(Photo, top, J.C. Williamson; bottom, Williamson’s General Store.)
From the “Half Moon Bay Review,” 1945
“In Pescadero’s worst fire since 1927, the J.C. Williamson general store was completely destroyed and adjoining bank building was set afire and at least three other buildings were damaged in a $32,000 blaze in mid-afternoon Sunday.
“Explosions among paint and kerosene stores and stocks of shotgun shells in the rear of Williamson’s store, a Coastside landmark, rocked the north end of town.
“Pescadero fire crews, aided by state forestry service crews summoned from Half Moon Bay and La Honda and by a county crew from the La Honda (Skyline) summit station were hard-pressed to save the entire Pescadero business district from destruction during a four-hour battle.”
…to be continued…