Summers in Santa Cruz, 1960

I was born and rasied in Madera, in the central San Joaquin Valley. We knew summer was coming the first time a commercial for the Boardwalk televised on TV.  I also knew it was time to start saving my nickels and pennies for "Skee Ball"!!!

Every summer we'd come to Santa Cruz to spend our week summer vacation.  Our family of 5 stayed in a little three room cottage for a weekright across from the Boardwalk (in a place that is no longer there)... good thing we were all young!  

The best times of my life were spent in Santa Cruz.  The best place when I was about 5 years old was the Fun House.  My parents would drop me off and then pick me up hours later.  I met so many friends for a week... and had many good times - the barrel, the slide, the waves, the wheel... We would see tons of people from our hometown of Madera at the Boardwalk, as this was "the place" to be.  In Madera, temperatures could rise to over 100 degrees, so everyone came to Santa Cruz to cool off and have fun as well.  You could be guaranteed you'd see a dozen people that you knew!

The strolling pier, the trapeze artists over the beach, the Mouse, the Fun House, the Plunge, the salt water taffee, the people, the food....SKEE BALL!!! What a great time it used to be and still is!

Happy Birthday Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk!!!!

MaryAnn Methenitis

Ya-Ya Sisters Revisit Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, 1976

I had my fourteenth birthday party at the Boardwalk in 1976. Some of us had our photo taken. We hung out on the beach, had a picnic, and enjoyed the rides. My personal favorite has always been the Giant Dipper. In 1980, Brenda got married and we all attended her wedding. Some of us returned to the Boardwalk and had our picture taken again! This year, we will celebrate our 7th year of all getting together for a fun weekend, and we will spend it in Santa Cruz going down memory lane where we spent many fun-filled days growing up!

Kathy

Working at the Boardwalk,  1978

When I was a kid it was a right of passage to work at the Boardwalk. I worked at the Walk when I was 15 1/2 years old to save money to buy a car. I worked at a puppet show next to the Arcade. I was a costumed character called Big Foot. I spent my day greeting families before each show and taking pictures with people. Once a day the Pelican  would come down to dance with me. We danced to the disco sound track of Saturday Night Fever, John Travolta style. We would draw a crowd. This is a picture of me as  Big foot in 1978.

Laura Morris Reyes