Watsonville, Santa Cruz County Get September Honors From State

WATSONVILLE, CA — The State of California has named Watsonville "City of the Month" and Santa Cruz as "County of the Month."

The September recognitions are from The California State Library's History Section and are part of an effort to better support the work of local governments and historical societies in promoting and preserving the past.

The state library started the City of the Month program in July 2018 as a companion to its County of the Month program, which began in 2017. The recognitions honor the diverse character of California's many cities and counties while providing research tips to people interested in finding out more about California local history.

In honoring Watsonville, the California State Library posted this on its website:

"First laid out as a town in 1852, the city of Watsonville boasted an estimated population of 53,920 people as of 2018. In addition to being situated on a historic California rancho and being the birthplace of Martinelli’s sparkling cider, this area was also the chosen residence of famous California architect W. H. Weeks. Not surprisingly, given this city’s historic nature, it has a number of historical societies and museums celebrating everything from the region’s rich agricultural heritage to its fire department. If you are looking for exciting local history resources in the California History Section's rich collections, then check out what we have for this city!"

In honoring the County of Santa Cruz, this was posted:

"Congratulations to our September County of the Month, Santa Cruz! Designated as a county in 1850, Santa Cruz County had an estimated population of 274,255 people as of 2018. Not only is Santa Cruz County home to several natural wonders including amazing beaches, awe-inspiring redwood groves, and a gravity defying “Mystery Spot,” it is also the site of the third major Spanish settlement in California, Branciforte, several historic ranchos, and an early mission. It is even home to a concrete ship from WWI and the nation’s longest covered bridge! Given this rich past, it isn’t surprising that it also boasts a number of different historical societies and historic preservation organizations. If you are looking for exciting local history resources in the California History Section's rich collections, then check out what we have for this county!"