Downtown Hollister Historic District: 759 San Benito Street

The old gas station at the northeast corner of San Benito and South Streets was built around 1936. It is another contributing building to the Downtown Hollister Historic District, which means it cannot be demolished without first meeting certain measures.

The National Register of Historic Places cites the one-story building as having a typical design of gas stations of the 1930s. The windowed office is on the right, while two auto service bays are on the left. Still standing is the flat-roofed carport that once protected gas pumps.

I remember this was an ARCO station in the 1970s. Today, Hollister Mufflers makes its home there.

 

Downtown Hollister Historic District: 625 San Benito Street

Recognize the decorative cornice and those interesting urn-looking things on this building? Where do think this commercial building is on the main street in Hollister?

It's the two-story commercial edifice at 625 San Benito Street, next to the Veterans Memorial Building.  The DeLux Salon is on the ground floor. Surprised? It was constructed around 1908 and is one of the contributing buildings to the Downtown Hollister Historic District. From the front, it looks like a small building. But, just peek around the corner, and you'll see that it is a relatively good-size building.

The next time you go by 625 San Benito Street, check out its two bay windows. One is above the salon, while the other is on the side of the building.

Downtown Hollister Historic District: 335 Sixth Street

This cute little brown house is another contributing historic building to the Downtown Hollister Historic District. Located at 335 Sixth Street, just behind the Grangers Union Building, the one-bedroom, one-bath house was built around 1923. It was originally an office building.

Downtown Hollister Historic District: 549 San Benito Street

The commercial building for sale at 549 San Benito Street is another contributing historic building in the Downtown Hollister Historic District. The reinforced concrete edifice was built around 1940, according to the National Register of Historic Places. 

It's a one-story building with a mezzanine. Some of the neat features of this building is the decorative molding on the top of the building, the transom above the front door, and the flat, wooden awning.

It's been over a year since Penny Wise Drug closed its doors. Whose else misses Joan, Jeannie, and Stephen? The drugstore was at 549 San Benito Street for many years. I don't recall when they moved there, but during the 1950s and 60s, Rasco, a five-and-dime store, occupied the space. Anyone else remember the instant aroma of freshly popped popcorn as you walked into Rasco, whether through the front or back door?

Downtown Hollister Historic District: The Veterans Memorial Building

The Veterans Memorial Building, at 649 San Benito Street, is a local landmark. It is also another contributing building in the Downtown Hollister Historic District.  This handsome two-story building was dedicated on November 11, 1927, nine years after the Armistice was signed between Germany and the Allies to end World War I. Over the years, the Veterans Memorial Building has been used for various governmental, community, and private events, from town hall meetings to public concerts and private weddings and birthday parties.

Made of reinforced concrete, the Veterans Memorial Building is divided into three bays, with the center bay being twice the size of the side bays. The porch, or portico, of the center bay, is supported by two side piers and four eight-sided columns. Several gorgeous rounded windows and three arched entrances are protected by the portico's roof.

Jane McClosky Wapple was the person behind getting the building constructed. In 1923, she proposed the idea of establishing a building to honor the military members of San Benito County who died in World War I. To raise construction funds, Mrs. Wapple and her friends held a horse show at Bolado Park, which brought in $14,000. By the way, that horse show, which she called the Spanish Fiesta, became the start of the annual San Benito County Saddle Horse Show and Parade.

Mrs. Wapple was a very interesting person in Hollister history. If you'd like to learn a little more about her, check out this article, "Sweet Jane Wapple," written by Martin Cheek in the Gilroy Dispatch.

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