National Register of Historic Places listings in Santa Cruz County, California facts for kids
Have you ever wondered about old buildings and special places that tell a story? In Santa Cruz County, there are many such spots! This list is all about the cool and important places in Santa Cruz County that are on the National Register of Historic Places. This is a special list kept by the United States government to protect places that are important to history.
There are 48 amazing places and areas in Santa Cruz County on this list. Two of them are even more special and are called National Historic Landmarks. These landmarks are super important to the history of the entire country! We'll explore some of these fascinating sites and learn why they are so special.
Contents
- What is the National Register of Historic Places?
- Cool Historic Places in Santa Cruz County
- Historic Buildings and Homes
- Bank of Santa Cruz County
- Bayview Hotel
- Godfrey M. Bockius House
- Branciforte Adobe
- Carmelita Court Cottages
- Jose Joaquin Castro Adobe
- Cope Row Houses
- Golden Gate Villa
- Hihn Building
- A. J. Hinds House
- Judge Lee House
- Lettunich Building
- Madison House
- Mansion House Hotel
- Neary-Rodriguez Adobe
- Octagon Building
- Elias H. Robinson House
- Hiram D. Scott House
- U.S. Post Office – Santa Cruz Main
- Valencia Hall
- Veterans Memorial Building
- Historic Districts and Areas
- Bridges and Other Structures
- Other Unique Historic Sites
- Historic Buildings and Homes
- Places No Longer on the List
- Images for kids
What is the National Register of Historic Places?
The National Register of Historic Places is like a hall of fame for buildings, sites, and objects that are important in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture. When a place is added to this list, it means it's recognized as a valuable part of our past. It also helps protect these places for future generations to enjoy and learn from.
Why are places added to the Register?
Places get on the National Register for many reasons. Maybe they are:
- Very old and show how people lived a long time ago.
- Beautiful examples of a certain type of building style.
- Connected to important events or famous people in history.
- Places where important discoveries were made.
Being on the list doesn't stop people from owning or using the property, but it does encourage them to take care of it.
Cool Historic Places in Santa Cruz County
Let's take a closer look at some of the interesting places on the National Register in Santa Cruz County.
Historic Buildings and Homes
Many buildings on the list are old homes or businesses that show us what life was like long ago.
Bank of Santa Cruz County
The Bank of Santa Cruz County building, located at 1502 Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz, was added to the Register in 1982. After a big earthquake in 1989, most of the building was damaged. But the beautiful stone walls on the outside were saved! A new building was built behind them, keeping the historic look alive.
Bayview Hotel
The Bayview Hotel in Aptos was built way back in 1878. It's a great example of old hotels and how people traveled and stayed in the past. It joined the Register in 1992.
Godfrey M. Bockius House
The Godfrey M. Bockius House is a historic home in Watsonville. It was listed in 1989. This house helps us understand the history of homes and families in the area.
Branciforte Adobe
The Branciforte Adobe is a very old building in Santa Cruz, added to the Register in 1979. An "adobe" is a type of building made from sun-dried earth bricks, common in early California.
Carmelita Court Cottages
The Carmelita Court buildings in Santa Cruz are a group of charming cottages. They were listed in 1986 and show a unique style of housing from the past.
Jose Joaquin Castro Adobe
The Jose Joaquin Castro Adobe is another important adobe building, located near Watsonville. It was added to the Register in 1976 and is a reminder of California's early Spanish and Mexican history.
Cope Row Houses
The Cope Row Houses are a group of connected homes in Santa Cruz. They are part of the Santa Cruz Downtown Historic District and were listed in 1982. They show how people lived in towns long ago.
Golden Gate Villa
The Golden Gate Villa is a beautiful and grand house in Santa Cruz. It was added to the Register in 1975, recognized for its impressive architecture.
Hihn Building
The Hihn Building in Capitola was listed in 1973. It's an important part of Capitola's history and shows the style of buildings from its early days.
A. J. Hinds House
The A. J. Hinds House is another historic home in Santa Cruz, listed in 1983. It's also part of the Santa Cruz Downtown Historic District.
Judge Lee House
The Judge Lee House in Watsonville was added to the Register in 1980. It's a significant example of a historic home in that city.
Lettunich Building
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The Lettunich Building in Watsonville, listed in 1992, is an important commercial building that tells part of the city's business history.
Madison House
The Madison House in Watsonville was listed in 1984. It's another example of the historic homes that make up the character of the area.
Mansion House Hotel
The Mansion House Hotel in Watsonville was added to the Register in 1983. Hotels like this were once central to community life and travel.
Neary-Rodriguez Adobe
The Neary-Rodriguez Adobe in Santa Cruz, listed in 1975, is another historic adobe building. It's part of the Mission Hill Area Historic District.
Octagon Building
The Octagon Building in Santa Cruz is very unique because of its eight-sided shape! It was listed in 1971 and stands out as a special piece of architecture.
Elias H. Robinson House
The Elias H. Robinson House in Santa Cruz was added to the Register in 1998. It's another example of a well-preserved historic home.
Hiram D. Scott House
The Hiram D. Scott House in Scotts Valley was listed in 1977. It's an important part of Scotts Valley's early history.
U.S. Post Office – Santa Cruz Main
The main U.S. Post Office building in Santa Cruz, listed in 1985, is an example of important public buildings from the past.
Valencia Hall
Valencia Hall in Aptos was added to the Register in 1984. It likely served as a community gathering place in its early days.
Veterans Memorial Building
The Veterans Memorial Building in Santa Cruz, listed in 1992, is a place dedicated to honoring veterans and often serves as a community center.
Historic Districts and Areas
Some listings are not just one building, but a whole area or group of buildings that together tell a story. These are called Historic Districts.
Cowell Lime Works Historic District
The Cowell Lime Works Historic District is located on the University of California, Santa Cruz campus. This area was once a big lime production site. It was listed in 2007 and shows how important industries operated in the past.
Mission Hill Area Historic District
The Mission Hill Area Historic District in Santa Cruz was listed in 1976. This area includes the site of the original Mission Santa Cruz. The current Holy Cross Church, built in 1889, stands where the old mission once was.
Old Riverview Historic District
The Old Riverview Historic District in Capitola was added to the Register in 1988. This district includes several streets and shows the historic layout and buildings of an older part of Capitola.
Santa Cruz Downtown Historic District
The Santa Cruz Downtown Historic District was listed in 1989. It includes many streets and buildings that show what downtown Santa Cruz looked like in the past, especially around the 1870s.
Six Sisters-Lawn Way Historic District
The Six Sisters-Lawn Way Historic District in Capitola was listed in 1987. This district is known for its unique group of buildings, often called the "Six Sisters."
Venetian Court Apartments
The Venetian Court Apartments in Capitola, built in 1924, were added to the Register in 1987. These condominiums have a distinct style that makes them historically significant.
Watsonville City Plaza
The Watsonville City Plaza was listed in 1983. City plazas are often the heart of a town, where people gather and events happen. This plaza tells the story of Watsonville's community life.
Bridges and Other Structures
Not all historic places are buildings; some are bridges or other important structures.
California Powder Works Bridge
The California Powder Works Bridge is a very special bridge in Santa Cruz. It spans the San Lorenzo River and was listed in 2015. It's one of the two National Historic Landmarks in the county, meaning it's super important to the history of the whole country!
Felton Covered Bridge
The Felton Covered Bridge in Felton is a beautiful wooden bridge built in the 1890s. It was once the tallest covered bridge in the U.S. and was the main entrance to Felton for 45 years. Now it's part of a park and was listed in 1973.
Glen Canyon Covered Bridge
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The Glen Canyon Covered Bridge in Santa Cruz was listed in 1984. Sadly, this bridge has been demolished, but it was once a notable historic structure.
Other Unique Historic Sites
Davenport Jail
The Davenport Jail in Davenport was listed in 1992. It's a small, historic jail building that gives a glimpse into the past of law and order in the area.
Santa Cruz Looff Carousel and Roller Coaster
The Looff Carousel and Roller Coaster on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk are incredibly special! They were listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1987. This means they are not just fun rides, but also very important pieces of American history, especially for amusement parks. The roller coaster, called the Giant Dipper, is famous!
Places No Longer on the List
Sometimes, places are removed from the National Register. This usually happens if they are destroyed or changed so much that they no longer have their historic value.
McHugh and Bianchi Building
The McHugh and Bianchi Building in Santa Cruz was listed in 1972 but was later removed. It was also known as the Hotaling Building and was demolished in 1974.
Pacific Avenue Historic District
The Pacific Avenue Historic District in Santa Cruz was listed in 1987 but was removed in 1992. This happened because many of the historic buildings in the district were destroyed during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.
Images for kids
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The Bank of Santa Cruz County building in Santa Cruz.
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The historic Bayview Hotel in Aptos.
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The Godfrey M. Bockius House in Watsonville.
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The old Branciforte Adobe.
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The California Powder Works Bridge.
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The charming Carmelita Cottages.
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The historic Jose Joaquin Castro Adobe.
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The Cope Row Houses in Santa Cruz.
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Part of the Cowell Lime Works Historic District.
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The old Davenport Jail.
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The Felton Covered Bridge.
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The former Felton Public Library, now Felton Presbyterian Church.
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The Garfield Park Branch Library.
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The Glen Canyon Covered Bridge (now demolished).
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The grand Golden Gate Villa.
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Grace Episcopal Church in Boulder Creek.
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The Hihn Building in Capitola.
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The A. J. Hinds House.
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The Hotel Metropole (demolished).
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The Judge Lee House in Watsonville.
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The Lettunich Building in Watsonville.
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Live Oak Ranch.
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The Giant Dipper Roller Coaster at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
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The Madison House in Watsonville.
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The Mansion House Hotel in Watsonville.
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Holy Cross Church, part of the Mission Hill Area.
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The Neary-Rodriguez Adobe.
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The unique Octagon Building.
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A view of the Old Riverview Historic District in Capitola.
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The Redman House in Watsonville.
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The Rispin Mansion in Capitola.
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The Elias H. Robinson House.
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An old house in the Santa Cruz Downtown Historic District.
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The Hiram D. Scott House in Scotts Valley.
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The "Six Sisters" buildings in Capitola.
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The Stoesser Block (demolished).
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The main Post Office building in Santa Cruz.
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Valencia Hall in Aptos.
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The Venetian Court Apartments in Capitola.
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The Veterans Memorial Building in Santa Cruz.
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The Watsonville City Plaza.
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End of Lee Road access, near a burial site.
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Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz (1903).
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