Dreher, John

John Dreher (1814-1885) was one of the earliest German immigrants, coming to San Francisco in 1847 as a member of the 1st Regiment of New York Volunteers, a unit formed to served in the Mexican-American War. After mustering out, he came to Santa Cruz in 1849, acquiring 11 acres of farmland in what is now a downtown residential neighborhood, bounded by Laurel Street on the south and Center Street on the east.

• "The Official Survey of Santa Cruz", Santa Cruz Sentinel, June 23, 1866, 2:4.
• Riptide CE38, photo
• John L. Chase, The Sidewalk Companion to Santa Cruz Architecture (4th ed. 2023), Chapter Two, item (23), page 47.
• History Pages: 12 - Pioneer German-Speakers of Santa Cruz County

John and son August were Soc. of Pioneers members.