buoys.
“When the steamer came in, local farmers were hired to work for the company. One event, often retold by my father, was the time he drove the flat car–heavily loaded–out on the pier. The load broke through the pier, and the whole load, car, horse and driver went into the ocean. The horse was killed and my father luckily escaped with his life.
“When the Ocean Shore Railroad was built, –about 1900– the Pacific Steamship Co. discontinued service as farmers were sending their produce by rail. The wharf and warehouse were not used and in 1914 my father [Joseph Miguel] purchased the property from the Pacific Steamship Co.
“The Miramar Hotel was built in 1916 on the site of the warehouse, which was torn down and much of the timber used in its construction.
“By this time the pier was in need of repair, and many piles had to be replaced. The piles were logs about 100′ feet long and weighing two or more tons. They were eucalyptus and came from the hills of El Granada.
“The railroad was scheduled to go as far as Santa Cruz but was only finished to Santa Cruz. A real estate boom resulted from the building of the railroad. Promoters bought up all the area around Miramar and El Granada from the farmers. This property was surveyed into lots.
“Property across the street from the Miramar Hotel ==some 3 or 4 lots==which extended from the road to the center of the creek, was also owned by us. It was purchased from lot owners after the real estate boom died out.
“My father bought the property on which the Miramar Hotel was built from the Pacific Steamship Company. The hotel plans were drawn by an architect, according to my father’s ideas.
“The excavation for the swimming pool and cellar was all done by hand. The swimming pool ws 20′ by 40′ and 10 feet deep at one end. Salt water was pumped from the ocean via a pipeline, and was heated by a circulating oil furnace.
“The building of the Hotel was all done by day labor. Carpenters at that time received $2.50 a day and the foreman was paid $3 a day.”
[Note: I will add photos soon.]
John Vonderlin: What Happened to the Power House?
From: John Vonderlin
Email John ([email protected])
Hi June,
This ad from the January 3, 1906 issue of “The Call,” would seem to indicate that Shore Acres, the first subdivision in Balboa City, was sold out in 28 days. The ad announces the next two subdivisions of Miramar Terrace and Miramar Beach, were for sale at this time.
I believe the Great Quake killed Balboa City. I don’t think the power-house was ever completed, as the April 18th S.F. Quake put a serious hurt on the Ocean Shore Development plans. I’ll keep checking. Enjoy. John
John Vonderlin: 1906: More about the Big Power House at Balboa on Half Moon Bay
Story from John Vonderlin
Email John ([email protected])
Hi June,
This is a Balboa-related article from the January 28th, 1906 issue of the “Call.” Enjoy. John
WORK IS COMMENCED ON BIG POWER-HOUSE
Ocean Shore Railway Begins
Construction of Its Mammoth Plant.
HALFMOON BAY, Jan. 27.— Work is at last completely under way on the gigantic power-house of the Ocean Shore Railroad. The immense structure is located on the new townsite of Balboa of the railroad company. The entire building will be of concrete, the material for its construction being quarried on holdings of the company. A. H. Lavm has been installed as superintendent of construction and already he has a large force of men at work. The number will be increased as the building progresses toward completion. This power-house will be one of the largest in California. It will have a capacity of 4000 watts. Power for the operation of the entire railroad from San Francisco to Santa Cruz will be generated in this house. Oil will be the fuel used. The oil will be shipped here by steamer.
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Hi June,
This is from an article about the OSR winning condemnation of a hundred fifty lots along their planned route in the city limits. It also included this excerpt about their Half Moon Bay area Power-house, planned in the new town of Balboa. This is from the November 16th, 1905 issue of the “Call.” Enjoy. John
Continuing, Mr. Corbett said:
“This morning the site for the power house of
the company, which will furnish electricity to
operate the cars from here to Santa. Cruz, was
agreed upon. This site is just at the northern
end of Half Moon Bay and in a splendid posi-
tion. We have entered into a contract with
the Standard Oil Company for as much oil as
we require at a reasonable faire. The oil
will be delivered at the power-house, to be
used as fuel, on barges that, will be towed to
the company’s pier on Half Moon Bay.
Just north of the power-house site the com
pany owns 1300 acres of land and on the land
Mr Burnham of Chicago, the emminent archi-
the company, which will furnish electricity to
operate the cars from here to Santa. Cruz, was
agreed upon. This site is just at the northern
end of Half Moon Bay and in a splendid posi-
tion. We have entered into a contract with
the Standard Oil Company for as much oil as
we require at a reasonable faire. The oil
will be delivered at the power-house, to be
used as fuel, on barges that, will be towed to
the company’s pier on Half Moon Bay.
Just north of the power-house site the com
pany owns 1300 acres of land and on the land
Mr Burnham of Chicago, the emminent archi-
tect, will lay out a model city. The directors
of the corporation have agreed to name the
new village Balboa, in honor of the discoverer
of the Pacific, and it is our hope that a splen-
did watering place, as the site warrants, will
soon spring up.”
of the corporation have agreed to name the
new village Balboa, in honor of the discoverer
of the Pacific, and it is our hope that a splen-
did watering place, as the site warrants, will
soon spring up.”
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The following regarding “Balboa” is a partial message from Elaine M.Teixeira
“... do know the railroad company was trying to develop a city, one reason why so many lots were so small and substandard. Know my mother had to buy up extra lots down by the Lighthouse cafe in order to sell lots my dad bought at tax sales (unpaid taxes) as lots were 25 foot lots. I am pretty sure that our grocery store was always on Etheldore and Balboa… though it was called Sunshine Valley Road (Aunt Lil says her Dad gave the name to the road, so before might have been Balboa). On current computer maps, shows name of what I thought was officially Balboa, as Sunshine Valley Road.”
The Wheel
John Vonderlin: Old Real Estate Ads…..and More
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Shore Acres was also a play, produced in the 1892s. Here’s John Vonderlin’s summary of “Shore Acres.”
SHORE ACRES
a play in three acts by James A. Herne
First performed in 1892
This analysis of Shore Acres was originally published in The British and American Drama of Today. Barrett H. Clark. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1915. pp. 231-2.
This play was, according to all accounts, an intensely “human,” amusing, and, in places, exciting drama. The following quotations are illuminating; the first is from Montrose J. Moses’s The American Dramatist, the second from a letter by Henry George:
“Even in Shore Acres, during the scene in which Uncle Nat struggles with Martin in his effort to light the signal lamp, the sensational is very much in evidence; but the unerring art of Mr. Herne saved him from the accusation of intense, glaring melodrama. He understood thoroughly the balance between tension and quietude, and there is no bit of stage writing more natural, more cheerful, and more real than the act which succeeded this violent one in Shore Acres, Uncle Nat preparing the Christmas stockings. Those who are fortunate enough to recollect the wonderful naturalness of Mr. Herne’s acting will always point to the final curtain of this play, where Uncle Nat, left alone on the stage, by the very flexibility of his facial expression, depicted the full beauty of his character, as he closed up the room for the night, put out the lamps, and lighted only by the glow from the fire in the stove, slowly left the room as the cuckoo clock struck twelve.
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Says John:
|
Hi June,
This ad in the ScreenShot I’ve attached seems to indicate Shore Acres was the first tract for sale in the new OSR “town.” of Balboa. This was from the Jan. 29th, 1906 issue of “The Call.” Bad timing with the Great Quake coming soon thereafter..
A very popular play of that name, “Shore Acres,”
 visited San Francisco in 1902. Perhaps, that’s what they were trying to evoke. I’ll keep looking. Enjoy. John
——–
HALFMOON BAY REAL ESTATE CALL and arrange to go with us to see Shore Acres, first addition to Ocean Shore R.R.; new city of Balboa on Halfmoon Bay: lots $150 up. P.H. JORDAN CO. 688 Market St. |
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Where was “Lipton-by-the-Sea” going to be located. Here’s the ad:
Historical Fragments: 1957: Huge Barn Burns on McNee Ranch
1957 (part of the paper is missing, so I am calling it a fragment)
Old Landmark in $35,000 Blaze
“A coastside landmark, the huge barn on the McNee Ranch at Montara was destroyed by a spectacular fire Monday night. Fed by tons of hay stored within, the burning structure sent flames towering into the sky that could be seen for miles.
“Destroyed by the blaze, according to firemen, was the barn, valued at $20,000, 100 tons of hay and farm implements valued at $15,000.
“First on the scene was the Montara Fire Protection District department which turned out in full force on the alarm. Firemen found the barn totally involved on arrival and concentrated on protecting nearby dwellings, standing by until the arrival of the county fire department. The McNee was not included in the recently formed Point Montara fire protection district.
“Three county fire trucks and six firemen were assisted by Montara volunteers who remained at the scene with one of their two trucks.
“Firemen reported the barn was located between the ranch house, leased by Bruce Hart, and a dairy barn. Both of the latter buildings were threatened by the flames, but were saved from damage by firemen who doused them with a protective spray of water.
“Flames were discovered shooting from the barn at 8:30 p.m., but cause……”
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Times are Tough: Take it Easy
Don’t you think this should be a poster?
[Image by Deb & Mike Wong]
What’s a Javelina?
[ Note: A j was a new one for me. It’s a wild pig! My friend, Silvia, sent me the pix below—they were near her home.[
Says Silviia S.
Hi June, last evening around eight while we were sitting outside Roy and I noticed a few javalinas – a herd of about ten animals with quite a few babies – forage on cactus on the outside of our wall. We ran for the camera and tried to be really quiet. But we needn’t have worried, the pigs were not at all frightened by us flashing photos of them. They grunted and one even looked us straight in the eye. They really smelled like a garbage heap and their hair stood straight up when they were alerted by something. Anyway, they took their time looking for cactus and peaches that had fallen and eventually disappeared down into the canyon behind our house.
Deb & Michael Wong: Our Spring Mountain Gallery Opening Was a Success!!!
Image Makers Deb & Michael Wong, 890 Main Street, Half Moon Bay
Hi June,
We wanted to thank you for posting our Grand Opening announcement in your blog. We had a successful party, and quite a few visitors we didn’t know. There were no crowds, which was not only less stressful, we had the bonus of visiting with some of our best friends & family.
Here is a direct link to our Grand Opening album of photos This is where you will see the special guests at the opening. Click on the link below.
http://picasaweb.google.com/SMGMain/GrandOpening53009?feat=directlink
The poster that I am presenting to the young lady in a few of the shots was a graduation gift, one of many collaborations that Michael & I do at Spring Mountain. Michael photographed graduate Jamie Lanier with her new car, and then I was hired to create a poster of her & the car.
You may recognize some of the faces that were there. Chris Devcich of Edward Jones, Dave Thompson (formerly of Half Moon Bay Stoves) Glyn & Judy Lewis (Applied Power Electronic Imprinting), and Thomas & Barbara Grauke, of Moonside Bakery on Main Street.
[Image below: Yvonne with a balloon & a special cake for the opening.]
