COSMO - CAMP SIX - HACIENDA
The McPeak family left Missouri in 1852 and headed for a better life in the recently created state of California. One of the kids was a 16 year old ambitious boy named Anthony McPeak.
At 21, he bought land on the Russian River and worked that land for 14 years with his wife, Melissa, and their brood of kids.
Three brothers from Czechoslovakia named Korbel, showed up one day and wanted to buy his land. They made him a good offer so he bought a farm two miles up the river and moved his family to a place he called Cosmo Farm. Word has it that cosmos flowers grew in great abundance on this land.
People passing through the area often camped on the farm because this was the first place where one would see redwood trees on Westside Road, the only road in the area. The McPeaks started offering the ability to purchase food while they camped. This became very popular and soon more and more families were spending the warm summers at Cosmo Farm.
In 1876, the San Francisco and Pacific Coast Railroad built tracks from the main line in Fulton to Korbel Mills. The best place to cross Russian River was at the Cosmo Farm. This increased the number of visitors to Cosmo greatly and the McPeaks had to build a dining room to accommodate the new visitors. They accommodated as many as 150 guests.
At some point the railroad changed the name of the train stop to Camp Six, but people kept calling it Cosmo anyway.
In 1926, William Smith, who had developed a successful resort further downstream, Rio Nido, and his son, Harold, bought Cosmo Farm from the McPeak family. His idea was to build a golf course and cut the land into lots to sell to vacationers, especially ones who liked to golf. He called his development Haciendas del Rio. The train station was renamed "Hacienda."
At 21, he bought land on the Russian River and worked that land for 14 years with his wife, Melissa, and their brood of kids.
Three brothers from Czechoslovakia named Korbel, showed up one day and wanted to buy his land. They made him a good offer so he bought a farm two miles up the river and moved his family to a place he called Cosmo Farm. Word has it that cosmos flowers grew in great abundance on this land.
People passing through the area often camped on the farm because this was the first place where one would see redwood trees on Westside Road, the only road in the area. The McPeaks started offering the ability to purchase food while they camped. This became very popular and soon more and more families were spending the warm summers at Cosmo Farm.
In 1876, the San Francisco and Pacific Coast Railroad built tracks from the main line in Fulton to Korbel Mills. The best place to cross Russian River was at the Cosmo Farm. This increased the number of visitors to Cosmo greatly and the McPeaks had to build a dining room to accommodate the new visitors. They accommodated as many as 150 guests.
At some point the railroad changed the name of the train stop to Camp Six, but people kept calling it Cosmo anyway.
In 1926, William Smith, who had developed a successful resort further downstream, Rio Nido, and his son, Harold, bought Cosmo Farm from the McPeak family. His idea was to build a golf course and cut the land into lots to sell to vacationers, especially ones who liked to golf. He called his development Haciendas del Rio. The train station was renamed "Hacienda."
Westside Road in 1950. Center, the Hobson Bridge over Hobson Creek. On the left side of the picture is the night club known as Tops.
Looking down hole #1 at the golf course in Hacienda in 1930. Also visible is the tennis court and meandering Hobson Creek. And a flag with 48 stars.
The putting green and tennis court in Hacienda.
The best route to Russian River Terrace and Forest Hills was to use the Cosmo Station and then cross the river on this footbridge. The bridge was removed at the end of the summer season to prevent being washed away by a swollen river in winter.
The McPeak family at their home in Cosmo Farm. When the kids grew up and moved out, the McPeaks opened their rooms to guests as a kind of B&B.
The train crossed Cosmo Farm and Hobson Creek on a trestle. The station was at the far end of the trestle.
The Hobson Bridge carries River Road through Hacienda in 2018. This bridge replaced the train trestle in the above picture.
