Reoccupied Ghost Town
Santa Clara County
Circa 1850's to Present 

Mountain Charley was the first settler to inhabit the area, Hunting and building trails from his home near the summit. (see Mountain Charley Story). As a result of Mountain Charley's primitive trails, travel over the mountains to the ocean became a priority to residents in the bay area. In the 1850's, Patchen became the first established settlement in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Originally serving as a stage station for travelers headed towards the coast, a small settlement followed and included a Hotel, Post Office, General Store and a few homes. As time went on, travel over the mountain range increased and the road through (Old Santa Cruz Highway) would be crowded with horses and wagons.  In 1906 the great earthquake destroyed much of the later settlements of the area. In 1940's the newly constructed Highway 17 bypassed the town site. As interest in the town was soon lost, the owner of the old stage building decided to tear it down in 1949 to build a new house across the road. A fire in 1957 destroyed the post office. Today the barn, which is the only remaining building, is all that stands on the property of a Christmas tree farm.