Category Archives: Weekly Articles

                                                  RONALD REAGAN AT THE CIVIC, Oct. 8, 1966. Ronnie was running for Governor back then,  and he beat Pat Brown. Look at the rapture in those seven teeny boppers eyes. He was certainly no Donald Trump!!!      photo credit: … Continue reading →

                                                                                                    WHARF AND WEST CLIFF DRIVE. 1955. Alert eyes will notice no lighthouse, no Dream Inn, the active Sisters Hospital, and The Ideal Fish restaurant was then on the north side of the wharf. I’m not sure but it … Continue reading →

                                                                                                    FRONT STREET & SOQUEL. January 1957. From what I can figure, this is about where Tonic Beauty salon and University Copy are now located near Cathcart and Front.              photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. Additional … Continue reading →

                                                  SANTA CRUZ TAXI FLEET. The fleet is receiving a safety award, on May 7, 1951. Sort of odd, if you notice, that some of the cabs are Yellow Cabs, others are ACME. Also note that there are only four … Continue reading →

                                                  ROMANCE OF ROSY RIDGE, the movie 1947. The one guy in this photo is Van Johnson who was the star of the big budget MGM film Romance of Rosy Ridge, filmed up around Felton. See below for more details. … Continue reading →

                                                  COOPER STREET 1910. It’s almost shocking that we can still recognize the old County Bank Building after all these decades.  It was built after the 1894 fire. According to John Chase’s “Sidewalk Companion to Santa Cruz Architecture” and Ernest … Continue reading →

                                                  SANTA CRUZ’S BIGGEST BEACH TRAGEDY, THE DREAM INN. Area environmentalists got serious after The Dream Inn became a reality. This monstrosity (a nod to Honolulu and Rio’s beaches being ruined by hotels) happened back in April 26 1963. Across … Continue reading →

ENDANGERED EASTSIDE (VILLA de BRANCIFORTE NEIGHBORHOOD). This is Water and Soquel and Morrissey Streets  on June 12, 1953. “twas long before Grocery Outlet, The Post Office, Lucky Grocery and much, much more.                                                                                                       photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical … Continue reading →

OUR COUNTY BUILDING CONSTRUCTION March 18, 1966. Not just the County Building but a great view of El Rio Mobile Home Park just behind Lenz Arts. There’s the Outdoor World building, The Taqueria place at River and Water Streets, and … Continue reading →

41st & CAPITOLA ROAD 1967. Ah, progress!! That huge building in the lower right hand quarter is of course, Orchard Supply Hardware (once King’s Plaza). 41st runs left and right in the center. Now we have two banks and two … Continue reading →