Watsonville is a city in
Santa Cruz County, California
Santa Cruz County (), officially the County of Santa Cruz, is a county on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 270,861. The county seat is Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz County comprises the Santa ...
, located in the
Monterey Bay Area of the
Central Coast of California
The Central Coast is an area of California, roughly spanning the coastal region between Point Mugu and Monterey Bay. It lies northwest of Los Angeles County and south of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and includes the rugged, undeveloped ...
.
The population was 52,590 according to the
2020 census.
Predominantly Latino and
Democratic, Watsonville is a self-designated
sanctuary city
Sanctuary city (; ) refers to municipal jurisdictions, typically in North America, that limit their cooperation with the national government's effort to enforce immigration law. Leaders of sanctuary cities say they want to reduce fear of deport ...
.
["Watsonville-Santa Cruz JACL Holds Candlelight Vigil in Observance of Feb. 19," ''Pacific Citizen'', March 10–23, 2017, p. 9.]
History
![Juan-Castro-Adobe (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Juan-Castro-Adobe_%28cropped%29.jpg)
Watsonville's land was first inhabited by an
Ohlone
The Ohlone, formerly known as Costanoans (from Spanish meaning 'coast dweller'), are a Native American people of the Northern California coast. When Spanish explorers and missionaries arrived in the late 18th century, the Ohlone inhabited the ...
nation of
Indigenous Californians. This tribe settled along the
Pajaro Dunes since the land was fertile and useful for the cultivation of their plants and animals.
Spanish era
In 1769, the
Portolá expedition - first European explorers of the area - came to the area from the south, where soldiers described a big bird they saw near a large river. The story survived in the river's name, ''Rio del Pajaro'' (River of the Bird).
The Portolá expedition continued through the area on its way north, camping at one of the lakes north of town for five nights, on October 10–14, 1769. Many of the expedition soldiers were suffering from scurvy, so progress was slow. While the sick recuperated, scouts led by
Sergeant Ortega went ahead to find the best way forward. On the fifth day,
Franciscan
The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...
missionary
Juan Crespi, traveling with the expedition, noted in his diary that, "This afternoon the explorers returned. The sergeant reported that he had gone ahead twelve leagues without getting any information of the harbor that we are looking for, and that he went to the foot of a high, white mountain range."
During the October 10 march, the explorers first saw the
Coast redwood tree (Spanish: ''palo colorado''). A bronze plaque at Pinto Lake (now a city park) commemorates the event. On October 15, the expedition continued to the northwest past today's community of
Freedom
Freedom is understood as either having the ability to act or change without constraint or to possess the power and resources to fulfill one's purposes unhindered. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving on ...
, camping that night at Corralitos Lagoon.
The area became part of the Spanish colonial province of
Las Californias
The Californias (Spanish: ''Las Californias''), occasionally known as The Three Californias or Two Californias, are a region of North America spanning the United States and Mexico, consisting of the U.S. state of California and the Mexican stat ...
, and in 1804 the northern part was split off to form
Alta California
Alta California ('Upper California'), also known as ('New California') among other names, was a province of New Spain, formally established in 1804. Along with the Baja California peninsula, it had previously comprised the province of , but ...
. The area's pasture lands were assigned to the
Spanish mission to the south, in Carmel.
Mexican era
![USA-Watsonville-City Plaza-Field Artillery Cannon-1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/USA-Watsonville-City_Plaza-Field_Artillery_Cannon-1.jpg)
When Mexico gained independence, it took possession of ''Alta California''. The Spanish missions were secularized in the 1830s, and the future Watsonville area became
Rancho Bolsa del Pajaro, a land grant made to Sebastian Rodríguez in 1837. Under Mexico's more liberal land-ownership laws, immigration to the area from Europe and the United States increased.
Rancho San Andrés was granted in 1833 by Governor
José Figueroa
José Figueroa (1792 – 29 September 1835), was a General and the Mexican Governor of Alta California from 1833 to 1835. He wrote the first book to be published in California.
Background and governorship
Figueroa was a Mestizo of Spanish a ...
to José Joaquín Castro, who came to California as part of the
1776 Anza Expedition and later became patriarch of a locally prominent
Californio
Californio (plural Californios) is a term used to designate a Hispanic Californian, especially those descended from Spanish and Mexican settlers of the 17th through 19th centuries. California's Spanish-speaking community has resided there sinc ...
family. His son, Juan José Castro, built the
Castro Adobe
The Rancho San Andrés Castro Adobe is a historically and architecturally significant house located in the Pájaro Valley, California. The two-story Rancho San Andrés Castro Adobe is a historic rancho hacienda that was built between 1848-49.
Hi ...
, the only two-story hacienda in the area at the time. Today, the adobe is owned by
California State Parks and undergoing restoration to serve as the Rancho San Andrés Castro Adobe State Historic Park.
Post-Conquest era
Following the American
Conquest of California
The Conquest of California, also known as the Conquest of Alta California or the California Campaign, was an important military campaign of the Mexican–American War carried out by the United States in Alta California (modern-day California), t ...
and the ratification of the
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ( es, Tratado de Guadalupe Hidalgo), officially the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits, and Settlement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States, is the peace treaty that was signed on 2 ...
in 1848, the region began to receive large waves of migrants, mainly of Americans from the
East Coast
East Coast may refer to:
Entertainment
* East Coast hip hop, a subgenre of hip hop
* East Coast (ASAP Ferg song), "East Coast" (ASAP Ferg song), 2017
* East Coast (Saves the Day song), "East Coast" (Saves the Day song), 2004
* East Coast FM, a ra ...
, as well as Europeans.
John H. Watson and D.S. Gregory laid out the town in 1852. The community was incorporated as the Town of Watsonville on or about March 30, 1868, and named after Judge Watson. The town became the City of Watsonville about 1889. The voters adopted a charter in 1903.
Modern era
The
Watsonville Railway and Navigation Company
The Watsonville Traction Company or Watsonville Transportation Company was a Narrow gauge railways, narrow gauge, interurban railway electrification, electrified railway in California.
Origin
At the turn of the century, the city of Watsonville ...
operated an interurban railway to Port Watsonville on Monterey Bay where it connected with an overnight produce
packet boat to San Francisco from 1904 to 1913.
The
Watsonville riots
The Watsonville riots was a period of racial violence that took place in Watsonville, California, from January 19 to 23, 1930. Involving violent assaults on Filipino American farm workers by local residents opposed to immigration, the riots high ...
were a period of
racial violence
Ethnic violence is a form of political violence which is expressly motivated by ethnic hatred and ethnic conflict. Forms of ethnic violence which can be argued to have the characteristics of terrorism may be known as ethnic terrorism or ethnica ...
in the 1930s against
Filipino American farmworkers committed by
White Americans
White Americans are Americans who identify as and are perceived to be white people. This group constitutes the majority of the people in the United States. As of the 2020 Census, 61.6%, or 204,277,273 people, were white alone. This represented ...
.
Watonsville's present
city charter
A city charter or town charter (generically, municipal charter) is a legal document (''charter'') establishing a municipality such as a city or town. The concept developed in Europe during the Middle Ages.
Traditionally the granting of a charter ...
was adopted on February 16, 1960.
[
In 1985, cannery workers in Watsonville went on strike for 18 months to protest a decrease in their wages and benefits. In the end, they won a new contract. The movement was led by primarily Latina Women, and was noted as a historic labor rights win for the Mexicano/Chicano community.]
Geography
Watsonville is located in the Monterey Bay area, at the southern end of Santa Cruz County.
According to the United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which of it is land and of it (1.42%) is water.
Watsonville has habitat areas that support the endangered species
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...
Santa Cruz Tarweed
''Holocarpha macradenia'', commonly known as the Santa Cruz tarplant, is an endangered plant endemic to Northern California. on the California coastal prairie
California coastal prairie, also known as northern coastal grassland, is a grassland plant community of California and Oregon in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome. It is found along the Pacific Coast, from as far south as L ...
ecosystem. Considerable population growth occurred since 1980, requiring preparation of a number of Environmental Impact Reports, with resultant development removing certain lands of the city from productive natural habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
.
Most of the coastal land adjacent to Watsonville is part of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) is a federally protected marine area offshore of California's Big Sur and central coast in the United States. It is the largest US national marine sanctuary and has a shoreline length of ...
. Another protected natural resource is the Watsonville wetlands
A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...
, a system of fresh water sloughs
A slough ( or ) is a wetland, usually a swamp or shallow lake, often a backwater to a larger body of water. Water tends to be stagnant or may flow slowly on a seasonal basis.
In North America, "slough" may refer to a side-channel from or feedi ...
with open water and native vegetation which extend from the city to the ocean. This slough system is only one of a few remaining wetland areas of its kind in the California Coastal Region. Not only are the wetlands home to approximately nine species of fish and over 200 species of waterfowl, raptors and song birds, but they are also a vital stopping off point on the Pacific Flyway for the thousands of migrating birds. In 1990, private and municipal organizations worked together to stop development and protect this important resource. The Watsonville Wetlands Watch was established at that time with the task of restoring and protecting the slough's natural habit.
Climate
The National Weather Service
The National Weather Service (NWS) is an Government agency, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weathe ...
cooperative station at the Watsonville Waterworks reports cool, relatively wet winters and mild, dry summers. Fog and low overcast is common in the night and morning hours, especially in the summer when warmer air from inland areas mixes with the cool, moist air near Monterey Bay. Its Köppen classification is cool-summer mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
.
January, normally the coldest month, has an average maximum of and an average minimum of . September, normally the warmest month, has an average maximum of and an average minimum of . There are an average of 4.9 days annually with highs of or higher and an average of 13.5 days annually with lows of or lower. Cool nights are common in the summer, due to the influence of chilly Monterey Bay. The record high temperature from the late 20th century onwards was on October 2, 1980. However, previously a June day has been recorded as . The record low temperature from the late 20th century onwards was on December 22, 1990, although a low has been previously recorded.
Average annual rainfall is , with measurable precipitation falling on an average of 61 days each year. The wettest year on record was 1983 with and the driest year was 1976 with . The most rainfall in one month was in February 1998. The most rainfall in 24 hours was on February 14, 2000. Although significant snowfall occurs several times a year on the higher mountains nearby, measurable snowfall is a rarity along Monterey Bay. On February 26, 2011, there was slight snowfall in Watsonville, though it was such a small amount that it could not be measured.
Demographics
2010
The 2010 United States Census
The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...
reported that Watsonville had a population of 51,199. The population density was . The racial makeup of Watsonville was 22,399 (43.7%) White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 358 (0.7%) African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 629 (1.2%) Native American, 1,664 (3.3%) Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 40 (0.1%) Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, 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 the original p ...
, 23,844 (46.6%) from other races, and 2,265 (4.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 41,656 persons (81.4%).
The Census reported that 50,671 people (99.0% of the population) lived in households, 322 (0.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 206 (0.4%) were institutionalized.
There were 13,528 households, out of which 7,130 (52.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 7,231 (53.5%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 2,375 (17.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 903 (6.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 890 (6.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 107 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 2,466 households (18.2%) were made up of individuals, and 1,213 (9.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.75. There were 10,509 families
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideall ...
(77.7% of all households); the average family size was 4.17.
The population was spread out, with 16,111 people (31.5%) under the age of 18, 6,001 people (11.7%) aged 18 to 24, 14,834 people (29.0%) aged 25 to 44, 10,014 people (19.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 4,239 people (8.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males.
There were 14,089 housing units at an average density of , of which 5,957 (44.0%) were owner-occupied, and 7,571 (56.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 2.5%. 21,365 people (41.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 29,306 people (57.2%) lived in rental housing units.
As reported by the 2007-2011 American Community Survey, the median income for a household in the city was $46,073, and the median income for a family was $49,550. Male full-time year-round workers had a median income of $31,758 versus $31,155 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,407. About 18.6% of families and 20.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.6% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over. Therefore, although the median household income did rise significantly between 2000 and 2010 (unadjusted for inflation), the percentage of city residents experiencing poverty rose at a faster rate.
2000
As of the census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 44,265 people, 11,381 households, and 8,865 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 11,695 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 43.00% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 0.75% African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 1.74% Native American, 3.29% Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.12% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, 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 the original p ...
, 45.92% from other races, and 5.18% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 75.12% of the population, with the majority of these being of Mexican origin.
Watsonville also has an Asian-American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry (including naturalized Americans who are immigrants from specific regions in Asia and descendants of such immigrants). Although this term had historically been used for all the indigenous people ...
presence consisting of Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
, Japanese and Filipinos
Filipinos ( tl, Mga Pilipino) are the people who are citizens of or native to the Philippines. The majority of Filipinos today come from various Austronesian ethnolinguistic groups, all typically speaking either Filipino, English and/or othe ...
despite the fact that the percentage of city residents of Asian descent has dropped since 1960. The Chinese, Japanese and Filipinos had residential sections and opened many businesses to serve their customer base in town during the mid 20th century. The history of East Asians in Watsonville dates back to the late 19th century and are involved in the local agricultural industry. It is presumed that as a result of Japanese-American internment during WWII, local farm companies began to attract Mexican migrant labor to the area in higher numbers and the town's racial-ethnic composition became more Hispanic in the 1980s and 1990s. There was also medium-sized Sikh population in Watsonville during the late 1990s to early 2000s that were involved mostly in the trucking industry, but most have moved away to the Central Valley for cheaper housing.
There were 11,381 households, out of which 49.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 16.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.1% were non-families. 17.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.84 and the average family size was 4.26.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 34.0% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 15.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $37,617, and the median income for a family was $40,293. Males had a median income of $26,701 versus $22,225 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $13,205. About 15.4% of families and 19.1% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 23.8% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
The main industries in Watsonville are construction, agriculture and manufacturing. Some of the largest companies headquartered in Watsonville are Monterey Mushrooms
Monterey (; es, Monterrey; Ohlone: ) is a city located in Monterey County, California, Monterey County on the southern edge of Monterey Bay on the U.S. state of California's Central Coast (California), Central Coast. Founded on June 3, 1770, it ...
, Driscoll's
Driscoll's is a California-based seller of fresh strawberries and other berries. It is a fourth-generation family business that has been in the Reiter and Driscoll families since the late 1800s. In 2017, it controlled roughly one-third of the $6 ...
, Martinelli's
Martinelli's is the brand name of S. Martinelli & Company, a non-alcoholic cider and juice company founded in 1868, and is located in Watsonville, California. The company is privately held by descendants of the founders. It is best known for its ...
, Fox Racing Shox, Nordic Naturals, Graniterock
Graniterock is an American corporation, founded in 1900 as "Granite Rock", and based in Watsonville, California. It operates in the construction industry providing crushed gravel, sand, concrete, asphalt and paving services. History
Beginnings
Gr ...
, Granite Construction
Granite Construction Inc. is a civil construction company and aggregate producer, a member of the S&P 600 Index based and founded in Watsonville, California , and is the parent corporation of Granite Construction Company. The company is both a ...
, West Marine
West Marine is an American company based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which operates a chain of boating supply and fishing retail stores. The company has 247 retail stores in North America. West Marine also runs Blue Future a non profit organ ...
, California Giant, A&I Transport Inc. and Orion Telescopes & Binoculars.
Watsonville is known for the production of crops and goods in the agricultural business along the Northern Pacific Coast. The city's economy is dependent on its agro-business market and in the distribution of crops to different parts of the world. The crops that are fundamental to the economy include: strawberries, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, natural plants, and raspberries. Companies such as Driscoll's
Driscoll's is a California-based seller of fresh strawberries and other berries. It is a fourth-generation family business that has been in the Reiter and Driscoll families since the late 1800s. In 2017, it controlled roughly one-third of the $6 ...
and California Giant spend around $280 million every year in the processing and transportation of fresh food to most cities in the area, such as San Jose, California
San Jose, officially San José (; ; ), is a major city in the U.S. state of California that is the cultural, financial, and political center of Silicon Valley and largest city in Northern California by both population and area. With a 2020 popul ...
, Castroville, California, and Santa Cruz, California where the numbers of these fruits and vegetables are insufficient for the demand of the people. The city ranks amongst the top most important farming cities in the United States for its agro-business market.
The city is ranked as the 21st largest city in the country with the most Latino workers that account for 75% of the total population in the city.
Top employers
According to the City of Watsonville's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
Parks and recreation
The city maintains 28 unique parks, including a skate park, indoor soccer field, lake with boat rentals and RV camping, BBQ areas, handball courts, an art gallery, tennis courts, and volleyball courts. Watsonville also provides a wide variety of recreational opportunities including hiking, boating, sports, birdwatching, and beach access.
;Watsonville Wetlands
Hiking trails are positioned throughout the city as well as a nature center provides the public with an intimate view of The Watsonville Wetlands.
;Pajaro River
A number of trail heads have been built throughout the city, which provide access to the Pajaro River and its tributaries via The Pajaro River Levee Trail Park. The levee trails are a popular spot for walking, running, and biking.
In 2010 the City of Watsonville was awarded a $424,000 grant to create a public access point to the Pajaro River for canoes and kayaks, including a parking lot, trail and public restroom.
;Pinto Lake
The city operates one of two parks at Pinto Lake, which includes a small watercraft
Any vehicle used in or on water as well as underwater, including boats, ships, hovercraft and submarines, is a watercraft, also known as a water vessel or waterborne vessel. A watercraft usually has a propulsive capability (whether by sail, ...
launch ramp, group picnic areas, an RV park
A recreational vehicle park (RV park) or caravan park is a place where people with recreational vehicles can stay overnight, or longer, in allotted spaces known as "sites" or "campsites". They are also referred to as campgrounds, though a true ...
, a Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
field, Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...
, children's playground, boat rentals, fishing, and bird watching. There have been many cases in which the water at Pinto Lake becomes a thick green due to different types of algae forming in the water. Due to these occurrences, the City of Watsonville has prohibited the eating of fish caught in Pinto Lake. The second park at Pinto Lake is operated by the County of Santa Cruz and includes nature trails, disc golf, sports fields also home to the Monterey Bay Center of the California Conservation Corps.
;Pajaro Dunes
The Pajaro Dunes area of Watsonville attracts tourists to its high-end beachfront condos and timeshare
A timeshare (sometimes called vacation ownership) is a property with a divided form of ownership or use rights. These properties are typically resort condominium units, in which multiple parties hold rights to use the property, and each owner ...
s.
Culture
Watsonville is home to the annual Strawberry Festival, which includes a wide variety of strawberry-based foods, live music, vendors, and rides.
Near the end of every summer, the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds have drawn visitors from across and outside the county to its many attractions including rides, food, art exhibits, flower exhibits, pony rides, petting zoos, dog shows, and live music performances, among other things.
The fairgrounds also host a number of other events, including car races at the Ocean Speedway, dog training programs, wedding receptions, the annual Santa Cruz County Science Fair The Santa Cruz County Science and Engineering Fair, previously known as the Santa Cruz County Science Fair, is a science fair held annually at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. The top 10 students from elementary and junior high schools in Santa ...
, and the Scottish Renaissance Festival.
Government
Watsonville uses the council–manager government model. The city is divided into seven districts, each of which elects a representative to the city council. In turn, the mayor of Watsonville is not elected. Instead the office of mayor rotates annually in December.[ , the mayor is Francisco Estrada.][
]
Watsonville became a sanctuary city on April 11, 2017.
In comparison to nearby incorporated cities, overall crime index is 24.1% lower than Santa Cruz, 15.4% lower than Salinas, and 38.4% higher than Gilroy.
State and federal representation
In the California State Legislature
The California State Legislature is a bicameral state legislature consisting of a lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members; and an upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members. Both houses of the Legisla ...
, Watsonville is in , and in .
In the United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
, Watsonville is in .
Education
Public schools
Public school may refer to:
*State school (known as a public school in many countries), a no-fee school, publicly funded and operated by the government
*Public school (United Kingdom), certain elite fee-charging independent schools in England and ...
in Watsonville fall under the jurisdiction of the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, which has an enrollment of about 18,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grades. Local high schools include Watsonville High School
Watsonville High School is a high school located in Watsonville, Santa Cruz County, California, and is part of the Pajaro Valley Unified School District. The school mascot is Willy the Wildcat. The school colors are black and gold. Watsonville Hi ...
and Pajaro Valley High School
Pajaro Valley Unified School District is a school district based in Watsonville, California, USA. The Superintendent is Michelle Rodriguez. The District is overseen by a seven members of the board of trustees that meets an average of twice a mont ...
.
Cabrillo College operates a branch campus in Watsonville.
All charter schools in Watsonville are under the jurisdiction of the Pajaro Valley Unified School District. They include Diamond Technology Institute, Alianza Charter School, Linscott Charter School, Pacific Coast Charter School, Watsonville Charter School of the Arts, and Ceiba College Preparatory Academy.
Private schools in the city include Green Valley Christian School, Moreland Notre Dame, Monte Vista Christian, Mount Madonna School, Potter's House Community Christian School, St. Francis Central Coast Catholic High School, and Salesian Elementary and Junior High Schools.
Media
Watsonville and the surrounding area is served by the local newspaper, the ''Watsonville Register-Pajaronian
''The Pajaronian'' (formerly the ''Register-Pajaronian'') is a newspaper based in Watsonville, California in Santa Cruz County on California's Central Coast. The ''Register-Pajaronian'' is published weekly every Friday, but was for many years a ...
''.
KQET operates in Watsonville as a simulcast of the Bay Areas's KQED KQED may refer to:
* KQED (TV), a PBS member station in San Francisco
* KQED-FM
KQED-FM (88.5 MHz) is a NPR-member radio station in San Francisco, California. Its parent organization is KQED Inc., which also owns its television partners, both ...
.
Radio stations based in Watsonville include KSCO, KLVM, KAPU Kapu may refer to:
* Kapu (Hawaiian culture), a Hawaiian code of conduct
* Kapu (caste), a social group of India
* Kapu, Karnataka, a town in Karnataka, India
** Kapu Assembly constituency
* Kapu, Arunachal Pradesh, a settlement in Tirap district, A ...
, and KPIG-FM
KPIG-FM (107.5 FM, "K-PIG") is a radio station located near the city of Santa Cruz, California, United States. Founded in 1988, the studio is based in Watsonville, California, and broadcasts to the counties of Santa Cruz and Monterey. It als ...
.
Notable people
* Donald Barnhouse
Donald Grey Barnhouse (March 28, 1895 – November 5, 1960), was an American Christian preacher, pastor, theologian, radio pioneer, and writer. He was pastor of the Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 1927 to his de ...
, Christian preacher, pastor, theologian, radio pioneer, and writer
* Annie Law
Annie Elisabeth Law (1842–12 January 1889) was a British-American conchologist, who discovered 11 species and one genus of mollusks, but did not publish formal descriptions of them. She was also a dispatch rider for the Confederate army ...
(died 1889), conchologist
Conchology () is the study of mollusc shells. Conchology is one aspect of malacology, the study of molluscs; however, malacology is the study of molluscs as whole organisms, whereas conchology is confined to the study of their shells. It includ ...
* Laurie R. King
Laurie R. King (born September 19, 1952) is an American author best known for her detective fiction.
Life and career
Born in Oakland, California, King earned a degree in comparative religion from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1977 ...
, author
* Charlene Pryer, baseball player
* Ty Sambrailo
Tyler William Sambrailo ( ; born March 10, 1992) is a former American football tackle. He played college football for Colorado State University. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft, where he was a m ...
, football player
* Ken Sears
Kenneth Robert Sears (August 17, 1933 – April 23, 2017) was an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was the first basketball player on the cover of ''Sports Illustrated'' magazine, appea ...
, professional basketball player
* Todd Souza
Todd Souza (born December 13, 1964) is an American professional stock car racing driver who competes full-time in the ARCA Menards Series West and part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 13 Ford for his team, Central Coast Racing. H ...
, racing driver
* Cody Webb, motorcycle racer
* Adrián Zamora
Rodrigo Adrián Zamora Fernández (born 28 October 1986) is an American-born Mexican former basketball player.
Zamora is the youngest of five siblings born to Francisco Zamora and Alberta Fernández. His family is originally from Gómez Farías, ...
, basketball player
Sister cities
Watsonville's sister cities
A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.
While there are early examples of inter ...
are:
*Cavtat
Cavtat (, it, Ragusa Vecchia, lit=Old Ragusa) is a village in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia. It is on the Adriatic Sea coast south of Dubrovnik and is the centre of the Konavle municipality.
History
Antiquity
The original city was ...
, Croatia
* Jocotepec, Mexico
* Kawakami, Japan
* Pinghu, China
*San Pedro Masahuat
San Pedro Masahuat is a municipality in the La Paz department of El Salvador
El Salvador (; , meaning " The Saviour"), officially the Republic of El Salvador ( es, República de El Salvador), is a country in Central America. It is bordered ...
, El Salvador
*Tangancícuaro
Tangancícuaro is a municipio (municipality) in the Mexican state of Michoacán, western Mexico.
The municipal seat is the City of Tangancícuaro de Arista.
Geography
Tangancícuaro is at an altitude of 1,700 meters above sea level, with an ar ...
, Mexico
See also
*Wild Farm Alliance
The Wild Farm Alliance (WFA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing biodiversity by expanding the idea and practice of wild farming.
Rooted in Watsonville, the heart of central California's agricultural lands, the WFA was founded ...
References
External links
*
Santa Cruz County Conference & Visitors Council — Watsonville Visitor Information
Watsonville Public Library
*
{{Authority control
Cities in Santa Cruz County, California
Incorporated cities and towns in California
Populated places established in 1852
1868 establishments in California