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Santa Cruz County is located in the state of California and they are making their mark as more than a county. Santa Cruz also makes their own wine. Winemaking and the growing of the grapes are both done in Santa Cruz County and wine is a vital part of the culture there as well.
In 1850 when California became a state, Santa Cruz County was of the original county when no other county was around. At first, the county had the name Branciforte. It was named after the founding of a Spanish Pueblo in 1797. A watercourse had the same name so back to square one and the name for holy cross, Santa Cruz, was given and it stuck.
Santa Cruz County is just south of the San Francisco Bay Area. Because of its location, it actually is responsible for the formation of Monterey Bay’s northern coast. Santa Cruz is the county seat and is a moderately sized county. A few years back its population was just below 250,000.
The county does have the title of one of the smallest counties in California. Its area is only 607 square miles and the only county smaller is San Francisco. The county strip is divided into 4 areas. The north coast is a rugged terrain; the cities of Santa Cruz, Aptos, Soquel, and Capitola are urban, fertile south country, Bonny Doon, and San Lorenzo Valley, both mountainous and lovely.
The universities in Santa Cruz County are 4-year institutions. One is the University of California, Santa Cruz. It is a public university located in the city of Santa Cruz. Bethany University is a private university and its location is in Scotts Valley, California. There is a 2-year public college in Aptos, California called Cabrillo College.
Santa Cruz County is a nice place for family, college education and the occasional sip of the fine wine made right there in the county.
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