Author Archives: Bruce

SANTA CRUZ OPERA HOUSE. The Knight’s Opera House which was located on Union (then Park Street) and Center streets opened 11/23/1877. Jack London spoke there, Paderewski played there and boxer John L. Sullivan spoke there too. Zasu Pitts was in … Continue reading →

“HELP” opens at the Del Mar August 11, 1965. This was almost exactly one year before their final concert at the Candlestick. Has there ever been such fan support for any group, any music in history? photo credit: Covello & … Continue reading →

MISSION AND KING STREETS. June 7, 1957. I can’t make out any price per gallon for their gas back then. The only gas there now is laughing gas administered by the Five Gables Family Dentistry dentists. photo credit: Covello & … Continue reading →

NEW LEAF MARKET-BANK OF ITALY-BANK OF AMERICA BUILDING. Chase’s Sidewalk Guide says this “1929 zig-zag Moderne building” was desdigned by Henry A. Minton. In 1977 it won a preservation battle and Thacher and Thompson adapted it for New Leaf Market. … Continue reading →

EARLIEST PHOTO OF DOWNTOWN SANTA CRUZ. This was taken around 1859. It’s of course what we now call Pacific, Front, and Mission streets with that Jamba Juice, US Post office and stuff there now. Back then it was Willow, Front … Continue reading →

SALINAS RODEO GROUNDS, 1942. The photo is a bit dark and fuzzy, but so are our memories. This is the Japanese and Japanese-Americans holding camp before they were transported to Manzanar and other prisons. photo credit: U.S. Army photo DATELINE … Continue reading →

PACIFIC AVENUE AUGUST 29, 1957. That’s Pacific and Walnut streets. Now we have The Gap, Synergy, and World Market Bazaar plus new light poles. It’s all about progress. photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. DATELINE July 7, 2014 … Continue reading →

EARLY, EARLY PHOTO OF DOWNTOWN SANTA CRUZ, ca. 1860. This is one of a rare and few photos of very early Santa Cruz. It shows the intersection of what we now know as Pacific, Front and Mission Streets. Back then … Continue reading →

COMMERCIAL FISHING ON THE SANTA CRUZ WHARF 1906. That’s Steve Ghio with the cap holding a 50 pound deep sea bass. And that is Steve Canepa holding the fish basket. The structures on the right are davits or hoists that … Continue reading →

Good old Greyhound bus Depot by the railroad tracks in 1964. photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. DATELINE June 2, 2014 TWO WEEK VACATION ISSUE I’m taking a two week vacation and visiting my sister and her large … Continue reading →