Landscapes: Activism that Shaped Santa Cruz County

Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH) launches its newest book chronicling the history of land use and regulation in Santa Cruz County since the 1950s. The public is invited to the launch party on Sunday, September 16th at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, 705 Front St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060.
The MAH is the regional leader in finding, sharing, and preserving Santa Cruz County history. The MAH’s latest book, Landscapes: Activism that Shaped Santa Cruz County, is curated by 23 local authors, historians, politicians, and activists. Together, they resurrect the stories that illustrate how Santa Cruz County’s natural beauty was managed and preserved.
Anyone who was ever taken a moment to step back and appreciate the beauty of Santa Cruz County will appreciate the MAH’s newest historical publication – LandScapes: Activism that Shaped Santa Cruz County.
Roughly every two years the MAH publishes books on subjects of local historic interest. The newest addition to the collection, LandScapes, is a collection of articles—many of them first-hand accounts—telling the story of environmental and historic preservation in Santa Cruz County during the late 20th century. The journal captures the drama of how activism, innovation, and politics have affected the landscapes of Santa Cruz County as told by the people who grew up in, loved, or worked in the area.
The collection of stories was curated from an open invitation to the community, welcoming anyone who had a story to tell about Santa Cruz County. Contributors include Gary Patton, who was an elected official in Santa Cruz County for twenty years; Robley Levy, former Santa Cruz County Supervisor; and a foreword by Assemblyman and former 5th District Supervisor Mark Stone. The book includes the an article by Nancy Macy entitled Land Use Controversies in the San Lorenzo Valley and the Impact of Local Activists, which tells the story of the founding of the Valley Women’s Club. There’s also a fascinating look at what might have been in an article by Frank Perry – An Alternative History of Santa Cruz County.
LandScapes’ readers will gain a renewed appreciation for why Santa Cruz County is the way it is. Learning just how the people who cared about this county worked tirelessly to preserve the natural beauty from Watsonville to the North Coast, and everywhere in between. The book is on sale at the Santa Cruz MAH front desk, online at www.santacruzmah.org/learn/history-publications/, and is available at the San Lorenzo Valley Museum. Board President and Collections and Exhibitions Manager at the San Lorenzo Valley Museum, Lisa Robinson, also serving multiple roles supporting the MAH Landmark and Publications Committees, was part of the book’s editorial committee.
LandScapes Book Launch Sunday, September 16th, 2018, 3:00 – 5:00 pm | Santa Cruz MAH | Free. Meet the authors, learn more about the collection, and purchase the publication. Nancy Macy will speak about her contribution to the book at the gathering.