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Getting Over Hard Times, 2003
I was 8 and my grandmother had just died. My aunt, who lives 30 minutes away from the Boardwalk, took me and her daughter to the Boardwalk. She said it would help me forget. She was right. I remember so vividly that day. We were some of the first people to step in the park. They were still wiping the morning dew off of the rides. The first ride we went on was kind of like tea cups, I got really sick! My cousin asked the attendant to stop the ride, but I went right back on after taking a breather. Santa Cruz quickly became special to me, it will always be my favorite place in the world.
Sophia |
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Memories
I have great memories of the Boardwalk, especially involving my Mom who died from Alzheimers 3 years ago. I remember riding the bus from Watsonville to downtown Santa Cruz and walking up that long hill to the Boardwalk with my Mom and Dad picking us up after work.
I remember the Fun House and trying to walk through the rolling entry. My Mom always buying salt water taffy and those red and black raspberry candies. I remember her always wanting to play the "shoot the clown in the mouth with the water gun" game and the "throw a coin in the glass" game. (We had so many of those mismatched glasses from the Boardwalk.)
As I grew up I remember going on a night fieldtrip in junior high to the Boardwalk with my best friend Yvonne, playing video games and my first boyfriend Frank and then Monday nights after work heading there for $.25 corndogs and a few beers.
The Boardwalk always brings back great memories just as it did for my Mom. She would tell me how she would go there when the Arcade was "the Plunge" and how they would cruise the street in front and push their boyfriends heads down everytime a goodlooking guy would go by so they could flirt. Now I feel like her, reminiscing and knowing that everytime I go back to ride the Giant Dipper a part of my Mom will be with me.
Aletha Myers-Chavez |
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Summers of Happiness, 1969
Every summer my mother and I take my two boys (age 11 and 14) to Santa Cruz for a week. My parents brought me when I was a girl and my mother's parents brought her. I feel like a little kid every time I go to Santa Cruz, as I relive my childhood years through my children. I tell my boys about the year when I was eight years old I almost drowned but a teenage boy saved my life. I remember all the shells I collected, the rides I went on, the sandcastles I made. Thank you for providing many years of happiness for our entire family.
Laura Baker |
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Mr. and Mrs. Lou and Sunny Bordisso, 1950
Submitted by: Bordisso Family |
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The Boardwalk Was My Playground, 1972
The Boardwalk was my home for many years. I lived on Beach St. at the Casa Alta Apartments. Every day I came across the street to the Boardwalk. The security guards took very good care of me, as did all the staff. I ate, played and would help with the puppet show for Jack and Sandy. I loved the old spin ride that would fly everybody off into the air. I was five years old and would ride the roller coaster by myself. My mother worked at Malio's restaurant on the wharf for many years. Whenever I get to Santa Cruz, I always go see Gilda, she is family to me. Santa Cruz will always be home and the Boardwalk was literally and will always be home to me.
Sammi |
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Dad at the Boardwalk, 1949
My dad, Frank DiSalvo, spending a day at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk.
Paulette |
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Family Photos, 1914-1950
My earliest family photo is from 1914. The others are from the 1950s.
Sue
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 Family Togetherness on the Boardwalk, 1947
During the summer of 1947 my father Harold Blackmore, my mother, and I all worked on the Boardwalk. I worked for ?Lane's Custards? stand.
When my Dad first started he worked the brake at the Giant Dipper. His second stint was working at the Haunted House. One day the people coming out of the Haunted House were especially frightened. It seems the high school student working in the darkened ride was touching the guests as they rode by. He got a tongue lashing from Dad.
His last job was managing the Fun House and after working there awhile he suggested the company put in a public address system to reach the kids goofing off. You may remember my Dad yelling at them to behave.
When it was time for our evening meal my mother, younger sisters, and I would meet in a back room of the Fun House and have a home cooked meal.
During the winter months Dad worked as a painter touchng up the Merry-Go-Round horses, and other painting jobs on the Boardwalk.
Four generations of my family have enjoyed the Boardwalk and we have many pleasant memories.
Doreen Wurts
Photo Caption: Harold Blackmore (2nd from right) & Fun House Crew |
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Aunt Helen, 1920
This is a my aunt Helen Kearney (left) at the Santa Cruz Main Beach in 1920. She later became the head of the Berkeley library System. She lived to be 98 years old.
Ken Kearney |
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Forever a California Girl, 1965
Along time has passed but my memories of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk will be forever etched in my mind.
I grew up in San Jose and Morgan Hill along with my cousins who are 6-10 years older than me. I was the little "tagalong" when they went to the Boardwalk and am sure I put a crimp in their plans more often than not! My most memorable trip was the time I begged to ride the Rock-O-Planes but my cousin Rick had been told not to take me on anything that would scare me. He made a deal that he would take me on the Rock-O-Planes if I (who had never ridden a roller coaster) would ride the Giant Dipper! Long story short, we rode the Dipper and never got on the Rock-O-Planes because we used up all of our money buying tickets for the Giant Dipper. I have been a roller coaster nut ever since!
I have many memories of the Fun House, the Carousel, eating tacos on the bench in front of the Wild Mouse and yes even getting sick on the ride back home because I just had to have one more chocolate milkshake!
I haven't been back in 20 years or so but it is a part of my childhood that will always connect this California Girl to weekends of laughter and family fun!
Becky Crist |
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Left by our big brother, 1971
When I was 7 and my older sister Sylvia was 8 our teenage brother John took us to the Boardwalk. We played for a while and then my brother decided to run away from home.....and from us! We were left all alone at the Boardwalk about 2 miles from home. We were not sure how to get back home so we just started crying until a police officer came to our rescue and brought us home to our parents who were very relieved because we were several hours late getting home.
Janet |
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