Showing posts with label San Benito County Historical Park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label San Benito County Historical Park. Show all posts

Friday, August 28, 2015

A Garden of Delight


Should you take the nature trail from the parking lot to the Visitor's Center at the San Benito County Historic Village, you'd come across the caretaker's delightful back garden. Flying among the flowers, vines, bushes, and assorted statues and knick-knacks are various butterflies. I saw small brown ones, which slightly resemble Monarch butterflies, that I haven't seen since I was a kid. The caretaker's front garden is equally magical.


Sunday, March 15, 2015

A Sunday Flashback: The 19th Century Fire Station


In 19th century Hollister, fire stations were known as hose barns and the new city had two of them. This was Hose Cart #2 and was located on Swope Alley, near Monterey Street.

A few years ago, this historic building was moved to the San Benito County Historical and Recreation Park in Tres Pinos.


To learn more about Hose Cart #2, check out this link.


Saturday, July 26, 2014

Park Appreciation Day


Today, the San Benito County Historical Park is having a Park Appreciation Day. The free event starts at 11 AM with the Early Day Gas Engine & Tractor Association Show, which ends at 3 PM.  There will be a rededication of the Fire House at 2 PM and a rededication of the Dance Hall at 3 PM. 

People are invited to bring a picnic lunch. Food and drinks are available for purchase.

Friday, August 30, 2013

Tres Pinos, California


Tres Pinos is about five miles south of Hollister.  Highway 25 runs through the business section of the quaint little town of 476 residents, so you can't miss it.  

In Spanish, Tres Pinos means three pines. But, in this Tres Pinos, the three pines do not exist. Originally, the town was called Paicines, after the Indian tribe of the area. About five miles to the south of the current Tres Pinos is an even smaller town by the name of Paicines. Uh-huh. You got it. Once upon the same time, that village was called Tres Pinos for the three pines that stood alongside the nearby creek. Why the name switch? Click here for the story.
 

Things to Do

The San Benito County Historic Park
Tres Pinos may be small, but it has a lot to offer. On the southern edge of town is the beautiful Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, which is worth a stop to look inside and to  around the grounds. Head over to here to see a few photos of it.
By the way, don't be surprised if you suddenly hear a strange flutter above you and then the sight of legs sticking out from under colorful parachutes. The field across from the church is the drop zone for Skydive Hollister, the local skydiving outfit.

If you're into golf, or just want to hit a bucket of balls, stop by the Bolado Park Golf Club, about half-a-mile or less down the road. It's a public golf course with 9 holes.  

Or, if it's history that you want to escape into, stop at the nearby San Benito County Historical and Recrational Park to wander through the Historical Village. There's also a short trail that goes along the hillside above the park. Nice far-away views from there.

The San Benito County Fairgrounds, more popularly known as Bolado Park, is also located in Tres Pinos. RV camping is available year-round on the lovely grounds. Two of the largest events held there each year are the San Benito County Saddle Horse Show & Rodeo in June and, of course, the County Fair, which will be from October 4 to 6 this year.


Crepes from Flapjack's Country Cafe

Restaurants

When you're hungry, you don't have to go far to fill your tummies with yummy food and drink. Heading back north from Bolado Park on Highway 25, your choices include:

Organic Crops

Some of the best tasting chickens, eggs, and walnuts are produced in Tres Pinos. Paul and Leti Hain of Hain Ranch Organics sell their products at farmers markets and through the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Folks can also purchase their goods directly at their farm on harvest days. You can't get any fresher than that!  Check out their website for details.  Be sure to watch the video in which Paul describes how he raises the chickens. 

A delivery of chickies to the Hain Ranch Organics.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

A Great Place for a Picnic


The San Benito County Historical and Recreation Park is a wonderful place to have a picnic. It's also a nice setting for a reunion, a wedding reception, or any other kind of large party. You can reserve one or two sites, or even all of the sites for your special parties. For information, check out this page at the San Benito County Parks and Recreation Web site.

Today is the last day of San Benito County Historical Park week at Take 25 to Hollister. I barely touched the surface. You'll just have to go visit the park yourself. It's just a few miles south of Tres Pinos. The entrance is right off Highway 25, on the west side. If you reach Bolado Park, you know you've gone too far.

Saturday, February 9, 2013

The Sullivan House


One of the historic buildings at the San Benito County Historical Park is called the Sullivan House. It was named for the original owner, Mary Sullivan. Her brother, Michael Shea, a carpenter for Colonel Hollister, built the cute cottage for her around 1868. The house was located on San Felipe Street, near the Miyako Japanese Restaurant. It was the first building to be moved to the historical village.

To read more about the Sullivan House, check out this page at the San Benito County Historical Society Web site.

To learn more the San Benito County Historical and Recreation Park, check out this page.

February 4 to 10 theme for Take 25 to Hollister: San Benito County Historical Park

Friday, February 8, 2013

Hose Cart #2


In 1875, the young town of Hollister established a fire department that consisted of 69 volunteer firemen. The fire department created two hose companies and one hook and ladder company to serve the town as well as the surrounding area.

The hose barns, or fire stations, were built near the north and south borders of Hollister where fires were likely to range the most. Hose Cart #1 was put up on North Street, while Hose Cart #2 was erected in Swope Alley.

Until a few years ago, you might've stumbled upon the small wooden fire station #2 as you wandered through Swope Alley. Today, you can view Hose Cart #2 at the historical village in the San Benito County Historical and Recreation Park, just south of Tres Pinos on Highway 25.

For more information about the  historical village, check out this page at the San Benito Historical Society Web site. 

Want to read some more history of the establishment of the Hollister Fire Department? Here's a link for you to do so, which is at the Hollister Fire Department web page.

And, for a glance of the today's fire station, head over to this link on Take 25 to Hollister.

February 4 to 10 theme for Take 25 to Hollister: San Benito County Historical Park

Thursday, February 7, 2013

A Vintage Sign


The Mobilgas Pegasus in the Cloud sign is a classic. Mobilgas (before it renamed itself as Mobil in 1963) introduced the red winged Pegasus in the 1930s. You can see the sign in its vintage glory at the historic village in the San Benito County Historical and Recreation Park. It's hanging on the outdoor wall of the first floor of the Ferrando House.

February 4 to 10 theme for Take 25 to Hollister: San Benito County Historical Park

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Willow Creek School


The Willow Creek School is one of the several one-room schools that once existed throughout  San Benito County.  Built in the early 1870s, the Willow Creek School can be seen at the historic village in the San Benito County Historical and Recreation Park.

The school was built on the Melendy Ranch, which is a few miles north of the Pinnacles National Park. According to the local historians, the redwood lumber used for the school was brought over from Santa Cruz.

The Melendy Ranch donated the school to the San Benito County Historical Society, which moved the school to the historic village in the early 1990s. For more history and photos of the Willow Creek School, visit this page at the San Benito County Historical Park web site.

February 4 to 10 theme for Take 25 to Hollister: San Benito County Historical Park

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

The Cottage Bar


The Cottage Bar is one of the historic buildings at the San Benito County Historical Park. According to the E Clampus Vitus placard on the building, this was the first saloon to serve steamed beer in the area. The building is over 130 years old.

It was originally located at Cottage Corners, which was the area about where San Felipe Road and Wright Road intersect. If memory serves me, it stood on the northwest corner, which is now occupied by many of the blue tanks of Dassel's Petroleum, Inc.  Prior to being moved to the historic village, Cottage Bar was last owned by the Dassel family.

February 4 to 10 theme for Take 25 to Hollister: San Benito County Historical Park

Monday, February 4, 2013

A View from Above the Historic Park


You can do a short walk above the San Benito County Historical and Recreational Park, from which you can see some pretty good sights. It's worth the slight climb.

The San Benito County Historical and Recreational Park is one mile south of Tres Pinos, just off Highway 25. It's open from dawn to dusk. In addition to the walking path, the park offers picnic sites and a historic village of various buildings, machines, and tools that once belonged to local residents.

The village is run by the San Benito County Historical Society, while the recreational areas are maintained by the San Benito County Parks and Recreation.

Check out these links, for more information about the park.
~ San Benito County Historical Park
~ Historical Park picnic site reservations

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Dear Take 25 Readers,
I'm trying something new for awhile—a weekly theme with daily posts. The first week's theme, obviously, is the San Benito County Historical and Recreational Park. 

Until later, dear readers.
Su-sieee! Mac

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