rosie's Cracker Barrel

In 1927, the 678-acres Robles del Rio ("Oaks by the River" in Spanish) residential subdivision was established, the first in Carmel Valley. Created to attract tourism, it included small lots for weekend cabins. The landmark building at 1 Esquiline Road, designed by Carmel’s fairytale cottages builder Hugh Comstock, and located at the foot of the Carmel River bridge, was built that same year to serve as the real estate sales office for those parcels.

The area was primarily rural: just working farms and a handful of houses. The Robles del Rio Lodge was built in 1928 to promote sales, and became the center of the community for decades - it featured a heated swimming pool (dug with a horse and plow!), a theatre, a 9-hole golf course, a tennis court and liquor license.

Still, the road to Carmel was long and rough, making the journey challenging when making the trip into town for necessities. A nearby store and gas station would make the area more appealing to potential buyers, so the sales office was converted into Robles del Store, a fountain-lunch-store, in the 30s.

In 1939, William Irwin “Rosie” Henry purchased the structure, renaming it "Rosie's Cracker Barrel". In 1941, the Robles del Rio Post Office was founded in the store with Rosie as postmaster until 1949 when it was relocated to Carmel Valley Village. To serve the local community's needs, Rosie sold everything from crackers in barrels and beans from sacks to shoestrings and pocket knives. The store was a gathering place for locals, including cowboys, ranchers, cartoonists, film actors, and other notable personalities.

The back room tavern, a six-stool bar called the “Robles del Rio Country Club,” was a popular drinking spot for locals. On its walls, Rosie would hang cartoon sketches by artists and regulars such as Virgil Partch, Frank O'Neal, and Hank Ketcham. During Rosie's lifetime, the Cracker Barrell was unofficially considered Carmel Valley's cultural and social center.

Rosie lived in a modest house in the back of the store. Even as he lost his eyesight, he was known for his ability to make change by feeling the coins. On Oct. 8, 1982, the bridge that crosses the Carmel River next to Rosie’s was dedicated and named Rosie’s Bridge. Rosie passed away just a month later.

We highly recommend you head to the Carmel Valley Historical Society for more information, pictures and history of Carmel Valley.