A walking tour of Hollister uncovers a wealth of funky and
endearing histories
There is more than meets the eye to downtown Hollister.
Many people, like Samantha Flores, have noticed some of the
beautiful homes and buildings there, but never thought much of
them. Their true value
– historical value, that is – is often overlooked.
A walking tour of Hollister uncovers a wealth of funky and endearing histories
There is more than meets the eye to downtown Hollister.
Many people, like Samantha Flores, have noticed some of the beautiful homes and buildings there, but never thought much of them. Their true value – historical value, that is – is often overlooked.
“Some of them look really old-fashioned, and I’ve noticed that a few of them have bigger lots,” Flores said, “but I have no idea which part is historical and which isn’t.”
A San Benito High School student, Flores walks along Monterey Street to get home nearly every day; on a typical school day she walks past six historic Hollister buildings, including the former residence of John Steinbeck’s paternal grandparents and an elegant Queen Anne home used in the movie East of Eden (located, interestingly enough, on the same block as the Steinbeck house).
Similarly, the thousands of people who drive San Benito Street every day often unaware of the 14 structures on “Main Street” that date back as early as the 1870s. Why?
It might be because they are still in use today. All of the beautiful old houses still house residents, and many of the office buildings in downtown Hollister have been there for more than 100 years; new names and faces and paint have disguised their age. We see them every day, but we don’t really pay them special attention.
So, with the help of the Hollister Downtown Association, the San Benito County Historical Society and the creative vision of seven local artists, the Historic Downtown Walking Tour was born.
The “trail” covers roughly 1.5 miles of the Hollister downtown and includes such sites as City Hall, the courthouse, the red brick Methodist church on Monterey Street and the former residence of Bertha Briggs. It also points out extremely old or remarkable examples of San Benito County flora.
Here are a few highlights of the tour, which takes a little more than two hours to leisurely walk.
477 South St.
Also called the “Birdcage House,” this Queen Anne cottage was built for Kathryn Hawkins, and is still in the Hawkins family today. The unique design, featuring railings and overhangs that wrap around the entire building as if it were a birdcage, was Kathryn’s idea.
800 Monterey St.
This home was used in the 1955 film East of Eden starring Jane Seymour and based on a 1952 John Steinbeck novel of the same name. Another Hawkins family home, its design features several elements of the Eastlake style and was an indication of the wealth of its original owners.
339 Fifth St.
A few of you may have noticed that what is now the YMCA says “City Hall” over its entrance. This is because the building at 339 Fifth Street was once our City Hall and Hollister Fire Department headquarters. In fact, the large windows to the right of the doorway were once used to house large pieces of equipment for the HFD.
612 Fifth St.
Once owned by the well-loved and philanthropic Bertha Briggs, this Spanish Revival home has a beautiful garden that’s worth taking a look at no matter what the time of year. This is an easy house to miss if you’re simply passing through; it blends in with the landscape and its good looks often go unnoticed.
526 San Benito St.
Though you’d never know just by looking at the shops downtown, in 1947 a few rowdy Gypsy Tour bikers were arrested here. The story of what really happened was a bit over-exaggerated as the years went by, and the movie The Wild Ones, filmed in 1953 with Marlon Brando, takes place here.
There are more than 56 points of interest mentioned on the Historic Downtown Walking Tour, and you’d be surprised how many of them are buildings we see every day. If you’re interested in taking the tour for yourself, or are just curious about some of Hollister’s more unique historical sites, check out the official guidebook on sale at the Chamber of Commerce.
