A fun way to learn about many of the changes that have happened in Santa Cruz is to stop and read the many commemorative plaques. Pacific Avenue is especially thick with them, and they come in three distinctive "flavors". One type is usually made of bronze with raised lettering and graphics, and have been placed by the city to commemorate city actions, such as the one installed on the Town Clock - shown at right. It is one of the oldest you'll find, having been installed in 1976 - just in time to celebrate the centennial of Santa Cruz cityhood.
Another plaque of this type commemorates the rebuilding of downtown Santa Cruz after the 1989 earthquake. Much of that rebuilding, unfortunately, followed the demolition of most of the buildings having historical value - the old brick structures fatally damaged by the quake. This city-installed plaque (left) can be found on a lamp post base in the little triangular plaza formed where Pacific Avenue and Front Street come together.
A second type of plaque has been placed by developers, often when a restoration of a historical building has been attempted. For whatever reason, I've found that the historical information on this type of plaque is less reliable. Most people have probably noticed the prominently-placed plaque at the corner of Pacific Ave. and Cooper Street, on the facade preserved from the County Bank building after the earthquake.
The plaque features a nicely-rendered image of the old bank, surrounded by angels supported on Greek columns in a style unknown to ancient Greece. Unfortunately, the building image mixes features from different iterations of the building. Still, it's an artistic attempt, and I like to stop and admire it from time to time.
The third type of plaque you'll see is the blue oval placed by the MAH Historical Landmark Committee. These include limited historical data, but the information has been thoroughly researched and verified. At left is the one on the McPherson building, at the corner of Pacific and Locust.
So, next time you're strolling downtown, take time to read a few of these informative plaques.
Santa Cruz Changes locations can be found on this Google Map.
