Author Archives: Bruce

EARLIEST KNOWN PHOTO OF DOWNTOWN SANTA CRUZ. Somehow you can almost tell that this is the corner of Water, Front (then called  Willow) Pacific Mission and Main  Streets. The year was 1860. Just think how back then the folks had … Continue reading →

THE GOODTIME WASHBOARD 3 with BING CROSBY. That’s Wayne Pope on the left, then  Bing Crosby, Bruce Bratton on washtub bass and Pete Arnott with banjo on the far right. This was on Bing’s nationwide TV show The Hollywood Palace. … Continue reading →

PACIFIC AVENUE January 26, 1965. Note Palace Stationers and Webers Photo Shop in their original locations next door to each other in the I.O.O.F. (International Order Odd Fellows) Building.  The Palomar Building has Del Williams Jewelers  and Ferrari Florists. Beyond … Continue reading →

PACIFIC AND CATHCART STREETS, Downtown Santa Cruz, November 29, 1950. This is where you’ll find Kianti’s Pizza and Hoffman’s Bistro.  The building that says “Fulmer’s Furniture” was once upon a time  known as The Good Times Building. It was owned … Continue reading →

OUR ORIGINAL SANTA CRUZ PUBLIC LIBRARY. With funds donated by Andrew Carnegie this great structure went up in 1908 and being Santa Cruz, it was destroyed in 1966.Obviously it was replaced by what we have now.                                                 photo credit: Covello … Continue reading →

PRE DEPOT PARK 1905. The Santa Cruz Union Station was built in 1892  for the South Pacific Coast Rail Road. Note the Santa Cruz electric open car on the far right. Now there’s mostly an artificial turf  soccer field taking … Continue reading →

FRONT AND SOQUEL STREETS January 1959. The lower left corner is now the CVS/Trader Joe’s parking lot also known as  Riverwalk Plaza. How many Santa Cruzans have ever said or even used the term Riverwalk Plaza?? And in the upper … Continue reading →

THE CASTLE AT SEABRIGHT BEACH BEING DEMOLISHED. This was March 23, 1967. It was just about across from where our Natural History Museum with the whale is today.                                                    photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. Additional information always … Continue reading →

SEABRIGHT AND SOQUEL AVENUES 3:22 pm but CIRCA??? Car enthusiasts should be able to pin point the year this was taken. Maybe these aren’t flood waters, maybe just drain/plumbing water department problems? Do note that Horsnyder’s Pharmacy was located right … Continue reading →

OTHER STORMS OTHER TIMES. This was Pacific Avenue and Front Street and Mission Street and Water Streets intersection in 1957. Bank of The West is there now on the left and so is our Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park … Continue reading →