The Exchange - Castro Valley's First Business |
Henry Thomford (Lucille Lorge's great-grandfather) opened what was probably
the first business in Castro Valley. It was known as the Exchange and was
located on the corner of Grove Way and Redwood Road (where the Presbyterian
Church now stands). Mr. Thomford figured that both the drivers who
drove the dusty Dublin Road from the Livermore Valley and their horses
would want to stop for a drink on there way to the stockyards and
markets in San Francisco. After the horses were watered at his troughs,
the drivers would head into the saloon for a cool schooner of beer. Thomford
also offered cheese, pickles, and fresh German sausages prepared by his
wife. He also allowed passersby to view the three-headed chicken he kept
preserved in a jar.
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