Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Cowell Lime Works
The Cook House
Photographed By Craig Baker, September 21, 2021
1. Cook House Marker
From the 1880s to middle 1900s workers at the lime works and ranch ate their daily meals at this Cook House. At the south end was the kitchen, pantry, and residence for the cook, who was usually Chinese; at the end was a communal dining hall for about 40 workers.
The men ate breakfast at 6:00 a.m., lunch around noon, and dinner at 5:30 or 6:00 p.m. Meals were basic but hearty meat, beans, potatoes, and bread. The meat came from steers raised on the surrounding ranch land. Workers killed and butchered a steer about once a week.
The Cowell Lime Works Historic District (1850s-1920s) on the campus of the University of California, Santa Cruz has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Erected 2009.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Natural Resources.
Location. 36° 58.723′ N, 122° 3.264′ W. Marker is in Santa Cruz, California, in Santa Cruz County. Marker can be reached from
Photographed By Frank A. Perry, circa 2009
2. Cowell Lime Works Marker
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within one mile of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Making Barrels for Shipping Lime (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Wagner Cottage (approx. 0.9 miles away); Shingle Style Home (approx. 0.9 miles away); Lady of the Night (approx. one mile away); California Craftsman Bungalow (approx. 1.1 miles away); Williams (approx. 1.1 miles away); Grave of Grove C. Cook (approx. 1.1 miles away); California Pioneers (approx. 1.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Santa Cruz.
More about this marker. The marker is at the Admissions Office near the main entrance to the University of California Santa Cruz campus.
Also see . . . The Cowell Lime Works. A youtube video detailing the history of the Cowell Lime Works. (Submitted on April 7, 2013.)
Photographed By Craig Baker, September 21, 2021
3. Cook House and Lime Works Markers
Photographed By Craig Baker, September 21, 2021
4. Cook House
The Cook House is made of redwood and local limerock. The University remodeled it in the early 1960s and again in 2008 to house offices.
Photographed By Craig Baker, September 21, 2021
5. Pig Feeder
This pig feeder served as the garbage disposal. Kitchen scraps were mashed up with water and dumped over the center as the pigs gathered around the trough.
Photographed By Lawrence & Houseworth, 1866
6. Davis & Cowell Lime Works, Santa Cruz
Credits. This page was last revised on October 13, 2021. It was originally submitted on April 7, 2013, by Doran Howitt of Fair Lawn, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 431 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on October 13, 2021, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 2. submitted on April 7, 2013, by Doran Howitt of Fair Lawn, New Jersey. 3, 4, 5. submitted on September 21, 2021, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 6. submitted on April 8, 2013. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.
