Category Archives: John Vonderlin

The Tafoni Starts Here

John Vonderlin explains the natural wonder called:   tafoni. Email John ([email protected]) I. Hi June, As I mentioned previously, one of the most common of Natural Wonders on the San Mateo Coast, are the rock features called Tafoni. When I first … Continue reading

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Pigeon Point: We like different….Images by John Vonderlin

Image by John Vonderlin Email John ([email protected]) And the more traditional view:

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Monty Parker Mystery: Adventurer Larry Fitterer Best Beach Hiker EVER

  Email John Vonderlin ([email protected]) Photos by Larry Fitterer Hi John  The picture captioned “Main Notch Cove” actually refers to the cove immediately accessible from above. I was unable to make it into the cove immediately to the north that … Continue reading

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Ashaleigh Parker: “I am here to crack the mystery of Monty Parker…”

Email John Vonderlin ([email protected]) To read earlier “Monty Parker” posts, please click here and here Hi June, I was caught by surprise last week when out of the blue the following email arrived. To say it provided a heartwarming answer … Continue reading

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1903: Over-the-Hill VIPs announce their railroad from Half Moon Bay to Pescadero

and a second feeder to their big amusement center called “Pacific City” at Coyote Point. [Image above: Pacific City at Coyote Point was actually built. Here’s the entrance. perhaps on “opening day.” There were rides for the kids and a … Continue reading

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“Go West, young man”: Story by John Vonderlin

[Note:  Colonel Albert S. Evans, the author of A La California (1872), was a close friend of  New York Herald publisher Horace Greeley, famous for his “Go West, young man” declaration.  What was Colonel Evans doing, exploring California, to the … Continue reading

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So, explain it to me, again, John. If someone’s from Pescadero, they are called a “Fishermonger” or “Fishmongerite”?

Story by John Vonderlin Email John ([email protected]) Hi June, I’ve always been mildly curious about the origin of the town of Pescadero’s name ever since I first became aware of the town a few years ago. If you look up … Continue reading

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1883: Gazos Creek and sandy beaches superb for growing chunky black coal

Commentary by John Vonderlin Email John ([email protected]) Hi June, The 1883 book, “San Mateo County, California, Geography, Topography, Geology, Climatography, and Description,” has only a few short sections about the Coastside. Strangely, the most extensive part about the Coastside deals … Continue reading

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You mean to say that Bean Hollow was named after a Mister Bean?

Story by John Vonderlin Email John ([email protected]) Hi June, I believe this is the answer to the origin of the name of Bean Hollow, not as I or Dr. Brown had theorized. Only about one in 6,000 people have Bean … Continue reading

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Explorer John Vonderlin tracks the route of the Ocean Shore RR

Ocean Shore Route Story/Photos by John Vonderlin Email John ([email protected]) Hi June, Ever since I ran into that article in the Newspaper Archive about the 16,000 pounds of explosives being set off north of San Gregorio to aid in the … Continue reading

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