As the county seat and largest city within Santa Cruz County, the city of Santa Cruz is also considered the overlapping portion of Northern California with Central California. Situated on the northern part of Monterey Bay and about 30 miles from San Jose, Santa Cruz has all the history of the west, thrown in with all the magic of the sea and surfing. The major industries within Santa Cruz include: tourism, food processing, high tech firms, agriculture, and manufacturing. The climate is mild, average rainfall is 32 inches a year and average temperatures vary between 45 and 70 degrees. 10% of Santa Cruz County is devoted to state parks, several of which are within or next to City limits. The city has a population over 57,000 people, and can be divided into East Santa Cruz and West Santa Cruz.
EAST SIDE SANTA CRUZ
On the East side of Santa Cruz, one can find the Twin Lakes State Beach, the Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor, the Skyview drive-in, Pleasure Point, and more. Twin Lakes State Beach has a mile of sandy shoreline and is quite popular for picnicking and swimming. Adjacent to the Beach is Schwann Lake is a great place for bird watching and is one of the region’s warmest beaches.
The Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor provides many opportunities for the boat owner and public at large. Harbor amenities include: dry storage facilities and berthing for a variety of boats from kayaks to commercial fishing vessels; boat related businesses; restaurants, charter boat options, and shops. The harbor is a year round refuge for mariners where visitor berthing is available and desired. There is a new launch ramp to serve trailerable vessels throughout the year. The marine park atmosphere within the Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor is enhanced by informational displays along a walking tour. These speak about the marine history of the harbor and Monterey Bay.
The Skyview Drive-In is billed as the “largest theater with the biggest screens & lowest ticket prices on the Central Coast!” Hosting an annual classic car show, as well as showing double features 7 night s aweek, Skyview is a great place to take the kids. From the website, they have created a Top Ten list of why to come to the Skyview Drive-In. Some of the highlights include: 3. You can throw chatty people out of your car and send them to the snackbar, 2. You don’t have to listen to people other than your friends munching and slurping, 4. You can bring your dog, cat, or bird! 5. You can wear your pajamas, and 7. You can bring the kids and the baby. For only $6 an adult and kids 12 and under free you really can’t beat the experience!
Pleasure Point is a world famous spot for surfing. Pleasure Point has a fascinating past and a great future. Please read more about Pleasure Point here.
WEST SIDE SANTA CRUZ
The West side of Santa Cruz encompasses Wilder Ranch State Park, University of California: Santa Cruz, the beach, downtown, and Natural Bridges State Beach.
Wilder Ranch State park has over 34 miles of biking, hiking, and equestrian rails winding through coastal valleys and terraces. The park has tours and because several restored buildings that once belonged to the Wilder family are preserved, living history is demonstrated to help visitors explore the history of early farmers and ranchers along the Central Coast. Originally the area of the main rancho supplying Santa Cruz Mission, it later became a flourishing and pioneering dairy ranch. The grounds surrounding the park include gardens, historic adobes, and Victorian homes.
University of California: Santa Cruz is a nationally ranked research university devoted to excellence in undergraduate teaching. Opened the fall of 1965, undergraduate has a current enrollment of about 15,000 students. Undergraduates can be involved in coursework in 62 different majors, and graduate students work towards masters and doctoral degrees as well as graduate certificates in 33 academic fields.
Santa Cruz is best known as one of America’s surfing capitals, complete with a museum devoted to surfing, and a beach whose waves are known all over the world. Hawaiian royalty first introduced surfing to the mainland, in 1885 – and visitors and residents have been enjoying riding the waves ever since. There is so much to do in Santa Cruz; it is hard to know where to begin. Not only can one surf, but sailing, swimming, diving, and paddling are some of the few other activities one can do at the Santa Cruz beaches.
Santa Cruz has not one but eleven world class surf breaks, including the point breaks over rock bottoms near Pleasure Point and Steamer Lane, which undoubtedly create some of the best surfing waves in the world. Santa Cruz also hosts several surf contests which draw international contestants each year. There is the O’Neill Cold Water Classic, the International Longboard Association contest, and many others. Although most famously known for surfing, Santa Cruz has so much more to offer visitors and resident alike.
Santa Cruz is home to Derby Skate Park, the first public skate park in the US as well as the brand new Mike Fox skatepark. A few blocks from the beach is Santa Cruz’s newly remodeled downtown. The tree-lined streets, which are pedestrian friendly, are filled with funky, vibrant stores and galleries. There are outdoor bistros, sidewalk vendors and musicians, all keeping with the city’s innovative personality. Santa Cruz is also home to the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary and Natural Bridges State Park.
Natural Bridges State Beach is world-renowned for its yearly migration of monarch butterflies. Visitors to the beach can see thousands of butterflies during their peak season. The best time to see monarchs is usually on the tours that are held on the weekends from mid-October through February. There is also a celebration of the butterflies’ arrival with a Welcome Back Monarchs Day in October – and their departure with the Migration Festival in February. The beach, with its famous natural bridge, is an incredible please to view seals and otters playing offshore, ocean and shore birds, and migrating whales. Further along the beach, tide pools offer a glimpse of life beneath the sea. When there are low tides, one can see crabs, sea anemones, sea stars, and other colorful ocean life.
However, to truly know the beauty that is Santa Cruz, one must look at the past that helped create this piece of paradise. In 1769 the Spanish explorer Don Gaspar de Portola discovered the land which is now known as the City of Santa Cruz. When he came upon the striking flowing river, he named it San Lorenzo in honor of Saint Lawrence. He called the sloping hills above the river Santa Cruz, which means holy cross. In 1791, Father Fermin de Lasuen created a mission at Santa Cruz; the twelfth such mission to be founded within California. Across the San Lorenzo River, in what is now known as East Santa Cruz, Villa de Branciforte was established. It was founded by the Spanish as one of three civil settlements or pueblos in California. The other pueblos were San Jose and Los Angeles. Villa de Branciforte later combined with the Mission Santa Cruz community across the river.
By the 1820’s, Mexico was in control of the area. Within the next 20 years, Americans began arriving in large quantities. California became a state in 1849, and Santa Cruz County was created in 1850 as one of the 27 original counties. By the turn of the century, agriculture, commercial fishing, logging, and lime processing industries grew quite large. Due to the calm climate and incredible beauty, it was not long before Santa Cruz became a renowned resort commune. In 1866, Santa Cruz was incorporated as a town under the laws of the State of California and received its first charter as a city in 1876.
Towards the end of the 1800’s, agriculture was becoming a viable industry. Strawberries, Brussels sprouts, artichokes, and flowers became common crops. Apples in the valley were also starting to gain a foothold within the industry. S. Martinelli & Company was then founded in 1868, a company which is still famous for its sparkling cider to this day. At the turn of the century, the valley’s orchards handled 34% of California’s total apple yield, which in turn produced vinegar and dried fruit.
The center of most tourist activities in Santa Cruz has always been located in the wharf area. Although the wharf has changed from the days when it was a primarily fishing and commerce wharf, it now accommodates tourists with various sea food eateries, tourist shops, fresh fish markets, bait stores, whale watching, and fishing expeditions. Small boats can be rented, or one can fish right off the wharf to this day.
Other beachfront locations, however, both in the County and the City grew up along the coast and became available to summer residents. One such community, named Seabright, was once a separate settlement with its own post office and railroad station. Seabright began in 1884 when F.M. Mott of Sacramento purchased 12 acres of land, that he called a farm, as a summer residence for his family and friends. After visiting Sea Bright, New Jersey, he borrowed the name, laid out streets and plots, and Seabright, California was born.
Although not originally intended to be for sale to the general public, it was open only to friends and relatives in the establishment of the village. However, soon, the small summer cottages were being promoted to “the finest kind” of people, usually from San Jose and the Central Valley. The cottages were simple, constructed with white boards with battens in bright blue, vermillion, or green. In 1903 a library was proposed, and in 1915, a Carnegie library was built in Tyrrell Park. The library was closed in 195 and then was turned into a city museum. Although no longer an independent community, Seabright was annexed and became part of the city of Santa Cruz in 1904.
Another important figure in Santa Cruz tourism was a man named Fred Swanton, who traveled all over California to bring visitors to Santa Cruz. In 1907, Fred built the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, with indoor swimming pool, casino, and extended boardwalk. The world famous Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, remains today, the last West Coast seaside amusement park. On the boardwalk there are two National Historic Landmarks: a 1911 Charles I.D. Looff Carousel, and a 1924 Giant Dipper roller coaster. The boardwalk has been owned and operated by the Santa Cruz Seaside Company since 1915.
Due to the pristine beauty of Santa Cruz, it soon became one of the best locations to shoot films, from around 1911 to 1930. A movie studio was even built in DeLaveaga Park in 1916 because of the surge in filmmaking and all the celebrities who came to call Santa Cruz home. One such actress was ZaSu Pitts, a Santa Cruz high school graduate who appeared in more than 500 films throughout her career.
Tourism changed drastically after the 1920’s due to the rise of the automobile, and the draw of more exotic locales such as Yosemite and Lake Tahoe. However, there is still a huge tourist draw, (albeit the majority of tourists are visitors for the day), and what used to be tent camps, gave yield to auto courts, which became today’s motel. Today, within the city, tourist accommodations are served by chain motels located near the beach. Many of the seasonal cabins have been converted to year round housing and a few large older homes now operate as B&B’s. With so many amenities, homes, and outdoor activities, Santa Cruz is a world class destination to live, work, and play.
Links:
For more information on Santa Cruz visit www.propertyinsantacruz.com
Find out more about East Side Santa Cruz homes for Sale
Santa Cruz City Schools: http://www.sccs.santacruz.k12.ca.us/
Shakespeare Santa Cruz: http://www.shakespearesantacruz.org/
City of Santa Cruz Webpage: http://www.ci.santa-cruz.ca.us/
Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce: http://www.santacruzchamber.org/index.php
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