Heritage Bar in Watsonville, CA
This is the original bar from the old Waterfront Bar that operated at 328 Walker St. in Watsonville for about 100 years. About 30 feet long, with two end wings that lengthen its spread to about 40 feet, the mammoth piece of mahogany harkens another era.
Brunswick, the pool table manufacturer made this bar originally in the late 1800’s. This one was originally shipped to Europe then purchased and sent to Watsonville on a frigate that came around the horn before the Panama Canal was built. John King, owned it and it sat in a container for probably fifty, sixty years while it slowly rotted apart. When we were commissioned to restore it, we went through and made many new parts, new columns, and face pieces. All the front face pieces we had to make remake as well. The whole end on the left was rotted and the back bar we replaced due to dry rot. We made new arches and more corbels and stuff. All these things, we had to hand make all these to match the ones that were there. We just kind of went through it.
The Kings, who’s father owned the bar for decades donated the bar, to the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds to be the centerpiece of Heritage Hall, which is being created out of the Floriculture Building near the fairground’s main entrance. Plans include not only the bar, which is being carefully restored to its original luster, but a small dance floor, a huge fireplace and room for a small concert, family reunion or large party.
See the story here:
http://www.register-pajaronian.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=10172&page=72
