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Research Forum Exploration of Local History
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| Charles Paulden |
 Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:11 pm |
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Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Posts: 17
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A history of Pleasure Point, Santa Cruz, California
Pleasure Point in Santa Cruz County, California, is a world renowned surf location. It is a prime example of Surf culture.
The early big wave rider Fred Van Dyke and the inventor of the wetsuit, Jack O'Neill, are historic figures associated with this area. From the time of the Costanoan through the Spanish missions in California, into the time of the Californio’s and the break up of the Rancho’s to the development of the Coastal cottages and businesses, the “Point” has had a rich and interesting past. In the more modern times of Prohibition , with the speak easy's that gave the area the name Pleasure Point and through the development of the surf culture, this area has been a place of distinction along the California coast
The Ohlone were the early settlers of the Central Coast Prior to the arrival of the Spanards in 1769, 100,000 lived in the area from Big Sur to San Francisco.
The Spanish sent the Missionaries to help settle the land and used the Indigenous peoples as the labor. They helped to reduce the use of traditional ways and Culture. Many died from the disease of the Spanish settlers. ] The missionaries held onto their land and power for twelve years after the independence of Mexico from Spain in 1821. The Mexican government seized the Mission lands and distributed it to a few powerful families, among them the Rodriguez.
The native people freed from the Missions were now used by the Mexicans as laborers. Mexico did not spend money to build cities, roads, hospitals, or to develop agriculture further.
The result of the Mexican American War (the treaty with Mexico was signed on February 2, 1848, and on September 9, 1850 President Fillmore signed the bill for California admission)resulted in more immigration. Amerians and Europeans joined with the Mexican Rancho families or through purchase gained land in the area.
The Californios developed a culture around the cattle that roamed the large Ranchos
By 1845, there were probably fewer than 500 people including Natives on the San Mateo Peninsula
Arro Del Rodeo was granted by Gov. Figuero to Don Fransico Rodriguez, the early California poet. This area was used for cattle round ups by the Rodriguez and Castro families, in a natural amphitheater where the freeway crosses Rodeo Gulch. Also known as "Los Coyotes", a one-quarter square league from Rodeo Gulch to Soquel Creek, from the sea up.
Rancho Encinalitos (little live oak ranch) owned by Alejandro Rodriguez, ran from Corcoran West and included the lands to Woods Lagoon.
In 1845 John Daubenbiss and John Hames bought from Alexander Rodriguez 1,100 acres (4 km²). The Daubenbiss house is on the rise coming out of Soquel Village The 1855 grant was confirmed by the land commission. Originally surveyed as 2,353 acres (10 km²) in 1858. It was resurveyed in 1861 as 1,473.04 acres. In 1869, after a second notice they appealed yet were held to the smaller size because they didn't object in time. H. and E. Pagels patented part of the lands in 1868. Hames and Daubenbiss patented this Rancho in 1882.
1889 Hatch Map shows.
M. Leonard owned 115 acres (0.5 km²) east of Woods Lagoon- The Yacht Harbor and Arena Gulch to Schwan Lagoon- the twin lakes area.
Schwan owned 72 Acres from Schwan Lagoon to near Blacks Point. He built the Inn in 1892. Helped develop Twin Lakes trolley station. Property landscaped by N.A. Beckwith with naturalistic landscape including Eucalyptus.
Henry Johans owned 85 Acres Blacks Point, Sunny Cove to about 17th Ave.
Corcoran owned 183 Ac of land west of Rodeo Gulch, from the Sea to Santa Maria, along the SCRR (Santa Cruz Rail Road) above the Schwan's and the Johan's lands, to upper Schwan Lake, the state park area by the Simpkin swim center of 17th Ave.
Moran Patrick Moran + Rosa Smith 1866. Blacksmith 1870 bought 237 Ac of land from Rodeo Gulch/ Corcoran Lagoon to 33rd Ave- Lynskey property. Both sides of Moran Lagoon. From the sea to the RR, including Soquel/ Pleasure Point. Barn on 26th, now in Advent / Pleasure Point Church. Ship, Helen Merrian Cap. Nelson, with cargo of telegraph poles wrecks off ranch. 1896- son Patrick, 17, died of typhoid. 1897 Divorced due to drinking. Son, Martin, drowned off Blacks Point in Jan 1901. Victorian house on beach. Burned March 1901. 1906-Son, Edward died from mistakenly drinking acid, at his grandfather’s ranch in Watsonville. Died in 1904.
Walter Lynskey owned 54 Ac from 33 Ave to 38th. Died 1918 and land sold.
W. Hawes later, by 1920 had 17.5 ac that developed as The Breakers.
F. A. Hinn owned around 120 Ac from 38th to 41st the sea to Capitola Road. This included the Road House/ Casa Del Mar, on E. Cliff
M. Leonard owned 108 more Ac The Hook to Capitola Road, Opal Cliffs.
G Wardwell owned 58 Ac to Capitola Rd. Lower Opal cliffs.
March 2 1891, Corcoran, Moran and Johann gave 20 acres to the Catholic Ladies’ Aid Society June 1892 Hotel Santa Maria Del Mar opened. 1906 The Chapel opened.
Moran sold to Nellie Houghton in 1904 in Estate Sale on Rosa’s death. She bid $2,500 in gold coins. Built a family house at the end of 30th called the Owls, because of the many owls in the area. Mr. A. D. Houghton was an engineering consultant to John D Rockefeller. Children went to Santa Cruz high on the Capitola Street car. They planted the Eucalyptus windbreak that still shelters the area now. They also provided over wintering for the Monarch Butterfly. The house burned on 12.14, 1915.
His son-in-law Esty built the Pogonip Clubhouse and renovated the Santa Cruz Mission as well as many other local and State buildings.
1920 Neillie owned 6.25 Ac at the end of Houghton/30th Ave.
1929 John C. Kleist owned the property
C Thompson developed the Pleasure Point subdivision.
Dr Norman Sullivan renamed Eucalyptus Dr, Pleasure Point Dr.
The Plung was opened in 1934. The pool was built in the basement of the Houghton home. 1934 managed by Mrs. Thompson. 1955 re opened by Edward Maloney. 1962 was removed because of a large crack.
1867 narrow gauge railroad from SC to Watsonville built by Hinn, [17]who's locomotive Jupiter[18] is in the Smithsonian
Trolley Union Traction Twin Lakes to Capitola 1903-05 - 1925 [19]
1907 East Cliff Dr proposed 15 mile (24 km) auto speedway from SC to Capitola. 75-100 feet wide.
1907 Lamb and Burton owned 44 ac from UT to proposed E Cliff-33rd-38th. The Breakers.
1907 Hawes owned land along proposed E Cliff. 1920 Hawes owned 17.5 ac 33-38th on coast
Rodeo Club 1922 meet at Larsen house on 38th to improve E Cliff 26-41st.
1921 Breakers Bonanza Beach Lots $5 down, $5 mo. 75-90 ft. Free water to lot, golden Waukesha mineral water. Free beach, 2,000 ft (600 m). long. Free camping.
Beltz 1920 6 acres off 30th 1929 70 ac Moran Lagoon to 38th 1948 Beltz Haven 38th-34th 1936 permission to develop water system around Breakers Beach 1938 seeks to lay water mains in Live Oak 1938 sued by Breakers for poor water.
Birds fly into homes in Capitola and Pleasure Point. Hitchcock reading of this, makes the movie, The Birds.
Pleasure Point Night Fighters 1920's Volunteer firefighters to protect the Point from fires and rowdy crowds during Prohibition 1919-1933. At this time rumrunners dropped off on the beaches.
Rumors that the Pleasure Point roadhouse 2-3905 E-Cliff I was used in these endeavors. See more
ipetitions.com/petition/saveroadhouse/index.html
The Pleasure Point roadhouse had one of the early gas stations along the SC coast.
It was a retreat with access to the ducks and waterfowl that filled the Lagoons and wetlands in the area.
1870’s F. A. Hihn owned the property.
1900's was owned by J.Henchy, a saloon keeper from San Francisco,who built the Pleasure Point roadhouse.
His daughter Ester married Hopper, the Red Sox Hall of Fame player.
1920Nick Neary from San Francisco owned the property.
1926 A&E Peterson traded for their grape ranch in Chowchilla
1986 L Naslund
Jack O'Neill Father of the Wetsuit patented the name Surf Shop in SF 1952. Move to SC in 1959. First at Cowells and then to 41st Ave in Pleasure Point.
Gion v. City of Santa Cruz(Cal. 1970) The use of the beach from at least 1900 lead to dedication of property to public use and prescriptive rights
O'Neill bought Gion property along the coast of Pleasure Point. Formerly Breakers Beach owned by Hawes. 33rd-38th
The beach at O'Neill's has long been used for Surf access and gathering. Directly in front is the surf break called "O'Neill's" or "The Dirt Farm". Other famous surf spots on the Soquel Point from W to E, include Sewer Peak, First Peak, Second Peak, "once in a whiles", 38th Avenue, The Drain Pipe,The Hook, Shark's Cove, Privates and Trees.
The PPNF, Pleasure Point Night Fighters, was reconstituted in the 1950s
As the contests between the surfers from Steamer Lane and Pleasure Point increased, the Pleasure Point Surfing Association reinvigorated the PPNF in the 1960’s with the inspiration from Jim Phillip's, renown local surf-skate artist under Harry Contie. [26]
PPNF began Pack Your Trash. In the 1970’s Pack Your Trash Day's began as one of the first beach clean ups in response to visitors who had not learned to respect the ocean environment. This has grown to be a national phenomenon and people now work to keep our beach areas clean.
1980 The PPNF Park was planted across from Elizibeth's Market, the old Port O Call market for Breakers Beach.
Many Surfing contest are held in this location, including the No Cord Classic developed by Keven Cante, in response to the use of shock cords or surf cords, now called surf leashes. The early version was attached to the board with a suction cup.
1971 Jack O'Neill lost his eye to an early surf cord.
1995 the road across from the Pleasure Point roadhouse failed leading to the one way road.
2001-The sidewalk on lower 30th was the beginning of the end of the surf community.
With new "curb appeal", Realtors and developers rush in to replace the historic beach cottages with"McMansions" . Many long term renters are forced out as Vacation rentals and large houses used for a few weeks in the summer replace the garden cottages. The pattern seen in Ocean Beach, San Diego, California and many Southern California beach communities begins to transform one of the last surf communities along the coast.
2001 Park designation for open-space on the S-Turn
2001 The Rodgers project is opposed with a petition signed by a 1000 people against loss of small beach cottage used by surf community and removal of trees that protect monarch butterflies of Moran lagoon.
2003-Seawall proposed, turned down by Coastal Commission because of lack of adequate look at alternatives to coastal erosion.
2004 Proposal to have a lower pathway along East Cliff by Coastal Commission.
2004 permission to build on the beach across from Moran Lagoon turned down
2004-Permission to build town house next to Roadhouse , on one of the last undeveloped lots. Though out of compliance with Neighborhood compatibility standards for similar scale, bulk and style to the surrounding homes; the project is approved much to the dismay of many long term members of the community.
2005- Attempt to list The Pleasure Point roadhouse as a Cultural Resource NR-5. The Trustees, with the help of Realtors and Developers fight the designation in opposition the the larger community desire to save it for a museum and community center.
2007 community meetings to decide design guidelines in keeping with the historic beach cottage environment.
Aug 14, 2007 County investigates Roadhouse as a park site |
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| Tom McCubbin |
| Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 7:06 am |
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Joined: 08 Oct 2009
Posts: 1
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I am a grand nephew of John Hames, founder of Soquel and owner of Pleasure Point. I started surfing Pleasure Point in the winter of 1963. My parents would bring me and my friends to the beach in their Chevy station wagon laden down with surfboards. In 1964 they purchased a house between the four-acre farm of Paul Adrian and the Pleasure Point Lumber Company. I attended high school in San Jose, graduating from Camden High School, but most of my spare time at the age of 14 I spent surfing the waves of Pleasure Point.
My parents had bought the 38th Street house as a rental investment, but the garage had a sleeping room behind it with a bed, stove, and refrigerator and room to store surfboards, so I became a weekend warrior at the Point in 1964, and continued to surf the breaks quite regularly for another twenty years. My wife and I bought our own little house in Soquel in 1974 and have been there ever since.
Our family history from my mother's side of the family goes back to the earliest days on the west coast of America, with ancestors traveling west before the gold rush and before the Oregon trail was established. As I would learn later on in life, my uncle, John Hames, founded Soquel in 1852 and owned Pleasure Point, having purchased the Point from out of the the original Castro family's Spanish land grant.
My daughter began surfing Pleasure Point at the age of four years old, is now 26, and continues to surf the Point, so our family has been surfing the Point continuously since 1963 for 46 years, and the family ownership of Pleasure Point goes back about 150 years.
John Hames' wife, Drucilla (Shadden) Hames is buried in the IOOF cemetery in Soquel. Her father, Thomas Jefferson Shadden, is my great great great great grandfather. The family rode out west to Oregon in 1842, to Sutter's Fort in 1843, and the Shaddens met John Hames when they were working together with John Sutter and Captain John Smith, founder of Bodega Bay. Drucilla rode a mule across America when she was ten years old, married John Hames when she was 13, gave birth to the first American male in California, and died in 1882 while living in an old flour mill on Soquel Creek. The Shaddens returned to Oregon at the beginning of the gold rush and took up ranching near Salem, while the Hames' remained in Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo counties.
In the same way that the early surfing culture of Pleasure Point slowly fades and is alive only in the memory of those who experienced it, the same is true of John Hames, the original American owner of Pleasure Point and founder of Soquel. There is not a street or a place named after him, not a plaque, not a photograph or drawing of him, and in the US Post Office in Soquel that has a mural of the historical figures of Soquel there is no image or mention of him. The only place you will find out much about him is in the Porter Library on Porter Street in downtown Soquel, and a few references to him in local history books.
In 2005 I was invited to speak at the Soquel Pioneer Picnic and share some of the story I sketched out above in further detail. The picnic has been held annually for about 70 years in Soquel and used to be attended by John Hames' daughter, Mattie, who was born and raised in Soquel. Mattie captured a lot of the history of the area, and is buried next to her mother, Drucilla, in Soquel. |
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