Scotts Valley SCOTTS VALLEY HISTORY

Hiram Scott, after whom Scotts Valley was named, led an extraordinary life. As the oldest son of a Maine sea captain, he sailed to California and made his fortune on a lucky gold strike in the Sierra foothills. He acquired Rancho San Augustin, which later became known as Scotts Valley. Hiram Scott built the Greek revival style Scott House in 1853. Situated behind City Hall, it is a Santa Cruz County Historical Trust Landmark, and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Scotts Valley became a city in 1966 at a time when there were concerns about the City of Santa Cruz annexing the Sky Park Airport (site of the currently proposed Town Center) to become a cemetery and airport was closed in 1983, two years after Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, crashed his Beechcraft Bonanza at Sky Park, injuring his three passengers.

Circus Trees, Lost World and Santa’s Village. The Circus Trees were created by Axel Erlandson, who moved his remarkable trees from the Central Valley to Scotts Valley Drive in 1946. Trees with trunks shaped like a heart, water tower, zigzag, needle and thread, castle, totem pole and telephone booth were all on display. The property was sold in 1983, Eventually, twenty-five of the trees were moved to Bonfante Gardens in Gilroy. The Lost World was constructed in 1959 on a 40-acre property adjacent to the Circus Trees that featured lifesize replicas of dinosaurs with steel frames and fiberglass skins cavorting on the landscape.

theater in an RV park in the 70’s and ceased being a nightclub in 1968 it was torn down in 1991. The location is now Baymonte Christian School.

Santa’s Village was built in 1957. Santa’s Village was a favorite of kids and was famous for Santa’s house, his sleigh, and Alaskan reindeer. The first Santa, Carl Hansen, was known as “Hocus Pocus” He went on to star in his own TV show. Hocus Pocus Park was named in his honor in 1995.

Movie director Alfred Hitchcock purchased a 200-acre estate on Canham Way in Scotts Valley in 1940, with Monterey Bay views, as a second home and weekend retreat. The property is known as “Heart of the Mountain” and now serves as a winery. The Dick Smother of the Smother’s Brothers attended SJSU and called Scotts Valley home through the 70’s and 80’s.

The Famous “Barn” During the 1960’s, well known bands, including Big Brother and the Holding Company, featuring Janis Joplin, performed at the Barn. The Barn became a dinner

Business Birthplace of Erik’s Deli Café & Netflix. On a hot summer day in 1997, Marc (Ra dolf) and Reed (Hastings) walked into Logos Books & Records in Santa Cruz, bought a CD of Patsy Cline’s greatest hits, and mailed it to Reed’s house a few blocks across the town. When the CD arrived intact, they knew they had found their ticket to e-commerce glory. Netflix was founded in Scotts Valley 1997 and their website went live on April 14, 1998, with 900 DVD titles. Marc orders the movie “Casino” as a test, it worked. Within 15 minutes the website crashed with so many orders and at the end of their first day they had 137 orders. Erik’s Deli Café started as a small delicatessen in Scotts Valley by Erik Johnson in September 1973, Erik purchased the location for $429. The award-winning restaurant is known for their “Sandwiches with Character”. There are now 27 locations across the state.