In 1882 David
Metcalf Aldrich took on the challenge of Big Trees Grove by becoming the resort’s
second manager. Aldrich took over the resort after the bankruptcy of the first
manager, John Hooper. Little is known about Aldrich or his management of the
grove even though during this period, Big Trees Grove was steadily growing in
popularity. Aldrich had the advantage of rail service from Santa Cruz via the Santa
Cruz & Felton Railroad [1875] and from Oakland via the South Pacific Coast
Railroad [1880].
The 1883 guidebook
Beauties of California gave the following account of the resort:
“A drive, or ride
[from Santa Cruz] on the South Pacific Coast Railroad cars, of five miles, brings one to the Big
Trees, near Felton, and the celebrated camping ground so extensively patronized
since the building of this popular railroad, which passes through it … There are groves of immense trees covering
these wild and romantic mountains and being easy of access are visited by thousands
who make a stop on their way to Santa Cruz, or run up from the latter place on
one of the daily trains, for a picnic amidst these giants.”
 |
| Santa Cruz Surf, June 15, 1883 |
A native of Pennsylvania,
Aldrich first came to California as a young man with his family in 1850. Before
coming to Big Trees Grove, Aldrich tried his hand at many occupations including
miner and tax collector in the Sierra gold country. With the help of his son, Aldrich’s
major accomplishment was completing improvements to the road leading to the resort. In addition to managing
the small hotel, he also continued the moonlight dances begun by Hooper. Aldrich
left the grove in 1885 after four years of a six-year lease, lamenting that
visitors were too often prey for “card flippers and dice slingers.”
If anyone knows more about David Aldrich or his
family while they were living in the Santa Cruz area, please let me know. I
would love to learn and share more about their brief time at Big Trees Grove.
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