Author: June Morrall

Blooming right now in El Granada.

Here’s a pix of the “Farallone City” RR station. This is a postcard labeled Farallone City.

“Farallone City boasted the best building the company owned. The depot was a one-story lath and plaster construction with eight masonary pillars and a shingle roof. It was one of the few buildings that was painted and also had a concrete sidewalk. It was valued at $1114.45 and its condition was 90%.” From “San Mateo Stations As Reported in 1913-14.”

Story by Len Erickson
Email Len: [email protected]

June,

In a your re-posting of Shirley Zynda’s article in January there was reference to Farallone City (referred to as now a part of Montara). Do you know of a source that would say more about which part of Montara it was?

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I have lived in El Granada for 7+ years, since my wife and I moved to the Coast from Los Altos. For the 20+ years prior to that I was a frequent visitor to the area. I enjoy your web site very much as a never ending opportunity to just dip into bits of history.

My opening question comes from an interest in the neighborhoods of the area which I think of as another level of detail from the community or village names used in the area.

Montara
Old Montara
New Montara (Farallone City?)
Moss Beach
Moss Beach East

Marine View

Moss Beach West
Seal Cove
Pillar Ridge
El Granada
Burnham Core
Clipper Ridge
Upper El Granada Ave
Princeton
Princeton
On Harbor Boats
Miramar
Miramar West
Miramar East

Some of these are steeped in history, others created by new development or became separate entities when Highway 1 came through. I’m sure there is texture I’m missing as well. Much of your work captures the people, who make the neighborhoods (no forest without all the individual and varied trees). This is in contrast to Barbara VanderWerf, whose book I also enjoy.

We moved here after she left, but recently worked with her to reprint the Granada book.

From the Ocean Shore Railroad Company

SEASHORE, MOUNTAIN AND FOREST RESORTS

Distances from San Francisco and Hotel Accommodations

GRANADA—27.1 miles. Hotel North Granada, accommodations for forty. Rates $2.00 per day or $12.50 per week. Address J.T. Mabey, Granada, Cal.

At Granada, the beach is perfect. There is a large bathhouse and bathing in the surf is most enjoyable. A perfect picnic place.

HALF MOON BAY—30.2 miles. Hotel Mosconi, accommodations for forty. Rates, $2.00 per day, $7.00 to $14.00 per week. Address C.P. Mosconi, Half Moon Bay, Cal.

Occidental Hotel, accommodations for fifty. Rates $2.00 per day, $8.00 to $10.00 per week. Address A.T. Gilcrest, Half Moon Bay, Cal.

PURISIMA—34.3 miles. Purisima Hotel, accommodations for thirty. Rates reasonable. Address Mrs. J.R. Clarke, Purisima, Cal.

New Purisima House, accommodations for fifty. Rates $2.00 per day, $10.00 to $14.00 per week. Address F.F. Sarcander, Purisima, Cal.

These two hotels are anglers’ headquarters for Purisima, Lobitos and Tunitas Creek.

TUNITAS GLEN—38 miles. The present terminus of the OCEAN SHORE RAILROAD. No hotel accommodations, but ideal camping grounds, with delightful beach and wooded canyon through which flows Tunitas Creek, where trout abound.

SAN GREGORIO—3 miles from Tunitas Glen, reached by stage from Tunitas Glen; fare 50 cents. Palmer House, accommodations for twenty. Rates $2.50 per day, $12.00 to $14.00 per week. Address Mrs. Frank Bell, San Gregorio, Cal. The famous San Gregorio Lagoon and Creek is at this point, where hundreds of trout fishermen find their way every season. Free camping grounds.

PESCADERO—8 miles south of Tunitas Glen, reached by stage; fare $1.00 Swanton House, accommodations for seventy-five. Rates $2.00 and up. Address Mrs. Corey, Pescadero, Cal. Grand ocean beach.  Bathing, fishing and hunting for small game. Pescadero Creek is a well known fishing stream.

PEBBLE BEACH—12 miles from Tunitas Glen, reached  by stage; fare $1.00. Hotel accommodations at Pescadero, two miles distant.

LA HONDA—11 miles from Tunitas Glen, reached by stage; fare $1.25. Hotel La Honda, accommodations for seventy-five. Rates $2.00 per day, $8.00 to $10.00 per week. Address Mrs. I. J. Sears, La Honda, Cal.

Hotel Woodruff, accommodations for seventy-five. Rates, $2.50 per day, $12.00 to $14.00 per week. Address Percy Weeks, La Honda, Cal.

Alpine House, accommodations for twenty. Rates, $2.00 per day, $8.00 to $10.00 per week. Address A.V. Keefer, La Honda, Cal. La Honda is about seven miles inland from the ocean, located in the forests of gigantic redwoods that are so characteristic of the Coast Range Mountains of California. Trout fishing and hunting for small game and deer are unexcelled.

Camping grounds at La Honda may be rented by the month. A vacation at La Honda is ideal.

BELLEVALE—-10 miles from Tunitas Glen, reached by stage; fare $1.00 Bellevale Hotel, accommodations for thirty. Rates $2.00 per day, $8.00 to $10.00 per week. Address Mrs. James Bell, Bellevale, San Mateo County, Cal. Good camping grounds in dense redwood forests. Fine trout fishing in many small creeks.

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