Books on Santa Cruz County History

Although Santa Cruz County is the second smallest in California by area, its location and geographic diversity have resulted in a complex and fascinating past.  Over 260 titles have been published on the history of its people, communities, industries, culture, and events.  Below are three books of general interest useful to people doing historical research. 



Santa Cruz County Place Names: A Geographical Dictionary
Donald Thomas Clark

1986. Santa Cruz Historical Society.  Reprinted 2008 by Kestrel Press.  This book tells the origin and history of 2,314 place names and includes an extensive glossary, bibliography, and list of maps on which the names occur.



The Society of California Pioneers of Santa Cruz County
Edited by Stanley D. Stevens

1998.  Santa Cruz County History Journal no. 4.  Detailed biographies of members of this organization, which consisted of all men "who arrived in, and became residents of California, prior to the ninth day of September, 1850."  There are also biographies of wives, sons, and daughters.  Includes photos, bibliography, and index.



The Sidewalk Companion to Santa Cruz Architecture, 3rd Edition
John Leighton Chase.  Edited by Judith Steen.  Pasatiempo chapter by Daniel P. Gregory.

2005.  Museum of Art & History.  This is the first book to consult when researching a building in the city of Santa Cruz. Arranged by neighborhood and street number, the book contains nearly 500 building entries, including descriptions of structures no longer standing.  Although the title says "architecture," the book is also a treasure trove of historical information. Another valuable resource, originally published in book form, are the Santa Cruz Historic Building Surveys.  These are now online.
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List of Books on Santa Cruz County History
Click HERE for a list of books on Santa Cruz County history arranged chronologically.



New Books

Here are some recently published books on Santa Cruz County history.  Publish a new book?  Please let us know and we will list it here.
   •   2025  Santa Cruz Trains Sourcebook:;The Dream of Steam, 1854-1873             by Derek R. Whaley
   •  2024  Our Old Santa Cruz, vol. 2, by Ernest Otto (edited by Derek R.                Whaley)
   •  2024 The Sugar King of California; The Life of Claus Spreckels by                      Sandra E. Bonura
   •  2024  Sidetracked: the Santa Cruz Beach to 1903 (Santa Cruz Trains) by           Derek R. Whaley
   •  2023  Our Old Santa Cruz, vol. 1, by Ernest Otto (edited by Derek R.                Whaley)
   •  2023  Sidetracked: Laurel & Glenwood (Santa Cruz Trains) by Derek R.            Whaley
   •  2022  May Their Memory be a Blessing: A History and Walking Tour of              Home of Peace Jewish Cemetery Santa Cruz, California by George J.            Fogelson
   •  2022  The Shadow of Loma Prieta: Part Three of the History of Rancho            Soquel Augmentation by Ronald G. Powell, edited by Derek R. Whaley
    •   2022  We Are Not Animals by Martin Rizzo-Martinez
   •  2022 The Founding of Alba School by Lucia MacLean
​   •  2021 The Reign of the Lumber Barons by Ronald G. Powell, edited by             Derek R. Whaley
​   •  2021 Big Basin Redwood Forest: California's Oldest State Park by Traci           Bliss
   •  2021  Murder Capital of the World by Emerson Murray
  • 2020  Secret Walks & Staircases in Santa Cruz by Debbie Bulger and Richard Stover
  • 2020  The Tragedy of Martina Castro: Part One of the History of Rancho Soquel Augmentation by Ronald G. Powell, edited by Derek R. Whaley
  • 2020  Serial Killers of Santa Cruz by Aubrey Graves
  • 2020  Evergreen Cemetery of Santa Cruz by Traci Bliss
  • 2020  Seeds of Something Different: An Oral History of the University of California, Santa Cruz (Box Set), edited by Irene Reti, Cameron Vanderscoff, and Sarah Rabkin.
  • 2020  Historic Tales of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park: Big Trees Grove by Deborah Osterberg
  • 2020  Lost Restaurants of Santa Cruz County by Liz Pollock
  • 2020  Davenport by Alverda Orlando, Sally Iverson, and Ed Dickie
  • 2019  The Mission Santa Cruz Mystery: Seven Clues to Find the Site of the First Mission by Melanie J. Mayer
  • 2019  Santa Cruz Through Time by Deborah Muth
  • 2019  Saving Our Shores by Dan Haifley
  • 2018  The Williams Brothers by Timothy Lemucchi
  • 2018  Between Paradise and Peril by Gary Griggs
  • 2018  Landscapes (Santa Cruz County History Journal No. 9) by mulitiple authors
  • 2018  Capitola History Coloring Book by Frank Hill and Frank Perry
  • 2018  Hip Santa Cruz 2 by Ralph Abraham
  • 2018  A Companion to Capitola by Frank Perry
  • 2017  Between the Redwoods and the Bay by George Fogelson
  • 2017  Historic Live Oak by Norman Poitevin
  • 2017 Harvesting Our Heritage by Jody Bergiel Colclough, Elizabeth Birnbaum, Katie Lang Hansen, and Sierra Ryan
  • 2017  Santa Cruz's Seabright (Images of America Series) by Randall Brown, Traci Bliss, et al.
  • 2016  A Light in the Midst of Darkness (history of Bookshop Santa Cruz) by Wallace Baine
  • 2016  An Architectural Tour of Historic Santa Cruz County by Allan B. Allan and Ross Eric Gibson
  • 2016  Santa Cruz Memories: The Early Years by the Santa Cruz Sentinel
  • 2016 Santa Cruz Wharf (Images of America Series) by Geoffrey Dunn
  • 2016  Do You Know My Name? (Santa Cruz County History Journal No. 8) by mulitiple authors
  • 2016  Hip Santa Cruz by Ralph H. Abraham
  • 2016  Scotts Valley (Images of America series) by Deborah Muth
  • 2015  Growing Up in Santa Cruz by Lois Ackerman Lawson
  • 2015  Santa Cruz Trains: Railroads of the Santa Cruz Mountains by Derek R. Whaley (available from CreateSpace.com)
  • 2014  The South Skyline Story by Janet Schwind & the Skyline Historical Society
  • 2014  The Origin of UCSC by William T. Doyle
  • 2014  La Selva Beach Looks Back in Time by Jean Schaaf
  • 2014  Redwood Logging and Conservation in the Santa Cruz Mountains:  A Split History by multiple authors
  • 2013  The Mix-Up Kid by Stephen H. Benson
  • 2013  The Borina Family of Watsonville by Mike Wallace
  • 2013  Sports of Santa Cruz County (Images of America series) by Geoffrey Dunn
  • 2013  Santa Cruz Is In The Heart, Vol. 2 by Geoffrey Dunn
  • 2013  Capitola (Images of America series) by Carolyn Swift 
  • 2013  Aptos (Images of America series) by Kevin Newhouse
  • 2013  Roaring Camp Railroads by Beniam Kifle and Nathan Goodman
  • 2013  A Guide to Old Holy Cross Cemetery by Norman Poitevin, Phil Reader, and Robert Nelson
  • 2012  The San Lorenzo Valley (Images of America series) by Lisa Robinson
  • 2012  Notes from Santa Cruz: The County's Music History by Frank Perry
  • 2011  The San Lorenzo Valley Water District by Randall C. Brown
  • 2011  Soquel (Images of America series) by The Soquel Pioneer and Historical Association Book Committee
  • 2011  UC Santa Cruz: 1960-1991 by William T. Doyle
  • 2010  The San Lorenzo Valley Flume by Lisa Robinson