Mon, Feb 26 2007

The Boardwalk turns 100

Good news for local history buffs! We can now pre-order a copy of Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk: A Century by the Sea. The new book is full of photos and notes documenting 100 years of fun at this Central California Coast attraction. Fred Swanton, a local businessman in the area, got the whole thing going about 1904. A fire ended up destroying the main Casino building, but rebuilding began a short time later and The Boardwalk opened to the public in 1907. (The Scenic Railway was the first roller coaster there. The wooden Giant Dipper roller coaster, which is now a National Historic Landmark, wasn't built until the 1920s.)

Mr. Swanton was one busy fellow. He served as the Mayor of Santa Cruz for several years, dabbled in hydro-electric power, and traveled the length of the state of California to tell everyone who would listen about the wonders of Santa Cruz County. (You can still visit the Swanton Pacific Ranch location in the Davenport area, north of Santa Cruz.) He also helped get phone service to the area, encouraged the early film industry to make use of the Central Coast's redwood forests and other prime locations and he just seemed to be one of those people who never rested on his laurels, but kept looking for ways to bring fame and fortune to the Santa Cruz area. A lot of his projects seem to have fallen by the wayside, but the Sant Cruz Beach Boardwalk is still a major tourist destination and a favorite hangout for locals.

posted at: 14:37 | category: /Miscellaneous | link to this entry