Downtown Hollister Historic District: 135 5th Street

Who remembers the old post office on 5th Street? And, the beautiful cedar tree next to it?

The building is still there. It's now the Apostolic Assembly Bible Learning Center.  What's missing though is the cedar tree.

The old post office at 135 5th Street is the major contributing historic building on the eastern edge of the Downtown Hollister Historic District.  Built in 1935, the building was designed in the style of Spanish Colonial Revival.  One of the interesting features of the building is the arched entrance surrounded by fake voussoirs -- those ray-like lines. Actual voussoirs are wedges of stone or other material forming the units of the arch. I am definitely learning a lot of architectural stuff with this series.

Do any of you remember the awesome wooden mural that once hung in the old post office? It's now hanging at the new post office on Maple street.  Click here for a photo of the mural.

Downtown Hollister Historic District: 501 Monterey Street

The red brick Hollister United Methodist Church is another contributing historic building to the Downtown Hollister Historic District, standing at the district's western perimeter. The National Register of Historic Places registration form lists the building as being built around 1880. The brick church was actually built in 1910. It was the second building for the then Methodist Episcopal Church (South). The original church was a wooden structure built in 1872. The original sanctuary is used today as the congregation's social hall.

The architecture style of the two-story church is Late Gothic Revival. Everything about the church's facade is picturesque and romantic, from its pointed spires and square towers to its rounded roof,  inviting porch, and multi-paneled windows with pointed arches.

In 2012, the Hollister United Methodist Church celebrated its 150 anniversary. To read a bit about its history, click here.  If you'd like to see photos of the church's beautiful stained glass windows, click here.

I'm hooking up at Sundays in My City, hosted by the Unknown Mami. Come check out posts of other cities around the world by clicking here.

Downtown Hollister Historic District: 140 5th Street

Reflected in this window is one of the oldest commercial buildings in the Downtown Hollister Historic District. Built around 1880, the single-story building at 140 5th Street looks like quite small and compact. Go around the corner to East Street and you can see that it's nearly half a block long.

I'm linking up with Weekend Reflections. To see reflections that other bloggers have caught with their cameras, please click here.

Downtown Hollister Historic District: 725 San Benito Street

This two-story, reinforced concrete historic building in the Downtown Hollister Historic District was constructed around 1915. It is listed as 725 San Benito Street on the National Register of Historic Places registration form. The second floor shows its original face, while the first floor has been remodeled.

The registration form notes that the building was once the Winneville Hotel. Was it that originally? I have no idea. Does anyone? During the 1990s, the building was home to the Family Bargain Center. Today, the storefront is divided into three businesses:

• Smokey Pete's Smoke Shop, 727 San Benito Street
• Bella Mia Salon, 729 San Benito Street
• Eclectic Treasures, 731 San Benito Street

The ceiling in Eclectic Treasures still has the original tin tiles. Click here to see how gorgeous they look. Better yet, head over to the store. The other two shops may have the original ceiling, too.

Downtown Hollister Historic District: 101 Fifth Street

Today, most people in San Benito County know 101 Fifth Street as being the home of Pat's Place, a very cool thrift shop that raises money for the Community Food Bank of San Benito County.  Originally, the historic two-story building was a laundry called the Model French Laundry. It was constructed around 1934 by Joseph and Marie Latapie, according to Welcome to Historic Downtown Hollister, a walking tour pamphlet by Sharlene Van Rooy. The Latapies moved from San Francisco to Hollister after the 1906 earthquake and operated their laundry in two other locations previously to settling at 101 Fifth Street.

This is a contributing building to the Downtown Hollister Historic District. It was noted in the registration form submitted to the National Register of Historic Places for its parapet with a zig-zag band at the top to building and the tiled cornice with false vigas a foot or so below the parapet. The alluring arched doorway on the right side of the building was mentioned, too. I think the light fixture beside the doorway also gives the building its pizazz.

The storefront, with its anodized aluminum door and windows, was remodeled in the 1980s.

When I was a kid in the 1960s, I was fascinated with the Model French Laundry. The name always made made me think of the Eiffel Tower and I thought all French buildings had to look like this cute one. I never went into the laundry, but that did not stop me from imagining people inside speaking  French and having a special way of making the clothes they laundered look chic and ooh-la-la.