Along the San Lorenzo River, the stage and seats are prepared for the 1912 Water Pageant
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=San+Lorenzo+River">San Lorenzo River</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Pageants">Pageants</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Water+Carnival">Water Carnival</a>
Along the San Lorenzo River, the stage and seats are prepared for the 1912 Water Pageant. $15,000 was expected to be spent on preparations. The amphitheater was capable of seating 4000 spectators. It was built on 'Pageant Island' in the middle of the river.
<a href="http://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/sources-used-to-identify-photographs/">Source of information:</a> Written on back of photograph
Sentinel 7/10/1912 p.6 c.4, 7/18/1912 p.1 c.1, 7/19/1912 p.1 c.1
Surf 6/27/1912 p.8 c.3, 7/29/1912 p.2 c.1
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
July 1912
This photograph/postcard is the property of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries, California.
<a href="http://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/restrictions-on-use/">Restrictions on Use</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/show/130739">The Santa Cruz Venetian Carnival</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/show/130740">Water Carnival was Social Event of the Season in 1890s</a>
Image
En
PHOTO
LH-0153
Santa Cruz (City)
1910s
Central stage for the Water Carnival on the San Lorenzo River
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Pageants">Pageants</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Water+Carnival">Water Carnival</a>
A view of the central stage for the Water Carnival on the San Lorenzo River.
<a href="http://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/sources-used-to-identify-photographs/">Source of information:</a> Written on back of photo
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
ca. 1890s
This photograph/postcard is the property of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries, California.
<a href="http://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/restrictions-on-use/">Restrictions on Use</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/show/130739">The Santa Cruz Venetian Carnival</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/show/130740">Water Carnival was Social Event of the Season in 1890s</a>
Image
En
PHOTO
LH-0155
Santa Cruz (City)
1890s
Decorated boats and barges in the Water Carnival
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Pageants">Pageants</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Water+Carnival">Water Carnival</a>
Decorated boats and barges in the Water Carnival on the San Lorenzo River.
<a href="http://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/sources-used-to-identify-photographs/">Source of information:</a> Written on back of photo
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
ca. 1890s
This photograph/postcard is the property of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries, California.
<a href="http://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/restrictions-on-use/">Restrictions on Use</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/show/130739">The Santa Cruz Venetian Carnival</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/show/130740">Water Carnival was Social Event of the Season in 1890s</a>
Image
En
PHOTO
LH-0154
Santa Cruz (City)
1890s
Elks float in the Water Pageant of 1912
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Pageants">Pageants</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Water+Carnival">Water Carnival</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Elks+Lodge">Elks Lodge</a>
The Elks float in the Water Pageant of 1912. The San Lorenzo River was dammed to create a lake for the duration of the pageant. The marine parade, led by the Queen's barge, took place every evening. Some floats were awarded prizes.
<a href="http://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/sources-used-to-identify-photographs/">Source of information:</a> Written on back of photograph
Sentinel 7/10/1912 p.6 c.4, 7/19/1912 p.1 c.1, 7/21/1912 p.1 c.3, 7/28/1912 p.1 c.3
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
July 20-28, 1912
This photograph/postcard is the property of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries, California.
<a href="http://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/restrictions-on-use/">Restrictions on Use</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/show/130739">The Santa Cruz Venetian Carnival</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/show/130740">Water Carnival was Social Event of the Season in 1890s</a>
Image
En
PHOTO
LH-0152
Santa Cruz (City)
1910s
Santa Cruz Goes Venetian
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Water+Carnival">Water Carnival</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Pageants">Pageants</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Norris%2C+Frank">Norris, Frank</a>
"During the 1890s, Santa Cruz briefly gained national attention for its fabled Venetian Water Carnival on the lower San Lorenzo River."
Dunn, Geoffrey
Santa Cruz Style, v7n2: 60-63
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
2018-Summer
Reproduced by permission of Santa Cruz Style Magazine, LLC.
Text
En
ARTICLE
SCS-V7N2-60
Santa Cruz (City)
1890s
The first Venetian Water Carnival, 1895
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=San+Lorenzo+River">San Lorenzo River</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Pageants">Pageants</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Water+Carnival">Water Carnival</a>
The first Venetian Water Carnival, 1895. The citizens of Santa Cruz raised funds for the Carnival and financier J. Philip Smith made up any shortfall. Mr. Philip's step-daughter, Anita Gonzales, was the Queen of the Carnival. Queen Anita's barge and gondolas are coming up the San Lorenzo River, which was dammed to create a lake for the event.
<a href="http://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/sources-used-to-identify-photographs/">Source of information:</a> Koch p.195
Santa Cruz County p. 40
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
June 1895
This photograph/postcard is the property of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries, California.
<a href="http://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/restrictions-on-use/">Restrictions on Use</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/show/130739">The Santa Cruz Venetian Carnival</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/show/130740">Water Carnival was Social Event of the Season in 1890s</a>
Image
En
PHOTO
LH-0158
Santa Cruz (City)
1890s
The Santa Cruz Venetian Carnival
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Water+Carnival">Water Carnival</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Pageants">Pageants</a>
Frank Norris, author of McTeague and The Octopus, grew up in Oakland and San Francisco. He attended the University of California for four years, but failed to graduate because of poor grades in mathematics. After spending a year studying literature at Harvard, Norris left for South Africa to report on the Boer War. Two years later he returned to San Francisco. From April 1896 until he moved to New York in 1898, he was the assistant editor of a weekly periodical, The Wave. On Thursday June 18, 1896, Frank Norris took the train to Santa Cruz where the Venetian Carnival was in full swing.
Norris, Frank
This article appeared in the June 27, 1896 issue of The Wave.
The photograph of the depot is from the Santa Cruz Public Libraries' collection; the photograph of Queen Josephine is from Santa Cruz County, a Faithful Reproduction in Print and Photography of its Climate, Capabilities and Beauties, 1896.
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
06-27-1896
Text
En
ARTICLE
AR-076
Santa Cruz (City)
1890s
Water Carnival was social event of the season in 1890's
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Water+Carnival">Water Carnival</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Pageants">Pageants</a>
Gibson, Ross Eric
This article originally appeared in the San Jose Mercury News, March 9, 1993, p. 1B.
The photograph of Anita Gonzales is from the book, Santa Cruz County, a Faithful Reproduction in Print and Photography of its Climate, Capabilities and Beauties, published in 1896. Other photographs are from the Santa Cruz Public Libraries' collection.
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
03-09-1993
Copyright 1993 Ross Eric Gibson. Reprinted by permission of Ross Eric Gibson.
Text
En
ARTICLE
AR-077
Santa Cruz (City)
1890s
Water Pageant queen and her court
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Water+Carnival">Water Carnival</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Pageants">Pageants</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Walti%2C+Clara">Walti, Clara</a>
The Water Pageant queen, Clara Walti (in center) and her court. The maids of honor (not in order) are Veda Smith, Frances Richards, Alice Kelly, Rose Silva, Nina Vandervort, Ruby Anderson, Selma Lilly, Ruth Barson, Reba Eckhart, and Adah Bremner. The queen was elected by popular vote though coupons provided in the newspaper and with general admission and box tickets.
<a href="http://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/sources-used-to-identify-photographs/">Source of information:</a> Notes on back of photo
Sentinel 7/7/1912 p.1 c.1
Surf 7/15/1912 p.1 c.5
booklet from the Pageant
Santa Cruz Public Libraries
July 20--28, 1912
This photograph/postcard is the property of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries, California.
<a href="http://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/restrictions-on-use/">Restrictions on Use</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/show/130739">The Santa Cruz Venetian Carnival</a>
<a href="/omeka/items/show/130740">Water Carnival was Social Event of the Season in 1890s</a>
Image
En
PHOTO
LH-0285
Santa Cruz (City)
1910s