"In 1845 Martin Murphy, Sr. acquired 9,000 acres known as the
Rancho Ojo de Aqua de la Coche. Murphy had been a leader of the
first party of pioneers to cross the Sierra Nevada range at Truckee
Pass, later to become the route for the Southern Pacific Railroad.
The Murphy family made its home in the valley below El Toro
Mountain. By 1870 Martin's seven sons and daughters had managed to
acquire more than 70,000 acres.
In 1851 the youngest son, Daniel, married Maria Fisher, heiress
to the neighboring 19,000 acre Rancho Laguna Seca. Diana, their
precocious daughter secretly married Hiram Morgan Hill in 1882.
When Daniel Murphy died, Diana inherited 4,500 acres of their
original rancho in the shadow of El Toro.
Diana and Hiram Morgan Hill built their estate, the Villa Mira
Monte, between the railroad and Monterey Road in 1886. When the
first Southern Pacific station was built in 1898, the railroad
referred to this area as Huntington. Many visitors would request
the train stop at "Morgan Hill's Ranch," changing the name to
Morgan Hill.
By 1896 the growing community had a population of 250 with a
post office, depot, two hotels, a restaurant, and several churches
and shops. There was much controversy over the incorporation of the
city. The Times printed many editorials supporting the issue, while
those opposed were fearful of higher taxes. But the "yes" vote won
by a margin of 65-36 and Morgan Hill became incorporated November
10, 1906. By 1909 the population rose to 1,000. Currently, 36,000
citizens call Morgan Hill their home." (Source: Morgan Hill Chamber
of Commerce and Morgan Hill Historical Society.)
Smart Books, my favorite little bookshop in Morgan Hill, has
some books on Morgan Hill's history if you're interested in
learning more. You can also pick up a nice cold ice cream while
you're there.
I often come down this way to drive into Morgan Hill from work.
Monterey Road (formerly Highway 101) parallels the railroad tracks
which were so critical around the turn of the century. There are
many benchmarks along the train route (many more are missing) and
if you read the old records for those you'll see how the station in
Coyote, just a few miles up the road here, was a common starting
point for those benchmark directions.
This cache is just several steps on the east side of the
sidewalk here. No need to go anywhere onto the road or anywhere
near the train tracks!