Pescadero Memories

Story & Photo by John Vonderlin
Email John (benloudman@sbcglobal.net)

Found south of Half Moon Bay
Click on image for a larger picture

What is it? A big balloon with McDonald’s advertising that got away? It reads: “Try our Southern-style chicken.”

Hi June,

This was one of my finds yesterday. Before I start calling around to find its owner or former owner, as the case may be, I was wondering if the McDonald’s in Half Moon Bay is missing their’s?

Getting this monster flat enough to get into my car must have amused passing motorists on Highway one, as I had to throw myself on it, disappearing into it. I’m not sure if I’m willing to drive to HMB to return it, but maybe some local franchise will take it and ship it back. Enjoy. John

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Hi June,

Well, it took a few calls, particularly because the McDonalds managers cut me off every time they put me on hold to go check if their balloon was missing, but I was finally able to trace the origin of the giant purple balloon. It escaped from the Pacifica McDonalds. Or at least they said they were missing their’s. When I mentioned that it might take a while before I was willing to return it, as it would require $20 worth of gas and two hours of my time roundtrip to drive from Santa Clara to Pacifica , they said don’t bother, we have another one. I laughed and said, “Great, I’ll keep it as a trophy.”

Thinking about it, I’ve decided to use it as the Queen Bee of my , “The Party’s Over,” piece of Marine Debris artplay. That consists of large glass spheres packed with my collection of the remnants of thousands of balloons of every type and their ribbons, etc. that were carelessly released into the environment to foolishly celebrate various events and subsequently washed ashore.

Though this thoughtless kind of littering disturbs me only slightly, it is interesting to note that it looks like there will soon be a law outlawing the release of helium-filled mylar balloons into the Wild Blue Yonder. Apparently, their metallic nature causes several hundred short circuits of power lines in California every year. An inconsequential matter I’m sure unless you happen to be watching the finals of “American Idol,” or the Super Bowl. Enjoy. John

this fine historical book filled with illustrations of buildings and farms circa 1872. The “new” publication came out some years ago, perhaps in the 1980s, andt if you can find a copy, you’ll add a gem in your library.

In an email to John Vonderlin (benloudman@sbcglobal.net), Bobbi Ballard Pimental said:

Hello John,

I’m Bobbi Ballard Pimentel and have just read a small portion of your story about he tunnels around Pescadero Beach. Don’t know if you have learned anything since you wrote the article, but I have been in that tunnel as well as several others along the coastside.

My Dad, Robert (Bob) Ballard was born in Pescadero along with 11 other brothers and sisters….he took me to the tunnels on several occasions and told me that they were used to store guns and ammunition during the war. He helped ‘build’ them. I do not recall where the others were although I do remember that they were mostly on the water’s edge, but there were tunnels and observations points high above Gazos Creek…there was a military facility there too. That, my husband and I discovered in the early ’60’s that there is (or was ) a missile base in the Santa Cruz Mountains…we found it by accident while on a Sunday drive with our first child…Dad had a lot of memorabilia that he received from the military personnel stationed in the Pescadero area…When the troops left the area (I was very young at the time..(born 6/6/42)…they left a Springer Spaniel dog behind…he became my pet…Billy. Dad told me that Billy was a horse, so I rode him like a horse when I was about 2…..Crazy!

There are fewer and fewer people in the Pescadero area who would remember any of the history of the Coastside. Hope you can get your answers.

I am a native of Pescadero and now live in Whitmore, Ca. (East of Redding). Some of my family are still in Pescadero though…on my Mother’s side…Arcangeli Grocery/Norm’s Market, owned by my Brother Norm Benedetti,

My Grandfather Sante Arcangeli built the grocery store in 1929. He died in the late ’30’s….before I was born.

When the war started, my Mother, Louise Arcangeli Benedetti and Uncle Mario (Fred) were running the store. Uncle Fred went off to war and Mom ran the store alone for a while…she married my Dad in 1940, got pregnant with me and in 1942 she sold the store to Bob Wilson.

When Uncle Fred returned from the war, he took the store back again…Bob and Saretta Wilson had 3 children, Bobby, Shirley and Rita..Shirley married my Brother, Norm Benedetti and two of their boys (Mike and Don) are currently running the store.

In 1948 Mom built Ballard’s Dept. Store, just across the street from Duarte’s. My Dad and his 11 brothers and sisters were all born in Pescadero..most on the Willowside Farm on Stage Road.

Just some local trivia…I have more. But enough for now.

(Image: The Willowside Farm)

J
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By June Morrall

In 1872 the ten-year lease at PIgeon Point had expired and three years later landowner Loren Coburn still couldn’t evict the men or get the property back.

Coburn’s San Francisco attorney, William Craig, advised his client to pursue peaceful means; the law was on his side. The advice made plenty of sense but the men who had leased Pigeon Point didn’t care about the law even though one of them, Horace Templeton, had been a judge.

That left Loren with one choice: the lawless way of the Wild West. Early on the morning of July 2, 1875 Coburn and four hired guns from San Francisco waited for Scotty Rae to leave his guard post at the gate. It was known that Scotty left for breakfast at 8 a.m. and as soon as he did Coburn’s man, Wolfe took up the position at the gate.

You may recall that there was a shack on the other side of the gate. Inside was John Kelly, the telegraph operator. Wolfe and the others dragged Kelly out of the little building but he got away and ran to warn Scotty Rae.

Scotty was armed and he rushed back toward the wharf but Coburn’s thugs barred the way. Raising his “Navy six-shooter,” Scotty warned the men to get off the wharf. Similarly, Wolfe warned Scotty Rae to stay put.

Watching the scene unfold were several Portuguese whalers and somebody’s young daughter; nobody interfered.

The argument heated up. Scotty didn’t have a chance as shots rang out and the popular wharffinger slumped to the ground, mortally wounded, with one bullet lodged in his heart.

The news spread to Pescadero fast and you can bet the feeling in the village was intense. They liked Scotty Rae. Filled with outrage, a lynching party was organized but when they got to Pigeon Point, Loren, having heard about what was coming, escaped.

Soon after he and his gunslingers were arrested, charged with murder and brought to the jail in Redwood City.

(Image: County jail in Redwood City, from the Illustrated History of San Mateo County, Moore & DePue, publishers, 1872. This is a pretty nice looking jail, don’t you think?)

In town, Dr. Goodspeed, the county coroner, impaneled a jury of Pescaderans for the inquest. John Kelly, the telegraph operator testified that a number of shots had been fired, perhaps seven or eight. Five bullets were found in Scotty Rae’s lifeless body.

Loren Coburn was within earshot the entire time.

CLICK to enjoy a larger image of this picture.

(Image from “The Illustrated History of San Mateo County,” Moore & DePue, originally published in 1872.

Email John (benloudman@sbcglobal.net)

Hi June,

I forgot the most interesting reference to Omar Steele in the book, “Echoes from Gazos Creek Country.”

The author, Harvey Mowry, wrote that Omar Steele provided the lumber for the fog whistle building on Ano Nuevo Island. It describes how they waited until low tide, and then had to hustle the horse drawn wagons across the still wet sand so they could unload and return to the mainland before the tide came back in. I wouldn’t want to see somebody attempt that nowadays. Enjoy. John

John Vonderlin (benloudman@sbcglobal.net) writes:

I just got off the phone from talking with Meg, and I think I might have some help for Robin Caldwell and Mike Merritt. I see from Mike’s posting he already has the “Echoes from Gazos Creek Country ” book. Meg also has a book entitled “Memories of Gazos Creek and Pigeon Point 1916-1918,” by Edward Conant, that Mike might find of some use. It was published in 1998, so he might have that one, too. She was given his phone number by the Pescadero Historical Society president and we’re planning on calling him and dropping by the Park soon. Maybe he’ll be able to show us “The Secret Cave of Butano.”

The “Echoes from Gazos Creek Country,” book has three references to Omar Steele. One is a receipt for nine pounds of nails from the Ano Nuevo store. Meg thinks that if Robin contacts the Davenport Historical Society they should have information on Myrtle Garavanta.

I websearched and see the historical society and Mary Briggs published a book called “The Ferguson-Jayne Papers 1826-1938″ It’s available for sale used online. Meg also mentioned that they have oral histories, including one for Ruth Steele, apparently the last of the folks named Steele hereabouts. It wouldn’t surprise me if they have Myrtle’s letters and photos, too. Postmasters have paper preservation in their blood. I can’t find a contact number, but I bet the Santa Cruz Historical Society has one. Enjoy. John

[Image: Charlie Lund at Pigeon Point.]

I’ve had the photo above for quite some time. When I first got it, I thought, it’s Pigeon Point, then I thought I’ve never heard of the Beadle Bros: It couldn’t be Pigeon Point!

Then I received the following emails from “Mountain” Mike Merritt, Butano State Park Seasonal Interpreter, and he says:

I just saw the picture of the Beadle Brothers on your website. If you were wondering if it is at Pigeon Point I can tell you that it is. The Beadle Brothers ran a sawmill in the Gazos canyon from 1916 to 1920. They shipped their lumber from Pigeon Point. More info on the subject can be found in Harvey Mowry’s book, Echoes From Gazos Creek.

Enjoy,
Mountain Mike, Butano State Park Seasonal Interpreter

In a follow-up email, where I thanked Mike for solving the mystery of the photo, Mike Merritt told me about updating the history of Butano State Park. Here’s what he wrote:

Glad I could help. I will send along a little write up from Mowry’s book about the Beadle Mill. A few pictures can be found in his book. One is at the Beadle Mill in 1916 with Albert Beadle and the Littlefield’s, whom they were friends with. Another photo is of George Beadle and Mary and Charles Littlefield.

There are also some machinery pictures used at the mill. The picture you have is most likely one of the Beadle brothers, George or Albert. I will bet it is George since Albert died in 1916 at the start of their business venture in the Gazos canyon. You can find the book at most libraries or buy it at the San Mateo County History Museum.

I was excited to see the photo because I am doing research on the Butano State Park history. I work as a seasonal interpreter, and last summer took on the project of updating the park’s history files. Not worked on since the 1970’s, i have managed to organize and add to the info already collected.

This year I’m continuing the project and am looking for new material. I have enjoyed your books and amazing local history knowledge. If you have any more photos and/or information on the Little Butano and Gazos canyons I would love to see it. The two canyons within the park, the Little Butano and Gazos, have some great history and are different from each other. I will be working at the park all summer so feel free to contact me. I would also be interested in obtaining a copy of the Beadle Brothers picture for our records. Let me know.
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Do you have history of The Butano that you’d like to share with “Mountain” Mike Merritt, who is the Butano State Park’s Seasonal Interpreter?

Email Mike: ( butano@lycos.com)

Does anyone remember Myrtle Garavanta? Do you have a photo of Myrtle? What happened to her collection of photographs and letters and memorabilia?

Robin Caldwell says:

Myrtle was the daughter of Norman Edward and the granddaughter of Charles Edward Steele. She was the postmistress in Davenport for about 25 yrs. She had all of the genealogy and many old family photos. She was the only connection our family ever had with the California Steeles. She shared many pictures and letters from the Ohio families with us after my father met her in about 1974. Myrtle didn’t have children so I don’t know what became of her collection, but it was a treasure.