Boulder Creek Historic Walk

More infamous than famous, old Boulder Creek had 26 saloons, gambling houses, cat houses and hotels. Ravaged by fire in 1891, many "new" buildings are over 100 years old.

e'll start our tour at the old Fireman's Hall, which is now Rumpel's. It came a bit late to contribute to the disastrous fire of 1891.

eneath a covered walkway on the Forest Avenue side of the building, Isiah Hartman, as Justice of the Peace, also held court in his office, peddling real estate from the Judge's Bench when court was not in session.

In 1915, the fire hall was purchased by one Albert Sweeney, a man with a rare eye for business diverisfication. Sweeney converted the front of the building to a grocery store, and installed gas pumps out back.

On Saturday nights, the back part of the building became a movie theater, showing the latest silent films. During the week the theater chairs were stowed away, and the locals roller-skated in the same room where the good guys had chased the bad guys on Saturday night. Not one to miss a trick (no pun intended) it was rumored that for those who grew bored with movies or roller skating, there was always Sweeney's Brothel upstairs!

his lot was purchased for $400, and the two-story structure built for$3,450. Water Brothers General Mercantile succeeded Rambo and Bloom, doing business from 1913 to 1942. The I.O.O.F is now Elegant Earth.

A mercantile store was the first occupant of the ground floor, operated by S.H. Rambo and I.T. Bloom. To indicate that their store did indeed carry a broad line of products, a large sign was hung outside emblazoned with the first two initials of Mr. Rambo, followed by the first two initials of Mr. Bloom.

this brothel occupied what is now the empty lot behind the IOOF.

The high water table created a murky slough in front of this den of iniquity, and to approach the house, patrons had to cross the swamp on a rickety raised-plank board walk. As a result, the Swamp House was probably the only whorehouse in the valley untroubled by rowdy drunks. "Hell," the loggers agreed, "you have to be plumb sober just to make it to the front door!"

Built and operated by Newton Raymor. This small shop was an addition to the south side of the Rex Hotel. In the 20's, while shaving George Cress, Mr. Raymor suffered a heart attack and fell to the floor, dead, his straight razor still clutched in his hand. Later, a bath house occupied this site.

Built by Howard West, a tanner and harness maker. By 1925, West had changed careers, becoming an insurance agent and notary. West's Place is now: Caldwell-Banker, Carl Conelly Realtors.

Built by Howard West. Mrs. Mattie West operated a restaurant here in 1915, and there was a dressmaking shop in the north corner.

uilt by J.W. Basham, his daughter Rachel operated the boarding house after inheriting it in 1903. An ice cream parlor owned by Mildred Moody Cresslater occupied the ground floor. In 1920, Newton Raymor bought the property and re-named it the Rex Hotel.

In the late 20's, the ice cream parlor was replaced by a Mexican restaurant managed by Raymor's wife.

eplaced by Conneley's Garage in 1920, followed by a bowling alley in the 30's, today it is known as Brandy Station.

Don't forget to stop by the Boulder Creek Book Company and visit local author, N. McCarthy. Pick up a copy of her book "When Grizzlies Roamed the Canyons" for more on our area's history.

A two-story building, later renamed "Big Basin Hotel," the building was
razed in 1950.

Now Johnnie's Super Market

his was the largest mercantile in Boulder Creek and the only survivor of the raging fire in 1891. Generating power from the San Lorenzo River, Middleton was the first in town to enjoy electricity, with a single bulb in his store in 1897. The original mercantile building was later replaced by a Quonset hut, which became the Burl Theater.

This is now a shopping plaza: merchants include Roundtable Pizza and the Valley Fitness Center.

hree years after Henry Middleton lit his first bulb, R.G. Elmer installed a generator about a mile up Big Basin Highway. Elmer gave the town ten free lights, and sold power to the general public. The city lights went off at midnight, but other subscribers lost their power at 9 PM. Private subscribers were warned of the impending outage each evening, when the bulbs flickered three times.

Bea Bushnell, a long-time resident, chuckles to remember that on Sunday night the church congregation always breathed a sigh of relief when the lights blinked ... that was the only thing that would shut the preacher up!

uilt as a private livery stable for Henry Middleton, it was sold in 1906 to Fred Moody and George Cress, who operated a public livery stable and garage.

This building is now vacant.

wned in 1920 by Edward Lorraine Goslow. Sold in 1939, the new owner, Otto Hold, covered the walls with antiques of the old west. In 1945, the bar became "Mac's Old Place" when purchased by Mac McCroy. Mac's 100 Year Old Place now houses Big Basin Brewing Supplies and Imaptien's Restaurant (try the seafood pasta!).

uilt by Orin McAbee and also known as McAbee's Saloon. The bar was later run by Joseph and Charles Newman and possibly McAbee's son-in-law James Maddock.

uilt by Orin McAbee, in the 1940's it was Jack's Meat Store.

Now you can shop at Duncan House on their Web Site. Use your browser "back" button to return to your historical walk through Virtual Boulder Creek.

ccupied an addition to the north side of the Rexall Drug. It was built of old railroad ties.

Now you can get breakfast or lunch at the Mountain Inn.

uilt by the Community Club, it was later maintained by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. After the Fire Dept. sold their hall in 1915, the hose cart was stored here. A tower with a fire bell was added later.

Listen to live blues at Joe's Bar, buy custom jewelry at The Blind Pilot Jewelers, and shop for gifts at The Country Home.

y 1896, C.C. Rogers was publishing the town newspaper here, which is now Boulder Creek Hardware.

The paper was later sold to a Mr. McQuestion, who had some trouble collecting bills from advertisers and subscribers. A man of great ingenuity, when the cash-flow became so tight he couldn't afford paper, McQuestion printed four issues of the paper on large leaves! Examples are displayed at the B.C. Historical Museum.

In 1919, Carlos and Josephine Marcenaro's grocery store shared the building with a shoe-repair shop.

From 1939 to 1956, "Johnnie's Cash Store" owned by Johnnie and Lena Montanari was in business here.

uilt by James Bearup. In 1940, the name was changed to the "Red and White Market".

The town post office was inside the market until 1959, when a stand-alone post office was completed at Forest and Pine.

Eat, drink and be merry listening to live music at the Boulder Creek Brewery.

uilt in 1893 for $1,300 on a lot donated by the railroad, this two-story building is now Art Services by Steve Lancott.

The ladies of the Union cooked and served meals to the general public to pay off the construction loan. In 1894, the WCTU opened a free reading room, with the unlikely notion that literature would divert the loggers' attention from Demon Rum.

hus provoked, the matrons of temperance tightened their corsets and, with the support of the town's churches, marched into battle! The unorganized loggers were no match for them, and the war was finally won in 1908, when every saloon in town was shut down. Sore losers, the lumbermen retaliated by burning the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches to the ground! Strangely enough, the WCTU building as untouched.

History provided by Boulder Creek Historical Society.
Copywriting in "Keeping History Alive" by Bob Hines.