You've probably noticed that Downtown Hollister has several "new" and large buildings on its main street, which are quite compatible in look with the historic buildings. These modern buildings were constructed in the 1990s after the original buildings were destroyed by an earthquake or fire.
The
1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake changed the face of Downtown Hollister in a very big way. The original buildings on the northwest corner of San Benito and Fourth Street collapsed in the earthquake and the commercial buildings that once stood on the lawn in front of the Briggs Building were so unsafe that they were razed a few days later. The structural integrity of a few other buildings was found to be poor so they were demolished, too. The following year, more commercial buildings in Downtown Hollister were destroyed by arson fires.
Obviously, the devastation, along with a drought and economic recession, did not stop the people of Hollister back then. With the help of redevelopment and other grants, they constructed the following handsome buildings in the
Downtown Hollister Historic District, which is in the
National Register of Historic Places.
The 500 Block of San Benito Street
The 600 Block of San Benito Street
The 700 Block of San Benito Street
The
Downtown Hollister Historic District series comes to an end with today's post. I hope you've enjoyed the series. To check out past posts of the historic commercial buildings in Downtown Hollister, please head to these links:
