By Lisa Robinson
In 1870, Feltonite Otis Ashely complained in a letter to the Santa Cruz Sentinel: “We have a county grog-shop at the toll gate on the San Lorenzo Road. We would inquire what runs that institution? The Supervisors compel us to pay one hundred dollars a month for a man to oversee the road and keep the toll gate. Now where do the proceeds of that grog-shop go? Do they go into the county treasury, or do they go to help repair the road, or do the people of the San Lorenzo Valley have to pay one hundred dollars a month for a man to take charge of the roads and at the same time keep a grog-shop, and put the proceeds into his own pocket.”
Tolls collected averaged around $400 per month, so after paying the toll collector, Eben Bennett, there was barely sufficient to adequately maintain the road, which needed constant repairs in the winter, and sprinkling with water in the summer to keep the dust down.
In his obituary in 1904, Santa Cruz pioneer and millman George Collins is credited with building the section of the road [from the new town of Felton] to Big Trees around 1867. His lumber mill was just south of Felton near Gold Gulch and he needed to ship his lumber over the Graham Hill Grade. This section of road was not well travelled until the turnpike to Santa Cruz was completed. He is also credited with erecting the Toll Gate House.
In September 1872, the Toll Gate House was purchased from John Hagar by H. F. Beckmann who enlarged and updated the premises. He also stocked it with choice wines, cigars, and other refreshments and supplies to cater to picnic parties, hunters, fishermen, and campers. A new road to the Big Tree grove was built that turned off near the toll gate. Visitors to and from the grove were encouraged to visit the Beckmann House for “information.” In November 1872, it was announced that the road would no longer be a turnpike, the toll gate would be removed and that the county would take over maintenance of the road. “We congratulate our citizens and teamsters on the removal of this tax; it was an onerous burthen [sic] and should have been abolished long ago.”
However in 1876, a franchise to the road was granted to John Shearer and John Mahanney for two years, provided they did not increase the rate of tolls over that collected by Eben Bennett.
The toll gate house continued to be operated as a saloon and later as a resort with rustic cottages and tent cabins. Its colorful history will be continued.