Santa Cruz County History Articles

A lot has changed in Santa Cruz County. But these things remain the same.

California's assault weapons ban, in place since 1989, may not stand up to a new Supreme Court decision that makes it much harder for states to impose gun control. A federal court brief filed June 30 aims to strike down …

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is turning his sights on one of the most important press freedom cases, 'New York Times v. Sullivan.' Thomas says he wants to make it easier to sue media companies.

If Clarence Thomas gets his way, the Supreme Court won't stop at revoking the right to abortion. Same sex marriage, contraception and gay sex are likely to be next on the SCOTUS hit list.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that after overturning Roe v. Wade SCOTUS must now overturn decisions allowing same-sex marriage and contraception. Here's why.

Nonprofit plans to transform the historic Watsonville building into a refuge for local artists

Benign weather has kept some of California’s historic cinema palaces alive past the century mark. We pay homage to ten of the best.

From long before it became a state, to the present day, immigration has shaped California—but they have often been treated poorly. Here’s how immigrants helped build California, through the state’s mixed history with immigration.

The historic Watsonville landmark is now one step closer to complete restoration

Crypto investors have seen more than half of their cryptocurrency value wiped out in six months. What is crypto, and what caused the great crash of 2022?

Before crypto, banking began moving into the digital world as far back as 1953. Here's a brief history of how computers and the internet changed finance.

California may soon shut down its last nuclear power plant, but Gov. Gavin Newsom who once championed the closure has had a change of heart. Federal funds may now keep the plant running.

Elon Musk may be the latest, but billionaires have been buying media outlets for decades. What does that mean for the control of news and information at a time when a free press is more important than ever?

Abortion rights will remain protected, even expanded in California after the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, Gov. Gavin Newsom vows after a leaked SCOTUS opinion reveals the court plans to abolish the right to choose.

By Lisa Robinson When Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Daniel (Dan) Coon returned to Ben Lomond in 1938 it was a “coming home.” Dan Coon had spent the first 17 years of his life in the area. His family’s timber claim, …

WATSONVILLE—A small 1900s wooden wagon has been given new life thanks to volunteers from the Agricultural History Project at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. History Project CEO John Kegebein said the 6-foot-long wagon, with the words FIRE PATROL written on …

Code violations, even after they're fixed, can cost struggling homeowners their homes. Some have seen fees and fines into the six figures even after repairs. Here are some of the horror stories. But what can be done about it?

In the 1970s, a group of women started a movement to bring birthing back home.

Hundreds of visitors flocked to the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH) on April 9 to celebrate the launch of a new digital history archive. The Watsonville is in the Heart (WIITH) Digital Archive aims to preserve the …

The modern gun control movement started in California. Surprisingly, it was the work of Ronald Regan and the Black Panther Party. Here’s what happened.