This charming pencil set celebrates some of our favorite local State Parks and Beaches! Each set features six sturdy pencils: Seacliff State Beach, the Forest of Nisene Marks, the Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park, Natural Bridges State Beach, and Wilder Ranch State Park.
Metal Bookmark – California Poppies
Finish: Solid brass, electro-plated with non-tarnishing silver finish, giclee print
The state flower of California (elected to office in 1903), Eschscholzia californica, is an ornamental plant which flowers from February to September in the northern hemisphere. The showy cup-shaped flowers come in brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow. It is also used as food or a garnish.
1500 California Place Names
1500 California Place Names
Their Origin and Meaning, A Revised version of 1000 California
Place Names by Erwin G. Gudde, Third editionWilliam Bright
This is the new “pocket” version of the classic California Place Names, first published by
California in 1949. Erwin G. Gudde’s monumental work, which went through several
editions during its author’s lifetime, has now been released in an expanded and updated
edition by William Bright. The abridged version, originally called 1000 California Place
Names, has grown to a dynamic 1500 California Place Names in Bright’s hands. Those who
have used and enjoyed 1000 California Place Names through the decades will be glad to
know that 1500 California Place Names is not only bigger but better. This handbook
focuses on two sorts of names: those that are well-known as destinations or geographical
features of the state, such as La Jolla, Tahoe, and Alcatraz, and those that demand
attention because of their problematic origins, whether Spanish like Bodega and Chamisal
or Native American like Aguanga and Siskiyou.
Names of the major Indian tribes of California are included, since some of them have been
directly adapted as place names and others have been the source of a variety of names.
Bright incorporates his own recent research and that of other linguists and local historians,
giving us a much deeper appreciation of the tangled ancestry many California names
embody. Featuring phonetic pronunciations for all the Golden State’s tongue-twisting
names, this is in effect a brand new book, indispensable to California residents and visitors
alike.
Wildlife Pin – Rufous Hummingbird
These tiny, jewel-like birds can be spotted in the Santa Cruz area early in the spring, when the males start courting females for the breeding season. This colorful enamel lapel pin measures 1.25″ wide.
Life in a California Mission
A great resource for 4th grade Mission projects!
On the afternoon of September 14, 1786, two French ships appeared off the coast of Monterey, the first foreign vessels to visit Spain’s California colonies. Aboard was a party of eminent scientists, navigators, cartographers, illustrators, and physicians.
For the next ten days the commander of this expedition, Jean Francois de La Pérouse, took detailed notes on the life and character of the area: its abundant wildlife, the labors of soldiers and monks, and the customs of Indians recently drawn into the mission. These observations provide a startling portrait of California two centuries ago.
By Jean François de la Pérouse; Introduction and Commentary by Malcolm Margolin; Illustrations by Linda Yamane.
Boxed Set of California Poppy Notecards
Send a little California cheer any time of the year with these lovely illustrated notecards.
Includes 8 cards with matching envelopes, all made from high-quality paper milled in the USA. Cards measure 3.5″ X 5″. Blank inside, so they’re perfect for any occasion!
Geology of the Northern Monterey Bay Region
Are you getting curious about rocks? Want to know more about the fossils you’ve spotted in the creek at Nisene Marks, or the cliffs at Seacliff? Want to learn more about the Sand Hills of Henry Cowell, or how to “read” the history of our area hidden in stone? You’re in luck – local author Frank A Perry has written a comprehensive guide to the geology of our home! There’s even information about the history of adobe bricks, and the restoration of the Castro Adobe State Historic Park!
The northern Monterey Bay region has more interesting geologic features packed into a small area than almost any other part of California. Its dynamic history has been shaped by dramatic uplifts, volcanic eruptions, rising and falling sea levels, and the ever-moving San Andreas Fault. The book explores in simple language an amazing diversity of topics. These include rocks, fossils, earthquakes, beaches, minerals, water, marine terraces, and the Monterey Submarine Canyon. The author places each within the context of human history, and the book includes activities, places to visit, and sources for further reading.
Santa Cruz Mission Mug (Michael Schwab)
This sturdy mug features Michael Schwab’s beautiful image of the Santa Cruz Mission. 15 oz, dishwasher and microwave safe.
Secret Walks and Staircases in Santa Cruz
This book is a treasure trove for locals and visitors alike! Written by a long-time Santa Cruz resident who is passionate about walking and hiking, it includes 44 detailed maps and clear step-by-step route descriptions that are easy to follow, as well as more than 130 photographs of secret spots, plants and animals likely to be seen by the walker. All walks are rated by distance and elevation gain and range from one to more than six miles in length.
Native American Testimony
In a series of powerful and moving documents, anthropologist Peter Nabokov presents a history of Native American and white relations as seen though Indian eyes and told through Indian voices. Beginning with the Indians’ first encounters with European explorers, traders, missionaries, settlers, and soldiers to the challenges confronting Native American culture today, Native American Testimony spans five hundred years of interchange between the two peoples. Drawing from a wide range of sources–traditional narratives, Indian autobiographies, government transcripts, firsthand interviews, and more–Nabokov has assembled a remarkably rich and vivid collection, representing nothing less than an alternate history of North America.