Beyond Wentz Alley

The wondrous things I can see while waiting for the Husband to pay the utility bill in downtown Hollister.

I'm taking part in The Weekend in Black and White. Click here to check out other B&W photos from bloggers around the world.

A Downtown Reflection

 

As I was walking past the empty shop on San Benito Street, next to Wentz Alley, I noticed the  reflection in the shop's window. It's the biker mural on the side of the infamous Johnny's Bar & Grill. Click here to see how it looks first hand. A pretty cool mural, don't you agree?

Take 25 in Hollister is six years old today! Whoooo-hoooo! For the curious, here's the link to the first post, What a Cute Town! Hollister most certainly is.

I'm hanging out at Weekend Reflections today. To see other reflections from around the world, please click here.

Rain, Rain, Please Come Our Way

No, it hasn't rained. I caught this reflection on San Benito Street during one of the rare showers back in Spring.  Just thought it would be nice to see some rain, even if in a photo.

Long ago, I read that weather comes in cycles of seven—seven years of heavy rains, seven years of drought, and so on.  If that's true, I hope this summer  is the worst part of the drought  for California and we see rain soon. Let us continue to hope, wish, pray, and dance for rain.

Hanging out at Weekend Reflections today. Come join me by clicking here.

Los Niños Bailando en El Calle

Yesterday afternoon, this group of young dancers performed baile folklorico at the Downtown Hollister Farmers Market.  It was certainly fun and enjoyable to watch the children dancing in the street (los niños bailando en el calle).

Baile folkorico is a type of Latin American dance that integrates ballet dance techniques with regional folk culture.  Here's the Wikipedia link that explains baile folklorico better. Sorry I missed the name of the local dance troupe.

Today is Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday. I invite you to come along with me and visit other bloggers who have posted stories and photos around the letter N.

Look What's Growing on East Street

This lone volunteer tomato plant is growing up through the sidewalk on East Street, right next to the tomato cannery. Ha!

I'm taking part in ABC Wednesday. This week is the letter "E" as in East Street.

No More Orchards

That's it!

The last orchard on Hillcrest Road is gone. Once upon a time -- at least when I was a kid -- apricot, walnut, and other fruit orchards stood on both sides of Hillcrest, all the way up to Fairview Road. I'm glad I got to experience it.

It's Ours Now!

Yesterday, San Benito Street in downtown Hollister was closed for the first time without jumping through hoops with Caltrans. All because the street now belongs to the City of Hollister. Whoo-hooo!

A very big Thank You to Steve Rosati and Gordon Machado for their dedication and persistence to jump through many, many hoops over the last 30 years to get our main street to be truly ours.

And, yes, after the speeches and ribbon cutting, there was dancing in the street. It also rained while we were dancing.  Double whooo-hooo!

Main Street, Not a Highway

Many years from now, the future old fogeys of Hollister will tell the young'uns how Highway 25 ran through downtown Hollister. "It used to be," they would say, "You merged from Bolsa Road onto San Felipe Road near Tiffany Motors. San Felipe Road turned into San Benito Street at Santa Ana Road, and you drove it all the way through town. You turned left by the high school and when you reached Safeway, you turned right to connect with Airline Highway."

Yup.

Until a few weeks ago, Highway 25 officially ran through downtown Hollister. The bypass was constructed with the intent that the ownership of the downtown section of the highway would be transferred to the City of Hollister when the bypass was completed.  It took a while for it to happen, but finally on March 7, 2014, the deed was done. Now, instead of a sign saying Highway 25 leading drivers through downtown Hollister, we'll be seeing signs (if they aren't up already), directing drivers to the highway.

So, what does this all mean? Hopefully wonderful things for us, citizens and businesses, of Hollister and San Benito County. Several years ago, the Hollister Downtown Strategy Plan was created to envision the possibilities for downtown Hollister. Be truly cool, if some, if not all, could become a reality. You can read the plan at this page at the Hollister Downtown Association web site.

By the way, this afternoon, the Hollister Downtown Association will be hosting a Downtown Street Transfer Party, from 2 to 5 PM, in the Veterans' Memorial Building Plaza. There will be dancing in the street. Rain or shine!

Ann Street

Does anyone know why Ann Street interrupts the flow of Briggs Alley?

Ann Street runs parallel to Fourth Street. It starts at West Street and ends at Winn Alley. It's less than half-a-block long. On the other side of Winn Alley is a parking lot. Directly across from Ann Street (at West Street) is Briggs Alley. This alley continues on the east side of Monterey Street.

I can't remember if someone told me or if I read that Ann Street was named for William Welles Hollister's wife. Anyone know for sure? And, for those who've forgotten or didn't know, Hollister was for whom our city was named, and the Hollisters lived where the court house stands today.

O'Neill Drive

This beautiful humongous tree is in the center of O'Neill Drive, which is in the residential section of historical downtown Hollister.

O'Neill Drive is a hidden gem, and I'm sure has some interesting history about it. It's not a thorough street in the sense that you enter at one spot and come out another. Nor is it a dead-end street because you drive in a circle around this tree and other trees. It's more like a private driveway, as there are several small homes on the street.

I wonder if the houses could've been built for Navy officers and their families who were based at the Naval Auxiliary Air Station in Hollister during World War II. I also wonder who O'Neill was.