Author Archives: Bruce

CEDAR AND LOCUST STREETS ca. 1920. This shows the Hotel Santa Cruz now with the added Red Room & Bar. Literary Guillotine (204 Locust) would be just on the left and I think that the Schooner Realty house 1015 (Cedar) … Continue reading →

SANTA CRUZ VENETIAN WATER CARNIVAL JUNE 1895. Before people cared about fish and nature they dammed up the San Lorenzo River and as shown here had great fun at the bend where they want to erect that basketball arena. It … Continue reading →

DESTROYING OUR RIVER FRONT, 1961. This is the Army Corps of Engineers massive destruction of any possibility of our ever having a beautiful “River Runs Through It” scene as San Luis Obispo or so many cities do. Probably a bunch … Continue reading →

LOVELY CAMP CAPITOLA 1875. Hard to believe this was only 137 years ago. Frederick Hihn was the lead developer of Capitola. Note the trestle in the background. photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection, click for bigger version. Additional … Continue reading →

COOPER HOUSE FALL OUT SHELTER 1961. These coeds are proving just how wonderful our Civil Defense was against somebody back on October 30, 1961. This was the Santa Cruz County Court House before it became the Cooperhouse. photo credit: Covello … Continue reading →

North end of Pacific Avenue- circa 1880.We’re looking right at where the Town Clock is now. Then it was the intersection of Main, Willow and Mission streets. Note the accessible, affordable and horse driven trolley (on the tracks). That streetcar … Continue reading →

ARMED FORCES DAY PARADE, MAY 17, 1952. What a fine, neighborly town, even though they’re marching the wrong direction. This is Pacific and Cooper Streets as you can tell by the County Bank Building. Anyone know anything about the Paesano … Continue reading →

THE HOTEL ST. GEORGE & PACIFIC GARDEN MALL 1970. The original Hotel St. George went up in different eras, and burned down in other years. At one time it housed 27 businesses. The original Catalyst was in the back on … Continue reading →

DEL MAR THEATRE February 25, 1957. That’s Brad McDonald (Mr. Capitola) on the far right. That’s a wax dummy of James Dean (he died Sept. 30,1955) leaning against the car. I have no idea who the guy on the left … Continue reading →

SOMEWHERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA? I’ve always thought Morrissey Boulevard looked like a street down in Los Angeles (Malibu? Long Beach? Santa Monica?) somewhere, but even more so in this photo of yesteryear… There’s a bank on the corner now, and … Continue reading →