In 1872, at a meeting in San Francisco, the Presiding Elders of the Methodist church contemplated the idea of establishing a summer
resort in northern California where good Christian families could find an annual respite for restoring their spiritual and physical vitality.
The Church Elders were inspired by the work of Reverend William B. Osborne, a Methodist preacher who, in 1870, established a seaside
resort along the northern coast of New Jersey. Osborne’s camp was called “Ocean Grove” and New Jersey issued a state
charter to the “Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association.” The Association was granted the power to acquire and sell land and provide other services and improvements necessary for the establishment of a permanent town.
Eventually, the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association parceled out over 1,971 lots “where families of like mind can pitch their tents, and for a while in the summer enjoy the sea air, bathing, fishing, etc. having such social and religious exercises intermingled as convenience and inclination might suggest.”
In 1873, a Methodist minister from Alameda named W.S. Ross and his wife, “both being in feeble health,” in the words of contemporary records, “and having tried all the remedies that science could suggest, were advised to find some place where the fluctuations from heat to cold were merely nominal. After many months spent in research, it was at last decided that Monterey was the most likely place to supply those requirements.”
While visiting Monterey, Reverend Ross was introduced to David Jacks whereupon Jacks urged Ross to dwell among the pine
trees using a small shack located about one-half block below the present site of the Methodist Church in Pacific Grove. Sleeping in hammocks under trees, Reverend Ross lived primarily on fish, game and sea air. After several weeks, with his health much improved, his recovery
was described as miraculous. Reverend Ross became so enamored with the piney paradise that he suggested to the church elders, and to David Jacks, that it be considered for the site of the seaside resort that the Presiding Elders had been seeking.
Jacks—probably less motivated by eleemosynary considerations than he was by the prospect of having such a group of eminent men help gin up demand for his property—heartily welcomed the idea. Turning over control of a small nucleus of his massive holdings in the Rancho
Punta de los Piños to a wealthy assembly of pious families would certainly enhance the value of his other property in the vicinity, which was nearly all the property in the vicinity. Jacks promptly wrote a letter to the Presiding Elder of San Francisco at the time, Reverend George Clifford,
suggesting that his property by the sea would be perfectly suited to their purposes.
A committee comprised of Bishop J. T. Peck, Reverend Clifford, Reverend Ross, and Reverend George Ash of Salinas was formed to investigate the suitability of the area. Jacks arranged to meet them in Salinas and took them by horse and buggy to visit the property. The view from what we now call “Lover’s Point” must have been breathtaking to any among them that still required convincing. Preliminary negotiations for the camp had begun that evening over dinner at David Jack’s home in Monterey.
On September 15, 1874, at the 23rd Conference of the Methodist Church held at the Central Church in San Francisco, David Jacks officially offered the Church 100 acres of land to form the basis of their retreat. On May 28, 1875, Jacks formally transferred the 100 acres to the church. According to the May 29 issue of the Monterey Weekly Herald, the 100 acre site was being referred to as “Ocean Grove.”
On June 1, 1875, a meeting was held at 9am at the Methodist Episcopal Church on Howard Street in San Francisco for the purpose of
selecting the board of trustees for a new organization to assume responsibility for the supervision and operation of the proposed camp.
According to the minutes of the meeting, “Various names were presented for the association and its grounds and,
after a comparison of view and tastes, the name of Pacific Grove Retreat was finally agreed upon and adopted.” Thus, at this organizational meeting, it seems some thoughtful soul had the presence of mind to question the prudence of calling the retreat, “Ocean Grove.” By changing “Ocean” to “Pacific,” the association obviated any confusion that might have arisen by having two Methodist retreats of the same name. Yet, the new name—though adding the distinctive spirit of the Pacific coast—still pays quiet homage to its Ocean Grove, N.J. inspiration. (1)
Lots in the Pacific Grove Retreat sold for $50 and usually had a tent or shed on the site. The Pomeroy family came during the Gold Rush of 1849 and settled in Santa Clara. Young Everett joined them in 1858 and soon became known as an author, composer, professor, and organist of reknown. In 1883 he purchased two lots and began building the castle as an homage to his ancestor's castle, the Berry Pomeroy Castle in Devon, England. This family castle had been built in the late 15th century and reputed to be haunted by two female ghosts, the Blue Lady and the White Lady. As the legend goes, the Blue Lady lures travelers to her tower where they fall to their death while the White Lady haunts the dungeons, having been imprisoned there by her sister. Fortunately or unfortunately, there have been no ghostly sightings in the current Captain's Castle.
The home has been referred to as the Kinswood Tower after Captain Kinswood, a later owner of the house but through the years evolved to the current name of the Captain's Castle.
(1) Hart Mansion.com
resort in northern California where good Christian families could find an annual respite for restoring their spiritual and physical vitality.
The Church Elders were inspired by the work of Reverend William B. Osborne, a Methodist preacher who, in 1870, established a seaside
resort along the northern coast of New Jersey. Osborne’s camp was called “Ocean Grove” and New Jersey issued a state
charter to the “Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association.” The Association was granted the power to acquire and sell land and provide other services and improvements necessary for the establishment of a permanent town.
Eventually, the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association parceled out over 1,971 lots “where families of like mind can pitch their tents, and for a while in the summer enjoy the sea air, bathing, fishing, etc. having such social and religious exercises intermingled as convenience and inclination might suggest.”
In 1873, a Methodist minister from Alameda named W.S. Ross and his wife, “both being in feeble health,” in the words of contemporary records, “and having tried all the remedies that science could suggest, were advised to find some place where the fluctuations from heat to cold were merely nominal. After many months spent in research, it was at last decided that Monterey was the most likely place to supply those requirements.”
While visiting Monterey, Reverend Ross was introduced to David Jacks whereupon Jacks urged Ross to dwell among the pine
trees using a small shack located about one-half block below the present site of the Methodist Church in Pacific Grove. Sleeping in hammocks under trees, Reverend Ross lived primarily on fish, game and sea air. After several weeks, with his health much improved, his recovery
was described as miraculous. Reverend Ross became so enamored with the piney paradise that he suggested to the church elders, and to David Jacks, that it be considered for the site of the seaside resort that the Presiding Elders had been seeking.
Jacks—probably less motivated by eleemosynary considerations than he was by the prospect of having such a group of eminent men help gin up demand for his property—heartily welcomed the idea. Turning over control of a small nucleus of his massive holdings in the Rancho
Punta de los Piños to a wealthy assembly of pious families would certainly enhance the value of his other property in the vicinity, which was nearly all the property in the vicinity. Jacks promptly wrote a letter to the Presiding Elder of San Francisco at the time, Reverend George Clifford,
suggesting that his property by the sea would be perfectly suited to their purposes.
A committee comprised of Bishop J. T. Peck, Reverend Clifford, Reverend Ross, and Reverend George Ash of Salinas was formed to investigate the suitability of the area. Jacks arranged to meet them in Salinas and took them by horse and buggy to visit the property. The view from what we now call “Lover’s Point” must have been breathtaking to any among them that still required convincing. Preliminary negotiations for the camp had begun that evening over dinner at David Jack’s home in Monterey.
On September 15, 1874, at the 23rd Conference of the Methodist Church held at the Central Church in San Francisco, David Jacks officially offered the Church 100 acres of land to form the basis of their retreat. On May 28, 1875, Jacks formally transferred the 100 acres to the church. According to the May 29 issue of the Monterey Weekly Herald, the 100 acre site was being referred to as “Ocean Grove.”
On June 1, 1875, a meeting was held at 9am at the Methodist Episcopal Church on Howard Street in San Francisco for the purpose of
selecting the board of trustees for a new organization to assume responsibility for the supervision and operation of the proposed camp.
According to the minutes of the meeting, “Various names were presented for the association and its grounds and,
after a comparison of view and tastes, the name of Pacific Grove Retreat was finally agreed upon and adopted.” Thus, at this organizational meeting, it seems some thoughtful soul had the presence of mind to question the prudence of calling the retreat, “Ocean Grove.” By changing “Ocean” to “Pacific,” the association obviated any confusion that might have arisen by having two Methodist retreats of the same name. Yet, the new name—though adding the distinctive spirit of the Pacific coast—still pays quiet homage to its Ocean Grove, N.J. inspiration. (1)
Lots in the Pacific Grove Retreat sold for $50 and usually had a tent or shed on the site. The Pomeroy family came during the Gold Rush of 1849 and settled in Santa Clara. Young Everett joined them in 1858 and soon became known as an author, composer, professor, and organist of reknown. In 1883 he purchased two lots and began building the castle as an homage to his ancestor's castle, the Berry Pomeroy Castle in Devon, England. This family castle had been built in the late 15th century and reputed to be haunted by two female ghosts, the Blue Lady and the White Lady. As the legend goes, the Blue Lady lures travelers to her tower where they fall to their death while the White Lady haunts the dungeons, having been imprisoned there by her sister. Fortunately or unfortunately, there have been no ghostly sightings in the current Captain's Castle.
The home has been referred to as the Kinswood Tower after Captain Kinswood, a later owner of the house but through the years evolved to the current name of the Captain's Castle.
(1) Hart Mansion.com
