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| Unidentified group of sailors at Big Trees Grove, circa 1912 |
In 1912 an article in Our Navy – The Standard Magazine of the U.S. Navy, reflected upon one of the twenty ports of call of the famed Great White Fleet.
On May 3, 1908 "… the Atlantic Squadron visited the harbor of Santa Cruz, and Santa Cruzans have not forgotten the pleasure afforded them in entertaining the officers and men of the squadron. One of the notable features of the entertainment was a barbecue in the Santa Cruz Big Tree Grove, at which eleven hundred officers and citizens partook of barbecued meats and other food prepared and served under the big trees, and the day following the men of the squadron were similarly entertained in the same place."
Santa Cruz was one of the last ports of call for the fourteen-month circumnavigation of the Great White Fleet. Many sources of the day claimed the Fleet event at Big Trees Grove drew over 1,500 participants. A detailed description of that Naval visit may be found in my book, Historic Tales of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park – Big Trees Grove. Though the visit of Great White Fleet sailors was the largest Naval contingent to visit the grove, it was by no means the only one.
The 1912 Our Navy article went onto to describe the many amenities for shore leave at the resort town but saved the highest praise for a trip to the redwoods.
"The five-mile drive or railway trip from Santa Cruz to the big trees is via the picturesque San Lorenzo Canyon, a surpassingly beautiful scenic route. Of all the coast towns none are so easy of access, so close to the anchorage for the ships, or more hospitable to the sailormen than Santa Cruz … The amusement features are many and varied, chief among them being a picnic among the giant redwoods in the Santa Cruz Big Tree Grove, a Mecca for sightseers from all over the world … Sailormen concerned will be glad to have their ships ordered to Santa Cruz more frequently."
Source: “Santa Cruz, California, Popular Port of Call,” Our Navy, February 1912.
I think the next "port of call" by the U.S. Navy was made in the 1980s if not earlier...when Mr. Ghio was the mayor of Santa Cruz! It was to celebrate July 4th, I think..forgot what the event was but for those who lined up on the wharf, we got a boat ride to have a tour of the battle ship anchored in the bay, safe distance from the Santa Cruz Wharf! We could roam all over the ship, not a guided tour....Stay as long as one wanted to, before taking the landing boat back to the wharf...
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