History Pages: 54 - Timeline of Santa Cruz City, County government
From Santa Cruz County history wiki
For a table of contents, see History pages.
- 1846-1850: From the beginning of US military occupation in July, 1846 until adoption of a state constitution in November 1849, local government operated under the military occupation government of California, keeping the existing Mexican civil structure, conducting business in the Mexican-era juzgado, owned in 1848 by William Blackburn.
- 1850: Santa Cruz County created following California statehood on September 8; previously appointed officials remain until 1852
- 1852: First County elections to fill new County offices
- 1852: County buys lot and building on Plaza from Thomas Fallon, for use as a courthouse and county offices
- 1857: County builds wooden jail (see: Jails) on former Fallon lot (now owned by Holy Cross church)
- 1864: County builds second jail, on same lot, of cut stone blocks.
- 1866: County builds first courthouse on Cooper Street
- 1866: Town of Santa Cruz incorporated; 3-member board of trustees elected
- 1876: City of Santa Cruz chartered
- 1876: First Santa Cruz City Hall built on Front Street
- 1882: County Hall of Records (Octagon) built.
- 1890: County jail built on Front Street, adjacent to Hall of Records, with connecting door (see: Jails).
- 1894: After fire destroyed the first courthouse and the adjacent Ely Block, the County acquired the Ely (Ely's Block) parcel at Pacific & Cooper, and built a second, larger courthouse.
- 1905: The City of Santa Cruz doubled its area by annexing the Eastside.
- 1955-1968: Following the flood of December 1955, redevelopment led to a new County Governmental Center, courthouse, and later a new jail (1981). See Down By the Riverside.
