Millbrae's 16 Mile House lives on

In 1872, a mile up the road, Jose's grandson, Juan Sanchez, opened another watering spot. He called it the 16 Mile House. These roadhouse owners were not terribly original with their names. We had a 10 Mile House, a 12 Mile House and a 14 Mile House in addition to these two in Millbrae. Of course, in those early days there were no towns, just dusty roads. The stops served a function as mileage signs along the way. They were mile markers with refreshments.

Juan Sanchez had been ill, and he built the 16 Mile House because he was anxious to provide rental income for his mother in case he didn't outlive her. His mother, Francesca, lived to be 106 years old. She only sold the place two years before her death to her nephew Eustaquio Valencia. For many years, different members of the Sanchez family ran the place.

The 17 Mile House building burned down in 1907. The 16 Mile House lived on. It stayed flexible to accommodate the changing needs of the community. William Ralston used to keep fresh horses there for his mad races from San Francisco to Belmont. It served as a restaurant, speakeasy, brothel, grocery and hotel at various times. In the 1890s it began catering to the auto trade, as San Francisco's weekend motorists made trips down to scenic San Mateo County.

California built the first state highway along the Peninsula in 1912. At that time, the widow McCarthy ran a grocery store at the 16 Mile House to support her six daughters. It was located on El Camino Real at Center Street. During the construction she sold hot lunches to the road crews.

The old establishment fought to survive. When the structure was threatened by progress in 1971, a Citizens' Committee to Save the 16 Mile House mobilized. Prominent in the battle was Mrs. Mildred Wilson, a Sanchez descendent. This place was seen as the last visible link to the Sanchez Family. The hope was to move the building to a new location. Ultimately, however, the committee was unsuccessful and the structure was razed. The good that came out of that struggle was the formation of the Millbrae Historical Society.

The 16 Mile House continued in business at a nearby location at 448 Broadway. It reopened in 1972, right after the loss of the original building. Many of the decorations and fixtures were moved over from the old establishment. The newer structure was renovated to resembles the old one. The interior reflects the entire history of the saloon. The red flocked wallpaper and old photos help to retain the feeling of the original.

The second generation of Bottarinis is now running the 16 Mile House. The road outside may not be as dusty, but food and drink are still enjoyable. Gotta miss those horses, though.

Rediscovering the Peninsula appears in the Monday edition of the Daily Journal. For more information on this or related topics, visit the San Mateo County History Museum, 777 Hamilton St., Redwood City.