National Register of Historic Places in San Mateo County

National Register #82002260: Methodist Episcopal Church of Pescadero 15 May 2005
National Register #82002260: Methodist Episcopal Church of Pescadero 1935 Photograph
Historical American Buildings Survey
(Click Photos to Zoom)
National Register #82002260
Methodist Episcopal Church of Pescadero
112 Stage Road
Pescadero
Dedicated 1890

The Victorian-Gothic Methodist Episcopal Church of Pescadero functioned as a church for only the first twenty-five years its existence.

From its dedication in 1890 until 1899, the church had a preacher and a congregation. In 1899, services reverted to a circuit rider from Half Moon Bay who rode in once a month. Even the circuit rider gave up after 1906.

Damage caused by the 1906 earthquake was negligible. The building withstood the shake so well that it substituted as the public elementary school until the local two-story schoolhouse was repaired.

When the building changed ownership in 1915, its two art glass windows were removed and sold. The opening for the rose window was crudely closed with regular shingles which were left unpainted for years. The tall window on the south was replaced with clear glass.

In 1920, the building became a social center which was open every afternoon. Card tables, a billiard table and various games were provided for all ages. There were a player piano and a moving picture machine. Each Friday and Saturday there were dances. It also served as the local library.

By 1928 the building was again vacant. A group of Japanese-American farm laborers leased it. They hired a San Francisco woman to instruct children in Japanese language and cultural traditions.

According to the NRHP nomination:

"No one recalls that the school had a special name. In one photo there is a sign with six characters posted on the right of the church entry porch. No one remembers what it stated nor can anyone decipher the sign."

Classes were halted by the attack on Pearl Harbor.

After World War II, the bell steeple was demolished because of its dangerous, deteriorated condition.

Adapted from the NRHP nomination.

When the property was nominated in 1982, it was owned by the Pebble Beach Parlor of The Native Sons of the Golden West and the Año Nuevo Parlor of The Native Daughters of the Golden West.

As I revise this web page in September 2012, the building is known as The Pescadero Native Sons Community Hall and is owned by the Pescadero Parlor of The Native Sons of the Golden West and The Pescadero History Society. These organizations are raising money to restore the building.

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