The Old County Jail

Yup, that's the old San Benito County Jail on Fourth Street. Built in 1949, the prison cells were on the second floor, which accommodated 50 prisoners. It was used until 1992 when a much larger correctional facility opened on Flynn Road. The old jail is still used for some kind of purpose by the San Benito County Sheriff's Office.

In 1875, a jail was erected nearby this one on Fourth Street. Here's a description of the jail and it's location, which I copied (including spelling and punctuation) from this web page at Newspaper Abstracts.com.

The New County Jail -- The San Benito county jail is to cost $10,000 and will be completed in April proximo. Messrs. BOOTH & CORY, the contractors and builders, are making fast progress with the work. The building will be 1 story high and its dimensions 38x60 feet. The walls, which are up, extend about 20 feet from the floor to the roof…The design is by Theodore LENZEN, the skillful architect of San Jose. Like all structures reared for the accommodation of law breakers, this is not very attractive. Located at the rear of the court house, in Col. HOLLISTER’s late handsome garden, opposite the Montgomery Hotel, where fruit, evergreen and pepper trees abound, it is well shaded from view and will probably rarely be observed by the many guests of that increasingly popular house.

— San Benito Advance, March 6, 1875

The Montgomery Hotel was the former residence of William Welles Hollister, for which the town of Hollister was named. The hotel once stood where the new courthouse is today on Fourth Street.

Ocean Mural in Downtown Hollister

The biker's mural on the Wentz Alley side of Johnny's Bar and Grill  is a familiar sight. Hundreds of bikers and tourists take photos of it as they visit Hollister, the "Birthplace of the American Biker." Not so familiar is the ocean mural on Johnny's patio.

Today, I'm linking up with Monday Mural hosted by Oakland Daily Photo. To see other murals from other parts of the world, please click here.

A Sunday Flashback: The 19th Century Fire Station

In 19th century Hollister, fire stations were known as hose barns and the new city had two of them. This was Hose Cart #2 and was located on Swope Alley, near Monterey Street.

A few years ago, this historic building was moved to the San Benito County Historical and Recreation Park in Tres Pinos.

To learn more about Hose Cart #2, check out this link.

Walking Through Wentz Alley

As some of you dear readers know, I like to walk with the Husband through the alleys of Hollister. In some alleys, we get a sense of a time gone by. In the alleys in the Downtown Hollister Historical District, we see perspectives and angles of the buildings that are rather interesting and exciting. So, today, I'm sharing a few sights that we recently saw in Wentz Alley, between Monterey and San Benito Streets.

The Original Sanctuary

The Hollister United Methodist Church started as the Methodist Episcopal Church, South in 1862. Ten years later, the church constructed its first building, a wooden structure, on the corner of Fifth and Monterey Streets. When the brick building was raised in 1910, the wooden structure became the church's social hall, which is visible from Wentz Alley.

Industrial Doors

Quickly take a look at these historic buildings on Fifth Street. At which building do you think you would find these handsome heavy industrial doors on its backside? Go ahead, I'll wait.

Did you choose the Ross Building (345 Fifth Street)? The building looks so delicate and petite to have these doors, but yet that's where you'll see them. The original owner configured the office building so that it could easily be turned into a supermarket if, at anytime he, or a future buyer, wanted to do so.

Lines

I like this alley view of Downtown Hollister from behind Johnny's Bar and Grill. It's an interesting intersection of lines of the various buildings, don't you think?

Shopping at Muenzer's Keys & Teez

Yesterday, the Husband and I brought some out-of-town friends over to Muenzer's Keys & Teez on Fifth Street to show them what truly Hollister, California tee-shirts look like. Yup, they purchased themselves a couple of original designs by Jan Muenzer Holthouse.

Have you been by the shop lately? If you haven't, or never have, check it out the next time you're in Downtown Hollister.  By the way, if you're looking for items that the Muenzers once sold at their old store, you might check out Muenzer's Ebay store at this link.

Aren't these bags cool? They're also original designs by Jan.

Yes, these are keys! Can you find the sugar skull?

Be sure to check out the historical display while at the shop. 

November – December 2015 Annual Events in San Benito County

Here are some annual events taking place in November and December of this year in San Benito County. Click the following links to find out about events in other months.

• March - May 2015
• June - July 2015
• August - October 2015

NOVEMBER 2015

November 11: Veterans Day Parade  

November 28: 25th Annual Lights On Celebration  For its Facebook page, click here. 

DECEMBER 2015

To Be Announced: 4th Annual Holiday Stroll Through Time in San Juan Bautista

To Be Announced: 10th Annual Holiday in Lights Parade in San Juan Bautista 

December 18: Annual Holiday Bonfire/Hayden Christmas Celebration in San Juan Bautista

December 21: Winter Solstice at the Old Mission San Juan Bautista

August – October 2015 Annual Events in San Benito County

Here are some annual events taking place in August through October this year in San Benito County. Click the following links to find out about events in other months.

• March - May 2015
• June - July 2015
• November - December 2015

AUGUST 2015

August 6 - 8: The Good Old Fashioned Blue Grass Festival  at Bolado Park

August 9: 51st Annual Antique and Collectibles Fair sponsored by the Rotary Club of San Juan Bautista  

To Be Announced: Vaquero Heritage Days in San Juan Bautista

To Be Announced: 2nd Annual Boots and Brews Family Fest   at Jardines de San Juan in San Juan Bautista

SEPTEMBER 2015

September 13: Mexican Independence Day Parade in Downtown Hollister

September 19 - October 18: Northern California Renaissance Faire at Casa de Fruta (weekends only)

September 26 - 27: Annual Cactus and Succulent Show Fall Sale in San Juan Bautista  

September 25: Double Road Race in San Juan Bautista

OCTOBER 2015

October 1 - 4: San Benito County Fair 

October 1 - 31: Pumpkin Junction at Casa de Fruta

October 17: 3rd Annual San Benito Olive Festival

October 23: San Benito High School Homecoming Parade Downtown Hollister

To Be Announced: 7th Annual San Juan Bautista Ghost Walk  sponsored by the Rotary Club of San Juan Bautista

To Be Announced: Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo Day" at San Juan Bautista State Historic Park

To Be Announced: Swank Farms Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch