
In 1860 a stagecoach pass was hacked through the California wilderness over the mountainous San Marcos Pass to connect Mission Santa Barbara to The Santa Ynez Rancho.

A rest stop was built along the stage coach route high up on The San Marcos Pass, next to a naturally running cold mountain spring.

This stage-stop was, and is still called, Cold Spring Tavern.

Back in the day the tavern served hot meals and alcohol.

It still serves both today, and the experience of eating here is one we return to enjoy whenever we pass by this area.

There was a bunkhouse,

a small store, a stable, and several small homesteads, forming a town called Gopherville, which is now a ghost town.

The town even had a jail which could hold up to eleven (crowded) souls…. rowdy cowboys and such, who likely drank too much whiskey…..
Cheers to you from Cold Springs Tavern & the still wild west~
how wonderful seeing
it’s still standing
beautifully 🙂
LikeLiked by 4 people
It is wonderful. Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on charles french words reading and writing and commented:
Here is a wonderful post from Cindy Knoke on Cold Springs Tavern!
LikeLiked by 4 people
Charles. Thank you for this. I appreciate the ‘pick me up’. We are in the desert now. We were visiting our new twin grandbabies in NorCal when a faulty shut off gauge in our main water control valve malfunctioned and flooded The Holler with an endless stream of nice cold drinking water, which we found when we walked in the door on return. The Holler is now essentially organized disaster, as teams work on it, and no one can live in it. We left to the desert which I have always loved in the summer, with it’s 112+ degree heat. There are few people here, but mountain goats, roadrunners, deafening cicadas, lizard, bugs, night time bats, and other wild friends. And don’t worry about us. This is only a slightly bad thing to happen to someone in the scheme of our lives. Thank you Charles for being such a good person and friend to so many of us.
LikeLiked by 3 people
So ghosty
LikeLiked by 3 people
Yes. Love the ghosts, even though refuse to meet me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thoroughly enjoyable post Cindy, and very colourful and detailed pictures, you have successfully bought a part of history to life in your post.
Kind regards.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Ah, so nice of you. Thank you.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Love the name, ‘Gopherville’! Nice story’. Don’t you love Americana?
LikeLiked by 3 people
I do love Americana, and the town called Gopherville.
LikeLiked by 2 people
This is fantastic! Thanks for sharing, Cindy.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you more for appreciating!
LikeLiked by 2 people
😘🥰
LikeLiked by 2 people
My goodness, so much history in those fascinating images, Cindy! 😊
LikeLiked by 3 people
Happy you see this. These places are precious, aren’t they.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes! So little gets preserved and yet folks are hungry for authentic preservations like this. We’ve a “few” places left here in Austin, thank goodness 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
I agree with you. I would love to seem them in Austin.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Relatively speaking, not as much to see preserved here as like in San Antonio, but the Old Bakery where I have art work is a grand example of early 1800s Austin; gorgeous limestone walls & big windows with views of the capital! 😊
LikeLiked by 2 people
I have heard Austin is beautiful, but I have never been. I would love to see this.
LikeLiked by 2 people
The best is still places like around Barton Springs, both Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center & Zilker Botanical Gardens (latter is close to Barton Springs), Laguna Gloria Museum area. Butler Park and the Hike & Bike Trail around Lady Bird Lake (both near Zilker Park & Barton Springs) make up the best I’m familiar with, but there are several other spots, like Mt Bonnel, if u can find parking 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
I have heard of Barton Springs. My maiden name is Cindy Barton so I took notice. I must visit! Thank you for the info.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Of course, and what a treat it’d be to visit your name-sake, whether really related or not, right?! 😊 My last suggestion (I think) is don’t come in the summer, lol! Mid spring and late fall have the best number of wonderful days 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Reblogged this on Vijayagiri views.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Ahhh, thank you for your kindness!
LikeLiked by 1 person
We have a Cold Spring Village here on the East Coast….it’s near Cape May, NJ.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I would love to visit.
LikeLiked by 2 people
This place is so interesting via your lens, Cindy. So sorry to hear about your flooded house. How painful to see professional journals and other things got ruined…Hope cleaning and repairs are going smoothly.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you Amy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Charming town. It does bring back memories of old tv shows of the wil west. Thank you for sharing. Enjoy your trio.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you Beverly ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love this place! We stopped here a couple of time on trips north to Santa Barbara and Solvang.
LikeLiked by 3 people
It is wonderful isn’t it. So glad you have experienced it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
LikeLiked by 3 people
Muchas gracias mi amigo.
LikeLiked by 2 people
A fascinating look into the past, and of course with gorgeous photos. Enjoy! ❤
LikeLiked by 3 people
Hugs to you sweet friend ❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hugs back. ❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
I don’t remember seeing this going to Solvang or Santa Barbara. It is truly my kind of place. So appreciate this post. Thank you for sharing. Always happy to see something older than I am (chuckles).
LikeLiked by 3 people
Oh so funny…..Thank you for making me laugh. It is always a relief to me too, to see things older than I ❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
have they served cowboy supper 🙂
LikeLiked by 3 people
Amazing, Cindy! Feeling like home. This is saving traditions. I just saw that you have a quote from Rene Descartes in the header. Did you know that Rene Descartes was a mercenary here in the Bohemian area during the Thirty Years’ War? I think it probably shocked him so much that he made that statement. Lol Best wishes, Michael
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you for such interesting information. I knew he enlisted in his early twenties, and after an onerous battle, had a “night of visions,” where he came up with his core philosophy which really implies, “I doubt, therefore I think, therefore I am”
I imagine the war he witnessed may have contributed to his connection of doubt with thinking, and both with identity and existence. He is a fascinating person. I love the idea that doubt and thought are the core of our existence. Thank you for adding to my knowledge Michael.
LikeLiked by 2 people
What a strange place, but it tells the story.
LikeLiked by 3 people
It does indeed, better than words.
LikeLiked by 2 people
What a fabulous spot, Cindy. I was surprised when you wrote that they are still serving meals, judging from the outside of the tavern, but they are being true to the historical feel of the place!
LikeLiked by 2 people
The food is good too and the environment is definitely genuine rustic, no “custom distressed” wood products here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cindy, I love this. I can imagine sitting there with my laptop and seeing what happens on the blank document… Such places have many stories and poems. 🙂 ❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
Cindy, I love this. I can imagine sitting there with my laptop and seeing what happens on the blank document… Such places have many stories and poems. 🙂 ❤
LikeLiked by 3 people
It certainly would inspire your prodigious poetic gifts Lea & I would love to read the results ❤
LikeLiked by 3 people
Cindy, you are too kind. Thank you. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Just the truth ma-deah’
LikeLiked by 2 people
You do inspire me. Perhaps it is time to dust of the page and see if I can find any poetry lurking among the cobwebs…?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh, wonderful! Look forward to reading…..
LikeLiked by 3 people
Ah, but first to immerse myself in some poetry. These French poets are so inspiring…
LikeLiked by 2 people
❤
LikeLiked by 3 people
❤
LikeLiked by 3 people
What a fascinating Wild West Location! Would love to be there…
LikeLiked by 2 people
It is quite special to visit. No development around, so it feels like the wild west. Have a great weekend.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Its too beautiful ..like a real spring 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
So happy you enjoyed & cheers to you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice to see the Tavern is still standing and enjoyed.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you and I agree with you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I loved seeing these photos, very interesting.
LikeLiked by 3 people
It looks very interesting from the outside! Did you order some hot meals inside?
LikeLiked by 3 people
Yes you do. The food is yummy and they have a bar.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Will have to visit. Just my kind of place 🙂
LikeLiked by 3 people
Please do, and tell us about it too.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Reblogged this on ckbooksblog and commented:
What to visit Gopherville? I do!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Anyone who likes Gopherville is a good friend of mine ❤ Thank you.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Beautiful shots!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Honored. Thank you Leyla.
LikeLiked by 2 people