Capitola, California | |
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City of Capitola | |
Clockwise: Venetian Court; view towards Capitola Wharf; view of Capitola towards the Pacific Ocean; restaurants on the Soquel Creek waterfront. | |
Coordinates: 36°58′35″N121°57′17″W / 36.97639°N 121.95472°W | |
Country | United States |
State | California |
County | Santa Cruz |
Incorporated | January 11, 1949 [1] |
Area | |
• Total | 1.68 sq mi (4.34 km2) |
• Land | 1.59 sq mi (4.13 km2) |
• Water | 0.08 sq mi (0.21 km2) 4.92% |
Elevation | 13 ft (4 m) |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 9,938 |
• Density | 6,234.63/sq mi (2,406.54/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−8 (PST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
ZIP codes | 95010, 95062 |
Area code | 831 |
FIPS code | 06-11040 |
GNIS feature IDs | 1658216, 2409981 |
Website | Official website |
Capitola is a small seaside town in Santa Cruz County, California. Capitola is located on the northern shores of Monterey Bay, on the Central Coast of California. The city had a population of 9,938 at the 2020 census. Capitola is a popular tourist destination, owing to its beaches and restaurants.
The original settlement now known as Capitola grew out of what was then called Soquel Landing. Soquel Landing got its name from a wharf located at the mouth of Soquel Creek. This wharf, which dates back to the 1850s, served as an outlet for the produce and lumber grown in the interior. In 1865, Captain John Pope Davenport, a whaleman at Monterey, moved his operations to be near the wharf. Unable to capture any whales, he moved his operations the following year to Point Año Nuevo. [4] [5]
In 1869, Frederick A. Hihn, who owned the property in the vicinity of the wharf, decided to develop it as a seaside resort. At first he leased the area to Samuel A. Hall and the area became known as Camp Capitola. Most authorities believe that it was Hihn who chose the name of Capitola, but they are unsure as to why he did so. Several possibilities have been asserted, one being that it was named for the heroine of The Hidden Hand , a novel by the popular author E. D. E. N. Southworth, favored by Hall's daughter Lulu. Capitola is known as the oldest beach resort on the West Coast. [6]
In the summer of 1961 hundreds of birds attacked the town. Most of the birds were sooty shearwaters, a normally non-aggressive species that rarely comes to shore. Alfred Hitchcock was a regular visitor to nearby Santa Cruz and read about this episode. He went on to direct a film— The Birds —based on the idea of hundreds of birds attacking humans. The reason for this attack remained unknown for over 25 years until it was discovered that the birds had been affected by domoic acid, a toxin produced by red algae. [7]
The Capitola Classic was a skateboarding event held in Capitola village in the late 1970s and early 1980s. [8] The Capitola Classic was known in skating circles for its annual downhill race, which was a head-to-head speed competition that drew top names in the sport, many local as well as international, including Santa Cruz, California local John Hutson, who held the world speed record for skateboarding at 53.45 mph and dominated the event each year. [8] Starting in 2009 efforts were made to revive the event. [9]
On March 24, 2011, a drainage pipe burst following heavy rains, sending a surge of water through the historic village area. [10] [11] Two days later cleanup operations were interrupted when the area was flooded again. [12] [13] [14] [15]
Capitola Village is located at the beach by the mouth of Soquel Creek.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.4 square kilometers), of which 1.6 square miles (4.1 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (4.92%) is water.
Capitola sits on the northeast shore of Monterey Bay. Cliffs mark access to several popular beaches, including New Brighton Beach, or drop directly to the rocky shoreline of the bay. Capitola Village sits in a depression among the cliffs so that the popular tourist and shopping area leads directly to Capitola Beach. Colorful houses and hotels line the slopes of the town leading back up to the clifftops.
The historic Venetian Court sits on the beach just east of the pier and is on the Register of National Historic Places as "The first Condominium Beach Community in the United States, built in 1924".[ citation needed ]
Capitola has mild weather throughout the year, enjoying a Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) characterized by cool, wet winters and warm, mostly dry summers. Due to its proximity to Monterey Bay, fog and low overcast are common during the night and morning hours, especially in the summer.[ citation needed ]
Climate data for Capitola, CA | |||||||||||||
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Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Average high °F (°C) | 60.6 (15.9) | 62.3 (16.8) | 64.4 (18.0) | 67.5 (19.7) | 70.1 (21.2) | 72.9 (22.7) | 73.4 (23.0) | 74.3 (23.5) | 74.5 (23.6) | 71.5 (21.9) | 64.9 (18.3) | 60.0 (15.6) | 68.0 (20.0) |
Average low °F (°C) | 40.8 (4.9) | 42.7 (5.9) | 44.0 (6.7) | 45.5 (7.5) | 48.6 (9.2) | 51.5 (10.8) | 53.7 (12.1) | 53.9 (12.2) | 52.6 (11.4) | 49.0 (9.4) | 44.3 (6.8) | 40.8 (4.9) | 47.3 (8.5) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 6.40 (163) | 6.24 (158) | 4.67 (119) | 1.99 (51) | 0.85 (22) | 0.19 (4.8) | 0.01 (0.25) | 0.04 (1.0) | 0.27 (6.9) | 1.44 (37) | 3.75 (95) | 5.68 (144) | 31.53 (801) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 10.6 | 10.9 | 10.0 | 5.9 | 3.3 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 3.5 | 7.5 | 10.7 | 66.2 |
Source: NOAA [16] |
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1950 | 1,848 | — | |
1960 | 2,021 | 9.4% | |
1970 | 5,080 | 151.4% | |
1980 | 9,095 | 79.0% | |
1990 | 10,171 | 11.8% | |
2000 | 10,033 | −1.4% | |
2010 | 9,918 | −1.1% | |
2020 | 9,938 | 0.2% | |
U.S. Decennial Census [17] |
The [update] 2010 United States Census [18] reported that Capitola had a population of 9,918. The population density was 5,919.0 inhabitants per square mile (2,285.3 inhabitants per square kilometer). The racial makeup of Capitola was 7,963 (80.3%) White, 123 (1.2%) African American, 59 (0.6%) Native American, 424 (4.3%) Asian, 10 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 869 (8.8%) from other races, and 470 (4.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,957 persons (19.7%).
The Census reported that 9,770 people (98.5% of the population) lived in households, 25 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 123 (1.2%) were institutionalized.
There were 4,626 households, out of which 1,011 (21.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,515 (32.7%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 539 (11.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 232 (5.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 339 (7.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 55 (1.2%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,735 households (37.5%) were made up of individuals, and 608 (13.1%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11. There were 2,286 families (49.4% of all households); the average family size was 2.78.
The population was spread out, with 1,643 people (16.6%) under the age of 18, 930 people (9.4%) aged 18 to 24, 2,801 people (28.2%) aged 25 to 44, 3,005 people (30.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,539 people (15.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.
There were 5,534 housing units at an average density of 3,302.7 per square mile (1,275.2/km2), of which 2,152 (46.5%) were owner-occupied, and 2,474 (53.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.8%. 4,430 people (44.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,340 people (53.8%) lived in rental housing units.
As of the 2000 [update] U.S. census, [19] there were 10,033 people, 4,692 households, and 2,280 families residing in the city. The population density was 6,220.2 inhabitants per square mile (2,401.6 inhabitants per square kilometer). There were 5,309 housing units at an average density of 3,291.5 per square mile (1,270.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 83.84% White, 1.17% African American, 0.57% Native American, 4.00% Asian, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 5.53% from other races, and 4.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.63% of the population.
There were 4,692 households, out of which 22.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.1% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.4% were non-families. 37.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.79.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 18.4% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $46,048, and the median income for a family was $59,473. Males had a median income of $47,879 versus $35,444 for females. The per capita income for the city was $27,609. About 2.0% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Capitola Village and Esplanade is the heart of the Capitola Retail and Tourism Hub being a draw for tourist and locals alike with a variety of boutiques and restaurants. Forty-first Avenue is the retail and business corridor for a majority of larger national and regional business serving the community as a whole. The Capitola Mall, the only enclosed regional shopping center in Santa Cruz County is slated for redevelopment into a mixed use project with increasing pressure due to the failure of the traditional mall concept.[ citation needed ]
Top employers: According to Capitola's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, [20] the principal employers in the city are:
# | Employer | # of Employees |
---|---|---|
1 | Subaru, Toyota, Kia of Santa Cruz | 205 |
2 | Target | 173 |
3 | Gayle's Bakery & Rosticceria | 161 |
4 | Whole Foods Market | 144 |
5 | Shadowbrook Restaurant | 140 |
6 | Pacific Coast Manor | 115 |
7 | City of Capitola | 115 |
8 | Macy's | 111 |
9 | Trader Joe's | 106 |
10 | Kohl's | 103 |
In the California State Legislature, Capitola is in the 17th Senate District , represented by Democrat John Laird, and in the 29th Assembly District , represented by Democrat Robert Rivas. [21]
In the United States House of Representatives, Capitola is in the California's 19th congressional district , represented by Democrat Jimmy Panetta. [22]
Santa Cruz is the largest city and the county seat of Santa Cruz County, in Northern California. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 62,956. Situated on the northern edge of Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz is a popular tourist destination, owing to its beaches, surf culture, and historic landmarks.
Monterey County, officially the County of Monterey, is a county located on the Pacific coast in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, its population was 439,035. The county's largest city and county seat is Salinas.
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 Cruz–Watsonville, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the San Jose–San Francisco–Oakland, CA Combined Statistical Area. The county is on the California Central Coast, south of the San Francisco Bay Area region. The county forms the northern coast of the Monterey Bay, with Monterey County forming the southern coast.
Monterey Bay is a bay of the Pacific Ocean located on the coast of the U.S. state of California, south of the San Francisco Bay Area. San Francisco itself is further north along the coast, by about 75 miles, accessible via Highway 1 and Highway 280.
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Pajaro is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Monterey County, California. It is located on the south bank of the Pajaro River 5 miles (8 km) northeast of its mouth, at an elevation of 26 feet (7.9 m). The population was 2,882 at the 2020 census, down from 3,070 in 2010. The school district is in Santa Cruz County.
Aptos is an unincorporated town in Santa Cruz County, California. The town is made up of several small villages, which together form Aptos: Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley, Aptos Village, Cabrillo, Seacliff, Rio del Mar, and Seascape. Together, they have a combined population of 24,402.
Live Oak is a census-designated place (CDP) in Santa Cruz County, California between the cities of Santa Cruz and Capitola and north of the former Union Pacific railroad. Live Oak sits at an elevation of 102 feet (31 m). The population was 17,038 at the 2020 census. The population of the greater Live Oak area, including Twin Lakes and Pleasure Point, was 27,921.
Rio del Mar is an unincorporated village in Santa Cruz County, California. Rio del Mar is one of several small villages that form the unincorporated community of Aptos, California. Its population was 9,128 as of the 2020 United States census.
Scotts Valley is a small city in Santa Cruz County, California, United States, about thirty miles (48 km) south of downtown San Jose and six miles (9.7 km) north of the city of Santa Cruz, in the upland slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 12,224. Principal access to the city is supplied by State Route 17 that connects San Jose and Santa Cruz. The city was incorporated in 1966.
Soquel is an unincorporated town and census-designated place (CDP) in Santa Cruz County, California, located on the northern coast of Monterey Bay. The population was 9,980 at the 2020 census.
The Santa Cruz Wharf is a wharf in Santa Cruz, California, United States, known for fishing, boat tours, viewing sea lions, dining, nightlife and gift shops. The current wharf was built in 1914, the last of six built on the site, and is operated by the City of Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation Office. The wharf is situated between Main Beach and Cowell's Beach, on the westside of the city of Santa Cruz. With a length of 2,745 feet (836.68 m), it is the longest pier on the West Coast of the United States.
Area code 831 is a telephone area code in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for a small region of the U.S. state of California. The numbering plan area (NPA) comprises Monterey County, San Benito County, and Santa Cruz County. The area code was created on July 11, 1998 in a split from area code 408.
Pasatiempo is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Santa Cruz County, California, United States, located along State Route 17 between Scotts Valley and Santa Cruz. Bus service is provided by Santa Cruz Metro and the Highway 17 Express. Pasatiempo sits at an elevation of 394 feet (120 m). The 2020 United States census reported Pasatiempo's population was 1,093.
Rancho Soquel was a 1,668-acre (6.75 km2) Mexican land grant in present-day Santa Cruz County, California given in 1833 by Governor José Figueroa to María Martina Castro y Amador. In 1844, Martina Castro was granted by Governor José Figueroa a further 32,702-acre (132.34 km2) grant known as the Soquel Augmentation. The Rancho Soquel grant along Monterey Bay includes present-day Soquel and Capitola. Rancho Aptos of her brother Rafael Castro formed the south boundary of the grant. The much-larger Soquel Augmentation grant lay inland from both of these, and comprised mainly mountain watershed land.
Pleasure Point is a census-designated place (CDP) in Santa Cruz County, California. Pleasure Point sits at an elevation of 33 feet (10 m). The 2020 United States census reported Pleasure Point's population was 5,821. Prior to the 2010 census, this CDP was called Opal Cliffs.
The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors is the governing body for Santa Cruz County, California. As required by California Law, the board comprises five elected members, each of whom represents one of five districts.
Soquel Creek is a southward flowing 16 miles (26 km) creek that begins in the Santa Cruz Mountains in Santa Cruz County, California and enters Monterey Bay at Capitola Beach in Capitola, California.