Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Santa Cruz County Bank

1895

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, January 3, 2013

1. Santa Cruz County Bank Marker

Inscription. Civic Renaissance Center The Great Fire of 1894 left 3 blocks of destruction around the 1866 Cooper St. Civic Center. The Civic reconstruction promoted Renaissance designs to show “Culture” had arrived in Santa Cruz, and surrounding businesses picked up the theme. Annual “Venetian Water Carnivals” were begun on the river to celebrate the reconstruction. Due to the Cooper Street “Renaissance Center” Santa Cruz was promoted as “The Florence of the West”.
1895 Santa Cruz County Bank The county’s pioneer banking institution of 1870 relocated to this site after the fire of 1894. The building originally has a domed tower over the corner entrance, and a raised main floor to accommodate basement level shops. The dome was removed in the expansion of 1910, when the main floor was lowered to street level, and the entrance was place on Pacific Ave. Architect Clarence Ward came from the firm of Burnham & Root. The 1979 expansion used terra cotta made from the original Gladding McBean mold. The landmark was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
After the 1989 earthquake, Pacific Western Bank preserved the

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building’s historic facade, and Barry Swenson Builder conducted the reconstruction. For a building so often remodeled, the faithful facade restoration by Barry Swenson Builder has helped preserve this exceptional part of the Downtown’s rich heritage.

1895 Architect: Van Sickle & Haynes
Enlarged 1910 & 1920: Ward & Blohme, Architects
Enlarged 1979; Terra Cotta, Gladding McBean: Sandstone Ashlar, Lafayette Mfg. Co, 1993 Restoration: Barry Swenson Builder, with project manager, Jesse L. Nickell III
Thacher & Thompson, Arch., with project manager Robert Scheren
People Assoc., Structural Engineer, with project manager Chris Tapin

Erected by Barry Swenson Builder.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1894.

Location. 36° 58.509′ N, 122° 1.579′ W. Marker is in Santa Cruz, California, in Santa Cruz County. It is at the intersection of Cooper Street and Pacific Avenue, on the right when traveling west on Cooper Street. The marker is on the Cooper Street side of the building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, January 3, 2013

2. Santa Cruz County Bank Marker

postal address: 1502 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz CA 95060, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on the Central Coast

and specifically on the Coast Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

on the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Pacific Avenue Commercial Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Tom Scribner (within shouting distance of this marker); To the Chinese men and women who came to Gold Mountain (within shouting distance of this marker); People's Bank (within shouting distance of this marker); Santa Cruz Hall of Records 1882 (within shouting distance of this marker); St. George Hotel (within shouting distance of this marker); St. George Building (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); San Lorenzo Park Redevelopement Project (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map

Santa Cruz County Bank image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, January 3, 2013

3. Santa Cruz County Bank

of all markers in Santa Cruz.

Regarding Santa Cruz County Bank. This building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. The Gladding McBean Plant in Lincoln, California

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, January 3, 2013

4. Santa Cruz County Bank

Santa Cruz County Bank after the earthquake image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Andrew Jones, circa 1990s

5. Santa Cruz County Bank after the earthquake

Photographed by Vester Dick Photography - National Park Service, February 8, 1982

6. Santa Cruz County Bank

Credits. This page was last revised on May 31, 2022. It was originally submitted on January 9, 2013, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 831 times since then and 64 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 9, 2013, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. 5. submitted on May 29, 2022, by Andrew Jones of Chichester, West Sussex UK. 6. submitted on January 15, 2013. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.