John Vonderlin: (1905) New towns springing up like mushrooms after a heavy rain

Story by John Vonderlin

Email John: [email protected]

Hi June,

If Purissima is a Ghost Town, I wonder if there is a name for what happened to this Coastside city? This is from the November 18th, 1905, issue of the “San Francisco Call.” I was a little unclear about the author stating the town’s name was taken from the Pacific, until I looked up what Vasco Nunez de Balboa was famous for, being the first European to see the Pacific Ocean after an expedition across the New World. Enjoy. John
P.S. I wonder if no saloons AND no Sunday Drives caused the town’s extinction?
ANOTHER TOWN IS ON THE MAP
Special Dispatch to The Call.
HALFMOON BAY, Nov. I7.— New towns are springing up in this district like mushrooms after a heavy rain. The promoter of the Ocean Shore Railroad were the first to recognize the advantages of this locality as a place for an ideal oceanskirted city and their model city of Balboa is already under way. Enterprising real estate men have not been long behind and now another town on the ocean shore is to be placed on the map. It will be  located nine miles  north  of this city near Point Montara. The new town  is designed to be one composed essentially of homes. Saloons will be barred and Sunday traffic will be discouraged. Building  sites for churches and schools will be donated by the promoters of the town and every effort will be made to induce desirable home builders to settle in the place. The  town site is admirably situated on rolling ground in full view of the Pacific from which the town will take its name.