Streetwise History: Newell Creek Road Ben Lomond
San Lorenzo Valley Museum's Lisa Robinson shares a history of Newell Creek Road in Ben Lomond, California in the Santa Cruz Mountains
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Category: History
The Big Fire
By Randall Brown The summer of 1904 in California was hot and dry. Labor Day marchers in Santa Cruz sweltered under record high temperatures and the following day was hotter. Then, early Wednesday morning, the town’s electric system shut down. “All street cars were stopped,” reported the Sentinel, “and an almost weird quiet as of some impending calamity reigned throughout…
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IOOF Cemetery: Boulder Creek’s Overlooked Treasure
The Boulder Creek IOOF Cemetery By Julie Horner, Lisa Robinson, and Nick Morris Tucked quietly into Ben Lomond Mountain where few know to tread, the CZU Lightning Complex fire paid a visit to the Boulder Creek Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) Cemetery. The lush woods behind the cemetery are burned to the gates, and the undergrowth of ivy, huckleberry,…
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Streetwise History: Harmon Street Boulder Creek
Have you ever thought about how the street where you live got its name? In this series of articles we will look at street names in the San Lorenzo Valley and explore the history hidden in their names.
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6/11 Indigenous History in the Bay Area
From California State Parks: Join us for a three-part webinar on the history of Indigenous Peoples in the Bay Area. For thousands of years, the Bay Area has been the home of many, diverse groups of Indigenous Peoples with complex cultures and relationships to the land. Join Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen), and California…
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Landmarks and Legends: Mountain Lore
By Randall Brown When I settled in Boulder Creek 20 years ago, I was impressed by the respect for its history indicated by the dates painted on its historic structures. As I became more familiar with the place, I realized that two of the proudly displayed numbers were inaccurate. Neither the Old Fireman’s Hall nor the one mislabeled “Basham House”…
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James Dean Mural at the Brookdale Lodge
The Brookdale Lodge Gets Its Dean Iconic James Dean mural at the Brookdale Lodge nears completion on Valentine’s Day, 2018. San Lorenzo Valley eagerly anticipates the art installation and the imminent reopening of the historic Brookdale Lodge. By Mari A. Porter and Julie Horner WOW! The new mural is in progress! According to Monterey County based artist, John Cerney, the…
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Felton Fuse Factory
By Lisa Robinson In 1869, a fuse factory was erected on Zayante Creek in Felton. The company was incorporated as Lake Superior and Pacific Fuse Company and the principal stockholders were the inventors and patentees Richard Uren, Thomas Dunstone, and Joseph Blight. The plant was also known as the Eagle Fuse-works. The machinery was driven by three 5-hp water wheels.…
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