Downtown Hollister Historic District

 

Over the next few weeks, I will be posting photos of the buildings that are part of the Downtown Hollister Historic District, which encompasses San Benito Street and intersecting streets between Fourth Street and South Street.

In 1992, the Downtown Hollister Historic District was entered into the National Register of Historic Places, which is administered by the National Park Service.  The district was nominated by the California Office of Historic Preservation for its pre-World War II look and character of a small city's downtown area. At the time, 54 buildings, constructed between 1880 and 1942, contributed to the historic nature of Downtown Hollister. Unfortunately, several of the buildings on San Benito Street were destroyed during two arson fires a few years later.  The nomination papers also cited 29 noncontributing buildings in the district, of which some were constructed during the significant time period.

If you'd like to read the registration form that was submitted in 1992 to the National Register of Historic Places, please click here. The document provides a description of the Downtown Hollister Historic District.

Today is Our World Tuesday, and that's where I am parking today's post. Click here to check out what's going on in other parts of the world.

Glancing Through a Cranny

Sitting between the Juan de Anza House and La Cosa Rosa Restaurant on Third Street in San Juan Bautista is a cute little fenced-in garden. Sometimes wild chickens like to roost there. That's what got me looking through the fence when I took this photo. I heard the chickens, but I wasn't fast enough to take a picture of them. This wooden dude, however, was going no where. He reminds me of Paul Newman.

Today is Monday Mellow Yellows, and that's where I'll be.  Come check out other mellow yellows with me by clicking here.

Hollister Through an Artist's Eyes

Original painting by Pen King
The photo is courtesy of Cindy Mackie.

Okay, dear Take 25 to Hollister Readers, you certainly recognize this block in downtown Hollister. That's right. It's the east side of San Benito Street, between 4th and 5th streets. Isn't the painting beautiful?

This oil painting of Hollister is owned by Cindy Mackie, who bought if from Ebay about two years ago. She said that she plugged in "Hollister California" in Ebay's search box and Voila!

The painter is Pen King. Through Google, I learned that the artist was born in China in 1964 and is now based in the United States.  He studied at the Guangxi Arts Institute in Nanning and became a full-time professional artist in the mid 1980s. Pen King creates original-knife textured paintings and does custom commissioned work from photos. Click here to read an article about the artist. 

Thank you, Cindy, for sharing the painting with us.

An Elephant of a Branch

The magnolia tree (at least that's what I think it is) in the center of O'Neill Drive is humongous. But, I had no idea its branches were so thick and enormous. I wonder when the tree was planted.

Magnolia trees are native to Southeastern United States and can grow up to 100 feet tall. California doesn't have the rainfall that the South does, so the heartiest trees in the right conditions may reach 80 feet tall.

Click here to see a full shot of the evergreen tree on O'Neill Drive, which I took last March.

A January Sunrise in San Benito County

I saw the sun peeking through some clouds over the rooftops this morning. I sooooo lucked out.

Want to know what the sky looks like in other parts of the world? Check out Skywatch Friday.

You Don't See Many of These Anymore

"Look, look," I said to the Husband, as we approached the corner of San Benito and South Street. "Newspaper vending machines!"

I get excited when I see blue mailboxes, too.

I've gotten old.

Clothing for Little Princes and Princesses on San Benito Street

Today is Worldless Wednesday. To check out posts from around the world, please click here.

Orange Beauties

These gorgeous plants are near the southeast corner of West and South Streets.  If I identified them correctly, then they are a type of aloe vera plant. Interestingly, they ought not to be in bloom yet. In general, they bloom during summer, but can also burst forth in the right conditions. That goes to show how crazy our weather is and how our climate has been changing.

I'm linking up with Our World Tuesday. Click here to check out what bloggers around the world are posting.

Toro Petroleum in Hollister

A few weeks ago, I came across this enormous tank truck while walking along McCray Street.  It was parked at the gas station with the four silo-sized gas tanks, near Walgreen's. I've always been curious about that station, but never enough to learn about it. Until now.

The station is one of four outlets for Toro Petroleum, which has headquarters in Salinas. It offers fuel and oil products and services to the farming, trucking, manufacturing, automotive, food machine, marine, and aviation industries. Wow! The things we can learn about our town from the Internet. If you're interested in learning more about that station on McCray Street, check out Toro's website.

San Juan Bautista Cemetery

"What do you want to do for your birthday?" the Husband asked me last month.

"For starters, I want to have a coffee and croissant at Vertigo Coffee, then walk over to the highest point in town and take pictures."

So, off to San Juan Bautista, we went. The breakfast was delicious, thank you very much, Vertigo. And, yes, we walked across town in the wonderful rain to the San Juan Bautista Cemetery.

What can I say? Cemeteries are interesting, especially the cemetery in San Juan. We can across many headstones of people who died in the late 1800s. I found it curious that back then the husband's name was more prominent on his wife's tombstone. 

The San Juan Bautista Cemetery, at the northwest end of the city, is also known as the Larios Cemetery for Don Manuel Larios, who deeded 10 acres of his rancho to San Juan for establishing a cemetery. To learn more about Don Larios and his family's plot, read Frank Perez's story Honoring His Family's Past.

Everything about a cemetery is fascinating. I wonder what may be the reason that loved ones placed certain decorations on the tombstones.

When I see a chair beside a tombstone, I imagine a loved one sitting and finding a calm of being there.

The Small Town Feel and Comfort

I just love it! This is looking south on College Street from the Ding-a-ling Cafe during breakfast. That cafe has some of the best salsa around. I like spreading it on my pancakes, followed by syrup. Yummmmm!

Hiking and Biking Nearby: Coyote Creek Trail

On New Year's Day, the Husband and I took a walk with friends at the southern end of Coyote Creek Trail in Morgan Hill, which is about 26 miles north of Hollister. It's a very scenic trail that anyone can enjoy, from babies in strollers to older folks like me who prefer to stroll. If you're walking, do keep your ears open for bicyclists coming up from behind. That all-of-a-sudden whistling you hear just may be an approaching bicyclist.

Coyote Creek Trail is over 18 miles long that runs through Santa Clara County. It has three sections that will eventually be connected. The longest segment is paved, and mostly flat, going from Morgan Hill to Tully Road.

For more information, check out these links:

• Coyote Creek Parkway
• San Jose, CA: Outoor Fun: Coyote Creek
• Yelp: Coyote Creek Trail and Bikeway 

 

Outstanding!

These cows are definitely out standing in their field above Quien Sabe Road. Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk.

Whooo-hooooo! It's the first day of our new adventure around the sun. May you all have a 2015 trip full of wonder and joy.

Yippee!

from Santa Ana Valley Road

Our drought is far from over. There is a good but though and it is this: But, our hills are green, green, green! I cannot repeat myself enough. To me that means we are approaching normal -- as normal as can be.  Last year, our hills were dead brown, which was unusual, and they stayed that way for a few months. So, yippie ki-yay! for the rain that came our way this past month.

To one and all, Peace and Joy, as we embark on our new trip around the sun!

Today,  I am linking up at ABC Wednesday, which is hosted by Mrs. Nesbitt and her team of wonders. It's the letter Y today. Click here to read other Y posts by bloggers around the world.

And, one more thing for you today: Below is my 2014 album at Facebook, showing some things that took place in our area throughout the year.

Post by Take 25 to Hollister, California.

Huh?

Hahahahahahaha. . . 

Yes, press that button to get across the field.

And, please don't go soooooo fast across the field!

Ah, the illusion you can create with a bit of cropping. Hahahahaha.

If you must know, this is at the corner of Highway 25 and Union Road.  :-)

Being that it's Tuesday, you can find me over at Our World Tuesday checking out other parts of the world. Click here to join me.

Which Way to Go?

Either way would make for a wonderfully fun and scenic drive or bicycle ride along a country road southeast of Hollister. One way to get to this point is to turn left onto Quien Sabe Road from Highway 25, by the Immaculate Conception Church at the south end of Tres Pinos.

Another Gorgeous Sunday in San Benito County

This beautiful view is from the old El Camino Real in San Juan Bautista.  It's just below Mission San Juan Bautista.

Have a wonderful last Sunday of 2014!

Tres Pinos Countryside

Today's post is a continuation of the Husband's and my ride on Quien Sabe Road yesterday morning. Here's a black and white interpretation (with a film grain effect a la Photoshop) of the green countryside overlooking Tres Pinos. Highway 25 is just beyond the field where the skydivers land. To see how gorgeously verdant our world is right now, check out yesterday's photo.

To see more B&W photos by bloggers around the world, check out The Weekend in Black and White.

Enjoying the Reflection of Green

This morning, the Husband and I headed over to Tres Pinos to eat a yummy breakfast at Flapjack's Counry Cafe, followed by a drive on Quien Sabe Road. With stops now and then, of course, for me to take photos of the gorgeous green views.

To see photos of reflections caught by bloggers around the world, check out Weekend Reflections.

Merry Christmas!

Dear Take 25 to Hollister Readers,

I wish you peace and love, joy and happiness on this Christmas Day!

~ Su-sieee! Mac

The Bakery in San Juan Bautista

 When I was a kid, the Mama would bring home freshly-baked French bread from the bakery in San Juan Bautista once or twice a week. Back then, it was known as the Paradis Bakery. Several owners later, the bakery at 319 Third Street is now called the San Juan Bakery & Grocery. The Husband and I like to stop by now and then to purchase a loaf of French bread for the Mama.

According to the San Juan Bautista Historic District Walking Tour pamphlet, the bakery is housed in the Gardella Building, which was built around 1860. Frank Gardella operated a store and, for his security, kept a parrot, which let him know when he was being robbed. For more interesting facts about the building and other places in San Juan Bautista, check out the pamphlet.

By the way, don't you just like the bakery's festive holiday display? Check out the painting in the left window. Look familiar? (Here's a close up.)

Spotting Santa Around Hollister

The spirit of Santa Claus has been all over Hollister, from cute Santa dolls at the grocery stores to happy Santa prints in shop windows.

Santa has also showed up at various holiday parties and events throughout the month, including the annual Filipino American Community of San Benito County's Christmas dinner.

I even saw Santa, incognito, walking up and down San Benito Street in search of one of his reindeer. Did Santa find the reindeer? What do you think?

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Today is Our World Tuesday, and that's where I'll be checking out other blogs from around the world. Come join me by clicking here.

Rain Art

Last week, the rain created a pretty good size puddle at the corner of Fifth and Monterey. The puddle offered a cool reflection of a tree from across the street, as well as cool patterns from the rain. Do you see the face, by the way?

Morning Breaking Over San Juan Valley

This view is of San Juan Valley, from Mission San Juan Bautista, looking to the east towards Hollister and the Diablo range. This is just before sunrise. The morning was overcast, but that didn't take away from the glory of the breaking of the day.

Today is the Winter Solstice. That means it's the shortest day -- and the longest night -- of the year, as the Earth travels around the sun.  Earth now begins its jig on its axis that causes us, in the Northern Hemisphere, to see the sun setting later each day until the Summer Solstice. The universe is amazing!

This morning the San Juan Intertribal Council held its 18th annual Winter Solstice Sunrise Ceremony at dawn in the mission to celebrate the day of Spirit Renewal. Listening to the songs, chants, and prayers as the light worked its way into the darkened church was uplifting to my soul.

Robots and Reflections

Doesn't it look like the camera-spider robot is taking a photo of the building across the street? Which building, you ask? Maybe both.

The robot and several others are currently on display in the windows at ArtSpace, 240 Fifth Street (corner of Fifth and San Benito Streets). The robots were created by Paul Loughridge who builds them out of everyday trash. To see more of his awesome work, check out his Pinterest page.

Today, I'm linking up with Weekend Reflections. To see photos of amazing reflections caught by bloggers around the world, please click here.

Glory, Glory Hallelujah!

"Wow, oh, wow, oh wow!" Thankfully Byxbee Road was up ahead. I turned the corner and came to a stop. Who wouldn't want to take a photo if she could, right?

To see a close-up of the mist rising from those fields in San Juan Valley, click here.

Today is Skywatch Friday. Click here to check out the sky in other parts of the world.

Soaring Over Highway 25

One day last week, the Husband and I were entertained by this large bird enjoying the breeze, as we waited for the light to walk across Highway 25 at Meridian Street.

Rising Mist in San Juan Valley

It's Wordless Wednesday. Click here to check out other posts with me.

For Sale -- One Door

If you like shopping for antiques and collectibles, then stop by San Juan Bautista, about seven miles west of Hollister. That's where this collectible -- or antique -- door is hanging.

Today is Our World Tuesday. Click here to see what bloggers around the world are sharing about their neck of the woods.

Drying Out

The other day I saw a bunch of crows hanging out in a tree around the corner from Vertigo Coffee in San Juan Bautista. The crows looked like they were trying to dry their feathers before it rained again.

By the way, Vertigo is a comfy, cozy place to hang out and sip a cup of coffee and eat some yummy croissants, pizza, and other food, rain or shine.
 

Finally Going Green

Thanks to last week's rainstorm, the hills and mountains are going green. Hurrah! This is a view of Santa Ana Peak (part of the Diablo Range) from Highway 25.

Overlooking the Gabilan Range

The Husband and I climbed up the tallest hill in the old mission city of San Juan Bautista yesterday to catch a wonderful view of the rainy day.

Today is The Weekend in Black and White. Click here to check out other b&w photos by bloggers around the world.