Watsonville, Santa Cruz County California

Watsonville, Santa Cruz County, PO and incorporated town of 2, 800 inhabitants, 20 miles southeast of Santa Cruz, is reached by the Southern Pacific Railroad at Pajaro station, on the eastern bank of the Pajaro River, 99 miles from San Francisco. The village is the center of trade of the rich Pajaro Valley, being on the west bank of the river of that name, and five miles from its embouchure into the Bay of Monterey. The valley is 18 miles in length, by loin width, and is distinguished for the fertility of its soil, the loveliness of landscape, and salubrity of climate.

The locality was first settled upon in 1852, and was incorporated in 1867. A Spanish grant covered the site, but the rights of the grantees were little regarded by those who sought farming or grazing land at the early period of American occupation, and, as a consequence, litigation, serious to all parties, ensued, and retarded progress for many years. The town is laid out with broad streets, though not crossing each other regularly. Pajaro is the principal street, having a length of three quarters of a mile in the town, and crossing the river on a fine bridge to the railroad depot, on the opposite side. On this street are the business houses, hotels, stores, etc. There are three hotels, two telegraph offices, fifteen general merchandise stores, three dry goods stores, flouring mill, planing mill, and many other business establishments.

A fine Plaza, well fenced, and ornamented with trees and graveled walks, occupies the center of the town, and the lovely gardens of private residences give a homelike character of contentment and prosperity to the town. Methodists. Presbyterians, Catholics, and Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, have churches, and Grammar, Intermediate, Primary, and Colored Schools are maintained; also the Pajaro Institute, a private seminary for males and females in advanced studies and accomplishments. Among the social orders are Masons, Odd Fellows, Sons of Temperance, Champions of the Red Cross, Independent Orders of Red Men, Ladies' Relief Association, Benevolent Associations, etc. The Odd Fellows maintain an important library, which is accessible to all citizens. Three first class hotels give accommodation to visitors, and invite their stay in this beautiful town.

Gas and water are supplied, where demanded, by incorporated companies. Police regulations are good, and a calaboose gives accommodations to criminals and disorderly persons. Millard's and Watsonville Landings, on Monterey Bay, the first three, and the latter five, miles distant, are depots of the town, where steamers and vessels regularly land, and whence is shipped a great portion of the produce of the valley. One newspaper, the Pajaronian, is published weekly.

Addison J H, painter
Aldrich D M, hay and gram
Alexander Abraham, tailor
Alexander D, dry goods, and clothing
Alexander S Mrs, dry goods, clothing, and millinery
Alexander William, dry goods, and clothing
Allen Ira, undertaker
Alvarado Felipe, butcher
Atteridge & Shcehy, groceries, winos and liquors
Bank of Watsonville, Charles Ford, president, J N Besse, cashier
Barham J A. notary public
Barham & Halstead, attorneys at law
Baskerville W H, barber
Behrendt W & Company, general merchandise
Belhague & De St Paul, wines and liquors
Berner John, cigars and tobacco
Billings A W, proprietor Mansion House
Billings Alexander, livery stable
Blackburn & Waters, proprietors Pajaro Valley Nursery
Bowie Adam, baker and confectioner
Bowman George M, agent Wells, Fargo & Company
Brown Henry, merchant tailor
Brown & Libbie, dentists
Brownstone D, general merchandise
Burnett & Erchenback, photographic gallery
Byrd William, liquor saloon
Central Hotel, T C Syme, proprietor
Chalmers Alexander B, planing mill
Chapman J S, watch maker and jeweler
Conlan S, groceries
Cooper & Company, general merchandise
Cox J F & Company, stoves and tinware
Craig & Kittredge, attorneys at law
Cummings C O, proprietor Watsonville Pajaronian
D'Avila G, fruit, confectionery, and liquor saloon
Davis N, restaurant
Demartini G B. fruits
Dobbins H H Rev, clergyman (Presb)
Dodson S F, coach and wagon maker
Dougherty J F, hats and caps
Fine Andrew, physician, and drugs and medicines
Flahant J, upholsterer
Ford & Sanborn, general merchandise, lumber and building materials
Friermuth George A, Sen, hardware, stoves and tinware
Gay Pennet, general merchandise
Giacomazzi F, Helvetia Saloon
Ginoeehio L, fruits and candies
Glenn & Company, general merchandise
Griffin R M, general merchandise
Griffin R & Company, millinery, and dress making
Hamilton G S, harness, and saddlery
Heaney Daniel, billiard saloon
Holbrook L D, insurance agent
Howard J A, machinist
Jackson Henry, commission merchant
Jason Conrad, liquor saloon
Johnson Charles W J, photographer
Jones C C, watch maker and jeweler
Kelley D Rev, clergyman (Epise), and principal Grace School
Kelly Patrick, hotel
Kitchen M L Mrs, millinery and dress making
Kittredge A S, notary public
Kuhlitz Charles, brewery
Lacazet J B, general merchandise
Landrum & Rogers, importers and breeders of goats and sheep
Lansdell Alfred, tailor
Lee Julius, attorney at law
Lewis A & Company, general merchandise, and furniture
Lewis E, confectionery, fruits, tobacco, etc
Lund Hans, watch maker and jeweler
Lund J J, blacksmith
Mahoney M Rev, clergyman (R C)
Majo Henry, restaurant
Mansion House, A W Billings, proprietor
Martin Edward, postmaster, books and stationery
Martin E J, physician
Manlbatch S, boots and shoes
McAdams A, blacksmith, and wagon maker
McClosky James, horse sheer
McGee J W, boots and shoes
McLaughlin & Kennedy, tailors
McLean Neil, blacksmith, and machinist
McMenomy J J, groceries and liquors
McMinn William C, butcher
Miner & Yoacham, general merchandise
Mooney James, hotel, and livery stable
Morey David, gunsmith
Morgan & Kennedy, livery stable
Muller Frank, butcher
Murdocco Peter, restaurant
Nichols George B, physician
O'Neil & Buckwell, liquor saloon
Ordish E, butcher
Osborn B A, harness and saddlery
Pajaro Valley Nursery, Blackburn & Waters proprietors
Palmtag C & Brother, brewery
Pardee George, agent agricultural implements
Paulsen N J S, hotel
Peck W E, agent A & P, Telegraph Company, and proprietors Gem Saloon
Pidge D P, blacksmith
Porter Jerome, real estate, and insurance agent, grain buyer, and agricultural implements
Putnam A C, physician
Putnam B L, liquor saloon
Roadhouse G W, general merchandise
Roberts John, liquor saloon
Rodgers Daniel, fruit dealer
Ross W W, physician
Rugbies J R, merchant taller
Simmons S S, drugs, and medicines
Slight E T, confectionery and candies
Snodgrass Thomas, harness and saddlery
Snyder A L. tailor
Stoesser Otto, hardware, groceries, liquors, and patent medicines
Strebost William, shoe maker
Struve H C & Company, general merchandise
Swan H, dentist
Syme E R, agent Watsonville and Santa Cruz Stage Line, and Home Mutual Insurance Company
Syme J C. proprietor Central House
Thomas Charles L, proprietor Watsonville Flour Mill
Thurber & Bardue, grocers
Todd J W R, blacksmith, and wagon maker
Trafton Brothers, hardware, agricultural implements, paints, oils, etc
Van Beecham R, hotel, feed and livery stable
Vorhees G, liquor saloon
Walsh, John, shoe maker
Waters James, architect, and builder
Watsonville and Santa Cruz Stages, E R Syme, agent
Watsonville Pajaronian, C Cummings, proprietor
Waugaman John, manufacturer windmills
Werner F, boots and shoes
Wichmann C, barber
Wicks J E Rev, clergyman (Meth)
Wilcox P, watch maker and jeweler
Williams G A & C A, general merchandise
Zmudowski Martin, shoe maker

California Gazetteer | AHGP California

Source: Pacific Coast Business Directory for 1876-78, Compiled by Henry G. Langley, San Francisco, 1875