Santa Cruz, California

Santa Cruz County

06-69112

Santa Cruz is a city in Santa Cruz County in the U.S. state of California, United States, with 54,700 inhabitants ( 2004) and the county seat of administration.

The geographic coordinates are: 36.97 ° N, 122.04 ° West. The metropolitan area has a size of 40.4 km ². Santa Cruz is located about 100 km south of San Francisco on the northern edge of the Monterey Bay.

Northwest of the town is the campus of the University of California, Santa Cruz.

History

After the area around Santa Cruz was first inhabited by Ohlone Indians, the Mission Santa Cruz was by the Spaniards in the middle of the 18th century built. It was named after the Catholic feast of the foundation.

The mission was the twelfth of 21 in Alta California (Upper California). It was founded on August 28, 1791 by Padre Fermin Lasuén. Originally it was built near the mouth of San Lorenzo, but moved to a flood in the first winter to a higher place. Worked and lived in her Ohlone and later Yokut Indians and were converted to the Christian faith. In 1818, the mission for fear was cleared in front of a pirate attack. Spanish farm workers and entlassende convicts and soldiers who settled in the vicinity and were actually set up to protect the mission, plundered the vacant mission, rather than to protect them from an attack. Through the further destruction by earthquake of mission operations mid-19th century came to a complete standstill. The name Santa Cruz was assumed, however, for the surrounding settlements. The Ohlone were threatened and expelled by the Spanish settlers, many died of disease or by working hard for the Spanish colonizers.

In the 19th century, the population increased by immigrants from Scotland, Italy, China and Portugal. The Spanish settlers were dispossessed and expelled after California became a state in the United States of the white immigrants.

In the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, many buildings were damaged especially in the city center, some of the brick buildings collapsed. The earthquake five people died.

The real estate bubble at the beginning of the 21st century led to a multiplication of house prices within a few years, and Santa Cruz had in 2007 with the highest real estate prices in the USA from. After the bursting of the housing bubble, the average house prices have fallen by about 44 % (as of 2009) from their peak.

Economy

University

The University of California, Santa Cruz ( UCSC ) is the most important economic factor and the largest employer in the city. It is estimated that by the University in Santa Cruz and around the economic performance of about 1 billion U.S. dollars ( 2005) higher. The University of Santa Cruz is also famous for your program in astrophysics and marine science. Furthermore, the University for their liberality is known. For example, it has one of the highest rates of all lesbians universities of the USA and is also a haven for hippies and alternative.

Industrial and commercial

Traditional industry and manufacturing are mostly migrated due to high cost, however, is for the United States rather unique culture of the city a good breeding ground for business enterprises with innovative products. Well-known sports brands like O'Neill ( surfing equipment ), or Osprey ( Backpacks ) participated in Santa Cruz began. But even small businesses that deal with alternative energy are over-represented in Santa Cruz.

Technology

Many smaller technology companies have settled here as an offshoot of the computer industry from the nearby Silicon Valley. A well known example is the company's Full Power of Borland founder Philippe Kahn and multimillionaire.

Tourism

In Santa Cruz, which is also known as Surf City USA, surfed for the first time in 1885 in California. To this day, many international surfing competitions in Santa Cruz held on West Cliff Drive.

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, the oldest amusement park in California ( worth seeing: Giant Dipper of 1924), still forms the basis for that tourism is an important economic source of the city.

Trade

Besides the usual retail chains in the U.S. are found in Santa Cruz a high number of stores that sell organic food ( organic products ). The numerous surf and sporting goods stores are also a hallmark of the city.

Traffic

The city is connected via Highway 1 and Highway 17 on the California highway network. The nearest international airport is located in San Jose, the next Regional Airport in Watsonville. The leading from Santa Cruz to Gilroy railway line is used today both for tourists as well as for freight. One branch leads through the redwood forests of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park ( 37 ° 02'24, 59 "N; 122 ° 03'46 .64" W) to the site Felton. The Port of Santa Cruz has only tourist importance and is the contact point for sailors from all over the world. The city operates a small network of city buses connecting to neighboring cities and San Jose. The bus company Greyhound has a bus station. The urban road network is also designed to be very pedestrian-and cyclist-friendly.

Sons and daughters of the town

County (United States) Santa Cruz County, California Federal Information Processing Standards Ohlone people Name day 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake Jeff Ballard (musician)
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