Josephine Turcot had been escorted to her coronation as Water Carnival Queen by a suite of handmaidens. On her journey to Palo Alto to enroll in Stanford, the following September, her retinue consisted of only one lady—her Aunt Catherine. Upon her return to Santa Cruz, Mrs. Logan plunged into a new project–helping to host the Grand Council of the Catholic Ladies’ Aid Society.
The event was held at the Hotel Santa Maria del Mar, centerpiece of a unique achievement of the local chapter, one in which Catherine had played a central role. Imitating the Protestant summer colonies at Garfield Park and Twin Lakes, the local C.L.A.S. leaders decided to create a Catholic resort by the bay. Their plan was more ambitious, featuring a three-story hotel, suitable for retreats and meetings. The women in charge of the enterprise financed it cleverly, building on 20 acres of donated land and raising money for construction by selling cottage and camping lots in the neighborhood.
Although she volunteered whenever possible for orphan’s fairs and charity balls, Catherine’s social life was diminished by the departure of her popular niece. There was another domestic setback in November, when Judge Logan lost his bid for re-election. After stepping down in January 1897, he re-opened his law office. Soliciting business from Lieutenant-Governor Jeter at the County Bank, Logan won the job of sorting out the finances of Grover and Company.
The bankrupt firm was reorganized in June and the ex-judge, as its new treasurer, began to dispose of its assets. The most attractive piece of property was the 400-acre tract around Clear Creek. Having vacationed at the Hotel Ben Lomond, the Logans knew firsthand that the San LorenzoValley had become a popular destination for Santa Cruzans. In fact, Ben Lomond was so crowded that month that potential visitors had to find rooms in Boulder Creek. The location of the Grover tract offered similar advantages, being located on the county highway, the railroad, and the river.
After due deliberation, it was decided to let the Grover family retain their interest. The title was transferred to Mrs. Grover, wife of the company president, but further development would require additional investment.
In July, Logan was reunited with a brother he had not seen since childhood. Profiting from the presence of an impartial observer, he took his visitor on a drive up to Boulder Creek, stopping along the way to visit the Grover site. As the “well-pleased” tourist continued his journey, Judge and Mrs. Logan cut a deal with the Grovers.
The following month, the local papers became aware of the “new camping grounds at Clear Creek.” “A new resort is evidently hatching in the Grover-Logan management,” noted the Mountain Echo. “The owners,” reported the Sentinel, “have concluded to turn this property into a camping and picnic ground. Later on a hotel will be one of the possibilities, but for the present Judge Logan will content himself by erecting a cottage for his own use and occupancy.”
(To be continued.)
- Randall Brown lives in Boulder Creek and works in Felton. He wrote the history of the San Lorenzo Valley Water District and is the co-author of “Santa Cruz’s Seabright”.
