Boulder Creek, California
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Boulder Creek () is a small rural mountain community in the coastal
Santa Cruz Mountains The Santa Cruz Mountains ( Mutsun Ohlone: Mak-sah-re-jah, "Sharp Ridged Mountain of the Eagle" or "People of the Eagle Mountain") are a mountain range in central and Northern California, United States, constituting a part of the Pacific Coast R ...
. It is a
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...
(CDP) in Santa Cruz County,
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
, with a population of 5,429 as of the 2020 census. Throughout its history, Boulder Creek has been home to a logging town and a resort community, as well as a counter-culture haven. Today, it is identified as the gateway to
Big Basin Redwoods State Park Big Basin Redwoods State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of California, located in Santa Cruz County, California, Santa Cruz County, about northwest of Santa Cruz, California, Santa Cruz. The park contains almost all of the Waddell Cree ...
.


History

The Boulder Creek area is in the traditional tribal territory of the Achistaca, an Awaswas-speaking people of the
Ohlone The Ohlone ( ), formerly known as Costanoans (from Spanish meaning 'coast dweller'), are a Native Americans in the United States, Native American people of the Northern California coast. When Spanish explorers and missionaries arrived in the l ...
cultural unit, who were a group of contiguous bands that inhabited the coastal region of present-day California from the San Francisco Bay to the Monterey Peninsula and down to San José and Salinas Valley. There are no living survivors of the Achistaca, who are spoken for by the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. According to one anthropologist, the indigenous name for the area was ''Achista'' and tentatively included ''Acsaggi''. The earliest European presence in the area was a Spanish exploratory party in 1769, led overland from Mexico by Don
Gaspar de Portolá Captain Gaspar de Portolá y Rovira (January 1, 1716 – October 10, 1786) was a Spanish Army officer and colonial administrator who served as the first List of governors of California before 1850, governor of the Californias from 1767 to 1770 ...
and Father Juan Crespí. On August 28, 1791, a Spanish mission, Mission Santa Cruz, was established by the
Franciscans The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor being the largest conte ...
from
Mission Santa Clara de Asís Mission Santa Clara de Asís () is a Spanish mission in the city of Santa Clara, California. The mission, which was the eighth in California, was founded on January 12, 1777, by the Franciscans. Named for Saint Clare of Assisi, who founded th ...
for the conversion of the Awaswas. The Awaswas were moved to Mission Santa Cruz and Mission San Juan Bautista, which claimed the land and peoples. The Awaswas language and its dialects became the main language spoken at Mission Santa Cruz. Upon independence from Spain in 1821, the area became a part of Mexico. Although Spain had not awarded land grants in the Santa Cruz area, the Mexican government started issuing them in 1822 when it took over the administration of California. Most of the grants lay along the coast, with the only ones within the San Lorenzo Valley being Rancho Zayante and Rancho San Agustin. Under Mexican administration, only natural citizens could own land. Although not a Mexican citizen, in 1841, Isaac Graham purchased the Rancho Zayante land grant by proxy from frontiersman and naturalized Mexican citizen Joseph Ladd Majors. In 1843, together with
Peter Lassen Peter Lassen (October 31, 1800 – April 26, 1859), later known in Spanish as Don Pedro Lassen, was a Danish-born Californian ranchero and gold prospector. Born in Denmark, Lassen immigrated at age 30 to Massachusetts, before eventually mov ...
, Graham built one of the first water-powered sawmills in California and, with it, the first significant settlement in the area. Graham's settlement marked the beginning of San Lorenzo Valley's lumber-based economy. Following the
Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War (Spanish language, Spanish: ''guerra de Estados Unidos-México, guerra mexicano-estadounidense''), also known in the United States as the Mexican War, and in Mexico as the United States intervention in Mexico, ...
of 1846–1848 and the
California Gold Rush The California gold rush (1848–1855) began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California from the rest of the U ...
of 1848, the area steadily grew in population, including considerable immigration. While the
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo officially ended the Mexican–American War (1846–1848). It was signed on 2 February 1848 in the town of Villa de Guadalupe, Mexico City, Guadalupe Hidalgo. After the defeat of its army and the fall of the cap ...
ending the War obliged the United States to honor Mexican land grants, the process took many years of court hearings. In the meantime, squatters and entrepreneurs moved into the valley to harvest its rich resources of timber and lime. Despite the lack of roads, many families braved the wilderness to homestead the upper San Lorenzo. There were few large operations in the upper San Lorenzo Valley, leading the pioneers to develop their own systems of harvesting and transporting to the lumber and tanning markets. Logging in the valley supplied large timbers to shore up the underground workings of the mines after the initial rush of gold-panning gave way to other mining techniques. By the late 1850s, early settlers and lumbermen were using the Turkey Foot floodplain as a gathering point for their mule and oxen teams.


Timber town

Branciford Alcorn was one of the first to settle along Bear Creek in 1865. Daniel Crediford and his sons Wilfred and Stephen moved about up Boulder Creek to the Sequoia district in 1867. West Virginian Joseph Wilbur Peery also settled in the Boulder area in 1867 and began a small-scale logging project along the San Lorenzo River. Peery built a dam across the river at Two Bar Creek to provide water power to his mill and for the one he later built south of the junction of the river, Boulder and Bear creeks. Twin brothers Austin and Oscar Harmon assisted at the Two Bar Creek mill until its closure. The erection of the Two Bar Creek sawmill by Peery later helped in the establishment of the settlement of Boulder. The year 1868 was the founding year for the settlement of Boulder. Transportation remained a problem, slowing development of the small communities that now dotted the valley. A road extension from Graham Hill Road linking the upper San Lorenzo valley with Santa Cruz through Felton was completed in May. It also marked the completion of the United States government's survey of all land not held by grants in the Santa Cruz Mountains, which was then opened for purchase and homesteading. Government surveyors divided the largely unsettled San Lorenzo Valley into claimable sections. The area of Boulder Creek occupied two tracts. The northern half, between Harmon and Bear Creeks, was awarded to John Alcorn, Branciford's son. Loggers moved up the San Lorenzo and its tributaries removing every marketable tree that were then sold to the demanding market of the San Francisco Bay area. The lumbermen and their families moved into scattered cottages and homes around the periphery of Peery's Two Bar Creek sawmill, while a general store, livery stable, and blacksmith shop arose nearby to support the mill and its visitors. The increase in the number of families with children determined the need for a school, the first one of which was started in a small building on Alcorn's land on what is now West Park Drive. Lumber could not be shipped over the mountains to Santa Clara Valley. Two years later in 1871, another road extension, the Saratoga Toll Road, was added from the summit at the Saratoga Gap and ran to meet the road that ran about above Boulder Creek. In June, the Maclay Turnpike officially opened. Alcorn erected a two-story boarding house, the Boulder Creek House. That same year, Peery was awarded a land grant and relocated his lumber mill a mile south to Lorenzo, a settlement that he laid out, which was bounded by what is now Harmon, West, South, and East Streets. With an access point to the greater San Francisco Bay Area came the establishment of a post office named Boulder Creek in 1872, with Peery becoming the first postmaster. Mail runs were limited to twice a week because it took a mail carrier two days to travel from Santa Clara to Felton. What is now Boulder Creek was originally once two settlements: Lorenzo at the southern end of town, and Boulder was north of the current town core. Boulder Creek served as the upper terminus of the San Lorenzo Valley Logging Flume terminating in Felton, which began construction in 1874 and, when formally opened in October 1875, was augmented by a new rail line to transport logs to the wharf in Santa Cruz. In the 1880s, this lumber town which was called Lorenzo took the name of the Boulder Creek post office that had been established in the 1870s.


Geography

Boulder Creek is located on the
West Coast of the United States The West Coast of the United States, also known as the Pacific Coast and the Western Seaboard, is the coastline along which the Western United States meets the North Pacific Ocean. The term typically refers to the Contiguous United States, contig ...
. The community has a total area of , of which all is land. The community is bordered by
San Mateo County San Mateo County ( ), officially the County of San Mateo, is a county (United States), county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 764,442. Redwood City, California, Redwood City is th ...
to the northwest;
Santa Clara County Santa Clara County, officially the County of Santa Clara, is the sixth-most populous county in the U.S. state of California, with a population of 1,936,259 as of the 2020 census. Santa Clara County and neighboring San Benito County form the ...
to the northeast;
Big Basin Redwoods State Park Big Basin Redwoods State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of California, located in Santa Cruz County, California, Santa Cruz County, about northwest of Santa Cruz, California, Santa Cruz. The park contains almost all of the Waddell Cree ...
to the west; and Brookdale to the south. Boulder Creek is from Santa Cruz, from San Jose, from San Francisco, and from Sacramento. Boulder Creek sits at the north end of the San Lorenzo Valley at the confluence of
San Lorenzo River The San Lorenzo River () is a river in the U.S. state of California. The name San Lorenzo derives from the Spanish language for "Saint Lawrence" due to its reported sighting on that saint's feast day by Spanish explorers. Its headwaters origin ...
and Boulder Creek within the
Santa Cruz Mountains The Santa Cruz Mountains ( Mutsun Ohlone: Mak-sah-re-jah, "Sharp Ridged Mountain of the Eagle" or "People of the Eagle Mountain") are a mountain range in central and Northern California, United States, constituting a part of the Pacific Coast R ...
, a Level IV ecoregion designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an area surrounded by steep, redwood- and pine- covered hills formed by the river, creek, and their tributaries. The river flows through Boulder Creek on the east and south through Brookdale, Ben Lomond, and Felton, and continues south to the City of Santa Cruz where it enters Monterey Bay. Directly across from Boulder Creek's confluence with the San Lorenzo River, Bear Creek flows into the river and creates a topographical feature known as the Turkey Foot. The Turkey Foot creates a floodplain, particularly on the western side of the river where the mountainside is less steep.


Climate

Boulder Creek has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
''Csb'') characteristic of California's coast, with moist, mild winters and dry summers. Located about inland, the Boulder Creek skies can be overcast due to moisture from the Pacific Coast marine layer. The dry period of May to October is mild to warm, with the normal monthly mean temperature peaking in August at . The rainy period of November to April is slightly cooler, with the normal monthly mean temperature reaching its lowest in December at . On average, there are 75 rainy days a year, and annual precipitation averages . Variation in precipitation from year to year is high, with a maximum of in 1983 and a minimum of in 1986. Above-average rain years are often associated with warm
El Niño EL, El or el may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional entities * El, a character from the manga series ''Shugo Chara!'' by Peach-Pit * Eleven (''Stranger Things'') (El), a fictional character in the TV series ''Stranger Things'' * El, fami ...
conditions in the Pacific while dry years often occur in cold water
La Niña LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second most populous city in the United States of America. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music *La (musical note), or A, the sixth note *"L.A.", a song by Elliott Smit ...
periods. Boulder Creek falls under the
USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commerc ...
9b Plant
hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most widely ...
.


Flooding

Flooding of the San Lorenzo River, caused by a combination of high tide, storm surge, and runoff, has been known to cause extensive damage. A ''Santa Cruz Surf'' newspaper article from January 25, 1890 mentioned the San Lorenzo River being at its highest known since 1849, with Boulder Creek having received of rainfall up to that date during the 1889-90 winter season. A log jam was reported at the junction of the river and Bear Creek, with Boulder Creek being "higher than ever known". Bear Creek Bridge gave way and a cottage from the tributary Hesse Creek was carried by flood waters down to Boulder Creek, where it was stopped by rescue parties. There was one casualty. In an April 19 article of the ''
San Francisco Examiner The ''San Francisco Examiner'' is a newspaper distributed in and around San Francisco, California, and has been published since 1863. Once self-dubbed the "Monarch of the Dailies" by then-owner William Randolph Hearst and the flagship of the He ...
'' that same year, Boulder Creek held first place in the season's precipitation with of rain received. According to a March 24 article of the ''Santa Cruz Morning Sentinel'', the 1907 flood destroyed and swept away all five bridges within town limits that connected the eastern and western sides of Boulder Creek - Booth, Schroder, Swinging Bridge, Barker, and Grover Dam bridge. Modern records began in 1937 with the highest river level rise recorded during the December 1955 storm from December 22 to 23. According to the ''Santa Cruz Sentinel-News'', Boulder Creek recorded of rain during that storm. Within the area, Highway 9 in the vicinity of Wildwood Grove had minor undercutting of the road fill and Riverside Grove experienced principal residential damage. During the January 1982 El Niño storm, from January 3 to 4, of rainfall occurred in Boulder Creek over the period of 24 hours. This generated debris flows and shallow landslides. During the El Niño winter of 1996 and 1997, higher concentrations of debris flows were observed in the area around Boulder Creek.


Fire

Fires have occurred throughout Boulder Creek's history as almost all of the town is within a fire hazard severity zone, making residents ineligible for home insurance. Two conflagration-sized fires nearly destroyed downtown Boulder Creek and the nearby village of Lorenzo on July 17, 1891. The CZU Lightning Complex fires started on August 16, 2020 due to a severe thunderstorm that initially started several separate fires. Due to a change in wind conditions, these separate fires merged together and rapidly spread through nearby communities, including Boulder Creek. The CZU fire incident was finally contained on September 22, after destroying a number of houses but sparing the town's historic main street.


Cityscape

California State Route 9 State Route 9 (SR 9) is a rural and mountainous state highway in the U.S. state of California that travels from SR 1 in Santa Cruz to SR 17 in Los Gatos, passing through the San Lorenzo Valley and the Saratoga Gap in the Santa Cruz Mount ...
enters Boulder Creek from the south at River Street, bisecting the community as the Central Avenue arterial thoroughfare, before passing by Bear Creek Road to the northeast and becoming SR 9 once again. Within the community core, Route 9 connects to the southern terminus of
California State Route 236 State Route 236 (SR 236) is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. It is an approximately 18-mile (29 km) C-shaped loop route of State Route 9 in the Santa Cruz Mountains that serves Big Basin Redwoods State Park. SR 236 begins i ...
with an at-grade intersection, which provides access to the northwest of the community as Big Basin Way. Route 236 then continues westward from Boulder Creek and into Big Basin Redwoods State Park. The community is divided into three geographical sections of unequal size: Village Core, South Village, and Outlying Village Areas.


Architecture

The architecture of Boulder Creek varies but is generally popular among tourists and locals. Many of the commercial buildings along Central Avenue are designed primarily in the Boomtown style. Historic buildings are designed primarily in the Queen Anne and a variety of Victorian styles. For examples, the designs of the McLeod House and the Stagg/Hartman House are drawn from these architectural movements. Modern and other non-classical architectural styles, such as Minimal Traditional and
Ranch A ranch (from /Mexican Spanish) is an area of landscape, land, including various structures, given primarily to ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle and sheep. It is a subtype of farm. These terms are most often ap ...
, are also seen throughout the community. Outside downtown Boulder Creek, architectural styles are even more varied. The former Grace Episcopal Church is designed in the
Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...
style.


Demographics


2020 Census data

The 2020 United States census reported that Boulder Creek had a population of 5,429. The population density was . The racial makeup of Boulder Creek was 79.7%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.7%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.7% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 0.3%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 4.2% from other races, and 12.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.7% of the population. The census reported that 99.6% of the population lived in households, 0.4% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized. There were 2,301 households, out of which 23.3% included children under the age of 18, 45.5% were married-couple households, 8.5% were
cohabiting Cohabitation is an arrangement where people who are not legally married live together as a couple. They are often involved in a romantic or sexually intimate relationship on a long-term or permanent basis. Such arrangements have become incr ...
couple households, 23.0% had a female householder with no partner present, and 22.9% had a male householder with no partner present. 28.4% of households were one person, and 12.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.35. There were 1,406
families Family (from ) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictability, structure, and safety as ...
(61.1% of all households). The age distribution was 17.2% under the age of 18, 5.6% aged 18 to 24, 25.5% aged 25 to 44, 32.5% aged 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 46.3years. For every 100 females, there were 103.1 males. There were 2,505 housing units at an average density of , of which 2,301 (91.9%) were occupied. Of these, 70.5% were owner-occupied, and 29.5% were occupied by renters. In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $106,842, and the
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
was $56,934. About 0.8% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line.


2010 Census data

The 2010 United States Census reported that Boulder Creek had a population of 4,923. The population density was . The racial makeup of Boulder Creek was 4,429 (90.0%)
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 54 (1.1%)
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 31 (0.6%) Native American, 81 (1.6%) Asian, 5 (0.1%)
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 119 (2.4%) from other races, and 204 (4.1%) from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 366 persons (7.4%). The Census reported that 100% of the population lived in households. There were 2,124 households, out of which 548 (25.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 997 (46.9%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 176 (8.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 97 (4.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 189 (8.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 29 (1.4%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 598 households (28.2%) were made up of individuals, and 129 (6.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32. There were 1,270
families Family (from ) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictability, structure, and safety as ...
(59.8% of all households); the average family size was 2.80. The population was spread out, with 884 people (18.0%) under the age of 18, 319 people (6.5%) aged 18 to 24, 1,222 people (24.8%) aged 25 to 44, 2,066 people (42.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 432 people (8.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.3 males. There were 2,455 housing units at an average density of , of which 71.6% were owner-occupied and 28.4% were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.5%. 74.0% of the population lived in owner-occupied housing units and 26.0% lived in rental housing units.


Economy

The area's economy was historically based on the timber and lime industries, but now relies on tourism. As the closest community to Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Boulder Creek provides services to some of Big Basin's visitors. Many of its current residents are retirees, families and professionals who commute to nearby jobs.


Culture


Museums

The San Lorenzo Valley Museum is an educational foundation that maintains two of the area's official museums. The California Humanities and the
National Endowment for the Humanities The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency of the U.S. government, established by thNational Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965(), dedicated to supporting research, education, preserv ...
(NEH) partially fund the Museum, and its permanent and temporary exhibits are open to the public free of charge. Its main gallery is in Boulder Creek, which is housed in the former Grace Episcopal Church, a historical landmark listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
. The other location is the Faye G. Belardi Memorial Gallery in Felton.


Festivals and street fairs

Boulder Creek is home to several unique street festivals, parties, and parades. Most famous are the annual Fourth of July Parade, Halloween Trick-or-Treat Street, and the town tree lighting and Santa Comes to Town celebration (now called Boulder Creek Winter Festival) first weekend of December, as well as the annual Reindeer Run 5k race on Christmas Eve. First Friday Boulder Creek is a lively street vendor market that takes over the sidewalks of the historic district every first Friday of the month. Several events no longer occur: Lumberjack Days held every July; Christmas in the Redwoods in November; and Boulder Creek Art, Wine, and Music Festival, held every Memorial Day Weekend on Central Avenue for more than 20 years.


Government

Boulder Creek is an unincorporated community, a status it has held since being dis-incorporated during the 1915 session of the
California State Legislature The California State Legislature is the bicameral state legislature of the U.S. state of California, consisting of the California State Assembly (lower house with 80 members) and the California State Senate (upper house with 40 members). ...
. While Boulder Creek is not governed at the municipal level, it does consist of a number of entities to support its needs. Its executive and legislative governing body is the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors and in the county-wide elections, Boulder Creek forms part of District Five. The Board acts in place of a city council. Because of its unincorporated status, Santa Cruz County provides land use planning, parks, public works, and economic development services and regulations. In the
California State Legislature The California State Legislature is the bicameral state legislature of the U.S. state of California, consisting of the California State Assembly (lower house with 80 members) and the California State Senate (upper house with 40 members). ...
, Boulder Creek is in the 17th Senate District and previously in the 29th Assembly District. As of the 2022 redistricting, the community now falls under the 28th Assembly District. In the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...
, Boulder Creek was in California's 18th congressional district. As of the 2023 redistricting, the community now falls under the 19th congressional district.


Departments and agencies

Independent and semi-independent entities include the: * Boulder Creek Business Association * Boulder Creek Fire Protection District * Boulder Creek Recreation and Park District


Education

San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District (SLVUSD), the sole public school district in the community, operates the community's single public elementary school, Boulder Creek Elementary. In the 2021-22 school year, 445 students were enrolled in the public elementary school. From sixth to twelfth grades, Boulder Creek students attend San Lorenzo Valley Middle and High Schools, both located in Felton. The community is also home to three private schools (PK, PK-K, 1-12), one of which is a
Montessori The Montessori method of education is a type of educational method that involves children's natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods. A Montessori classroom places an emphasis on hands-on learning and developing ...
Teacher-run pre-school, and one public charter school (K-12). Santa Cruz Public Libraries operates one neighborhood location, the Boulder Creek Branch Library.


Media

KBCZ is a non-profit, community-based radio station broadcasting, since receiving its license in June 2013, from the Boulder Creek Recreation and Park District's Visitor Center office in downtown Boulder Creek. The FCC granted extended coverage in 2021 and KBCZ now covers all of the San Lorenzo Valley, Scotts Valley, Lompico and parts of Santa Cruz.


Notable people

* Michael Been - musician; resident *
Pat Burrell Patrick Brian Burrell (born October 10, 1976), nicknamed "Pat the Bat", is an American former professional baseball outfielder and current hitting coach for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for the Philad ...
- Major League Baseball Player * Aric Cushing – actor, director, author * Cora Evans – Catholic mystic; resident *
Jonathan Franzen Jonathan Earl Franzen (born August 17, 1959) is an American novelist and essayist. His 2001 novel ''The Corrections'' drew widespread critical acclaim, earned Franzen a National Book Award, was a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction finalist, earned a Jame ...
– author; resident for several years *
Nick Herbert Nicholas Le Quesne Herbert, Baron Herbert of South Downs, (born 7 April 1963) is a British Conservative Party politician and was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Arundel and South Downs from 2005 to 2019. He was Minister of State for Polic ...
– physicist and author; resident * Christopher Hills - author; resident *
Jordan Hubbard Jordan K. Hubbard (born April 8, 1963) is an open source software developer, authoring software such as the Ardent Window Manager and various other open source tools and libraries before co-founding the FreeBSD project with Nate Williams and Rod ...
-
FreeBSD FreeBSD is a free-software Unix-like operating system descended from the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD). The first version was released in 1993 developed from 386BSD, one of the first fully functional and free Unix clones on affordable ...
co-founder; resident * Paul Locatelli - Jesuit priest and academic; born in Boulder Creek * Martan Mann - jazz pianist, educator, author; resident *
Tom Pepper Tom Pepper (born August 24, 1975, in Des Moines, Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Bi ...
Nullsoft Nullsoft, Inc. was an American software house founded in Sedona, Arizona in 1997 by programmer Justin Frankel. Its products included the Winamp media player and the SHOUTcast MP3 streaming media server. History In 1997, Justin Frankel, ...
co-founder; resident * Samuel H. RamboCalifornia State Senator; resident


See also

* Ahlgren Vineyard * DigiBarn Computer Museum


References


External links


Boulder Creek Business AssociationBoulder Creek Fire Protection DistrictBoulder Creek Recreation and Park DistrictSan Lorenzo Valley Museum

San Lorenzo Valley PostBig Basin VineyardsSanta Cruz Mountain BulletinUnofficial website
– Outdated since 2011. {{authority control Census-designated places in Santa Cruz County, California Census-designated places in California