Home, Home on the Grange

While most communities have town halls, Prunedale operates a bit differently. The Prunedale Grange is no doubt the heart of Prunedale. You go there to vote, it has a remarkable history, and if anything important is going on in town you'd go there to find out about it. The grange was originally opened in the late 1800s as a meeting spot for local farmers. As members of the grange, they would work together for political rights and the grange would be their place to organize community events. This Prunedale landmark serves many of the same purposes for the community now as it did over a hundred years ago. The Prunedale Grange can be found on the top of Moro Road.

Fresh Milk No More

Back in the day, you used to be able to go to Milkbarn and get fresh milk every morning. Getting fresh milk was a form of community gathering. You could sit in your car and get a fresh glass of milk delivered right to you. But as time passed, the local grocery stores drove the Milkbarn's business out of the water. After all, it would be impossible for the Milkbarn to compete with a full scale grocery store like Safeway or Supermax. Regardless, the Milkbarn's building still stands between San Miguel Canyon Road and North Prunedale Road waiting to be used for a future business venture.

Steak with a Side of Murder...?

Most people living in Prunedale may be familiar with the old Steakhouse. It sits quietly on the top of Moro Road slowly deteriorating. It was recently transformed into a Church, but for several years it remained closed and abandoned. Many do not know the mystery behind the closing of the establishment; it has a cryptic history as a murder scene. In the early 90s, the owner of the restaurant, a man suffering from PTSD from the Vietnam War, came in early and murdered his own mother with an axe, chopping her up bit by bit. Shortly after, he commit suicide and the bodies were discovered by one of the restaurant regulars later that day. Ever since it's closing, the establishment's haunted past has created a looming atmosphere in the surrounding area.

Almost Ancient

The photo below may not look like much to the unsuspecting eye. In fact, today it's nothing more than a storage room for the Prunedale Senior Citizen's Center. But despite it's deceiving looks, it very well may be the oldest landmark in all of Prunedale. The building you're looking at was once a stop for the early stagecoach that traveled through the area now known as Prunedale. Although the town hadn't been formed yet, the stop offered basic food and service. This landmark is said to date back to the 19th Century. If you have a keen eye, you can find this spot along North Prunedale Road.

Murky Rails

One of my earliest childhood memories is going to the Elkhorn Slough with my dad and placing pennies on the train tracks. As soon as one of the metal monsters passed over the coin, a flat copper memento would be the only thing left. Even though the Elkhorn Slough isn't technically in Prunedale, it is a place that embodies what this blog is all about. It's history dates back thousands of years and a trip to the Slough will fascinate you with the unknown. Venture beyond the beaten path of the Elkhorn Slough; the combination of nature and human machinery make this a magical place. Who knows, you might just find an abandoned train.

Abandoned Lot, Forgotten History

This abandoned empty lot can be found off of North Prunedale Road. It is huge to say the least and it's one of the spookiest spots in all of Prunedale. This place has a real haunted and lonely feel to it. You can find anything from old stuffed animals to derelict hammocks as you walk through the expansive lot. It was once a junkyard, but that time has long ago passed. All that now remains of that era is small bits of garbage that are minuscule in comparison to the otherwise giant eucalyptus trees.