Santa Cruz County History Articles

A new audio-visual project collects stories from Pajaro residents displaced by the March 2023 Pajaro River flood. (County of Santa Cruz)
Pajaro’s Floods: A Living Archive

On Saturday, Nov. 9, the storied history of Ben Lomond will come to life in an exciting new event at Park Hall Community Center.

Gary Griggs, UCSC Distinguished Professor of Earth Sciences tells us about his new book, California Catastrophes: The Natural Disaster History of the Golden State, about the history of disasters in our state and what we can expect in the future.

The Pleasure Point Night Fighters sparked the global beach-cleanup movement in the 1960s with a campaign launched around a slogan and the iconic “Pack Your Trash” logo. Also in Santa Cruz, Save Our Shores mentors students on ocean conservancy.

Preparations are underway for the 125th anniversary celebration of the Watsonville Woman’s Club.

It was 17 years ago that a group of volunteers began to restore the Rancho San Andreas Castro Adobe, a structure whose endurance over its 176-year lifespan helps paint a picture of California history.

By Nate Goodman

By Julie Horner

By Julie Horner

Watsonville artist Kathleen Crocetti has created two mosaic medallions for the City of Watsonville, which were installed recently at Memorial Park, located at the confluence of Freedom Boulevard and Main Street.

It was 17 years ago that a group of volunteers began to restore the Rancho San Andreas Castro Adobe, a structure whose endurance over its 176-year lifespan helps paint a picture of California history.

The Giant Dipper roller coaster at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk turned 100 years old on May 17th, 2024. We celebrated by interviewing Jessie Durant, the Seaside Company's archivist about the history of the ride and the iconic boardwalk amusement …

With the unveiling of new interpretive exhibits, the once-crumbling Castro Adobe emerges as a first-rate State Historic Park.

California has been home to many Asian American and Pacific Islanders who have transcended barriers and reshaped society, from education to advocacy, art to sports, politics, and beyond.

The great roller coaster arose amid screams above the golden strand of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk—a tooth-loosener, eyeball-popper, and one long shriek.

How the California mental health crisis emerged out of the state’s history of deinstitutionalization and laws designed to protect the mentally ill, as well as the communities around them.

Santa Cruz has a powerful activist history, and one of the most impressive outcomes for our county emerged from the Women’s Health Collective of the early 70’s.
Monday, on the Talk of the Bay, two of the collective’s founding mother’s–Coleen …

As the end of the first quarter of the 21st century nears, creating and consuming music is easier and cheaper than ever.

Activist, poet and music manager John Sinclair died last week at 82. He was someone about whom everybody concerned about cannabis reform, of any age, should know.

Holly Harman’s Tale of 1960s Life at Ben Lomond’s Holidays Cabins