Walking along Chicken Alley

Yesterday evening at 6:00 pm, Paul and I joined the last Live Oak History Walk of the summer. Guided by two local historians Norman and Kathy Poitevin, over 62 of us walkers started at Live Oak School (1916 Capitola Road), and headed north along Chanticleer Avenue. 

Courtesy of Paul Titangos Photography

Chanticleer Avenue, or Chicken Alley, was officially recorded by Santa Cruz Sentinel on 13 July 1911. The road name originated from two sources: Edmond Rostand’s 1910 play, and home of early poultry ranches in the Chanticleer neighborhood.  The popularity of the poultry industry was a natural result of soil depletion, and lack of viable irrigation after previous 50 years' wheat and oat farming, and fruit and vegetable cultivation. Around 1910, Frank and David Wilson, two real estate agents, established the Wilson Bros. poultry company. They purchased several wheat farms and subdivided them into long and narrow new lots equipped with poultry units typically comprised of a 2-bedroom house, one or two coops and chickens. Those lots not only gave the neighborhood a unique land feature, but also defined its residents' occupations, and their families.

Courtesy of Paul Titangos Photography

We visited more than 22 houses built since the rise of chicken ranches on both sides of Chanticleer Avenue, with odd numbers like 1935 and even numbers like 1840. Interestingly, very few house owners were locals, but were from other states, or from countries such as Canada, Denmark, England, or Germany. Their former occupations varied too. But the new opportunity brought them here to work either directly in the poultry industry or indirectly for their families, working as butchers, real estate agents, school teachers, shopkeepers or bank-tellers or managers.

Courtesy of Paul Titangos Photography

At 7:30 pm, we completed our tour outside 2235 Capitola Road. The house owner was a little alarmed at first by our appearance, but immediately expressed his satisfaction at the mention of his house's fame. He is one of the few owners who are familiar with the long history about their homes. Moreover, there is a sharp contrast among the existing old houses: some houses are well-kept and well-preserved while others are dilapidated, and one, only a few days earlier, was torn down without an original trace.

Courtesy of Paul Titangos Photography

Full of local pride and well-being, Paul and I turned around and walked home to see our anxious Chippy and quiet home on the lot once inhabited by numerous hens and roosters.

 Courtesy of Paul Titangos Photography