1989 Loma Prieta earthquake

The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake occurred at 5:04 pm on October 17, 1989. A large number of the oldest structures - especially in the historical downtown areas of Santa Cruz and Watsonville - were damaged/demolished.

• "Buildings Demolished in Downtown Santa Cruz as a Result of the Loma Prieta Earthquake, 1989" (SCPL Local History Articles)
• SCPL Historical Photograph collection includes a large number of post-earthquake images from downtown Santa Cruz.
• Lauren Hepler, "Loma Prieta: A Look Back", October 17, 2019, Good Times. Accessed Mar. 22, 2024.

Many downtown businesses were displaced when the earthquake damaged Pacific Avenue commercial buildings like those shown in the upper photo at right. A number of those found temporary homes in the "Phoenix Pavilions", tent-like structures set up in nearby city-owned parking lots, like the one shown in the lowerer photo at right.