San Joaquin Valley Library System

• Libraries & Services
• Member Services
• Partners
• About Us
• Contact Us
• Site Map

You are here: Home > Libraries & Services > Ben's Almanac > 002: William E. Riker and Holy City

WILLIAM E. RIKER AND HOLY CITY

William E. Riker assumed many roles during his 96 controversial years. Today he is mainly remembered as the leader of a religious cult community called Holy City, located in the hills above Los Gatos along the highway between Santa Cruz and San Jose.

The heyday of Holy City was during the 1920's and '30s, when it was a popular roadstop for motorists in need of radiator water or a bite to eat. After a new expressway built in the 1940s bypassed the commune, the number of residents declined. One of the most memorable features of Holy City was a row of nine giant Santas spaced along the road.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

NOTE: Most of the citations listed below are SJVIS Vertical File clippings; some lack page references and clear dates. Unless our records indicated otherwise, the source for these articles was assumed to be the SF Chronicle.

1950-present:

• Baggerly, John S. "Picture from the past". Los Gatos Weekly Times, November 5, 1997.
  
• Lewis, Betty. Holy City: Riker's roadside attraction in the Santa Cruz Mountians, a nostalgic history". Otter B Books, 1992.
  
• "Colorful cultist: 'Father' Riker of Holy City dies". San Francisco Chronicle, December 4, 1969, p. 41.
  
• Hoover, Mildred Brook et al. Historic Spots in California; Third Edition. Stanford University Press, 1966.
  
• "Father Riker's new path". San Francisco Chronicle, July 29, 1966, pp. 2, C4.
  
• Peters, Phil. "'Father' Riker - he 'solved the Mona Lisa smile'". San Francisco Examiner, January 24, 1965, sec. III pp. 1, 7.
  
• "Riker loses suit---but can board at Holy City". San Francisco Chronicle, February 17, 1959.
  
• "'Holy City' hassel". San Francisco Chronicle, December 12, 1957.
  
• "Mrs. Eva Riker Compton". [obiturary] San Francisco Chronicle, June 27, 1952.
  
• Politicus. "What does Jimmy do for a living? No reply on ballot; other candidates answer, but not he". Call Bulletin, May 24, 1950.

1940-1949:

• Politicus. "2 more join race for governor". Call Bulletin, November 22, 1949.
  
• "Freddie Francisco observes: 'Father' Riker promulgates a 'new viewpoint' from his deserted village". San Francisco Chronicle, April 22, 1948.
  
• "3 men beat 'Father' Riker's son". San Francisco Chronicle, December 2, 1947.
  
• "Suit against Riker due to reach jury today". San Francisco Chronicle, February 23, 1944.
  
• "Jury awards $5,000 to Father Riker's attorney". February[?] 1, 1944.
  
• "Court orders Fr. Riker to complete deposition". San Francisco Chronicle, January 31, 1944.
  
• "Reopen Riker fee case". San Francisco Chronicle, May 26, 1943.
  
• "Riker fighting $5,000 fee judgement". Call Bulletin, May 18, 1943.
  
• "Suit by Riker hits attorney". San Francisco Chronicle, April 27, 1943.
  
• "Riker sues Belli for $40,000". San Francisco Chronicle, April 26, 1943.
  
• "Lawyer attaches 'Holy City'". San Francisco Chronicle, March 30, 1943.
  
• "Sedition case lawyer sues 'Father' Riker for $5000". San Francisco Chronicle, February 13, 1943.
  
• "'Knew I'd win,' says Riker; is freed by jury". Call Bulletin, December 12, 1942.
  
• Riker goofy but loyal, jury told". Call Bulletin, December 11, 1942.
  
• "Riker accuses 'Father' Devine of sedition case charges; admits authorship of pamphlet giving him fictitious titles". San Francisco Chronicle, December 10, 1942, p. 1, 12.
  
• "...seditious; pamphlets banned; cult head praised Hitler, jury told". San Francisco Chronicle, December 9, 1942, p. 9.
  
• "Flyer says Riker for Hitler". Call Bulletin, December 8, 1942.
  
• "Riker hunts new lawyer". San Francisco Chronicle, November 25, 1942.
  
• "'King' Riker's sedition trial today". San Francisco Chronicle, November 24, 1942.
  
• "Cultist Riker's lawyer quits". San Francisco Chronicle, November 24, 1942.
  
• "'Father' Riker denies guilt, sedition trial set Nov. 24". San Francisco Chronicle, November 6, 1942.
  
• "Tokyo Radio thinks Riker is persecuted". San Francisco Chronicle, November 3, 1942.
  
• "Cult leader granted delay on sedition charges here". San Francisco Chronicle, October 30, 1942.
  
• "'Father' Riker held by FBI in sedition". San Francisco Chronicle, October 29, 1942.

1930-1939:

• "Hot and holy hangs over your head". Coast, August, 1938, pp. 24-26+.
  
• Politicus. "Sane nuptials, easy divorce, Riker plank". Call Bulletin, April 23, 1938.
  
• "Telescope for peeping at nudist camp banned". San Francisco Chronicle, April 11, 1938.
  
• "New party launched by Holy City". San Francisco Chronicle, December 17, 1937.
  
• "Holy City head hurt in auto crash". San Francisco Chronicle, December 24, 1934.

1925-1929:

• "King Riker's 'son' tells authorities mother 'vanished'". San Francisco Chronicle, April 27, 1929
  
• "Riker grilled and freed after charges of murder; Holy City 'father' released by L. A. police; accusation of former secretary that he killed women discredited by officials". San Francisco Examiner, April 26, 1929.
  
• "New witness accuses Holy City leader of strangling his ex-wife". San Francisco Chronicle, April 25, 1929.
  
• "Murder laid to cult head". San Francisco Chronicle, April 25, 1929.
  
• "Cult leader also accused as kidnaper, Keyes briber". San Francisco Chronicle, April 25, 1929.
  
• "Castoff wife slain, states appeal of former aid; Mrs. Rosencrantz, former cult head's secretary, tells of quicklime burial; San Quentin inmate feared she would be next if victim's fate told". San Francisco Chronicle, April 2?, 1929.
  
• "Riker police record told by Matheson; Captain of detectives reveals how Schwartz case was brought against cult leader". San Francisco Examiner, January 28, 1929.
  
• Taylor, Wooster. "Guardian at colony foils attempts at investigation; 'Mother' feared that plans for miracle fraud would become known; warned of dangers; hole in sock provides excuse for investigator to interview woman despite opposition". San Francisco Examiner, January 27, 1929.
  
• "Police see no reason to act until someone files complaint". San Francisco Chronicle, January 26, 1929.
  
• "Love cult says family ties wrong". San Francisco Chronicle, January 25, 1929.
  
• Taylor, Wooster. "...King's secret 'creeds' bared". San Francisco Examiner, January 25, 1929, pp. 1-2, ?.
  
• "Sleuths visit members of hillside cult; prosecuting officials of two counties fail to join in investigation". San Francisco Chronicle, January 25, 1929.
  
• "'King' of Holy City hits two with car". San Francisco Chronicle, September 27, 1928.
  
• "Cult leader gives self up". San Francisco Examiner, March 31, 1928.
  
• "Police seek cult king". San Francisco Examiner, March 30, 1928.
  
• "Love nest life bared". San Francisco Chronicle, February 13, 1928.
  
• "Riker cult 'love nest' charged". San Francisco Chronicle, February 13, 1928.
  
• "Riker's laws...purse cult key..." San Francisco Chronicle, February 11, 1928.
  
• "Rosencrantz woman blames head of cult; bad check charges spite work, she contends in Fresno jail". San Francisco Chronicle, February 6, 1928.
  
• "Woman check...as abductor..." San Francisco Chronicle, February 4, 1928.
  
• "Hunt open for woman in love cult suit; bad check laid to plaintiff in action". San Francisco Chronicle, February 3, 1928.
  
• "Holy City radio to lose permit". San Francisco Chronicle, January 26, 1928.
  
• "Whole zoo attached in love suit against cult leader". San Francisco Chronicle, January 24, 1928.
  
• Adams, Marjorie. "Holy City seen as Quentin refuge". San Francisco Chronicle, January 20, 1928.
  
• "Rival blamed in Riker love suit". San Francisco Chronicle, January 20, 1928.
  
• "Mrs. Rosencrantz...attach e..." San Francisco Chronicle, January 19, 1928.
  
• Burgess, R. L. "Creed at 'Holy City'". San Francisco Chronicle, January 10, 1928.
  
• "Cult king's wife raids love nest; woman attempts to oust rival from cottage". San Francisco Chronicle, January 8, 1928.
  
• Burgess, R. L. "Riker cult 'weds' own souls; mental polygamy outlined to call reporter in role of 'truth seeker'". San Francisco Chronicle, January 6, 1928.
  
• "'Holy Fifty' reassured". San Francisco Examiner, January 4, 1928.
  
• "All 'dear' at Holy City, says Riker". San Francisco Chronicle, January 3, 1928.
  
• "Cult head, wife deny accusation". San Francisco Chronicle, January 3, 1928.

1920-1924:

• "Cult children tortured, says Riker witness; Alexander Schwartz tells court that bodies were stretched on trees". San Francisco Chronicle, April 6, 1922.
  
• "Love cult up in court today". San Francisco Examiner, April 4, 1922.
  
• "Cult leader named in suit for $100,000; head of 'Perfect way' charged with persuading alleged dupe to turn $12,000 ranch over". San Francisco Examiner, November 3, 1921.
  
• "Cult founders arrested, seek throrugh quiz; leaders of Perfect Christian Divine Way surrender to authorities". San Francisco Chronicle, October 22, 1921.
  
• "Arrest of cult rulers ordered on indictments". San Francisco Chronicle, October 21, 1921.
  
• "Rikers indicted by grand jury". San Francisco Chronicle, October 20, 1921.
  
• "Cult chiefs indicted upon fraud charge; 'Holy Father' and 'Mother Lucillo' of 'Perfect Christian Divine Way,' are accused". San Francisco Examiner, October 18, 1921.

Undated:

• Burgess, R. L. "Riker sees 'her' as man in disguise". San Francisco Chronicle, undated.
  
• Burgess, R. L. "Riker sees 4 classes of women". San Francisco Chronicle, undated.
  
• Burgess, R. L. "Religion, cash, Riker creed at 'Holy City'". San Francisco Chronicle, undated.
  
• "Riker denies charges in $500,000 suit; Holy City chief asserts he calls everyone by affectionate 'brotherly spirit' title". San Francisco Examiner, undated.
  http://www.coastnews.com/history/holy_city.htm
• "'Father' Riker witness in alien inquiry; Holy City cult leader tells U. S. official 'expose' is 'just applesauce'". San Francisco Chronicle, undated.
  
• "Riker glad woman's in jail; serves Mrs. Rosencrantz right, he says; Holy City chief takes credit". San Francisco Chronicle, undated.
  
• "Demurrer filed in the Riker case". San Francisco Chronicle, undated.
  
• Catton, Joseph, M. D. "State quiz of Riker urged by Psychiatrist; mental expert who aided in expose tells result of studying faker". San Francisco Examiner, undated.
  
• "To twist out of exposure; cult chief brazenly states that he planned film pageant and says accusers sought him". San Francisco Examiner, undated.
  
• "Fair plaintiff in love suit faces arrest; accuser of father Riker of Holy City sought in bad check charge". San Francisco Chronicle, undated.

LINKS

• The Rise and Fall of Holy City by John V. Young
  http://www.santacruzpl.org/history/places/holycit.shtml
  
• Highway 17: The Road to Santa Cruz (sample section) by Richard Beal.
  http://www.beal-net.com/hwy17/holycity.html
  
• The Great Anti-Cult Scare 1935-1945
  http://www.cesnur.org/testi/bryn/br_jenkins.htm
  
• The Saga of Holy City, California By Andrea Perkins
  http://www.coastnews.com/history/holy_city.htm

The preceding information was derived from the backfiles of the San Joaquin Valley Information Service.
We hope you will find it useful, both as an introduction and as a guide for further study.
Please consult with your local public library about obtaining copies of the works cited.

revised 10/2000 DJD

back to top

Last updated on December 30, 2005 © San Joaquin Valley Library System