Watsonville and Capitola

Jill's Journal: On an unseasonably cool day, the girls and I braved the rain for an afternoon jaunt first to Watsonville and then to Capitola. Talk about two different worlds. First, Watsonville – all agriculture. The snapshot above was out of a moving vehicle (hopefully the laws about texting while driving don’t apply to photographing while driving!). We passed what had to be miles and miles that looked just like this.

Our destination in Watsonville was the Agricultural History Project/Farm Museum and Education Center. We learned a ton about the (mostly former) dairy industry in the area, plus a little about the huge apple industry and other crops from the region. The girls were especially interested in learning how vegetables go from the field to the freezer of the nation’s grocery stores. I don’t think many people outside of this state realize or appreciate California’s massive agricultural contribution to the country and world.

The highlight was a kind older lady who showed the girls how to make dolls out of yarn, just like they did in the old days. Much to their delight, each girl got to take one home.

And then it was off to Capitola, only about 15 minutes away but a world apart. Capitola is darling and quaint with its colorful buildings right on the ocean. It’s almost reminiscent of a Mediterranean-type village in Italy. It also happens to be the oldest beach resort on the West Coast. An 1883 advertisement was already billing it as such. Little one-room cottages (such as this one built in 1907) are the type of beach houses vacationers would rent during the summer season. Half-hidden behind it to the left are the “bath houses” vacationers would all share. While there was no charge to use the toilets, things we take for granted not just “on holiday” but also everyday (like towels and baths or showers) were available for a small fee! Wool bathing suits, the standard of the time, were also available for rent.