1
10
427
-
https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/b3a304bda05d3fb53b4cc4c1d66b56c4.jpg
c2df4ac4c2970bfd0906b879442dae67
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Photograph Collection
Description
An account of the resource
Photographs from the 1860's to the 2000's, documenting the history of Santa Cruz County.
See the <a href="https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/restrictions-on-use">About</a><a> sectionfor the library's reproduction policy and restrictions on use.</a>
Various sources were used to identify persons, events, and places. Citations to print sources were abbreviated. See the <a href="https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/sources-used-to-identify-photographs">About</a><a> section for a list of sources used.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Photo
Physical Dimensions
The actual physical size of the original image.
2 3/4 x 4 1/2
Dublin Core
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Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
LH-scpl-578
Description
An account of the resource
Henry Lausen and two unknown women on the beach in front of the Boardwalk.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Lausen, Henry
Santa Cruz and Cowell Beaches
Boardwalk
Title
A name given to the resource
On the beach at the Boardwalk
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Unknown
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Gift of Xenia Totten
From the family album of Frances Lausen Totten
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
circa 1921
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Santa Cruz (City)
1920s
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image
Language
A language of the resource
En
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
PHOTO
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This photograph is the property of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries.
<a href="https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/restrictions-on-use/">Restrictions on Use</a>
Recreation and Sports
Tourist Attractions
-
https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/2338ac9304e80b17c3bf1d551df9fc6f.jpg
ca7cb0357f682acb36ff4cc59e0ca7ff
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Photograph Collection
Description
An account of the resource
Photographs from the 1860's to the 2000's, documenting the history of Santa Cruz County.
See the <a href="https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/restrictions-on-use">About</a><a> sectionfor the library's reproduction policy and restrictions on use.</a>
Various sources were used to identify persons, events, and places. Citations to print sources were abbreviated. See the <a href="https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/sources-used-to-identify-photographs">About</a><a> section for a list of sources used.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Photo
Physical Dimensions
The actual physical size of the original image.
2 3/4 x 4 1/2
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
LH-scpl-577
Subject
The topic of the resource
Santa Cruz and Cowell Beaches
Boardwalk
Wharves and Piers
Title
A name given to the resource
Pleasure Pier at the Boardwalk
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Unknown
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Gift of Xenia Totten
From the family album of Frances Lausen Totten
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
circa 1921
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Santa Cruz (City)
1920s
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image
Language
A language of the resource
En
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
PHOTO
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This photograph is the property of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries.
<a href="https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/restrictions-on-use/">Restrictions on Use</a>
Tourist Attractions
Wharves and Harbors
-
https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/145a3223a704a2da0fbc37233cd075c8.jpg
d6da86c166323cce6d8f77f2fe804dfb
https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/53c1edfe6b3da2504333e468d696f376.jpg
e8e3c712979f362da3771f39c4ad71b0
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Photograph Collection
Description
An account of the resource
Photographs from the 1860's to the 2000's, documenting the history of Santa Cruz County.
See the <a href="https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/restrictions-on-use">About</a><a> sectionfor the library's reproduction policy and restrictions on use.</a>
Various sources were used to identify persons, events, and places. Citations to print sources were abbreviated. See the <a href="https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/sources-used-to-identify-photographs">About</a><a> section for a list of sources used.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Photo
Physical Dimensions
The actual physical size of the original image.
Digital Photo
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
LH-lm-84114-12
Title
A name given to the resource
Santa Cruz Boardwalk and Casino
Subject
The topic of the resource
Boardwalk
Casino (Boardwalk)
Description
An account of the resource
Landmark Photo Project
400 Beach Street
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Jaeger-Smith, Heidi
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
Jun-01
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
2000s
Santa Cruz (City)
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image
Language
A language of the resource
En
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
PHOTO
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This photograph is the property of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries.
<a href="http://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/restrictions-on-use/">Restrictions on Use</a>
Tourist Attractions
-
https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/1c4b6a4a990c27e170bd48e492e518bf.jpg
a368ca9c2653a4e3025aad6c30c9aa01
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Photograph Collection
Description
An account of the resource
Photographs from the 1860's to the 2000's, documenting the history of Santa Cruz County.
See the <a href="https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/restrictions-on-use">About</a><a> sectionfor the library's reproduction policy and restrictions on use.</a>
Various sources were used to identify persons, events, and places. Citations to print sources were abbreviated. See the <a href="https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/sources-used-to-identify-photographs">About</a><a> section for a list of sources used.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Photo
Physical Dimensions
The actual physical size of the original image.
Digital Photo
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
LH-lm-84114-08
Title
A name given to the resource
Beach Street and Santa Cruz Boardwalk
Subject
The topic of the resource
Boardwalk
Description
An account of the resource
Landmark Photo Project
Beach Street
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Jaeger-Smith, Heidi
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
Jun-01
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
2000s
Santa Cruz (City)
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image
Language
A language of the resource
En
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
PHOTO
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This photograph is the property of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries.
<a href="http://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/restrictions-on-use/">Restrictions on Use</a>
Roads and Streets
Tourist Attractions
-
https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/c191da640aa3e3d06feb089edd9e6e84.jpg
acfae33842cd519521a0ffbbc1758720
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Postcard Collection
Description
An account of the resource
Postcards, scanned front and back, depicting Santa Cruz County from the 1880’s to the present.
See the <a href="https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/restrictions-on-use">About</a><a> section for the library's reproduction policy and restrictions on use.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Postcard
Physical Dimensions
The actual physical size of the original image.
3 1/2" x 5 1/4"
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PC-V4-125
Title
A name given to the resource
The Bathing Pavilion, Santa Cruz
Subject
The topic of the resource
Boardwalk
Bath Houses
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Unknown
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Santa Cruz (City)
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image
Language
A language of the resource
En
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
POSTCARD
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This postcard is the property of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries.
Recreation and Sports
Tourist Attractions
-
https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/f7d7ecff2221f2c52f69b4f233153f8f.jpg
938074e7c3a3c716862bf8d19286fc73
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Photograph Collection
Description
An account of the resource
Photographs from the 1860's to the 2000's, documenting the history of Santa Cruz County.
See the <a href="https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/restrictions-on-use">About</a><a> sectionfor the library's reproduction policy and restrictions on use.</a>
Various sources were used to identify persons, events, and places. Citations to print sources were abbreviated. See the <a href="https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/sources-used-to-identify-photographs">About</a><a> section for a list of sources used.</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Photo
Physical Dimensions
The actual physical size of the original image.
8" x 10"
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
LH-scpl-536
Title
A name given to the resource
Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk
Subject
The topic of the resource
Boardwalk
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Unknown
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Unknown
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
Circa 1960s
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Santa Cruz (City)
1960s
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Image
Language
A language of the resource
En
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
PHOTO
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This photograph is the property of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries.
Tourist Attractions
-
https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/78c1004f849a3ef1dd2ef05f982dece1.pdf
871a61137c57906421097ed9c5d901be
PDF Text
Text
Photographs of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Area:
The New Casino
By Library Staff
By October of 1906, Fred Swanton began construction of a new casino designed by local architect, William Weeks. The
photo on the right shows the casino under
construction, late April–early May 1907.
The Casino with scaffolding
The new casino opened in June 1907. An inaugural ball was held to celebrate the opening with the John Phillip Sousa
Band providing the music. President Theodore Roosevelt sent a congratulatory telegram. The photograph below is
believed to date from around 1907.
View of the Casino from the ocean
1
�This post card, postmarked 1909, shows the casino ablaze with lights.
Postcard of the Casino at night
It is the library’s intent to provide accurate information, however, it is not possible for the library to completely verify the
accuracy of all information. If you believe that factual statements in a local history article are incorrect and can provide
documentation, please contact the library.
2
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Santa Cruz History Articles
Description
An account of the resource
Original articles by library staff and by local authors and material from historical books.
Articles on Santa Cruz County history, many with illustrations, are available here.
The Santa Cruz Public Libraries is grateful to our local historians and their publishers for giving permission to include their articles. The content of the articles is the responsibility of the individual authors.
It is the library's intent to provide accurate information. However, it is not possible to completely verify the accuracy of individual articles obtained from a variety of sources. If you believe that factual statements in an article are incorrect and can provide documentation, please contact the library.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Document
A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Digital file
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
AR-064
Title
A name given to the resource
Photographs of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Area: The New Casino
Subject
The topic of the resource
Boardwalk
Casino (Boardwalk)
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Library Staff
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Santa Cruz (City)
1900s
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Text
Language
A language of the resource
En
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
ARTICLE
Tourist Attractions
-
https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/514b622808630435d69e3bd109535cec.pdf
6234c1ff81c7a88e7d4a0652ccdb2203
PDF Text
Text
A First in Hot Bathing—How a War and a Divorce
Figured in the Birth of the Boardwalk in 1868
By Ross Eric Gibson
Fred Swanton's boardwalk dates from 1904, but few know that he created his boardwalk on top of another, which
makes it the oldest boardwalk in the West. Had it not been for a war and a divorce, the beachfront resort facilities might
not have developed as early as they did.
Santa Cruz began as a major shipping port for raw materials and agricultural products. Then in 1862, the San Francisco
Bay Association held its convention in Santa Cruz to escape the hysteria of Civil War mobilization in the city. The
association returned with such glowing reports of scenic Santa Cruz that the city's resort potential was soon recognized.
The next year, Mary Liddell obtained a divorce from her husband, Capt. Timothy Dame, receiving custody of her younger
son, Alfred. Mary and Alfred moved in with her mother, Elizabeth, who had turned her Beach Hill home into a boarding
house after her husband's death in 1859.
The need for additional income led them to open the first hot saltwater baths west of the Mississippi in 1864, to serve
visitors who found the icy waters of the bay a little too invigorating. This one-story structure on the beach with a waistdeep pool was called the Long Branch Baths, and grew to suit its name when in 1866, long canvas-topped dressing wings
stretched out on either side. Other bathhouses that clustered around the river mouth had only bathtubs, but rented
suits, umbrellas and beach tents, like the Long Branch.
In the midst of this swimming fad, the Leibbrandts came to Santa Cruz in 1863 and bought Beach Flats and waterfront
lands. Johnnie Leibbrandt built the West's first hot saltwater plunge in 1868, on the waterfront east of today's
"Neptune's Kingdom." Johnnie and David Leibbrandt were prodigious swimmers, known for Santa Cruz to Capitola openwater contests. They named the plunge "Dolphin Baths," with a large main-floor pool, and a fine upstairs ballroom. The
steam generator that pumped and heated the saltwater also regaled bathers with steam-powered music from its
poolside calliope.
Beach Street didn't exist then, and carriages drove on the beach itself. The Leibbrandts built the original boardwalk
along the waterfront in 1868, for easier access to the baths. A gravel foundation for the 1876 railroad tracks was placed
on the sands, and later fill-dirt flanking the tracks became Beach Street.
When Easterner A.F. Wheaton toured Santa Cruz in early 1879, he was so enraptured that he bought a beach front site -where today's boardwalk casino stands -- and within a few months had erected palatial baths at a cost of $12,000.
Reflecting his sense of propriety, the men and women were given separate pools to swim in, shielded from one another
by a partition. Upstairs was a soda fountain and a large ballroom.
1
�The gender-segregated pools only lasted five years. Capt. Fred Miller bought out Wheaton and unified the pools. Fred
and his brothers, Ralph and Albert, were Santa Cruz natives and sons of a sea captain. Before building the bathhouse,
Fred followed in his father's footsteps, becoming the youngest captain to operate out of San Francisco. He planted
"California palms" (yuccas) and flowers around his baths.
The Leibbrandts kept abreast of the competition, buying up the
riverside bathhouses, building Dolphin Park across the street from
Dolphin Baths, and sponsoring the Dolphin baseball team. But in
1875 Johnnie Leibbrandt collapsed during a marathon swim, and
that marked the onset of debilitating arthritis, which left him
bedridden by 1887. And Miller was not adjusting as a landlubber. In
1889, he became captain of the steamer Maggie Ross, leaving his
brothers to manage the bathhouse.
With both baths deprived of their original directors, it was only a
month later that the Leibbrandts and Millers decided to consolidate
as a single enterprise. Business grew to such a degree that their two The Neptune Baths, circa. 1888-1892
bathhouses were not enough. In 1893, they received the backing of
San Francisco millionaire A.P. Hotaling, the builder of the St. George Hotel who bid them spare no expense in creating
the finest bathhouse possible. The new structure would stand halfway between the Dolphin and Neptune baths.
Local architect LeBaron Olive studied the best bathhouses on the coast and incorporated numerous features into his
$25,000 creation. The "Eastlake" palace had a wide, gingerbread-trimmed beach veranda and stained-glass doors
opening into the two-story plunge hall. A "horseshoe balcony" contained a bandstand and bleachers, where one could
observe swimmers on glass-lined slides, diving platforms or in gymnastic spectacles from ring and trapeze equipment
over the pool.
The steamy air and sunny multicolored skylight made perfect conditions for the palms, flowers, and vines, giving a
tropical ambiance. The pool was lighted with submerged colored lights, while a settling tank at one end produced a 5foot-tall waterfall over the restaurant's observation windows. The restaurant was dominated by an elegant fireplace and
had all the gingerbread and stained glass of a riverboat ballroom. A spiral staircase led to a rooftop, sea view
observatory.
Source
This article originally appeared in the San Jose Mercury News, July 13, 1993, p. 1B. Copyright 1993 Ross Eric Gibson.
Reprinted by permission of Ross Eric Gibson. Photograph from the Santa Cruz Public Libraries' collection.
It is the library’s intent to provide accurate information, however, it is not possible for the library to completely verify the
accuracy of all information. If you believe that factual statements in a local history article are incorrect and can provide
documentation, please contact the library.
2
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Santa Cruz History Articles
Description
An account of the resource
Original articles by library staff and by local authors and material from historical books.
Articles on Santa Cruz County history, many with illustrations, are available here.
The Santa Cruz Public Libraries is grateful to our local historians and their publishers for giving permission to include their articles. The content of the articles is the responsibility of the individual authors.
It is the library's intent to provide accurate information. However, it is not possible to completely verify the accuracy of individual articles obtained from a variety of sources. If you believe that factual statements in an article are incorrect and can provide documentation, please contact the library.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Document
A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Paper
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
AR-063
Title
A name given to the resource
A First in Hot Bathing: How a War and a Divorce Figured in the Birth of the Boardwalk in 1868
Subject
The topic of the resource
Boardwalk
Neptune Baths
Bath Houses
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Gibson, Ross Eric
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
San Jose Mercury News, July 13, 1993, p. 1B
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
7/13/1993
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Santa Cruz (City)
1880s
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Text
Language
A language of the resource
En
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
ARTICLE
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Copyright 1993 Ross Eric Gibson. Reprinted by permission of Ross Eric Gibson. Photographs from the Santa Cruz Public Libraries' collection.
Tourist Attractions
-
https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/b6dc403cf4b82ab017d3454d31165222.pdf
3ad9a0f70e7a4036b9267ad379445b86
PDF Text
Text
Photographs of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Area:
The 1904 Casino and Boardwalk
By Library Staff
Fred W. Swanton grew up in Santa Cruz and attended Heald's Business College in San Francisco. His career was that of
promoter, entrepreneur, and developer. (He was also a three-term mayor of Santa Cruz.) One of his enterprises was the
development of the beach area. In 1903 he organized the Santa Cruz Beach, Cottage and Tent City
Corporation to build the casino and other structures. He was the director-general of the corporation.
To the right is a photograph of Mr. Swanton from the "Program of Events" of the Santa Cruz Marine
Pageant of 1912. He was the Director-General of the Santa Cruz Water Pageant.
In the summer of 1904, Neptune's Casino opened with 500 dressing rooms, a plunge, a cafe and a
grill, a ballroom and two roof gardens. It had been built for $33,276, exclusive of plumbing,
hardware, painting and wiring. In addition, a pier was built at a labor cost of $1000—the Corporation
had supplied the building materials.
Below is a segment of a large, panoramic photograph taken in 1904 and titled, "Beach and Bathing
Casino, Santa Cruz, California."
Fred Swanton
View of the Casino from the ocean
Here is another segment of that panoramic photograph. It shows the "Electric Pier," later to be known as the "pleasure
pier." Electric wiring was run through the tubing of the railing and electric lights were mounted on poles which ran the
400-foot length of the pier.
The Electric Pier
1
�This photograph, dated September 1904, shows the casino from the street. The number 11 street car is approaching the
casino on Beach Street.
View of the Casino from the street
On June 22, 1906, the casino burned down. The fire had begun in the kitchen and destroyed the casino, plunge and
much of Tent City. The cause of the fire is not known. Mr. Swanton reacted quickly. He rented a circus tent to serve as
the casino for the summer and erected smaller tents on the beach as changing rooms.
The Casino on fire
It is the library’s intent to provide accurate information, however, it is not possible for the library to completely verify the
accuracy of all information. If you believe that factual statements in a local history article are incorrect and can provide
documentation, please contact the library.
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Santa Cruz History Articles
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AR-062
Title
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Photographs of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Area: The 1904 Casino and Boardwalk
Subject
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Boardwalk
Casino (Boardwalk)
Swanton, Fred
Creator
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Library Staff
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Santa Cruz Public Libraries
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Santa Cruz (City)
1900s
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Text
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En
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ARTICLE
Tourist Attractions
-
https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/a7b96beab4ec9174ee23cd942a63a879.pdf
e4a85970993093b14da936dec4c725fc
PDF Text
Text
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk:
Survival of the Funnest
By Andrew Schiffrin
Pacific Ocean Park in Santa Monica, Nu-Pike in Long Beach, Playland in San Francisco, Belmont Park in San Diego—the
list of large beachfront amusement parks on the California coast that are now gone is a long one. One might have been
forgiven for assuming that they would eventually be joined by the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. For years, the boardwalk
(owned by the Santa Cruz Seaside Company) seemed a quaint anachronism; and some local officials predicted a slow
deterioration, followed finally by closure and increased pressures for conversion to other uses.
It appears, however, that the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is not only healthy but vigorously so. The number of visitors—
judging by the pressure on parking areas nearby—looks to be increasing every year, and the Seaside Company is buying
up major properties in the adjacent area for long-term investments. In 1981 the company undertook a $10 million
renovation of the Cocoanut Grove ballroom and converted it into a small-scale, high-quality, convention and banquet
facility. Gary Kyriazi, in The Great American Amusement Parks (Citadel Press, 1976), calls the boardwalk "without doubt
... the best and most beautiful seaside amusement park in the nation." How has the Santa Cruz amusement park, which
is not even located in a large city, continued to prosper while other coastal parks have gone under?
Although many factors contribute to its success, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is both a social phenomenon and an
economic reality. The nature of the park's market and the value of its land are two important reasons for the park's
success. Its ability to continue to draw customers and its inability to convert to a "higher and better" land use maintain
its vitality.
Tourists first started coming to Santa Cruz in 1865, when John Leibrandt built a public bathhouse near the mouth of the
San Lorenzo River. Other bathhouses soon followed, catering to those seeking the "natural medicine" of a dip in salt
water and needing a place to change. (Women in those days swam covered ankles to neck in wool suits that weighed
twenty pounds when wet.) By the end of the nineteenth century, plans were being laid for a casino and boardwalk
based on the Coney Island and Atlantic City models.
Fred Swanton's Neptune Casino opened in 1904. Twenty-two months later, on June 22, 1906, it was destroyed by fire;
but by October of the same year Swanton was laying the foundation for another. The new Cocoanut Grove ballroom,
along with an indoor swimming pool, a pleasure pier, and a boardwalk, opened in June of 1907. The boardwalk's
centerpiece attraction, the Giant Dipper roller coaster, opened in 1924 and continues to thrill riders today.
During the 1930s, tourists from the San Francisco Bay Area, ninety, miles north of Santa Cruz, could take the Southern
Pacific Railroad's "Suntan Special" right to the front gate of the boardwalk. They came to hear the greatest names of the
Big Band era play at the Cocoanut Grove—Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, and the Dorsey brothers. Across the country,
meanwhile, most other amusement parks were falling on hard times. As income shrank during the Depression, and as
1
�the automobile opened up new recreational possibilities, traditional parks lost some of their appeal. By 1936, the 1,500
parks that had existed in 1919 had dwindled to about five hundred.
The end of World War II gave a boost to those which remained, but the renaissance was short-lived. To some extent it
seems easy to explain the demise of amusement parks in terms of changing cultural values or, more precisely, the
growing sophistication of the middle class: as people had more money to spend after World War II, they determined to
spend it on what they considered higher quality entertainments. By this time, though, many of the older parks had a
seedy, run-down appearance and unsavory reputation—not entirely undeserved. The new amusement parks needed a
strong theme, expensive advertising, and a cover price to keep out the riffraff.
At just about the same time, a new competitor arrived on the scene to undermine attendance.
"New amusement parks were being planned again in the late 1940s, but the television craze of the early 1950s put
people back in their homes, and the amusement industry, right along with the motion picture industry, suddenly looked
bleak again. (Kyriazi)"
Television offered a cheap alternative and led people to expect more glitz and flash from their amusements—"show biz"
quality.
Disneyland, which burst on the scene in the mid 1950s, and the array of theme parks which followed not only had these
qualities but also offered cleanliness, safety, and lavishly landscaped outdoor environments. Many traditional
amusement parks, faced with a carny image, old and deteriorating facilities, and problems with rowdy teenagers, were
unable to compete and started a downward slide.
A 1977 article in Theatre Arts by cultural historian Brooks McNamara explained the closing of the Palisades Amusement
Park across the Hudson River from New York City:
"The combination of escalating land values near the ciy, and the increasingly bad press accorded traditional amusement
parks have made Palisades worth less as an operating business than the land on which it stood—the story repeated all
over America from World War II onward."
Certainly, skyrocketing land values over the last twenty years along the coast in California's metropolitan areas have
played a major role in the loss of the other coastal amusement parks. The market demand to convert these relatively
large parcels of land to other uses offering a significantly higher return can easily be seen as overwhelming the cash flow
potential from a difficult- and expensive-to-run amusement park.
These same factors also applied to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, however. Throughout much of the 1960s, the
political vision for Santa Cruz was based on the desire for major growth. The 1964 General Plan anticipated major
freeways running through the city and connecting to the beachfront areas, a major new University of California campus,
a population of 100,000 by 1985 (it is now about 44,000), and major hotel development along the ocean front from the
Municipal Wharf very near the amusement park to Lighthouse Field about a mile away. A major development for
Lighthouse Field (to consist of a seven-story Hilton Hotel, convention center, shopping center, and housing project was
actively pursued into the earlv 1970s. The political leadership at that time was closely allied with the business leadership
and welcomed not only the independent growth of Santa Cruz but its close integration, through a freeway over the
mountains, with the Santa Clara Valley.
There are two aspects of land value that are relevant here—the market demand for the land in an alternate use and the
political possibility of converting it to that use. Looking first at the potential of the boardwalk property in residential
and/or hotel uses, it seems likely that, given the growth pressures in Santa Cruz, the demand for such uses in that
location would be strong, if the land were available. Charles Canfield, the current president of the Seaside Company,
cites the shape and size of the boardwalk's land—a narrow strip between the railroad and the sea, in places only seventy
feet wide—as a factor in reducing the demand for the property. Other observers, however, dismiss the importance of
2
�the odd shape, agreeing that any bit of coastal real estate has to be considered desirable. Although the level of demand
is probably less than it would be in San Francisco and Long Beach, it has still been significant.
Canfield gives much of the credit for the boardwalk's survival to his father, Laurence, who became president of the
company in 1952. According to Charles, his father had grown up in Santa Cruz and liked the challenge of keeping the
park alive. Many other parks had been family owned he explained, but as they were passed from one generation to the
next interest in the operations was spread out, and infighting among the family members resulted. Finally, with no one
left with the will to maintain the parks in the face of adversity, the families sold out.
Under Laurence's stewardship, the 1950s and 1960s were a time of reinvestment and expansion rather than
consolidation and loss cutting. Management took some chances, but they were taken on the basis of careful long-range
projections and studies. The rebuilding effort was aimed at increasing security, keeping the facilities clean, and catering
to families. The park is actively patrolled by a low-key but effective security force, and aside from a few hassles from
bikers in the early 1960s, crowd problems never got out of hand. The boardwalk is perceived as—and is, in fact—a safe
and congenial place for the well-behaved family to visit and, maybe even more important economically, for parents to
allow their teenagers to visit.
While the company, invests in a major new ride every few years, which is the industry standard, they are not
extravagant about it. Some amusement parks sought to change with the times and added themes, entertainment,
animals, etc. The Seaside Company has not done this to any great extent. They have worked for modest growth by
providing a high-quality traditional amusement park rather than by spending a fortune on massive improvements which
then require a surge in attendance to pay for them.
Finally, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has served as an amusement area for Bay Area residents since the turn of the
century, and while over the last 30 years the public in general has become less interested in this kind of amusement
park, the increased population, particularly in the San Jose area, has provided a rapidly growing base of support. The
sound management policies of the Seaside Company have allowed them to continue to attract these potential
customers, and the attendance now runs 1.5 to 2 million visitors per year.
While the Seaside Company was managing to stave off economic pressures, another factor in the demand for alternate
uses was changing. The pressure to convert land is, to some extent at least, a function of the political process. The highgrowth vision of the sixties, if carried out, would have increased tremendously the demand for conversion of the
amusement park. While the market for the amusement park itself would have grown, the increased population, better
access, and the lack of centrally located coastal locations would have created massive pressures for conversion.
The vision of sustained civic growth began to fall apart in the early seventies. First, the Route 17 freeway connection to
San Jose was rejected by the County Board of Supervisors. The Lighthouse Point project was voted down at the city polls
and, finally, by the Coastal Commission. The beach loop linking Highway 1, Route 17, and the boardwalk, and other
major development projects never got off the ground. The advocates for low growth and environmental protection,
calling for the preservation of Santa Cruz's small town quality, found support within the traditional community as well as
from the students, which the founding of the university, in 1965 had brought to town.
In 1979, a growth management initiative passed, strictly limiting annual growth within the city and establishing a
greenbelt of major parcels on its fringes to be protected from urban development until 1990. Finally, in 1981, when a
majority was elected to the City Council which supported low growth (it had been a minority since 1973), the
transformation in vision was complete.
The current political leadership is committed not only to low growth but also to the preservation of the city's existing
neighborhoods and "quality of life." High-rise residential projects and hotels along the beachfront are antithetical to that
vision. It is probably clear to all concerned that any proposal to convert the amusement park to such uses would be
soundly defeated.
3
�There are, then, two major reasons why the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk continues to thrive while the other coastal
amusement parks have disappeared. First, it is blessed with competent and dedicated management which operates a
park still attractive to large numbers of people. And second, the value of the land must respect the political values in the
community. The predominant political values in the Santa Cruz community of low growth and preservation of a small
town feeling have prevented the increase in land value which would stimulate conversion. In the other coastal
communities it was possible to obtain approval for the conversion of their amusement parks: the proponents could
make economic arguments to which the cities responded. In Santa Cruz, however, these arguments would now be
rejected.
The Santa Cruz waterfront offers its residents as well as the people of California their only remaining chance to sun
themselves on the beach, watch the pelicans glide over the ocean, and scream their hearts out on a roller coaster—all in
the same afternoon.
Sources
This article appeared in California Waterfront Age, vol. 2, no. 2, Spring 1986; California Waterfront Age, was
superceded by California Coast and Ocean which is also published by the State Coastal Conservancy.
Subscription information may be obtained by contacting the State Coastal Conservancy at 1330 Broadway,
Suite 110, Oakland, CA 94612 or calling (510) 286-0934.
Copyright 1986 California Waterfront Age. Reproduced with the permission of California Coast and Ocean and
the author.
The content of this article is the responsibility of the individual author. It is the Library's intent to provide accurate local history
information. However, it is not possible for the Library to completely verify the accuracy of individual articles obtained from a
variety of sources. If you believe that factual statements in a local history article are incorrect and can provide documentation,
please contact the Webmaster.
4
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Santa Cruz History Articles
Description
An account of the resource
Original articles by library staff and by local authors and material from historical books.
Articles on Santa Cruz County history, many with illustrations, are available here.
The Santa Cruz Public Libraries is grateful to our local historians and their publishers for giving permission to include their articles. The content of the articles is the responsibility of the individual authors.
It is the library's intent to provide accurate information. However, it is not possible to completely verify the accuracy of individual articles obtained from a variety of sources. If you believe that factual statements in an article are incorrect and can provide documentation, please contact the library.
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Santa Cruz Public Libraries
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Identifier
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AR-066
Title
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Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk: Survival of the Funnest
Creator
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Schiffrin, Andrew
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<i>California Waterfront Age</i>, vol. 2, no. 2, Spring 1986.
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Santa Cruz Public Libraries
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1986-Spring
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En
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ARTICLE
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Copyright 1986 California Waterfront Age. Reproduced with the permission of California Coast and Ocean and the author.
Subject
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Boardwalk
Tourism
Seaside Company
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Santa Cruz (City)
Tourist Attractions