Category Archives: Weekly Articles

PRE-DRONE PHOTO OF SANTA’S VILLAGE May 29,1957. Wikipedia says…. “In 1956 the Lawridge dairy farm, alongside Highway 17 in Scotts Valley, was leased to southern California developer Glenn Holland. He had already developed Santa’s Village in 1955, in San Bernardino … Continue reading →

DOWNTOWN SANTA CRUZ 1884. This lovely Swanton House stood at 850 Front Street. It was destroyed by on May 30 1887 May 30. It was built over the Bonner stables and stood right where the post office is today. Built … Continue reading →

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 →