Category Archives: Weekly Articles

DAVENPORT’S OCEAN VIEW HOTEL. This structure was built in 1906. The photo was taken November 7, 1950. It was right there on Highway One facing the Ocean. It had 28 rooms, and it burned in a spectacular fire on March … Continue reading →

COUNTY BANK BUILDING. Re-built after the 1894 fire wiped out half of this block on Pacific Avenue. It was listed on the National Historic Place Register in 1982. photo credit: Covello & Covello Historical photo collection. Additional information always welcome: … Continue reading →

EMILY’S BAKERY CORNER MAY 2, 1962. Mission and Laurel Streets and you can see that gas was only 31.9 !!!! There are exactly two cars in this photo and that’s even more proof that this was back in the day. … Continue reading →

KNIGHT’S OPERA HOUSE, SANTA CRUZ 1877. This magnificent structure cost $4,200 to build, and opened November 23, 1877. It was on Union Street where Center Street crosses over by the Goodwill Store and Georgiana Bruce Kirby School are now. It … Continue reading →

PACIFIC AVENUE PARADE (BEFORE OUR CITY COUNCIL STOPPED THEM). Send in your best guess on the date of this parade. Note too that the parade is heading South. We’ve a collection of parade photos and it’s surprising how many times … Continue reading →

GOVERNOR RONALD REAGAN AT UCSC, AGAIN.This photo of “Ronnie Babe” at UCSC was taken October 18, 1968. Still trying to set the record straight Ronnie was sworn in as Governor a few minutes after midnight on January 2, 1967. His … Continue reading →

EARLIEST PHOTO OF DOWNTOWN SANTA CRUZ. This was taken around 1859. It’s of course what we now call Pacific, Front, and Mission streets with that Jamba Juice, US Post office and stuff there now. Back then it was Willow, Front … Continue reading →

CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR RONALD REAGAN ON UCSC CAMPUS.Believe it or not the students were protesting by means of a vigil the increase in student tuition. This was on May 18 1967 just before Ronnie was elected Governor. photo credit: Covello & … Continue reading →

SANTA CRUZ, THE BAY, THE SAN LORENZO, NEARY LAGOON…1948. Just waiting for the Tsunami!!! But seriously squint closely to see the huge sand bar under the San Lorenzo Bridge where our city-owned parking lot used to be. Those were the … Continue reading →

FLYING A GRAND OPENING. June 7, 1957. Real Santa Cruzans can identify this corner as Mission and King Streets intersection. I thought the clown was Hocus Pocus a genuine landmark of local history but this guy’s too thin. Except for … Continue reading →