Category Archives: Weekly Articles

THE OLD OX ROAD. Circa 1885, this photo looks a lot like one taken behind what’s now the Brookdale lodge back in the day. The guy in the vest maybe Chris Iffert. These log roads were built to stop the … Continue reading →

DOWNTOWN SANTA CRUZ, 1946. Absolutely one of my favorite photos. Before the original Catalyst, there’s The Hotel Arlington, McHugh Bianchi were going strong, the City Library (the beautiful one) was still standing, town clock was still high atop the ODD … Continue reading →

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS CIRCA 1957.As you can see this was before they built the J.J. Crosetti building. As we should always remember, this isn’t a County Fairgrounds it’s the State of California 14th Agricultural District show grounds. In the … Continue reading →

RAIN??? THE CHRISTMAS FLOOD OF 1955. Wally Trabing told me that just about his first assignment at the Sentinel was covering this flood. Thats the Rittenhouse Building where it says “Mode O Day“`. Thats where the famous Rittenhouse murder took … Continue reading →

REMEMBER RAIN??? This was taken on December 3, 1951. Joseph La Bue accountant has an office there now. It’s on the South west corner across from where Wayne’s College Of Beauty used to be. photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical … Continue reading →

PACIFIC AVENUE, SANTA CRUZ, 1892. From McCaleb’s “Surf Sand and Streetcars” book we learn that this was Santa Cruz’s first electric streetcar line. This was known as the lower plaza. Front, Mission and Pacific Avenue. It shared the tracks with … Continue reading →

ONE MORE SNOW PHOTO, 1957. This was taken at Mission and Water Streets or Front and Pacific if you prefer. You know, Bank of The West and The Town Clock corner . We lost the McHugh Bianchi Building (on the … Continue reading →

OUR TOWN CLOCK’S ORIGINAL POSITION ON JULY 27, 1964. This shows the removal of the clock from high atop the International Order of Odd Fellows Building on Pacific Avenue. It went from here to sit in Harvey West Park for … Continue reading →

SNOW AND TWO WAY TRAFFIC ON PACIFIC AT 7:50AM. IN 1957. You say global warming, I say nostalgia, but whatever works we do have occasional snows around these Mediterranean parts. That lovely building for you newcomers was The Cooper House, … Continue reading →

LIBERACE’S BROTHER GEORGE (in middle), HOCUS POCUS (as SANTA) & REINDEER IN SANTA’S VILLAGE May 9, 1959. Santa’s Village was built in Scotts Valley right off to the east on hwy 17. about 1955. It went bankrupt in 1977. George … Continue reading →