Hacienda, Russian River, Sonoma, California
MAN MADE LANDMARKS
MAN MADE LANDMARKS
HACIENDA BRIDGE
Current Bridge Data:
Truss: Metal 7 Panel Pin-Connected Camelback Through Truss, Fixed and Approach
Spans: Concrete Slab, Fixed
Historic Landmark 174: Hacienda Bridge #20C-37
Year Designated as Landmark: 1998
Year Built: 1914 (RR bridge)
Year remodeled: 1947 (2 lane automobile bridge)
Truss: Metal 7 Panel Pin-Connected Camelback Through Truss, Fixed and Approach
Spans: Concrete Slab, Fixed
Historic Landmark 174: Hacienda Bridge #20C-37
Year Designated as Landmark: 1998
Year Built: 1914 (RR bridge)
Year remodeled: 1947 (2 lane automobile bridge)
There were two bridges built, and two versions of each of the two bridges. The original 1876 bridge, I believe, was located where the street, River Drive, is in 2017 (shown in red.) That bridge is said to have had a 1,300 foot trestle approach from the east side. The supports were made of wooden piers covered in wood. The original bridge reaching between the supports was changed in 1890 to a metal structure. The old bridge continued to operate while a second bridge was built slightly downstream in 1914. That route is now River Road. It was a concrete and metal structure. The railroad bridge was turned into a one-lane auto bridge in 1937, then widened to a two-lane automobile bridge in 1947. Seismic reinforcement underneath added in 1998.
Original wooden Russian River Bridge looking east - 1876. The train is arriving into Cosmo.
/center>A new version of the Russian River Bridge was built on the wooden piers of the original bridge - constructed in 1890.
This photo from a different angle shows that the original bridges were slightly upstream from the current metal and concrete bridge built in 1914.
A fire in 1913 damaged the wooden bridge as well as the trestle in Cosmo so a new Russian River Bridge was built of concrete and steel - 1914-15. It was converted to one-lane automobile bridge in 1937-38.
It was damaged by a fire in 1916..
The Russian River Bridge at Cosmo (Hacienda Bridge) was widened for two-way traffic in 1947.
This is the bridge in use in 2017.
An article from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat in 1946. I like actual clips as they give a sense of placement in time. Of course a "new" bridge was not built, the existing bridge, which had a deck made of wood, was widened in 1947 into the bridge we use today (2017).
The facts: http://historicbridges.org/california/riverroadrussianriver/nbisheet.pdf
The facts: http://historicbridges.org/california/riverroadrussianriver/nbisheet.pdf
HOBSON CREEK BRIDGE
Current Bridge Data:
Structure number: 20C0036
Length of largest span: 27.9 ft. [8.5 m]
Total length: 226.1 ft. [68.9 m]
Year built: 1950
Historic significance: Bridge is not eligible for the National Register of Historic Places
Main spans design: Slab
Deck type: Concrete Cast-in-Place
Structure number: 20C0036
Length of largest span: 27.9 ft. [8.5 m]
Total length: 226.1 ft. [68.9 m]
Year built: 1950
Historic significance: Bridge is not eligible for the National Register of Historic Places
Main spans design: Slab
Deck type: Concrete Cast-in-Place
Original Hobson Creek Trestle - 1876. Cosmo Court passes under trestle in the foreground. Photo 1950.
Original Hobson Creek Trestle -1876. McPeak Road passes under the trestle making its way toward the discontinued Hacienda Summer Crossing. Photo 1950.
Hobson Automobile Bridge - 1950. Looking east toward Santa Rosa. Westside road at left. TOPS club is far left. Just off the photo to the right was the location of the train station.
Close up showing Hobson Bridge on Westside Road. This bridge was built in 1930 to service needs of Haciendas del Rio. It washed out in the flood of 1955 so was replaced by a large concrete culvert which is still in use in 2017. It was the path of River Road the 1950's while the current car Hobson Bridge was constructed replacing the original train trestle.
The result of all the building and rebuilding has created a bit of chaos for visiting drivers in this very small area. Five roads join this short section of Westside Road.
HACIENDA INN / SKIPPY'S
Hacienda Inn - Club house for the Russian River Golf and Country Club. 1928
Albert "Skip" Orsi at his Skippy's Hacienda Inn flanked by Jack Luttrell (left) and "Nin" Guidotti (right). 1947
At one point, Skip Orsi also owned Tops just down the road. He operated it as a restaurant, preparing food at Skippy's and running it down the road to Tops.
At one point, Skip Orsi also owned Tops just down the road. He operated it as a restaurant, preparing food at Skippy's and running it down the road to Tops.
John Mason was the infamous bartender starting in the 1960s.
Don Kelso and his wife, Lynn, bought Skippy's in the 1960s and under their ownership it seemed to preserve layers of Americana from several generations. A newer jukebox played recent (45 rpm) records and an old Wurlitzer played 78s from the Big Band era. The bar was a big curved wooden edifice from an old Matson steamship luxury liner.
The bar’s furniture changed frequently because Don was a pack rat. Things would come and go. Some nights there might be a truckload of office furniture piled all over because Kelso had been to a bankruptcy auction.
There was an old piano against the back wall, an upright, possibly a Story & Clark. To get to the piano you often had to move tables and chairs and empty file cabinets.
In 1981, Skippy's at Hacienda Inn got noticed by California Magazine who claimed it as "the best bar in California." They mention that it looked like it might be condemned at any moment. The bartender was "Grumpy Grandpa" (John Mason) who was as rude as the name suggests. They liked it because the place was roomy, loose and unpretentious. Surprisingly, celebrities even showed up, like Big Crosby, Fred McMurry and Carmen Miranda.
An aspect they appreciated was that it dated back to the 1860s and had been altered and added to ever since creating a homey hodge podge lodge affect. The date caught my eye, not that I trust dates tossed around in magazine articles. If it were in the 1860's, the conclusion I have to draw is that the McPeak house, which we know was built onto for the Hacienda Inn, would also have been the Hobson house prior to the McPeak family purchasing the Hobson farm in 1871.
That does make sense. The McPeaks probably bought the Hobson house and farm and remodeled the house to suit the need of their larger family.
The bar’s furniture changed frequently because Don was a pack rat. Things would come and go. Some nights there might be a truckload of office furniture piled all over because Kelso had been to a bankruptcy auction.
There was an old piano against the back wall, an upright, possibly a Story & Clark. To get to the piano you often had to move tables and chairs and empty file cabinets.
In 1981, Skippy's at Hacienda Inn got noticed by California Magazine who claimed it as "the best bar in California." They mention that it looked like it might be condemned at any moment. The bartender was "Grumpy Grandpa" (John Mason) who was as rude as the name suggests. They liked it because the place was roomy, loose and unpretentious. Surprisingly, celebrities even showed up, like Big Crosby, Fred McMurry and Carmen Miranda.
An aspect they appreciated was that it dated back to the 1860s and had been altered and added to ever since creating a homey hodge podge lodge affect. The date caught my eye, not that I trust dates tossed around in magazine articles. If it were in the 1860's, the conclusion I have to draw is that the McPeak house, which we know was built onto for the Hacienda Inn, would also have been the Hobson house prior to the McPeak family purchasing the Hobson farm in 1871.
That does make sense. The McPeaks probably bought the Hobson house and farm and remodeled the house to suit the need of their larger family.
A less than romantic view of Skippy's when it was last listed for sale.
The building was demolished in 2017. This is what it looked like just before destruction. The owner of the property is a mortgage company named Cornerstone.
RUSSIAN RIVER GOLF COURSE
#5 view from tee. #5 hole is circular area on the right, center.
Looking opposite direction at #5 hole. Tee at right, center of photo.
RIDENHOUR HOUSE
The Louis W. Ridenhour family was the first European American family to settle in this stretch of the river. They purchased the land from the United States in 1853 and started building this house. I have been told that some of the original house is part of this current (2017) structure on River Road half a mile west of Hacienda.
Louis W. Ridenhour was once wounded by a bear on his property. His son, Louis E. Ridenhour built a house nearby in 1906. It is now the Sonoma Orchid Inn B&B. Louis Ridenhour married Mary Heald in 1856. The founder of Healdsburg, Harmon Heald, was her uncle.
Louis W. Ridenhour, his wife, Mary Elizabeth Heald, and the family in 1883.
HENRY HESS HOUSE
Henry was a successful lumber and shipping businessman. He built his dream home in 1930 overlooking the railroad bridge and river. The house is occupied and maintained in 2017.
The Hess house was updated and restored in 2008. This is the "lodge" dining room in 2017.
The bridge as seen from the top floor windows.
The bridge was changed from a railroad bridge to a one-lane automobile bridge in 1938. The Hess house is at the right.
MCPEAK CEMETERY
Here one will find the graves of the McPeaks as well as many other of the original settlers of this region.
- Anthony McPeak and his parents and his wife, Mellisa McPeak, and many of their children.
- The Ridenhours who owned the ranch next door, Hilton, and the brick factory.
- The Walls who owned Wall's Springs Resort.
- Anthony McPeak and his parents and his wife, Mellisa McPeak, and many of their children.
- The Ridenhours who owned the ranch next door, Hilton, and the brick factory.
- The Walls who owned Wall's Springs Resort.
There is growing evidence that most of the major families in this area who are buried here actually knew each other in Missouri, though they did not come to California at the same time, they were primarily lured by the 1849 California gold rush. While there did not seem to be a plan to settle near Russian River, their familiarity tended to bring them back together. The first being Louis W. Ridenhour in 1853 followed by second-generation, Anthony McPeak in 1857.
Why the grave of Peter McPeak is set away from the rest of the McPeak family graves.
The answer is that Anthony's father, Matthew, came to California, not only with his family, but with his brother's widow and her two sons, Eugene and Peter McPeak. They settled near Santa Rosa and later moved to Mendocino County. Peter McPeak relocated to Guerneville. While he was a member of the greater McPeak family, he was not from the Cosmo clan. He never married nor had children and outlived the rest of his Mendocino relatives reaching the age of 88. Also, I speculate, perhaps unjustly, that he had social issues.
The answer is that Anthony's father, Matthew, came to California, not only with his family, but with his brother's widow and her two sons, Eugene and Peter McPeak. They settled near Santa Rosa and later moved to Mendocino County. Peter McPeak relocated to Guerneville. While he was a member of the greater McPeak family, he was not from the Cosmo clan. He never married nor had children and outlived the rest of his Mendocino relatives reaching the age of 88. Also, I speculate, perhaps unjustly, that he had social issues.