Arcans Hall. On the Corner of Pacific and Soquel. Part 3.

Arcans Hall

Imagine yourself on the southeast corner of Pacific and Soquel. Right here is the New Leaf Market, constructed in 1995 in the shell of a branch of the Bank of Italy (later Bank of America), built in 1929. (See Part 1: The Bank) One this spot before the Bank of Italy was the Farmer’s Exchange, built in 1884. (See Part 2: The Farmers’ Exchange.) Before the Farmer’s Exchange existed, here was the home of the Arcan family, built around 1850.

The Ernest Otto column quoted earlier begins with one of his detailed description of the home as it stood on the corner of Pacific and Soquel before the Farmer’s Union. He had asked the same question I did.

What stands where the Bank of America now stands? The first of three buildings remembered by the writer was the Arcan building owned by an 1849 family.  The older ones were those who crossed the plains and came by the burning Death Valley route. The Arcan building was typical of many seen in the old 49er towns. It was of the rectangular shape structure with peaked roof and overhanging eaves on sides and ends. It was finished in clapboard type of lumber and a porch was across the front on Pacific avenue. The windows had the shutters of the day and the building was brownish color. The lower floor was given over to the family residence and had been occupied by three generations of the Arcan family.

The second floor was reached by steps from Bridge street now Soquel Avenue.

LODGE ROOM

There was a hallway leading from the door and the circular opening in the door panels leading to the room and entry to the lodge room. It was once the meeting place of the Masons and from there was a door with a round aperture with a shade over it, moved to the side when the password was given. This large room later was a social hall for both the public and private dances.

The Arcan Family

When it comes to early Santa Cruzan families, there are usually a few stories that are repeated over and over about them. For the Arcans secondary sources tell us that:

1. Juan Baptiste Arcan, his wife Harriet, and son Charles (perhaps other children) arrived in Santa Cruz after a desperate rescue from the desert in 1849.
2. Someone in their party named “Death Valley;” perhaps it Harriet Arcan, perhaps someone else.
3. Their child Julia is the first person buried in Evergreen Cemetery.
4. The upper floor of their house was rented to Masons and religious groups, and for dances and parties.  Eventually the house became known as Arcan’s Hall.

In addition to these facts, a rare emotional story has come down to use via a memoir written for the Sentinel by Louis Manly in 1896, 40 years after the events he writes of. Manley had came up from Los Angeles and found the Bennetts and the Arcans living in Moss Landing and Santa Cruz in 1854, which was just a few years after they had arrived in California. They were obviously still traumatized by the experience, and elated to meet up with their old friend.

An Interesting Story

Rescue of the Arcan and Bennett Families from Death Valley in '49

W. L. Manly, the "Savior," Relates His Experiences, Which Almost Cost Him His Life

In 1854 I came to San Jose from Los Angeles. Of my friends, one lived near Watsonville at the mouth of the Salinas river near the beach. It was Isabel Bennett. When I got there I was royally met and affectionately embraced as a friend found again, being their savior from Death Valley in '49. Their eyes ran over for awhile, and but little talking was done. However, in a short time all tongues got loose and our late travels, boog and bad luck were told and where each now lived. (J. B. Arcan lived in Santa Cruz.)

How our minds went back to our overland journey, and our desert troubles were most freely revived. The supper was almost forgotten, the whole night was occupied in rehearsing our hard times on the plains.

I visited the Bennetts several days and was most royally entertained. When I concluded to go and see Arcan I gave Bennett one of my horses and rode the other to Santa Cruz. Here I met Mr. Arcan and family. They were overjoyed to see their "savior" as they called me. Mr Arcan said, "We are now living in a paradise: plenty to eat, drink, and wear. After the experience we had in Death Valley, here is heaven on earth. We can't help but pray for you and Rogers (my companion), for without your help we all, as well as Bennett and wife and children would have starved and choked to death." As they talked and could plainly see their former situation as it was in 1849, it was with difficulty that they could speak at times. Their eyes overflowed as we stood in the front yard.

After a time Mrs. Arcan walked slowly to the house, and after awhile called us to supper. The meal was good enough for a king, good, juicy steaks, bread and coffee, rich as she well knew how to prepare it. As we took piece after piece, each was compared with the strong sage-scented ox meat which we lived on so long in '49 in the Death Valley desert country. Our meeting with each other was extremely interesting, and time passed rapidly, for nearly the whole night flew by before sleep caused us to retire.

The next day Arcan escorted me through the small town of Santa Cruz and introduced me to every one he met. He repeated the same sentence to every one, "This is the boy that saved myself, wife and Charley, Bennett and wife and three children from starving and choking on the horrible desert. God bless him; we owe our lives to him and John Rogers.  We hope they will never die."

This task was an embarrassing one to me, but Arcan was a sociable, polite Frenchman, and seemed to do his work with grace. I was glad when we got back to his house and the introducing of me was finished. Arcan was a man who liked to live without too much hard work but during his lifetime the Arcans accumulated some property. Mrs. Arcan was a very industrious woman, and chose the laundry business. She was very successful in this, worked hard, and saved her money. She died owning some city property.

Mrs Arcan and Mrs. Bennett were the noblest works of God. They never did wrong. Their four children were packed on an ox from Death Valley to Los Angeles. They went 250 miles all the way on foot, and most of their food was ox meat, so poor that not a drop of grease could be found in a whole ox. They endured all these hardships and saved themselves and children where many strong men choked on the trail. Such noble Pioneer women should have a monument to their memory and their names thereon be inscribed in golden letters.

My writing these few lines for the "Sentinel" is a hard task, but such noble women as Mrs. Arcan and Mrs Bennett will never be born again.

W. L. Manly, Author of "Death Valley in '49"

The Sentinel editor added:

[The Mrs. Bennett here mentioned is not the Mrs. Bennett who married Captain Harry Love, who long owned the ranch were the prosperous town of Ben Lomond is now located. The Arcan mentioned, John B., for many years owned and occupied the land now covered by the Farmers' Union building and the Place store, and extending down Pacific Av. to Cathcart St. Here he lived, and here, while in his door yard, he fell dead.

During the last years of Mr. Arcan's life he did nothing, being a money loaner on a small scale, and receiving a little rental from the Masons, he being the owner of the hall they occupied. After Arcan’s death his little fortune gradually dwindled down, and when Mrs. Arcan was laid to rest it had passed into other hands. The son Charley, the same child carried for days on an ox, and on hero Manley's back, is supposed to be at work in a San Francisco foundry.]

I am grateful that we have this picture of that meal Mrs Arcan made, and how satisfying it would be to lay a feast before the person who had risked so much to save her and her family.

The family was still living on the corner when Juan Baptiste died in 1869.

One Wednesday, Sept 15th, 1869, Juan Baptiste Arcan, an old pioneer of California, long a resident of Santa Cruz, suddenly died in this town from stroke of appoplexy [sic]. The particulars of the sad event, as given in evidence before a Coroner's Jury empaneled by Justice Wellington, who held the inquest, are as follows: During the morning the deceased was working in the garden and around the house cleaning away refuse leaves and straw, and was in fine health and good spirits, singing, laughing and joking with friends who passed. About 1 o'clock he complained to a friend, of dizziness in the head, and in a few minutes after was discovered on the ground as if fallen from an appoplectic [sic] fit; but no serious alarm was occasioned, as those who discovered him here holding a meeting up stairs (the Hebrew Congregation) and did not wish to interrupt the devotions. Soon, however, it was discovered that life was extinct, when Drs. Hay and Bailey were summoned, only to pronounce it a sudden death from appoplexy.

The deceased was born in Versailles, France, in 1813, and at the time of this death was 56 years 5 months and 1 day old. At an early day his parents removed to Montreal, Canada, where they resided some time, and then removed to New York, when deceased was 19 years old. In New York he leaned the brush-making business, and afterwards worked at this trade (until his departure for California) at East Cambridge, Massachusetts.

On his arrival in California, overland from Chicago, in 1850, he settled in Santa Cruz, and resided her an honored and respected citizen up to the hour of his death. He was a man of genial, complaisant nature, happy temperament, agreeable conversational ways having a compliment and a kind word for everyone, thus acquiring many friends and admirers. He was a leading Mason, and was for many years Tyler of the Lodge. The brothers of the "mystic tie" turned out in full force, from his own Lodge, with a delegation from Watsonville, to do the last, sad rites, of burial. We counted eighty-two masons, in regalia, and a large number of citizens and carriages, in the funeral procession. ... The deceased leaves a wife and children in Santa Cruz, and a brother and sister in Montreal, to mourn his loss. May he rest in peace.

Mrs. Arcan moved to a cottage on Barson street sometime after he died. The first newspaper advertisement mentioning “Arcans Hall” appeared in 1871, so she probably had moved out of the house by then. She died in 1891.

Recently, our own Santa Cruz history museum featured an Arcan family heirloom in their blog’s  “Artifact of the Month:”  

When the Arcans and other families were rescued from Death Valley by William Lewis Manly and John H. Rogers, the families were forced to leave most of their belongings behind. Abigail refused to leave the tablecloth she had woven prior to her marriage. She didn’t want to lose this nostalgic remnant of her past. Legend has it that Abigail wrapped the tablecloth around her shoulders before leaving the valley.

Isn’t it likely that Harriet Arcan laid out that same tablecloth under the feast she prepared for Louis Manley?

There are more stories of the Arcan family descendants to be told, but not here.


In this 1877 Sanborn map, the Arcan house is still on the corner of Pacific and Arcan street, although it is labeled "Lincoln" on the map. The house that will later serve as the "Richards Manse" boarding house is still in the middle of the block. The open block south and east of the Arcan's house is labled "orchards." 

In 1878, David Wilson purchased the old Arcan house—now Arcans Hall—and moved it to the back of the lot so it faced on Bridge street (Soquel). Wilson owned a book and music store, but like everyone else who got here first, he made money in real estate. He bought a farm in Castroville in 1881, and he didn’t develop the corner himself.

This is how the Sentinel described this end of the town in 1883, letting us in on the secret that once one entrepreneur makes a move, others will follow.

People make a great, and sometimes serious mistake when they fail to improve every advantageous opportunity for the improvement of the locality in which their property is located. One year ago Bridge St. bore a tomb-like silence from a business point of view. The Williams property was shaded, cobwebbed and moss-covered, and the old Arcan Hall was empty and broken-glassed. The eye of business saw the advantages of the Williams land, bought it, and thereon erected a capacious pavilion. Gunsmith England saw the business opportunity and purchased the Arcan hall which he would not have done but for the location of the pavilion. Seeing the movement the founders of the Farmers’ Union secured the Wilson lot, and we predict the end is not yet.

The Sentinel was not wrong, and from 1884 until today, the corner was never again tomb-like.

While Arcans Hall was on Bridge street, it was the meeting place of the Templars, which was a lodge devoted to socializing without alcohol, and to mitigating the effects of alcoholism, such as supporting orphanages. Other groups that met in Arcans Hall included the Seventh-Day Adventists, and “Arions,” a German singing society.

After the Farmers’ Exchange opened in 1884 and began providing an alternative meeting room, the old Arcan house began a new life as a commercial building.  As mentioned in the Sentinel editorial above, Mr England, a machinist and gunsmith, bought it and enclosed the porch, adding glass display windows.  England then moved to Redding. By 1892 the Arcan house was a dry good store. In 1903, a grocery store. In 1904, it was the headquarters for the streetcar company. In 1905, it was a bicycle shop.

By that time, many transportation-related enterprises operated on Soquel street, including blacksmith shops, more bicycle shops, and shops specializing in car batteries—truly the high-tech district of the day—but with lots of saloons. Take a look at Soquel avenue in 1905.

The old Arcan house is number 11 and marked “S” for Store. There are three saloons on the same half block. Today, this spot is where the driveway into the New Leaf parking lot is.

And this is where the Coffee Club comes in. The Coffee Club movement arrived in Santa Cruz in 1906. Coffee Clubs founded in many California cities as an alternative to saloons for working people. Men and women could stop by their Coffee Club to relax after work, socialize, and grab a quick meal in an environment without "intoxicating liquors." They were funded by subscription and a plan of high volume of low-cost meals. This article appeared in 1905, about a year before the Coffee Club opened:

People’s Co-Operative Coffee Club.

The Coffee Club movement in California is assuming large proportions, and those which have been started in the various cities are making a success. According to Mr. Andrews, the San Diego Coffee Club, which was organized about five years ago, now gives employment to 20 men and is visited by from 1,200 to 1,500 people daily. The San Jose club has been in existence for four years, employs ten men and as many women and 500 to 700 men patronize it daily. …

The purpose of the proposed club and reading room for this city is to provide a center for homeless young men and furnish refreshment, recreation and amusement in a place where no intoxicating liquors in any form shall be sold. The membership fee is to be of one dollar and the profit of the business will not be divided among the members, but will go back into the business.

The lunch counter will serve light lunches consisting of tea, coffee, doughnuts, buns, sandwiches, pies, baked beans, granola, granose flakes and flaked rice, which will all be sold at five cents per dish. The club will be equipped with a fine reading room and it is expected to add a ladies department and a boys' annex with baths and gymnasium, as soon as the club is gotten on a paying basis.

Santa Cruz’s Coffee Club at 11 Soquel was established in the lower floor of the same building where the “temperance people”  had once met. In 1912 the Coffee Club moved down the street to space in the Hihn Building and continued operating for many years after.

Back at the old Arcan house, Dr. G. A. Bangs opened “Ye Coffee Cup,” that same year, which was described with fresh green and cream interior, and “a row of tables, which are covered in snowy-white linen and fresh cut-flowers.” This kind of article was written in some relation to Ye Coffee Cup’s advertising dollar, so it is odd that it said nothing about the food.

Ye Coffee Cup lasted until 1920 and Prohibition, when Joe Pimentel, a former saloonkeeper, opened “The Deer Horn,” promising “The Way Mother Used to Cook.”

New Restaurant Has Novel Settings

Coyotes of the yellow tooth, with sharp piercing eyes and the look of constant hunger that is never sated gaze from Joe Pimentel's Deer Horn Restaurant window on Soquel avenue.

The huntsman who glances at these stuff, but life-like animals is carried back to the slinking outcasts of the animal family searching among the bones, wind-dried, ghastly in their weird loneliness as the lost night hawk flops uncertainly across the waste and screams his terror. But lo, and behold! What a transformation upon entering to find twelve beautiful deer heads mounted and placed along the wall between twelve mirrors.

Again, I’m not sure how a story like that was supposed to complement the advertising or sell lunch. In less than a year Pimentel sold the restaurant to “The Mitchell Brothers” from San Francisco. They opened the “Rainbow Restaurant” which boasted theirs was the “only oyster house.” The Sentinel never wrote a booster article about it, but they were not big advertisers either.

The next year:  disaster.

Lively Morning Blaze Badly Damages Rainbow Restaurant on Soquel Avenue

The fire department was put to an acid test this morning in responding to two fire alarm calls, and only several hours' hard work on their part kept the flames from spreading to adjoining frail-like frame structures and resulting in a much more serious conflagration. At that the Rainbow Cafe, occupying a two-story building at 11 Soquel avenue was so completely gutted by fire that it is beyond all hope of repair. ...All that remains of the Rainbow cafe is the lower floor and the badly burned upper scantling supports. ...One of the losses suffered was the burning of a valuable collection of deer heads that took Joe Pimentel, the original owner of them occupied places on the wall which was entirely destroyed.

And that was the end of the Arcan’s Hall. A gold-rush era frame house that sheltered a family recovering from trauma. An upper room providing the sacred space where a town full of strangers could conduct the lodge rituals that built friendship, trust, and businesses. A conveniently located meeting place for those odd spiritual groups too small and poor for a church building: the Hebrews, trance mediums, bicycle enthusiasts. Room for singing Germans, and room for those who would never drink beer. A versatile home for entrepreneurs needing a small and convenient location for low-margin businesses. Now it was gone.

Let’s return to the corner of Soquel and Pacific. What was here before the Arcans built their home? We don’t know much, but we know there was a row of willow trees, perhaps a vineyard, and cattle. I think it was likely that there was a path to the river toward where the creek enters on the other side.

And before that, there was a open river plain, with oaks, bunch grass, and poppies. There were bear, and bobcat, beaver, and birds. And there were people who fished, and gathered reeds from the river, season after season, for thousands of years.



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