Bodega, California is an adorable historic town about 5 miles from the coast and 2 hours north of San Francisco on the Pacific Coast Highway. These were once Coastal Miwok lands and they made use of the bounty of the area’s vast natural resources. Juan Francisco Bodega y Caudra of Spain first sailed into the nearby harbor in 1775, but the area’s first settlers of European decent were Russians. It was fear of the Russians’ southern advances that prompted Spain to set up the mission system and claim and settle the area of what’s now California.
In 1843, Stephen Smith built a lumber yard in the area and John Sutter also bought land nearby. St. Teresa of Avila church was constructed in 1859 and a small community slowly grew up around it. Today, Bodega’s population is still just over 200 people, but it packs a lot of punch for such a small town. Bodega is probably best known as one of the filming locations for Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 film The Birds. I used to drive through Bodega often on my way from Santa Rosa to the coast, and I was happy that I finally had the chance to stop and look around for a while. Bodega is definitely small-town California at its best. I hope you enjoy these photos from beautiful Bodega, California.
The area surrounding massive Leech Lake, which now includes the town of Walker, Minnesota, has been visited by Native Americans for centuries. When European fur traders arrived, the Ojibwe occupied the area. The railroad came through in the late 19th century and a small lumber town was established and named after Thomas B. Walker, a lumber baron and one of the wealthiest men in America. Logging was king in those early days, but the beauty of Leech Lake soon started to attract tourism as well. Today, tourism is the main draw to the area but Walker also serves as the Cass County seat. Leech Lake is beautiful and I can certainly understand the draw. The town itself is also very attractive with a cute downtown area and some wonderful parks along the lakefront. While Walker was on one of my lists of photogenic towns to visit in the state, when I found out one of my friends grew up there I definitely knew I had to pass through. While she lives in Moab, Utah at the moment, her parents were kind enough to take me in for the night and show me a good time. When I went to take these photos the next morning, the sky was so blue I found it hard to leave. I hope you enjoy these photos of beautiful Walker, Minnesota, a pleasant town worth checking out on the shores of fabulous Leech Lake.
Originally home to the Karankawa people, Palacios was first settled by Europeans in the 1820s. In 1901, the land was purchased by a development company, divided into lots and sold to people looking to settle along the beautiful coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The Southern Pacific Railroad came through about the same time, providing overland access to the town-site. Over the next 20 years, the town grew as a resort community, and many businesses opened their doors to provide for the tourists flocking to the beaches. After World War I, a National Guard base called Camp Hulen opened nearby. The camp would be taken over by the War Department in World War II, eventually accommodating almost 15,000 soldiers. The base was also the site of a POW camp during the war. In the years following the war, Camp Hulen was closed and in 1961 Hurricane Carla slammed into the coast causing major damage. Today, Palacios is a quiet, pleasant seaside community of about 5,000. Home to about 400 shrimping boats, it has been called the Shrimp Capital of Texas. During my visit I found it quiet enough to enjoy its small-town tranquility but bustling enough to know it’s still alive and well. I had only planned on stopping for a few minutes to enjoy some sun by the water, and ended up staying most of the day, taking these photos, enjoying the views and chatting with the locals. I hope you enjoy these photos of Palacio, Texas, Matagorda County’s City by the Sea.
