Soquel, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Soquel, California
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Soquel as seen from a hilltop in Anna Jean Cummings Park
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Location in Santa Cruz County and the state of California
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 Soquel, California
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Santa Cruz |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.598 sq mi (11.909 km2) |
| • Land | 4.598 sq mi (11.909 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) 0% |
| Elevation | 33 ft (10 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 9,980 |
| • Density | 2,170.5/sq mi (838.0/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
95073
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| Area code | 831 |
| FIPS code | 06-72688 |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1659817, 2408757 |
Soquel (pronounced "SO-kel") is a small community in Santa Cruz County, California. It is located on the northern coast of Monterey Bay. Soquel is an unincorporated town, meaning it is not officially a city with its own local government. It is also a census-designated place (CDP), which is a special area defined by the U.S. Census Bureau for collecting population data. In 2020, about 9,980 people lived in Soquel. The name "Soquel" comes from the Ohlone language, the native people who lived here first.
Contents
Exploring Soquel's Past: A Brief History
The name Osocalis was how the Spanish wrote down the name of a local creek. This name came from the language of the Ohlone people, who were the first Native Americans in this area. Later, the name "Soquel" came from this creek. It first appeared in 1833 as the name of a large Mexican land grant. This grant included the creek and the land around it.
Early European Exploration and Settlement
The first European explorers in Alta California (which is now California) passed through this area. This was the Spanish Portolà expedition in 1769. They camped near one of the creeks on October 15, 1769. A missionary named Juan Crespi was with them. He wrote in his diary about a "small stream" with deep water. Historians believe this stream was likely Soquel Creek.
In 1833, Martina Castro was given a large piece of land called Rancho Soquel. This was granted by the governor of Alta California, José Figueroa. Martina was part of the Castro family, who were early settlers in Santa Cruz. Many of her family members also became rancheros, which means they owned large ranches.
Flooding and Community Events
Soquel is known for its lowlands around Soquel Creek. Because of this, the area has flooded many times. The most recent major flood happened in January 1982. The creek almost flooded again in 1986. People believed that log jams downstream in Capitola caused some of the flooding. After 1986, a program was started to remove debris from the creek.
In 1965, Soquel was the location of the first "Acid Test" party. This was a famous event in the history of the 1960s counterculture movement.
Soquel's Location and Landscape
Soquel is located at coordinates 36.986991 degrees North and -121.945636 degrees West.
The U.S. Census Bureau says that Soquel covers about 4.6 square miles (11.9 square kilometers). All of this area is land. There is no water within its official boundaries.
Soquel Creek is an important natural feature. It flows right through the community of Soquel.
Understanding Soquel's Population
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 328 | — | |
| 1890 | 2,982 | 809.1% | |
| 1900 | 2,987 | 0.2% | |
| 1970 | 5,795 | — | |
| 1980 | 6,212 | 7.2% | |
| 1990 | 9,188 | 47.9% | |
| 2000 | 5,081 | −44.7% | |
| 2010 | 9,644 | 89.8% | |
| 2020 | 9,980 | 3.5% | |
The population of Soquel has changed over the years. In 2020, the population was 9,980 people. This means that about 2,097 people live in each square mile of Soquel.
Population Details from 2010
In 2010, Soquel had 9,644 people. Most residents, about 81.9%, were White. Other groups included African American (0.9%), Native American (0.7%), and Asian (3.7%). About 16.7% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.
Most people (99.5%) lived in regular homes. There were 3,912 households in Soquel. About 29.6% of these households had children under 18 living there. The average household had 2.45 people.
The ages of people in Soquel varied. About 20.1% of the population was under 18 years old. About 12.6% were 65 years or older. The average age in Soquel was 43.2 years.
Most homes in Soquel were owned by the people living in them (70.3%). The rest were rented (29.7%).
Fun Things to Do: Recreation in Soquel
Soquel has several parks where people can enjoy the outdoors.
Parks and Green Spaces
Anna Jean Cummings Park is the biggest park in Soquel. It has fields for soccer, baseball, and softball. There are also playgrounds and picnic areas. A large open space of coastal prairie terrace is also part of the park. The Santa Cruz County Parks Department manages this park.
Recently, the Heart of Soquel Park was finished in downtown Soquel. This park has wooden walkways along Soquel Creek. It also features bocce ball courts and outdoor spaces for events.
Other parks in Soquel include Richard Vessey Park, Soquel Lions Park, and Willowbrook Park. There are also plans to develop a new park with a community center on a property known as "The Farm."
The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County also protects two natural areas on Fairway Drive. These are the Greenspace Garden and the Fairway Drive Coastal Prairie Terrace. These areas help preserve local plants and wildlife.
Notable People from Soquel
See also
In Spanish: Soquel para niños
