Santa Cruz Wharf

The Santa Cruz Wharf opened on December 5, 1914.{{cite web |first=Christine |last=Candelaria |title=Santa Cruz Wharf Celebrates a Century! |url=http://www.santacruz.org/blog/?p=3161 |website=SantaCruz.org |date=October 9, 2013 |access-date=April 23, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104031126/http://www.santacruz.org/blog/?p=3161 |archive-date=November 4, 2013}} The original purpose of building the wharf was for shipping potatoes to San Francisco for mining camps in the Sierra Nevada during the Gold Rush. After the opening of the South Pacific Coast Railroad and the improvement of land routes through the Santa Cruz Mountains, the Wharf's primary focus changed to be the base of the north Monterey Bay fishing industry.{{cite web|title=Changing History|url=http://www.santacruz.org/cruz-news/blog/?p=689|website=SantaCruz.org|access-date=April 23, 2015}} By the 1950s as Monterey Bay's sardine and other fish populations dwindled, nearly every family owned a vehicle and had money to spend on recreation. As a result, the Santa Cruz Wharf became predominantly a recreational destination.

On October 4, 2014, the community celebrated 100 years of the Santa Cruz Wharf with a festival including a pop-up museum exhibit, historic photo stand, bocce courts, face painting, Mavericks surfboard display, photo booth, Economic Development's Wharf Master Plan model and the Surfing Preservation Society's surf shack.{{cite web|title=Santa Cruz Wharf|url=http://www.cityofsantacruz.com/visiting/santa-cruz-wharf|website=City of Santa Cruz|access-date=April 23, 2015}} The festivities ended with fireworks.

In late October 2014, city council approved an improvement plan, subject to environmental review, hoping to find grant money to offset some of the estimated $24-29 million in repairs and improvements.{{Cite news |last=Whittaker |first=Brynne |date=October 29, 2014 |title=City Council approves Santa Cruz wharf improvement plan |url=https://www.ksbw.com/article/city-council-accepts-master-plan-for-santa-cruz-wharf-improvements/1055261 |access-date=December 26, 2024 |publisher=KSBW |language=en |quote=An engineering report found that the wharf is in fairly good shape despite its age, but will still need repairs such as new pavement and new timber piles that support the wharf. The additions and repairs could cost between $24-29 million. City council members made it clear that the city of Santa Cruz does not have the money to fund it fully.}}

In fall 2020, a group called "Don't Morph the Wharf", led by Gillian Greensite, demanded changes in the updated plan, including lower building heights and removal of a western walkway and new Landmark Building. The council approved the plan on November 24, 2020.{{Cite web |date=December 1, 2020 |title=Don't Morph the Wharf with Gillian Greensite |url=https://ksqd.org/dont-morph-the-wharf-with-gillian-greensite/ |access-date=December 26, 2024 |publisher=KSQD |language=en-US}} Greensite's group sued the City under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), claiming the Environmental Impact Report was done improperly.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}} The City was unable to secure state or federal grant money with the case in litigation, leading to further delays in improving and strengthening the wharf.{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

High surf in December 2023 damaged the wharf, forcing the temporary closure of the entire structure and leading to the demolition of a restaurant at its end.{{Cite web |last=Hamer |first=Cristal |date=December 29, 2023 |title=Santa Cruz Wharf reopens after being damaged by high surf |url=https://www.ksbw.com/article/santa-cruz-wharf-reopens-after-being-damaged-by-high-surf/46252858 |access-date=January 6, 2025 |website=KSBW |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Kinebrew |first=Brooke |date=October 24, 2024 |title=Demolition of Dolphin Restaurant at Santa Cruz Wharf is underway |url=https://www.ksbw.com/article/demolition-dolphin-restaurant-california-santa-cruz-wharf-underway/62698347 |access-date=January 6, 2025 |website=KSBW |language=en}} On December 23, 2024, an approximately {{convert|150|ft|m|adj=on}} section at the end of the wharf collapsed due to high waves. The wharf had accumulated a backlog of necessary repairs prior to the collapse, but engineers were unable to implement the repairs due to CEQA lawsuits.{{Cite web |last=Schrupp |first=Kenneth |date=December 27, 2024 |title=Storm collapses Santa Cruz wharf after activists resist upgrades for nearly a decade |url=https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_bb2fc7f6-c473-11ef-a5a8-33bbaa579e06.html |website=The Center Square |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Ramos |first=John |date=December 30, 2024 |title=Retired Santa Cruz Wharf supervisor says wharf was breaking apart, collapse could've been prevented |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/retired-santa-cruz-wharf-supervisor-says-collapse-never-had-to-happened/ |website=CBS San Francisco |language=en-US}} During the collapse, one city project manager and two contractors fell into the ocean together with equipment, two of whom were rescued while the third swam to shore.{{Cite news |last=Medina |first=Madilynne |date=December 23, 2024 |title=3 people fall into ocean after California's iconic Santa Cruz pier collapses |url=https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/part-santa-cruz-pier-collapsed-amid-massive-ocean-19998595.php |work=SFGate}} The public restroom building was washed up onto the beach.{{cite news |first=Aidin |last=Vaziri |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/california/article/santa-cruz-wharf-collapse-storms-19998521.php |title=Santa Cruz Wharf partially collapses as storms pound California coast; fear of 'additional' losses |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle|date=December 23, 2024}} With the loss of some 300 pilings, debris washed up as far as {{convert|10| miles}} away.{{r|KQED 2025-01-03}} The pier, along with the businesses on it, was closed for inspection of the damage.{{Cite web |last=Toohey |first=Grace |date=December 27, 2024 |title=Destructive waves keep thrashing Santa Cruz: 'Mother Nature holds the cards' |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-12-27/mother-nature-holds-the-cards-santa-cruzs-100-year-old-wharf-keeps-getting-pummeled |access-date=December 29, 2024 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} The pier reopened January 4, 2025, after it was determined the lost equipment did not pose a danger to the structure.{{Cite news |last=Lara |first=Juan Carlos |date=January 3, 2025 |title=Santa Cruz Wharf Set to Reopen Less Than 2 Weeks After Partial Collapse |url=https://www.kqed.org/news/12020233/santa-cruz-wharf-set-to-reopen-less-than-2-weeks-after-partial-collapse |access-date=January 4, 2025 |work=KQED |language=en}}

The wharf is a popular tourist attraction, nestled adjacent to the city's leading attraction, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Visitors flock to the wharf for a variety of restaurants, gift shops, wine tasting, candy stores, and just to stroll and peer down at the sea lions below. Annually, an estimated 1.5 million visitors come to the Santa Cruz Wharf to fish, shop, dine and sightsee.

The Surf City Classic "Woodies on the Wharf" is Northern California's largest woodie show that features more than 200 stylish, pre-1952 wood-bodied cars.{{Cite web |last=Kearney |first=Neal |date=July 3, 2024 |title=Woodies on the Wharf |url=https://www.scvibesmagazine.com/stories/woodies-on-the-wharf |access-date=December 29, 2024 |website=Santa Cruz Vibes Magazine |language=en}} A free bike valet is available.{{cite web|title=Woodies on the Wharf|url=http://www.santacruzwoodies.com/woodies-on-the-wharf/|website=Santa Cruz Woodies|access-date=April 23, 2015}}

First run in 1973 by a handful of locals, the Wharf to Wharf Race begins at the Santa Cruz Wharf and completes at the Capitola Wharf, in the neighboring town. Limited to 16,000 runners on a first-come-first-served basis, its field sells out months in advance. Each year, on the fourth Sunday in July, thousands of runners return for the {{convert|6|mile||adj =mid|race}} to Capitola-by-the-Sea.{{Cite web |last=Seimas |first=Jim |date=July 25, 2024 |title=Even in an Olympics year, elite fields are deep for Wharf to Wharf road race |url=https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2024/07/25/even-in-an-olympics-year-elite-fields-are-deep-for-wharf-to-wharf-road-race/ |access-date=December 29, 2024 |website=Santa Cruz Sentinel |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Tovar |first=Ricardo |date=July 29, 2024 |title=Thousands participate in annual Wharf to Wharf race in Santa Cruz County |url=https://www.ksbw.com/article/annual-wharf-to-wharf-race-california-santa-cruz-county/61730895 |access-date=December 29, 2024 |website=KSBW |language=en}}{{cite web|title=Wharf to Wharf|url=http://www.wharftowharf.com/race-info|access-date=April 23, 2015}}

A fish market on the wharf is featured in scenes from the film Sudden Impact (1983). A restaurant on the wharf is seen in The Lost Boys (1987).

• Casa del Rey Hotel

{{Reflist}}

• {{Commons category-inline|Santa Cruz Wharf}}
• [https://www.cityofsantacruz.com/government/city-departments/parks-recreation/facilities/santa-cruz-wharf City of Santa Cruz Wharf]

{{Santa Cruz, California}}

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Category:1914 establishments in California

Category:Piers in California

Category:Santa Cruz, California

Category:Transportation buildings and structures in Santa Cruz County, California

Category:Tourist attractions in Santa Cruz County, California