business activity, all trading being done at Ben Lomond and Boulder Creek; 

 the accessibility to the beach at Santa Cruz, train service being frequent 

 the year round, — all these tend to make life worth living at Brookdale. 



A mile and one half north of this chosen spot is Boulder Creek, for 

 years one of the heaviest lumber-shipping points in the State, now a 

 splendid mountain community of 800 people whose interests are lumber- 

 ing and the growing of famous mountain apples and small berries. The 

 town is delightfully located at the foot of a high, thickly wooded mountain 

 and at the converging point of Boulder Creek, Bear Creek, and the San 

 Lorenzo River, making undoubtedly, with its splendid water and exhilarating 

 climate, a choice homesite. 



Boulder Creek marks the terminus of the Southern Pacific branch from 

 Santa Cruz, and is also the gateway of the California Redwood Park, nine 

 miles north. This grand combination of natural beauty is familiarly called 

 the Big Basin. Here may be found the extremes of all that is wonderful in 

 nature— 3,500 acres of giant redwoods, manzanitas, and madrones sur- 

 rounded by their clinging foliage, numerous streams foaming through 

 narrow chasms and falling from green-coated rocks into evergreen valleys; 

 and the impressive stillness and perennial shade of the forest, all tend to 

 make one speechless with wonder and admiration. 



Three thousand acres of wine and table grapes are under cultivation in 

 the county, principally near the towns of Glenwood, Laurel, and Skyland, 

 all mountain communities, and Bonny Doon, Sequel, Aptos, and Corralitos, 

 on the plateau facing the bay of Monterey. The dry wines produced from 

 the fruit in question lead the world in quality and flavor. Small berries of 

 all descriptions grow well. Strawberries can be had ten months In the year. 

 In the southeastern end of the county will be found the prosperous city 

 of Watsonville, with five thousand inhabitants, the center and distributing 

 point of the luscious apples produced from the soil of the far-famed Pajaro 

 Valley. Six thousand carloads of apples is a record shipment for a recent 

 season. The Newton Pippin and the Bellefleur are the profitable apple 

 varieties of the valley. Strawberries and hops are also grown in the valley 

 with great profit. There are over 30,000 acres in fruit around Watsonville. 

 The soil has been producing forty years and does not seem to lose its 

 powers. In some of the best orchards hops and strawberries are planted 

 between the rows of apple-trees. Vegetables grow well anywhere in the 

 county. Potatoes are especially prolific. Irrigation is unknown except for 

 its uses in the cultivation of small berries. 



The climate of Santa Cruz County is charming. The summer average 

 temperature is seventy degrees. The winter average temperature is fifty 

 degrees. There are no strong winds. There is fog in the summer time 

 which serves to temper the atmosphere and leaves days of pure and delight- 

 ful air. The sea-breeze of summer and the odor from countless redwoods 

 form a tonic, the effects of which have been felt by hundreds of nerve- 

 shattered and constitution-wrecked persons. There is an average annual 

 rainfall of thirty inches. Generally speaking, the climatic conditions of 

 the county are most healthful, most charming, and most exhilarating. 



!n conclusion, it will be well to note the present variety of industries, 

 the accompanying natural advantages, what industrial activity is needed 

 and wanted, and the conditions of the city governments and schools of the 

 county. Near the city of Santa Cruz are found the chicken industry, dairy- 

 ing in all its branches, truck farming, the culture of grapes, small berries, 

 and apples; a gigantic cement plant, largest deposit of bitumen In the 

 world; lime-rock, with the wood for burning on the same hills; the Cali- 

 fornia Powder Works, employing 200 hands and manufacturing the Gov- 

 ernment smokeless powder; a tannery, whose product commands the 

 top of the market; a paper-mill (near Sequel), and a small remaining forest 

 of virgin timber. In addition to this industrial activity Santa Cruz has its 

 grand protected beach with splendid hotels and costly improvements, and 

 attendant pleasures of swimming, roller-skating, promenading, music, 

 dancing, etc.; its splendid salmon and trout fishing; its peerless year-round 



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