”
Dear Red Phone, a while back there was an item in the paper
about a restaurant, I believe back east, that was forcing Glory
Days downtown to change it’s name. They were having a contest to
rename the establishment. What ever happened? Are they changing
their name?
”
“Dear Red Phone, a while back there was an item in the paper about a restaurant, I believe back east, that was forcing Glory Days downtown to change it’s name. They were having a contest to rename the establishment. What ever happened? Are they changing their name?”
Red Phone: Dear What’s the Name? great timing with the question. Red Phone contacted Glory Days owner Debra Creighton for an update. In early 2009 Glory Days Sports Pub received an order from Glory Days Grill in Virginia to cease and desist from using their ‘similar’ name.
“Rather than waste time and money trying to fight the much larger corporation, it was decided to go forth with a name change,” Creighton said. “A new name contest was held this summer where 404 names were submitted. Last month the winning entry was revealed. Bob Barr, a frequent customer, came up with the idea of the name and background for it. He received a $300 restaurant gift certificate for his suggestion and Glory Days’ new name … ‘Huntington Station Restaurant and Sports Pub.’
The name does have historical significance to the area.
In 1845, Martin Murphy, Sr. acquired 9,000 acres known as the Rancho Ojo de Agua de la Coche. The Murphy family made its home in the valley below El Toro Mountain. By 1870 Martin’s seven sons and daughters had managed to acquire more than 70,000 acres. In 1851, the youngest son, Daniel Jr., married Maria Fisher, heiress to the neighboring 19,000 acre Rancho Laguna Seca. In 1882, Diana, their precocious daughter, secretly married Hiram Morgan Hill. When Daniel Murphy died, Diana inherited 4,500 acres of their original rancho in the shadow of El Toro.
Diana and Hiram Morgan Hill built their estate, the Villa Mira Monte, between the railroad and Monterey Road in 1884. When the first Southern Pacific station was built in 1898, the railroad referred to this area as Huntington. Many visitors would request the train stop at “Morgan Hill’s Ranch,” changing the name to Morgan Hill.
So good caller, stay tuned, as this week, changes in signage, uniforms, menu and Web site will begin to be made. A re-grand opening is also scheduled for early February (in time for the Superbowl).
