Author Archives: June Morrall

“…The first sight that greeted my eyes was the body of Mrs. Coburn lying partially robed on her bed; her head was crushed and bleeding,” Andy Stirling later told a reporter from the “San Francisco News.” Contemporary newspaper reports graphically … Continue reading →

By June Morrall 7:30 a.m., June 4, 1919 Joe Quilla, Sarah Coburn’s Portuguese ranchhand had finished milking the cows in the pasture behind the rambling house–and, as always, carried a bucket of the fresh milk to the back door. The … Continue reading →

By June Morrall In 1919 the commercial vitality of Pescadero could be found on San Gregorio Street.  There was J.C. Williamson’s General Store,  McCormick’s Merchandise Store, Duarte’s Tavern & Saloon, and the Elkhorn Saloon where Mrs. Frey worked as a … Continue reading →

By June Morrall “Christmas in Pescadero in 1876” The flag was raised in front of the Swanton House. The locals celebrated with roast turkey and “Eggnogs Tom & Jerry”.   The kids hung their stockings stuffed with sugar plums and candy. … Continue reading →

Also closeby was the Swanton House, 1890 illustrations of which show a storybook inn, with charming vine and red-red rose covered whiter than white cottages where it wouldn’t be surprising to meet a character from a fairytale. Everybody knew the … Continue reading →

Next door to Loren Coburn’s house stood a couple of old, weathered stables. In earlier times, they had been part of Coburn’s “empire.” Before the automobile handily became “king”, horses were the way of travel, stagecoaches akin to a small … Continue reading →

To the north of the Coburns–closer to the cemetery–stood the quaint white Congregational Church, the oldest church in the entire county. How ever you arrived in the village–that brought to mind scenes of bucolic New England-the elegantly tapered spire was … Continue reading →

Pescadero’s first post office was established in 1859. Henry C. Bidwell was appointed the postmaster. There were four saloons. ….more…

Prohibition was good to Pescadero. Along with the profitable–but illegal– business of rumrunning, dairying and lumbering prospered. But it wasn’t just the bounty of Prohibition that made life sweeter. Since about 1914-5, Pescadero had its own county supervisor, 38-year-old Dr. … Continue reading →

By June Morrall It was all pasture behind the shabby Coburn’s house on San Gregorio Street. This part of town was home to a dozen wooden buildings of various sizes and heights. The road was the only way out of … Continue reading →