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Mountain Charlie Road

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The southern portion of Mountain Charlie Road is an approximately 5.1-mile single lane rural highway located in the Santa Cruz Mountains of Santa Cruz County.  This segment of Mountain Charlie Road begins at California State Route 35 (Summit Road) and terminates to the south at Glenwood Drive near South Pacific Coast Railroad Tunnel #4.  A second northern segment of Mountain Charlie Road begins at Summit Road and extends approximately 1 mile northward to Old Santa Cruz Highway. 

Mountain Charlie Road along with a small portion of Glenwood Drive and Bean Creek Road were all part of the McKiernan Toll Road.  The McKiernan Toll Road was commissioned by the Santa Cruz Turnpike Company in 1858.  This toll road would be constructed by Charles Henry "Mountain Charlie" McKiernan and Hiram Scott at a cost $6,000.  The McKiernan Toll Road originated at what is now the city of Scotts Valley and ascended to the Summit Road.  The toll facility was ultimately purchased by Santa Cruz County in 1878 for $600 and made a public highway.




Part 1; the history of Mountain Charlie Road

Both Mountain Charlie Road and nearby Bean Creek Road share a common origin as a singular stage route.  In 1858 the Santa Cruz Turnpike Company awarded a $6,000 contract to Charles Henry "Mountain Charlie" McKiernan and Hiram Scott to build a toll road to the summit of the Santa Cruz Mountains.  The roadway originated at Hiram Scott's home (4603 Scotts Valley Drive) in what is now the city of Scott Valley (named after Hiram Scott).  From Scott Valley the roadway rose northward to the Summit Road following the courses of Bean Creek and what is now Mountain Charlie Gulch. 

After the Scott Valley-Summit Road was constructed, it came to be known as the McKiernan Toll Road.  The toll road can be seen as a segment of a series of interconnected roadways which linked Santa Cruz to San Jose on the 1873 Bancroft's map of California.  


Santa Cruz County would purchase the McKiernan Toll Road from Mountain Charlie in 1878 for $600.  The purchase carried the stipulation that Mountain Charlie would abandon his remaining franchise toll road claim.  Typically franchise toll road rights were granted for a period twenty-five years.  The toll road corridor would become Mountain Charlie Road, part of Glenwood Drive and Bean Creek Road. 

The northbound beginning of the former McKiernan Toll Road corridor can be seen (marked by blue pin) branching north from Scott Valley on the 1902 United States Geological Survey Map.  This lower portion of the former toll corridor is now Bean Creek Road.  


The former segment of the McKiernan Toll Road on Glenwood Drive between Bean Creek Road and Mountain Charlie Road became part of Legislative Route Number 5 following passage of the 1909 State Highway Bond Act.  As originally defined Legislative Route Number 5 originated in Stockton and was defined as being 116.9 miles.  The northern branch of the State Highway terminated in Oakland whereas the southern branch terminated in Santa Cruz. 

The northbound beginning of Mountain Charlie Road can be seen branching from Glenwood Drive (marked with blue pin) at Clems siding on the 1919 United States Geological Survey map of New Almaden.  Mountain Charlie Road can be seen crossing over Tunnel #4 of the Southern Pacific Railroad line to Santa Cruz near Clems siding.  The Southern Pacific had acquired the South Pacific Coast Railroad through the Santa Cruz Mountains in 1887. 


The same United States Geological Survey map displays Mountain Charlie Road following Mountain Charlie Gulch northward to the Summit Road (marked by blue pin). 



The entirety of the former McKiernan Toll Road corridor can be seen in detail on the 1935 Division of Highways map of Santa Cruz County.  Bean Creek Road can be seen originating at Mount Hermon Road near in Scotts Valley and tracking northeast to Glenwood Drive.  Early California State Route 17 which had been assigned to the Santa Cruz branch of Legislative Route Number 5 during August 1934 can be seen as State Highway (solid red) between Bean Creek Road and Mountain Charlie Road.  Mountain Charlie Road is displayed as branching north of Glenwood Drive to California State Route 5 (now California State Route 35) at Summit Road.  Early California State Route 17 is displayed as following the entirety of Glenwood Drive from Scotts Valley Road northward to Inspiration Point.



The July 1939 California Highways & Public Works featured the opening of the Los Gatos-Santa Cruz Highway.  The then new expressway corridor realigned California State Route 17 off of Scotts Valley Drive and Glenwood Drive to the east.  This realignment removed the only segment of the McKiernan Toll Road corridor from the State Highway System.  






South Pacific Coast Railroad Tunnel #4 can be seen passing underneath Mountain Charlie Road in a photo dated to around 1940 (courtesy Santa Cruz Trains and the Margaret Koch Collection).  The line had been shuttered north of Olympia Station through the Santa Cruz Mountains during March 1940.  




Part 2; a drive on Mountain Charlie Road

The southern section of Mountain Charlie Road begins at California State Route 35 (Summit Road) just west of modern California State Route 17.  



Near the southbound beginning of Mountain Charlie Road, a historical plaque can be found.  This plaque details the history of the McKiernan Toll Road corridor. 



Mountain Charlie Road passes through a small grove of Coastal Redwoods.  Approaching Riva Ridge Road traffic is advised of a 25-foot prohibition on southbound Mountain Charlie Road.










Mountain Charlie Road rapidly descends southward through a series of residential properties. 
















Mountain Charlie Road passes through another Coastal Redwood Grove and Tunnel #4 before terminating at Glenwood Drive.  












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