J.H. Henry Ranch - 1896 to Present Traditional Cache

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Oreo Pony: Lightening my load of responsibilities and obligations. Thank you for enjoying the places at which I have had the honor of placing caches.

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Hidden : 3/2/2005
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:


The Henry Ranch house on the hill due south of this cachesite has a deceptively long history in Atascadero. It lays claim to being the first "house" built in Atascadero reportedly in 1896 - 115 years ago. The only exception is the Estrada Adobe, which was spoken of by the Franciscan Friars of the San Miguel Mission back in 1812. The Estrada Adobe has since crumbled into ruins.See my Pedro's Place cache

Beginning in 1769, Spanish Franciscans established 21 missions along the California coast, including the nearby Mission San Miguel. Fifty-four years later, in 1821, Mexico won its independence from Spain, and California became a Mexican province.

The settling of Atascadero began with the Franciscan clergy who managed the 60,000-acre Rancho Asuncion (now Atascadero) until 1833, when the Mexican government secularized the mission lands. Governor Pio Pico then split up the San Miguel Mission properties by granting Ranchos to those who solicited them. In 1845, Governor Pico granted Pedro Estrada nearly 40,000 acres, part of which would eventually be a portion of the 23,000 acre Rancho Atascadero.

Subsequently, Pedro Estrada lost his ranch to drought, hard times, gambling, and alcohol. As did his brother, Joaquin Estrada, who lost the Santa Margarita Ranch to Bernard Murphy of San Jose, California in 1861. Martin immediately sent his son, Patrick Washington Murphy, to operate that rancho.

One account has J.H. Henry, owner of a San Jose cable car business, actually winning the Atascadero Rancho away from Patrick Washington Murphy in a poker game.

In the book, The San Jose Railroads, authored by Charles S. McCaleb, it states, "The stakes that afternoon at the club were particularly high, as the story goes, and all but Henry and Murphy had thrown in their cards. 'Tell you what I'll do, Barney' Henry is reputed to have said. 'I'll make it my streetcar line against your Atascadero ranch.'

Murphy bet and lost. Rumor had it that he later urged Henry to call off the wager, but was refused."

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Guvax bs gur "Fpernz" cnvagvat - naq purpx uvf grrgu!

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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