Author Archives: Bruce

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY HALL OF RECORDS AND FIRST COUNTY COURTHOUSE. This was taken before 1894 when the courthouse burned down/up in the fire of that year. The Hall of Records still stands as Lulu’s Octagon Coffee house. It’s all on … Continue reading →

THE REAL APTOS VILLAGE circa 1910.  Train depot, The Bayview Hotel in it’s real location, before Swenson Builders and Zach Friend got involved.                                                    photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. Additional information always welcome: email bratton@cruzio.com DATELINE June … Continue reading →

BRAND NEW HISTORICAL PHOTO. Here we are,  the June 4th ers at Lulu Carpenters (on June 4th 2016). We started getting together in 1982, and hadn’t been together for at least 15 years). Left to right… That’s Rip Harris–  S. … Continue reading →

LAUREL AND PACIFIC, FEB. 2, 1949 Back then this was Bill O’Reilly’s  Dodge and Plymouth showroom and garage. Now it’s Walgreen’s. There is nothing more to say.                                                        photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. Additional information always welcome: … Continue reading →

CLASSIC INTERSECTION of Pacific, Water, Front, and Mission streets. This was taken January 27, 1967. There was a long battle in 1972 to save this McHigh & Bianchi Building. Henry Faitz who ran for State assembly that year was part … Continue reading →

PACIFIC & SOQUEL AVENUES. 1912.   Nowadays we have Forever 21 on the left and New Leaf   Market on the right. That old building on the left is where Good Times started in 1975. Note how incredibly wide the street was … Continue reading →

DEL MAR THEATRE February 25, 1957. That’s the then Del Mar theatre  manager on the left, a wax figure of James Dean, (unidentified woman behind Dean) and Brad McDonald who created the Shadowbrook Restaurant on the right.    James Dean died … Continue reading →

ARMED FORCES DAY PARADE MAY 17 1952. Pacific Avenue and Church and Cooper Street back in the day when our police and City Officials encouraged community events like parades, Just about the olny remaining recognizable landmark in view here is … Continue reading →

OUR MUNICIPAL SANTA CRUZ WHARF, 1906. The penciled notes on the back of this excellent photo say, ” Commercial fishing Santa Cruz wharf. Steve Ghio with cap holding a 50 pound deep sea bass. Steve Canepa holding fish basket’. All … Continue reading →

OUR HISTORIC MUNICIPAL WHARF. (1914) . Two of our historic wharves with these mostly Genovese fishermen and their nets. We lost the wharf on the left and now Cynthia Mathews and her pro-growth associates on the Santa Cruz City Council … Continue reading →