Author Archives: Bruce

BAY & HIGH STREETS BEFORE UCSC. 1957. On the left is the present UCSC Campus. That’s Meder Street coming straight down to the bottom center. If you squint you can see them building Highway One over the San Lorenzo at … Continue reading →

COOPER HOUSE aka. SANTA CRUZ COUNTY COURTHOUSE This magnificent structure stood at the corner of Pacific and Cooper Streets (now O’Neills). It became our Cooperhouse, a center of community and cultural attractions until the quake of ’89 caused minor damage … Continue reading →

THE ALMOST HISTORIC “PALO ALTO” CONCRETE SHIP. This photo was taken in 1947. The “Palo Alto” was built of concrete by the U.S. Government in 1918, and it cost $2 million. It was towed to where it is today (Seacliff … Continue reading →

RAINY DAY AT SEABRIGHT AND SOQUEL STREETS.I’d guess at the date of this photo but car enthusiasts (like Paul Elerick) can, and I hope will tell us what year (years?) this could be. But I do know that second car … Continue reading →

OFFICIAL OPENING OF OUR MUNICIPAL WHARF. This was in 1918; little did these folks know how we would beautify our wharf with our fabulous commercial enterprises. Do note the northern angle the wharf takes…that’s what’s saved it from the monstrous … Continue reading →

Lovely Downtown Santa Cruz 1894. Those mass transit trolley tracks were in stalled in 1891. Note the two direction buggy lanes. That tall white pole in front of where Jamba Juice is now was a “Victory Pole”. Way down the … Continue reading →

ST. CHARLES HOTEL. This was in Downtown Santa Cruz at the corner of Mission and North Pacific Avenue about 1890. That’s the Bavaria Brewery just to the left. Note the horse driven streetcar. photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo … Continue reading →

THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD. You want to bet that back in the 1890’s when this was taken in our Aptos hills and mountains, that the lumber company (Loma Prieta Lumber Company) had some answer to the tree-huggers. who thought that … Continue reading →

MORE ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE LOCAL LOGGING. Again back in the 1890’s these loggers probably used the same justifications for their clear-cutting as our local foresters do today. What would Santa Cruz County look like IF someone prevented this “selective forestry”? photo … Continue reading →

HISTORIC “CLEAR CUTTING” PLUS. Dating around 1900 these hard working guys felled everything that vintage “selective harvesting” would allow. We are living in the heritage of those timber practices. I have no clue where in our mountains this epic photo … Continue reading →