History and Historians
A Short History of the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
October, 1957
The Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History developed from the merger of several ancestral organizations.
*Other organizations with this same name were founded earlier, but each folded.
- 1954 The Santa Cruz Historical Society is founded.* Put out newsletter.
- 1972 Santa Cruz County Historical Museum (known as The Octagon) opens in the old county Hall of Records building.
- 1981 Art Museum of Santa Cruz County forms. Holds exhibits upstairs at the Santa Cruz main library.
- 1986 The Friends of the Octagon unites with the Santa Cruz County Society for Historical Preservation to form the Octagon Historical Trust. This group then merges with the Santa Cruz Historical Society to create the Santa Cruz County Historical Trust
- 1993 The Art Museum of Santa Cruz County and the History Museum of Santa Cruz County (operated by the Historical Trust) move into and share a new museum building at the McPherson Center, 705 Front Street. The new building is located adjacent to the former County Jail, which is converted to offices and stores. The Octagon is used for special exhibits and later the Museum Store. Eventually it is leased for a coffee shop to raise funds for the museum.
- 1996 The Historical Trust and Art Museum merge to form the Museum of Art & History.
- 2012 Name changes to the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History.
*Other organizations with this same name were founded earlier, but each folded.
Historians "Hall of Fame"
While there is not an official hall of fame for past Santa Cruz County historians, we pay tribute here to some people who made major contributions through writing, collecting historical information, or in other ways. Each left behind a body of work valuable to present-day researchers.
E. L. Williams
Born in Philadelphia around 1826 or 1827, Edward Laurence Williams came to California during the Gold Rush. Williams first settled in Monterey, moving to Santa Cruz in 1862. He worked in the real estate and land title businesses and held several positions in local government, including undersheriff, deputy county clerk, and deputy assessor. Williams was Santa Cruz's first historian of note. In 1876 and 1877 he wrote a history column for the Local Item newspaper called "A Peep Into The Past." It focused on the Spanish period and was based on his translation of early documents. He also contributed historical information to E. S. Harrison's History of Santa Cruz County, 1892. Biographical sketches appear in that (p. 252-253) and in Santa Cruz County History Journal Number 4 (p. 256-258).
Born in Philadelphia around 1826 or 1827, Edward Laurence Williams came to California during the Gold Rush. Williams first settled in Monterey, moving to Santa Cruz in 1862. He worked in the real estate and land title businesses and held several positions in local government, including undersheriff, deputy county clerk, and deputy assessor. Williams was Santa Cruz's first historian of note. In 1876 and 1877 he wrote a history column for the Local Item newspaper called "A Peep Into The Past." It focused on the Spanish period and was based on his translation of early documents. He also contributed historical information to E. S. Harrison's History of Santa Cruz County, 1892. Biographical sketches appear in that (p. 252-253) and in Santa Cruz County History Journal Number 4 (p. 256-258).
Leon Rowland
Leon Rowland (1884-1952) had worked for the Associated Press before moving to Santa Cruz and becoming city editor of the Santa Cruz Evening News in 1930. Rowland was a serious student of local history and developed a vast card file, based mostly on primary sources. He wrote several books on local history in the 1940s, and these were collected together and reprinted in 1980 as Santa Cruz: The Early Years. His wife, Jennette, continued to maintain the card file after her husband's death and willed it to UCSC. For more on the Rowlands and online access to the card file, click here.
Ernest Otto
MAH collection
Santa Cruz native Ernest Otto (1871-1955) was not a historian in the traditional sense. He did not do "research." He lived Santa Cruz history and recorded what he saw. As a young man he gathered news for the Surf, and in later years had a regular column, "Old Santa Cruz," in the Sentinel. His meticulous recollections of the town's earlier days brought to life that bygone era, capturing it in print for generations yet unborn. His career as a local journalist spanned 70 years and earned him the unofficial title of "Mr. Santa Cruz." Scrapbooks of his columns are preserved at MAH. For more information, see "A Historian For All Time," in the book, Santa Cruz is in the Heart, by Geoffrey Dunn (1989).
Preston Sawyer
More than anything else, Preston Sawyer was a collector. He collected old photos of Santa Cruz, books on California history, postal memorabilia, and materials on the early movie industry in Santa Cruz. Born in 1899, Sawyer grew up in downtown Santa Cruz, attended Santa Cruz High, and worked as a writer, photographer, and later a proofreader for local newspapers. From 1948 to 1959 he contributed a feature in the Santa Cruz Sentinel called "Santa Cruz Yesterdays." Each week he shared an old photo and wrote a short story about it. Much of his vast collection was purchased in 1965 by the library at UCSC and the Santa Cruz Public Library. He died in 1968. See the article "Dissecting Jumbo," pages 7-8, for more on Sawyer and his collection.
Tom McHugh
Thomas L. McHugh was described in his obituary as cantankerous, irascible, bellicose, feisty, and a longtime hellraiser. The Brookdale resident was also a historian, genealogist, and newspaper publisher. He moved to Santa Cruz as a child in 1915 and later worked as a reporter for the Santa Cruz Evening News. In the late 1940s and early 1950s he published Riptide, a popular weekly paper that ran many historical articles penned by McHugh. The famous centennial edition of 1950 remains a valuable resource. His historical scrapbooks (click here) are at Special Collections, UCSC. McHugh died in 1986 at age 77 (see Santa Cruz Sentinel, Feb. 23, 1986, p. A-3).
Don Clark
Donald T. Clark (1911-1993) came to Santa Cruz in 1962 to serve as founding librarian at the new University of California campus. He immediately recognized that the University could play an important role in recording and preserving the history of the region by collecting photos, maps, books, and other materials and conducting oral histories. Don Clark's favorite topic was the origin of place names. His research on Santa Cruz area names culminated in the publication of the book Santa Cruz County Place Names in 1986. He also wrote Monterey County Place Names (1991). Click here for the Donald T. Clark oral history.
Edna Kimbro
Edna Kimbro’s love of adobe buildings began in Monterey where she grew up. In the 1970s she and her husband, Joe, purchased and restored the Branciforte Adobe in Santa Cruz. During the 1980s she led the effort to restore the Santa Cruz Mission Adobe, researched its history, and did the furnishing plan. In 1988 she and Joe moved into the Castro Adobe near Watsonville and later arranged for it to be made into a state park. In 1999 she became a State Parks Historian for the Monterey District and wrote numerous reports on the conservation of historic adobe buildings. She was nationally recognized for her work and was the author of the book, California Missions: History, Art, and Preservation (published posthumously in 2009). Edna passed away in 2005 at age 57. See “Edna Kimbro: Restored Adobe Landmarks,” by Mary Rourke, Los Angeles Times, July 11, 2005.
Edna Kimbro’s love of adobe buildings began in Monterey where she grew up. In the 1970s she and her husband, Joe, purchased and restored the Branciforte Adobe in Santa Cruz. During the 1980s she led the effort to restore the Santa Cruz Mission Adobe, researched its history, and did the furnishing plan. In 1988 she and Joe moved into the Castro Adobe near Watsonville and later arranged for it to be made into a state park. In 1999 she became a State Parks Historian for the Monterey District and wrote numerous reports on the conservation of historic adobe buildings. She was nationally recognized for her work and was the author of the book, California Missions: History, Art, and Preservation (published posthumously in 2009). Edna passed away in 2005 at age 57. See “Edna Kimbro: Restored Adobe Landmarks,” by Mary Rourke, Los Angeles Times, July 11, 2005.
Betty Lewis
Betty Bagby Lewis (1925-2008) grew up in Santa Cruz but lived much of her life in Watsonville. She began researching and writing about Pajaro Valley history in the early 1970s and for 33 years had a weekly column in the Register-Pajaronian. She authored several books and boadcast weekly history stories on KOMY radio, specializing in accounts of ordinary people. She also wrote a biography of architct William Weeks and a book on the strange story of Holy City. She served as President of the Pajaro Valley Historical Association and received many local honors. Her historical files were bequeathed to PVHA and are available to researchers. For more information, click here.
Margaret Koch
Margaret Koch (pronounced "coke") was a fourth-generation Santa Cruz County resident and staff writer for the Santa Cruz Sentinel from 1957 to 1981. She loved to write stories on local history—interviewing oldtimers or helping publicize history-related events. She also authored several books on Santa Cruz history and was active with the Santa Cruz Historical Society, one of the ancestral organizations of the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (where her photo collection now resides). She inspired many people to take up the pursuit of local history. She died in 2011 in Oregon at age 92. Link to obituary.
Rick Hamman
Rick Hamman (1944-2014) was the author of California Central Coast Railways (1980), Steinbeck Country Narrow Gage (with Horace W. Fabing, 1985), and Santa Cruz County: Restless Paradise (co-author, 1987). He also published two works on the history of gold mining and mining claims in the Santa Cruz Mountains. He worked at many different jobs, but his main interests were railroad and transportation history, photography, and writing. For a time he pursued reactivating the railroad line through the mountains between Santa Cruz and San Jose. In later years, Rick lived in Texas where he sold photographs online.
Rick Hamman (1944-2014) was the author of California Central Coast Railways (1980), Steinbeck Country Narrow Gage (with Horace W. Fabing, 1985), and Santa Cruz County: Restless Paradise (co-author, 1987). He also published two works on the history of gold mining and mining claims in the Santa Cruz Mountains. He worked at many different jobs, but his main interests were railroad and transportation history, photography, and writing. For a time he pursued reactivating the railroad line through the mountains between Santa Cruz and San Jose. In later years, Rick lived in Texas where he sold photographs online.
Phil Reader
Philip Glen Reader (1940-2014) was a Santa Cruz County native who grew up in the Live Oak area. Fascinated by local history, he delved into old newspapers, spending countless hours immersed in the past. When Phil talked about local history, it was almost as though he had lived it. He specialized in ferreting out the stories of those groups of people underrepresented in local history books: minorities, outlaws, prostitutes, and southern sympathizers during the Civil War. He was the author of numerous publications, including a history of Live Oak School, a history of African Americans in Santa Cruz County, and a booklet on children who died in the diphtheria epidemic of the 1860s. He edited and contributed to Santa Cruz County History Journal Number 3 on the history of Branciforte and wrote the section on "The 'Missing' Pioneers" in History Journal Number 4. History Journal Number 8, published in 2016, was dedicated to Phil. In 2013 he co-authored The Guide to Holy Cross Cemetery. He had reserved space there so as to be with his beloved pioneers. Link to obituary.
Philip Glen Reader (1940-2014) was a Santa Cruz County native who grew up in the Live Oak area. Fascinated by local history, he delved into old newspapers, spending countless hours immersed in the past. When Phil talked about local history, it was almost as though he had lived it. He specialized in ferreting out the stories of those groups of people underrepresented in local history books: minorities, outlaws, prostitutes, and southern sympathizers during the Civil War. He was the author of numerous publications, including a history of Live Oak School, a history of African Americans in Santa Cruz County, and a booklet on children who died in the diphtheria epidemic of the 1860s. He edited and contributed to Santa Cruz County History Journal Number 3 on the history of Branciforte and wrote the section on "The 'Missing' Pioneers" in History Journal Number 4. History Journal Number 8, published in 2016, was dedicated to Phil. In 2013 he co-authored The Guide to Holy Cross Cemetery. He had reserved space there so as to be with his beloved pioneers. Link to obituary.
Jane Borg (1931-2018) grew up in Watsonville and was a 1948 graduate of Watsonville High School. She graduated from U.C. Berkeley with a degree in public health. She eventually became a school teacher, retiring in 1983. Jane volunteered with several nonprofit organizations including 40 years with the Pajaro Valley Historical Association (PVHA). She instigated or assisted with many important local history projects and helped organize the PVHA’s priceless collection of historic photographs and documents. “Jane was the epicenter for Pajaro Valley History for many, many years—a most generous colleague, always willing to share and help whomever asked,” wrote Sandy Lydon of Cabrillo College. She moved to Oregon in 2011, but continued transcribing oral histories for PVHA. The Borina Archive and Alzora Snyder and Jane Borg Research Center at PVHA was established in 2013 and recognizes her importance to preserving Pajaro Valley history. (See “Remembering Jane Borg,” History Lives Here, September 2018, pp. 2-4)
John Chase (1953-2010) lived in Santa Cruz for only a short time while a student at UCSC in the early 1970s. However, his impact on the study of local history is felt to this very day. He fell in love with Santa Cruz while living here and began studying the town's architecture and history. The result was The Sidewalk Companion to Santa Cruz Architecture. He devoted hundreds of hours to the project, even though it was not for class credit. He poured through old newspapers and other sources, compiling notes on 3,000 index cards. The title is slightly misleading, for it is as rich in historical information as it is in architectural descriptions. Many of the buildings discussed are ones no longer standing. The book was first published in 1975, with a second edition in 1979, and a third edition in 2005. A fourth edition is in the works.
Joan Gilbert Martin (1930-2022) moved to Santa Cruz in 1966. She taught high school history and worked as a technical editor. She devoted her later years to volunteering at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History and at Special Collections and Archives, UCSC. As a member of the MAH Publications Committee, she edited many historical publications including A Gathering of Voices, Pathways to the Past, and Do You Know My Name?. At UCSC she helped transcribe and index the Leon Rowland card file and index the Dorothy Deming Wheeler scrapbooks. She contributed articles to two issues of the Santa Cruz County History Journal and co-authored with Colleen McInerney-Meagher the book Pogonip: Jewel of Santa Cruz. In 2009 she was honored by the MAH History Forum as "Historian of the Year."
Stanley D. Stevens (1933-2022) made major contributions to Santa Cruz County historical research for over fifty years. From 1965 to 1993 he served as Map Librarian at UCSC where he assembled a vast collection of historical maps of the area. After retiring, he devoted much of his time to local history projects. While on the board of the old Santa Cruz Historical Society he secured funding for the publication of Santa Cruz County Place Names and subsequent publications. He was founder of the Santa Cruz County History Journal series, co-founder of Researchers Anonymous, and served for twenty years as chair of the Publications Committee at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History. Many of his projects were aimed at helping others. These included indexing historical publications and publishing works such as Names on the Map (2020). With Joan Martin he transcribed and indexed the Leon Rowland Card File at the McHenry Library, UCSC. His own research focused on the life and contributions of F. A. Hihn. In 2000 he was honored by the MAH History Forum as "Historian of the Year." An oral history with Stan can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2yGVhcxK-M
Click below for a list of selected publications.
Click below for a list of selected publications.
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Randall C. Brown (1951-2023) lived in several parts of the U.S. before finally settling in the San Lorenzo Valley and beginning his studies of that area’s rich history. Randy was a stickler for accuracy and relied heavily on primary sources such as contemporary newspaper accounts and public records. He wrote two books: The San Lorenzo Water District—A History, and Santa Cruz’s Seabright (co-authored with Traci Bliss). He also assisted with the book Evergreen Cemetery of Santa Cruz (by Traci Bliss). He contributed articles to the Santa Cruz County History Journal, Good Times, Press Banner, and San Lorenzo Valley Post.
Randall produced several documentary movies and also conducted research on baseball history and the early history of motion pictures made in Santa Cruz County.
Randall was an active part of the San Lorenzo Valley community and in 2012 was elected to the board of directors of the San Lorenzo Valley Water District. In 2014 he was named San Lorenzo Valley Chamber of Commerce "Citizen of the Year." In 2017 he was named a "Distinguished Historian" by the History Forum.
Randall produced several documentary movies and also conducted research on baseball history and the early history of motion pictures made in Santa Cruz County.
Randall was an active part of the San Lorenzo Valley community and in 2012 was elected to the board of directors of the San Lorenzo Valley Water District. In 2014 he was named San Lorenzo Valley Chamber of Commerce "Citizen of the Year." In 2017 he was named a "Distinguished Historian" by the History Forum.
Remembering Some Past Researchers Anonymous Members
Rick Homer
Rick Homer, long time Researchers Anonymous member, passed away in 2011. Rick was an avid photographer and collector of old postcards and other Santa Cruz memorabilia. He was also a Vietnam War veteran and regularly participated in Memorial Day events at Evergreen Cemetery.
Sara Bunnett
Sara Bunnett (1919-2006) immersed herself in numerous community activities including the UCSC Women's Club, the School Board, S.C.O.P.E., the League of Women Voters, the Santa Cruz Genealogical Society, several library boards, and the Friends of the Library. She is perhaps best known to historians and genealogists for leading the effort to index Santa Cruz newspapers and various county records. She was a formidable advocate for causes she strongly believed in and considered libraries a foundation of our democracy. To read more about Sara, see Santa Cruz Sentinel, Nov. 2, 2006.
David Heron
David W. Heron (1920-2009) grew up in southern California and received his masters in library sciences from UC Berkeley in 1951. He worked at libraries in California, Japan, Nevada, and Kansas before becoming head of the library at UCSC in 1974. In retirement, he enjoyed sailing and writing. He is best known to local history buffs as the author of Forever Facing South, in which he tells the story of the "cement ship" at Seacliff Beach. David was a regular, though quiet, participant at many RA meetings. For more about David, click here.
Esther Rice
Courtesy Capitola Museum
Esther Rice often attended RA meetings in the early years and in 1996 gave a lecture on local aviation history. She and her husband, Russell, operated the Capitola Airport from 1945 to 1954 and the Skypark Airport in Scotts Valley from 1951 to 1967. In later years she volunteered many hours identifying old photos for Special Collections at UCSC. She died at age 94 in 2002 (see Sentinel, August 18, 2002).
Lillian Rouse
MAH collection
Were it not for Lillian McPherson Rouse (1908-2005), there might not be a Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History. She and other members of the McPherson family made a substantial donation to kick off the fundraising campaign for the Museum in the late 1980s. A Watsonville resident born and raised in Santa Cruz, she was extraordinarily active with civic organizations in both towns and strived to build bridges between communities. She frequently attended RA meetings, sharing stories of her long family history in and around Santa Cruz County. For more about Lillian, see the Sentinel, December 14, 2005.
Barbara Kennedy
Barbara Kennedy (1927-2010) became associated with the San Lorenzo Valley Museum shortly after she moved to Boulder Creek in 1991, and helped with the relocation to the former Grace Episcopal Church building in 1996. For 18 years she was the owner of a store in the heart of Boulder Creek called "The Country Home" that specialized in American folk art, which she closed in 2004 to concentrate on historical research. Barbara was a member of the Historic Resources Commission, the MAH Historic Landmark Committee of Santa Cruz County, and was an active participant in Researchers Anonymous. She was the recipient of the Sourisseau Academy for State and Local History Award (San Jose State University) to conduct research for her book, Historic Homes of Boulder Creek, which documents the lives of some of the early residents of Boulder Creek and the homes they built. She was a contributing author to Santa Cruz County History Journal Number 6, “Pathways to the Past.” Link to obituary.
Paul Tutwiler
A former priest and philosophy instructor, Paul Tutwiler (1929-2014) became interested in Santa Cruz area history upon retiring to Bonny Doon in 1996. One of his first local history projects was a history of the Williams Brothers and Rancho Arroyo de la Laguna, which he wrote with his wife, Miriam. At Researchers Anonymous meetings he often shared amusing and curious stories from his investigations into the history of spirituality in Santa Cruz County. Paul wrote extensively on this subject, based on years of detailed research. He contributed an article to Santa Cruz County History Journal No. 6, several to the Santa Cruz Public Library website, and established the website, santacruzspirituality.net.
A former priest and philosophy instructor, Paul Tutwiler (1929-2014) became interested in Santa Cruz area history upon retiring to Bonny Doon in 1996. One of his first local history projects was a history of the Williams Brothers and Rancho Arroyo de la Laguna, which he wrote with his wife, Miriam. At Researchers Anonymous meetings he often shared amusing and curious stories from his investigations into the history of spirituality in Santa Cruz County. Paul wrote extensively on this subject, based on years of detailed research. He contributed an article to Santa Cruz County History Journal No. 6, several to the Santa Cruz Public Library website, and established the website, santacruzspirituality.net.
Dart Keech
Dart Keech (1929-2015) was born in Ohio and worked for IBM and later as a computer programer for Lockheed. He moved to Santa Cruz in 1973. Dart volunteered for many different organizations and was a docent at Wilder Ranch State Park. He frequently attended Researchers Anonymous meetings where he shared his research on the Burrell Family of the summit area.
Dart Keech (1929-2015) was born in Ohio and worked for IBM and later as a computer programer for Lockheed. He moved to Santa Cruz in 1973. Dart volunteered for many different organizations and was a docent at Wilder Ranch State Park. He frequently attended Researchers Anonymous meetings where he shared his research on the Burrell Family of the summit area.
Allan Molho
Allan Molho (1942-2016) grew up in Southern California, sold equipment for recreational boaters, and was an avid sailor. Allan attended a number of RA meetings during the early 2000s while he was researching 19th century maritime shipping in the Monterey Bay area. Allan served on the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History board of trustees and also on the board of the Agricultural History Project in Watsonville. He co-authored the book Lime Kiln Legacies, contributing to the section on the shipping of lime by water.
Allan Molho (1942-2016) grew up in Southern California, sold equipment for recreational boaters, and was an avid sailor. Allan attended a number of RA meetings during the early 2000s while he was researching 19th century maritime shipping in the Monterey Bay area. Allan served on the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History board of trustees and also on the board of the Agricultural History Project in Watsonville. He co-authored the book Lime Kiln Legacies, contributing to the section on the shipping of lime by water.
Wayne Thalls Jr.
Wayne Thalls Jr. (1924-2016) was a regular participant in Researcher's Anonymous meetings for many years, often contributing tips on doing genealogical research. Wayne was born in Indiana and served in the U. S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He worked for RCA before being recruited by Plantronics in Santa Cruz. He was a lifelong HAM radio operator and was a member of the Santa Cruz County Amateur Radio Club. Wayne spent eight days following the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake directing HAM communication efforts for the Amateur Radio Emergency Services. Wayne lived in Santa Cruz County for 47 years, and was a longtime member of the local Genealogical Society.
Wayne Thalls Jr. (1924-2016) was a regular participant in Researcher's Anonymous meetings for many years, often contributing tips on doing genealogical research. Wayne was born in Indiana and served in the U. S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He worked for RCA before being recruited by Plantronics in Santa Cruz. He was a lifelong HAM radio operator and was a member of the Santa Cruz County Amateur Radio Club. Wayne spent eight days following the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake directing HAM communication efforts for the Amateur Radio Emergency Services. Wayne lived in Santa Cruz County for 47 years, and was a longtime member of the local Genealogical Society.
Peter McGettigan
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Michael D. Luther
Mike frequently attended RA meetings for over 20 years. Mike’s interest in the local lime industry dated back to the 1950s when, while driving along Highway 9, he came upon the abandoned Cowell lime kilns at Rincon. At that time, many of the support buildings were still there, such as the cookhouse and cooperage, along with old trucks, barrels, and tools.
Mike was trained as an engineer and worked in later years for Granite Rock. He had a broad general knowledge of the mineral industry and also was very knowledgable about railroads.
In the early 2000s Mike joined Frank Perry, Bob Piwarzyk, Allen Molho, Alverda Orlando, and Sierra Perry in researching and producing the book Lime Kiln Legacies (published in 2007). This project greatly benefited from Mike’s expertise and discussions with the other authors. Mike passed away July 12, 2020 and will be dearly missed.
Mike frequently attended RA meetings for over 20 years. Mike’s interest in the local lime industry dated back to the 1950s when, while driving along Highway 9, he came upon the abandoned Cowell lime kilns at Rincon. At that time, many of the support buildings were still there, such as the cookhouse and cooperage, along with old trucks, barrels, and tools.
Mike was trained as an engineer and worked in later years for Granite Rock. He had a broad general knowledge of the mineral industry and also was very knowledgable about railroads.
In the early 2000s Mike joined Frank Perry, Bob Piwarzyk, Allen Molho, Alverda Orlando, and Sierra Perry in researching and producing the book Lime Kiln Legacies (published in 2007). This project greatly benefited from Mike’s expertise and discussions with the other authors. Mike passed away July 12, 2020 and will be dearly missed.
Colleen McInerney-Meagher. (1925-2020) Colleen attended a number of RA meetings through the years and on two occasions gave lectures about the history of women's polo at Pogonip. She and her sister, Elaine, played polo there in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Colleen was born in Hollywood and lived in several cities around California. She returned to Santa Cruz County in 1984 and authored two books: Comin' Thru: The Golden Age of Women's Polo 1934-1941, and Pogonip: Jewel of Santa Cruz (co-authored with Joan Gilbert Martin). She also served as at docent at Elkhorn Slough.
Harry Mayo. Harry was born in 1923 and died in 2023 at age 99. He attended RA meetings for many years, often sharing his firsthand knowledge of local surfing history. In the years just before World War II, he was a member of the original Santa Cruz Surfing Club. He served in the Coast Guard during the war and later served as a firefighter with the Santa Cruz Fire Department for 30 years. He granted many interviews on surfing history and was a weekly volunteer at the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum. He assembled a collection of over 1,300 old surfing photographs, which he donated to Special Collections at the UCSC library (available online as the Harry Mayo Surfing Photography Collection, https://calisphere.org/collections/27156/). He was also a photographer and documented important events around Santa Cruz such as the construction of the Small Craft Harbor and San Lorenzo River Levees. See Santa Cruz Sentinel, February 16, 2023.
Santa Cruz artist Lynn Guenther (1965-2023) attended a number of Researchers Anonymous meetings while researching her book, Light of the Bay. The book is a fictionalized account of Santa Cruz lighthouse keeper and naturalist Laura Hecox. In it, Laura interacts with other Santa Cruz historical figures. Although fiction, Lynn carefully researched the life of Laura Hecox and others so that the parts based on real life would be as accurate as possible. Lynn talks about the book in this online video by the U.S. Lighthouse Society: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6dk0XrUESk
Annual "Distinguished Historian" Award
Each year the History Forum at MAH selects a "Distinguished Historian." Originally titled "Historian of the Year," it is given to people who have made important contributions to local history.
Historian of the Year
2000 Stanley D. Stevens
2001 Alverda Orlando
2002 Frank Perry
2003 Rachel McKay
2004 Norm Lezin
2005 Judy Steen
2006 Jane Borg
2007 Robert W. Piwarzyk
2008 Betty Lewis
2009 Joan Gilbert Martin
2010 Marion Pokriots
2011 Soquel Pioneer and Historical Association (group award for publication of Images of America: Soquel)
Distinguished Historian
2012 Sandy Lydon
2013 Norman and Kathleen Poitevin
2013 Carolyn Swift (Lifetime Achievement Award)
2014 Phil Reader (received posthumously)
2015 Geoffrey Dunn
2016 George Ow, Jr.
2017 Randall Brown
2018 - 2022 none selected
2023 Lisa Robinson
Historian of the Year
2000 Stanley D. Stevens
2001 Alverda Orlando
2002 Frank Perry
2003 Rachel McKay
2004 Norm Lezin
2005 Judy Steen
2006 Jane Borg
2007 Robert W. Piwarzyk
2008 Betty Lewis
2009 Joan Gilbert Martin
2010 Marion Pokriots
2011 Soquel Pioneer and Historical Association (group award for publication of Images of America: Soquel)
Distinguished Historian
2012 Sandy Lydon
2013 Norman and Kathleen Poitevin
2013 Carolyn Swift (Lifetime Achievement Award)
2014 Phil Reader (received posthumously)
2015 Geoffrey Dunn
2016 George Ow, Jr.
2017 Randall Brown
2018 - 2022 none selected
2023 Lisa Robinson