Friday, May 1, 2026

Question: When the first Santa Cruz wharf was built in 1849, what was its primary purpose?

Answer: Shipping locally grown potatoes to San Francisco and Sierra Nevada Gold Rush mining camps. Known as the Potato Chute Wharf, it was built by Elihu Anthony at the end of Bay Street. Today’s Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf, partially reopened after 2024 storm damage, is the sixth wharf built along the Santa Cruz waterfront.