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| Santa Cruz & Monterey Illustrated Handbook by Henry Meyrick,1880 |
The following travel description appeared in the July 25, 1892 Santa Cruz Surf.
"A merry party of young people as they drove away from Santa Cruz early Sunday morning, in a fine bus drawn by four noble horses from the City Stables, were bent on having an enjoyable ride and picnic in the redwoods ... Each lady had a basket well filled with all the delicacies of the season. The morning was beautiful, the air refreshing and all gave vent to their melodious voices as they sped along the picturesque road following the windings of the San Lorenzo river, towards the Big Trees."
"After reaching the Big Trees a most charming spot was selected by the party under the shade of the giant redwoods and all came to a halt. A few hours were then most [enjoyably] spen[t] in games, plays, dancing and etc. Then another stroll among the trees and along the running stream and at 3:30 P.M. all bade good-bye to the Big Trees and returned home by the way of Scotts Valley reaching Santa Cruz at 6:30 all pleased with their day's sport and enjoyment. --- Pick Nick
This merry party arrived at Big Trees Grove aboard a horse-drawn bus from the City Stables. Since the late 1870s this livery brought small groups of tourists up to the grove. Over the years, the stables operated under a series of proprietors, but perhaps none was as noted as Milo Hopkins.
Hopkins and his wife Alma arrived in Santa Cruz from New Castle in Placer County in 1894. In January 1895 Hopkins bought an interest in the City Stables. He soon became one of the best-known liverymen in the state. Hopkins attained the franchise from Southern Pacific Railroad for “parlor car tours” from the Del Monte Hotel in Monterey to Big Trees Grove. Hopkins maintained two locations: one on Pacific Avenue and the other behind the Sea Beach Hotel on Second Street.
"A merry party of young people as they drove away from Santa Cruz early Sunday morning, in a fine bus drawn by four noble horses from the City Stables, were bent on having an enjoyable ride and picnic in the redwoods ... Each lady had a basket well filled with all the delicacies of the season. The morning was beautiful, the air refreshing and all gave vent to their melodious voices as they sped along the picturesque road following the windings of the San Lorenzo river, towards the Big Trees."
"After reaching the Big Trees a most charming spot was selected by the party under the shade of the giant redwoods and all came to a halt. A few hours were then most [enjoyably] spen[t] in games, plays, dancing and etc. Then another stroll among the trees and along the running stream and at 3:30 P.M. all bade good-bye to the Big Trees and returned home by the way of Scotts Valley reaching Santa Cruz at 6:30 all pleased with their day's sport and enjoyment. --- Pick Nick
This merry party arrived at Big Trees Grove aboard a horse-drawn bus from the City Stables. Since the late 1870s this livery brought small groups of tourists up to the grove. Over the years, the stables operated under a series of proprietors, but perhaps none was as noted as Milo Hopkins.
Hopkins and his wife Alma arrived in Santa Cruz from New Castle in Placer County in 1894. In January 1895 Hopkins bought an interest in the City Stables. He soon became one of the best-known liverymen in the state. Hopkins attained the franchise from Southern Pacific Railroad for “parlor car tours” from the Del Monte Hotel in Monterey to Big Trees Grove. Hopkins maintained two locations: one on Pacific Avenue and the other behind the Sea Beach Hotel on Second Street.
Here is a description of a typical Hopkins sea-tree
tour from downtown:
“He would meet the train at Santa Cruz depot where passengers transferred
to his three-seated tallyho horse-drawn stage. The trip up the San Lorenzo
Valley was an event in itself for many of the travelers.”
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| Author's Personal Collection |
“Leaving Santa Cruz depot, the horses were fresh and eager to travel. They’d clip-clop north on Pacific avenue, to give passengers a look at the town ... Then north into the cool curtain of green trees near Powdermill Flat (Paradise Park today). More snaky curves ... the horses slowed down now. Past ‘Inspiration Point’ with its magnificent view of the San Lorenzo river gorge. Then, finally, a turnoff road into another grove of trees ... Trees like the passengers had never seen before. The giant redwoods, Sequoia sempervirens. The passengers left the ... vehicle to wander down the tree-lined paths in a daze.”
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| Author's Personal Collection |
After retiring from the livery business, Hopkins entered
the resort business. In 1902 he leased land along the San Lorenzo River in
Felton from lime entrepreneur Henry Cowell. The property, recently logged, also
lay adjacent to the Big Trees Grove resort operated by the Welch family.
Hopkins built a rustic Club House where he operated a dining room, curio stand, and eventually a set of cabins. The new resort became known variously as Cowell’s Big Trees, Cowell’s Club House, Hopkins’ Café and Hopkins’ Big Trees.
In order to compete with the Welch resort, Hopkins decided not to charge an admission fee. The meals, particularly the barbecues, prepared by the jovial, rotund proprietor became local favorites. Hopkins became the Welch family’s primary competitor through the 1920s. Hopkins was so favored by the railroad that the site of Big Tree Station was moved down a few hundred yards from the Welch property to directly behind the Club House.
Hopkins built a rustic Club House where he operated a dining room, curio stand, and eventually a set of cabins. The new resort became known variously as Cowell’s Big Trees, Cowell’s Club House, Hopkins’ Café and Hopkins’ Big Trees.
In order to compete with the Welch resort, Hopkins decided not to charge an admission fee. The meals, particularly the barbecues, prepared by the jovial, rotund proprietor became local favorites. Hopkins became the Welch family’s primary competitor through the 1920s. Hopkins was so favored by the railroad that the site of Big Tree Station was moved down a few hundred yards from the Welch property to directly behind the Club House.
Sources: “Milo Hopkins, Long Resident of S.C. Dies,”
Santa Cruz Evening News, October 8, 1931; “Did You See Them – They Had a Good Time at the Big Trees – Picnic
Pleasures,” Santa Cruz
Surf, July 25, 1892; “Tally-Ho Trip to Our Redwood Groves Left
Visitors Speechless,” by Margaret Koch, Santa Cruz
Sentinel, March 28, 1965.
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