Bennett, Eben
Eben Bennett (1823-1879) was a New Yorker who came to Santa Cruz County in 1866, becoming a road-builder and lime-manufacturer. He and brother Stanley built part of what is now Highway 9 between Felton and Rincon (north of Santa Cruz), which operated until 1872 as a toll road. At that point, under the terms of the county construction contract, it became a public road when its construction cost was paid back to Bennett. The "Toll House" still stands next to the road, just south of Felton. Adjacent to the Toll House is the beginning of "Old Big Trees Road", which was originally created to provide public access to Big Trees. Bennett Creek, which flows into the San Lorenzo at Felton, was named for him.
- History Pages: 19 - Return of the Limeburners
- History Pages: 50 - Beach Hill: 1870-99
- Riptide CE41
- Lime Kiln Legacies (2007 book)
In 1870, Bennett built a house on Beach Hill. After his 1879 death, his widow built (1884) a smaller house around the corner, facing Main Street. A Sentinel item noted that the new house was being painted (1884-04-26, 3:1).
- John L. Chase, The Sidewalk Companion to Santa Cruz Architecture (4th ed. 2023), Chapter One, item (22), page 15
Note: Clark, in the "Toll House" entry in Santa Cruz County Place Names, states that the toll road began operation in 1860, and that the Toll House was built in 1867, but gives no sources for those dates. Perhaps the newspaper ad copied above related to improvement work on a toll road that was already in operation?