Cienega Road is an approximately 18-mile rural highway located in the Gabilan Range and San Andreas Fault Rift Zone south of Hollister. Cienega Road begins at Union Road near Hollister and terminates at California State Route 25 near Paicines via Cienega Valley.
Cienega Road is named after Cienega Valley and Rancho Cienega del Gabilán. This highway began to develop following the establishment of the Gilmore Colony vineyards in 1888. Originally the portion of highway between Union Road and Bird Creek was known as Bird Creek Road. The Cienega Road name was extended north of Bird Creek to Union Road at some point around World War II. Modern Cienega Road is now mostly associated with the Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area which was founded in 1975.
Part 1; the history of Cienega Road
Cienega Road begins at Union Road south of the city of Hollister near the San Benito River. From the Hollister area the corridor Cienega Road climbs into the Gabilan Range and follows the San Andreas Fault Rift Zone into Cienega Valley. Within the valley Cienega Road makes one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn towards California State Route 25 near Paicines.
Cienega Valley during the period of Alta California was part of Rancho Cienega del Gabilán. The rancho had been granted by Mexican Governor Manuel Micheltorena in 1843 to Antonio Chaves. Chaves actively campaigning against U.S. forces during the Mexican-American War and fled to Mexico in 1848 as the conflict was ending.
Given Chaves was not present during the period of American Statehood in California the holdings of Rancho Cienega del Gabilán were subject to questionable claims. In 1853 the Public Land Commission would reject a claim to the rancho filed by José Yves Limantour. Limantour had claimed Chaves had sold the rancho to him but had little evidence to back it up. Thomas Larkin would make a similar claim in 1858 which was granted by the Public Land Commission shortly after he died. Following the death of Larkin, the holdings of Rancho Cienega del Gabilán would be purchased by Jesse D. Carr in 1867. Carr over the following decades would begin to subdivide his holdings.
San Benito County would split from Monterey County on February 14, 1874, largely due to the success of the New Idria Mercury Mine. The town site of Hollister was plotted in 1868 which spurred growth southward along course of the San Benito River. By 1873 the Southern Pacific Railroad would construct a spur line to Tres Pinos which served as a stage road head to New Idria via Paicines and Panoche Pass.
Development of Cienega Valley truly began on August 24, 1888, when Daniel Gilmore purchased 465 acres of land to construct a vineyard. The so-called Gilmore Colony was immediately contentious amongst Hollister locals as Gilmore intended to bring in former African American slaves from Arkansas as laborers. The first five laborers and their families would arrive in Hollister by train during February 1889.
The holdings at Gilmore Colony would expand to over 800 acres by the middle of 1889. It is likely that modern Cienega Road developed around this time to permit direct access from Hollister to Cienega Valley. Following the death of Daniel Gilmore's wife during April 1890 he would not be able to financially maintain his land holdings at Gilmore Colony. Daniel Gilmore would attempt to sell his properties numerous times to no avail and was bankrupt by the end of 1895. The workers at Gilmore Colony would ultimately relocate to Hollister.
The northern extent of what is now Cienega Road appears in detail on the 1921 United States Geological Survey map of Hollister as Bird Creek Road. Bird Creek Road is shown originating at Nash Road in Hollister and jogging southward to the Union Road upon crossing the San Benito River. From Union Road (marked with blue pin) the corridor of Bird Creek Road is displayed extending southward into Cienega Valley where it crossed Bird Creek. Cienega Road is shown to branch south from Bird Creek near the Vineyard School.
The remainder of Cienega Road appears in detail on the 1921 United States Geological Survey map of Gonzales.
Bird Creek Road and Cienega Road both appear as minor local roadways on the 1935 Division of Highways map of San Benito County.
In 1947 Howard Harris established the Bird Creek Hunting Club on the Whitton property on Bird Creek Road. The hunting club became increasingly popular for private Off Highway Vehicle activities during the 1950s.
The 1955 United States Geological Survey map of Hollister is the first edition to display Bird Creek Road renamed as an extension of Cienega Road. In 1959 a then new tee beam bridge would be installed along Cienega Road just east of the terminus of Union Road at the San Benito River.
Howard Harris would purchase the Bird Creek Hunting Club in 1959. By 1970s the property was fully converted to a public Off Highway Vehicle recreation park. The state of California would purchase the park on October 1, 1975, as Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area.
In the 2000s San Benito County constructed extensions of San Benito Street and Union Road. The Union Road extension bisected Cienega Road and annexed the 1959-era San Bentio River Bridge. Cienega Road is now disconnected on both sides of the San Benito Road.
Part 2; a drive on Cienega Road
Southbound Cienega Road begins with a left turn from Union Road.
Southbound Cienega Road makes another right-hand turn at Hospital Road. Traffic is advised that Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area is 4 miles away.
Cienega Road climbs to an unnamed pass in the Gabilan Range which overlooks Hollister facing northward.
Cienega Road crosses Bird Creek and the main entrance to the Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area.
Cienega Road passes through a series of hills and enters Cienega Valley.
Cienega Road crosses the San Benito River and reverses course northward towards Paicines.
Cienega Road makes a left-hand turn at Old Airline Highway.
Cienega Road parallels alongside California State Route 25 for approximately a mile and terminates at it near Paicines.
In Paicines traffic can find a historical plaque regarding the history of the New Idria Mercury Mine at the junction of California State Route 25 and Panoche Road (County Route J1). New Idria is located 54 miles from the junction east along Panoche Road and south of New Idria Road.
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