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National Register of Historic Places listings in Santa Cruz County, California facts for kids

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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.

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

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The Bank of Santa Cruz County building in Santa Cruz.

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

Bayview Hotel, Aptos, California
The historic Bayview Hotel in Aptos.

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

Bockius House
The Godfrey M. Bockius House in Watsonville.

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

Brancifotre Adobe
The old 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

Carmelita Cottages--Over many years, cottage by cottage, the buildings have undergone renovation.
The charming Carmelita 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

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The historic 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

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The Cope Row Houses in Santa Cruz.

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

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The grand 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

Hihn Building - Santa Cruz County, California
The Hihn Building in Capitola.

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

A- J- Hinds House 2012-09-03 13-21-11
The 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

Judge Lee house
The Judge Lee House in Watsonville.

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

Lettunich Building - Watsonville, CA (2015)
The Lettunich Building in Watsonville.

The Lettunich Building in Watsonville, listed in 1992, is an important commercial building that tells part of the city's business history.

Madison House

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The Madison House in Watsonville.

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

Mansion House Hotel
The Mansion House Hotel in Watsonville.

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

Neary-Rodriguez Adobe
The 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

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The unique 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

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The 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

Hiram Scott House, Scotts Valley California
The Hiram D. Scott House in Scotts Valley.

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

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The main Post Office building in Santa Cruz.

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
Valencia Hall in Aptos.

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

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The Veterans Memorial Building in Santa Cruz.

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

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Part of the 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

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Holy Cross Church, part of the Mission Hill Area.

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

Old Riverview Historic District 361
A view of the Old Riverview Historic District in Capitola.

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

Cope House, Santa Cruz, California
An old house in the 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

Six sisters, Capitola, California
The "Six Sisters" buildings in Capitola.

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

Venetian Court, Capitola, California
The Venetian Court Apartments in Capitola.

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

Watsonville City Plaza
The 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

PERSPECTIVE EAST PORTAL - Powder Works Bridge, Spanning San Lorenzo River, Keystone Way, Paradise Park, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County, CA HAER CA-313-11
The 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

Felton, California covered bridge
The 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

Covered Bridge, Glen Canyon (Santa Cruz County, California)
The Glen Canyon Covered Bridge (now demolished).

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

Jail in Davenport, California
The old 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

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The Giant Dipper Roller Coaster at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

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.

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