[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 147 (Tuesday, September 13, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E925]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   CELEBRATING THE CITY OF HOLLISTER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JIMMY PANETTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 13, 2022

  Mr. PANETTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 
sesquicentennial anniversary of the founding of the city of Hollister, 
California. For the last 150 years, the city of Hollister has been 
shaped by the people who call it home. Hollister is a strong and 
vibrant community that serves as the San Benito County seat and is an 
integral part of the fabric of the Central Coast.
  In 1868, the San Justo Homestead Association purchased the San Justo 
Ranch from Colonel William Welles Hollister, a major landholder for 
whom the town would be named. The Homestead Association divided the San 
Justo Ranch into plots to be auctioned to settlers and set the 
boundaries of what would then become the city of Hollister. On August 
6, 1872, residents submitted a petition to the Monterey Courthouse for 
a town charter. Hollister held its first election for the city's Board 
of Trustees just eleven days later, on August 17, 1872.
  Hollister is a strong and resilient community. On October 17, 1989, 
the Loma Prieta Earthquake left much of the downtown area in ruins and 
caused millions of dollars in damages. But Hollister took the disaster 
in stride and rebounded. The community of Hollister has more than 
doubled since the earthquake, and it boasts a vibrant downtown, 
including many civil society groups such as the San Benito County 
Historical Society and the Hollister Downtown Association.
  Famed for its wineries, ranchlands, and the high-quality 75 different 
vegetable, vine, and orchard crops it produces, Hollister continues to 
be a regional center for agriculture. As it was when it was founded, 
Hollister's verdant fields, vineyards, and pastures augment the natural 
beauty of the Central Coast. The region is renowned for its 
breathtaking vistas, from Pinnacles National Park to Hollister's 
picturesque hills. These unparalleled views attract thousands of 
visitors every year who come to appreciate all the beauty that 
Hollister has to offer.
  Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to ask my colleagues to join me in 
commemorating the city of Hollister for 150 exceptional years and in 
wishing Hollister continued success in the years to come.