Casa de Tableta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Casa de Tableta
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 Casa de Tableta
Location in San Francisco Bay Area
Casa de Tableta
Location in California
Casa de Tableta
Location in the United States
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| Location | 3915 Alpine Road, Portola Valley, California |
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| Built | c. 1851 |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000447 |
| Added to NRHP | 1973 |
The Casa de Tableta, now known as the Alpine Inn, is a very old and important building in Portola Valley, California. It was built around 1851 and has been known by many names, including Rossotti's Saloon and Zott's. This historic spot was recognized as a California Historical Landmark in 1969 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. It's one of the oldest places of its kind still open in California today!
Other names for the building over the years include Felix Buelna's Casa de Tableta, Fernando's Store, Philpott's, Stanton's Saloon, Chapete's Place, The Wunder, and Schenkel's Picnic Park.
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History of the Alpine Inn
Casa de Tableta: A Gathering Place
After the Mexican-American War ended in 1848, many people of Mexican heritage living in California faced challenges. Around this time, Máximo Martínez gave his friend Felix Buelna some land. Felix Buelna built Casa de Tableta in the 1850s.
This building was first used as a meeting place and a hall for games by Mexican-born Californians. It was in a great spot, right where an old Native American trail met other paths. These paths were used by early settlers to travel to San Jose and for moving timber and cattle. This trail, called the "Old Spanish Trail," connected the coast to the valley.
Felix Buelna invited his friends to Casa de Tableta for entertainment and games. In 1867, Buelna leased the building to others. By 1868, the property changed hands after a game to William Eccles Stanton.
The Wunder: A Popular Spot
Stanton then leased the building to William Tate Philpott. Later, in 1875, Stanton hired F. Rodriquez Crovello, who was a barkeep. The place became known as "Chapete's" because Crovello had a big black mustache.
When Stanton passed away in 1887, Charles Schenkel took over. He renamed the place "The Wunder." As new towns grew and Stanford University was formed nearby, students started visiting the inn. Many towns in the late 1800s had rules about certain activities, but because this inn was in a rural area, it continued to be a popular gathering place.
Before 1911, Walter Jelich, Sr., a Croatian immigrant and local orchard owner, worked there.
From Picnic Park to Alpine Inn
During a time known as the Prohibition Era (from 1920 to 1933), the sign for "The Wunder" was crossed out. The place was then called "Schenkel's Picnic Park." It had a large outdoor seating area along Los Trancos Creek and continued to be a lively spot for people to gather and enjoy refreshments.
When the Prohibition Era ended in 1933, Enrico Rossotti bought the business. He renamed it "Rossotti's Saloon" and started serving food. By 1956, the ownership changed again, and it was officially named "Alpine Inn Beer Garden." However, many people still called it "Rossotti's" or "Zott's."
In 1969, a special historical marker was placed at the site. This marker recognized the inn as California Historical Landmark number 825.
A cool moment in history happened here in 1976. A group of scientists from SRI International (Stanford Research Institute) sent an electronic message from a computer. They were sitting in the picnic area of the inn! This was one of the very first times a message was sent using the TCP/IP system between two different networks. A special van was parked next to the Alpine Inn, and wires ran to one of the picnic tables.
The Alpine Inn Today
In December 2018, the Alpine Inn got new owners. They updated the building and the menu. They also added an outdoor tent in the picnic area for the winter.
Today, the building is still a popular spot. It's located near many beautiful biking routes and hiking trails. People connected with Stanford University, and many others, still enjoy visiting this historic inn.
