Two-Sided Town

They named it after a saint, but it’s a notoriously filthy waterway: the San Lorenzo River. After these rains pass, the waters will clear and the fish will run. There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s just us.

Steelhead Dreaming

The river mouth is the heart of Santa Cruz. It’s where the wildlife is so abundant that the tribes who lived here must’ve enjoyed a lifestyle unlike anywhere else.

The Mission and the Fort

When the Spanish arrived in the area, they used the landmark of the river to establish two distinct methods of controlling the space. Branciforte on the east side housed the military and the religious contingent used the mission on the west side.