I remember the Flood of 55. I was 4 almost 5 and lived at 615A California St by SCHS. It rained forever and we had to play inside all the time. We watched the leaves block up the street drains until it overflowed the sidewalks and cars sprayed water everywhere when they drove through it. After the flood I got mad because my mom wouldn't let me go downtown and look around while my 9yo brother got to go by himself. It's going to happen again, the river needs to be dredged and the vegetation kept down. Bulwark St down by the Town Clock is named for a failed bulwark to keep the river out of town. Thanks for the video and pictures!
I thoroughly enjoyed your video. It brings back many memories. Sadly, however, you neglected lower Ocean St., where I was at the time, at 6 years old. On the corner, of the east side of Ocean St. - at Barson, there's a store called (at the time) Ocean-Barson Market. It was located right at the very bottom of Ocean St. hill, south of Soquel Ave, and then Broadway........... LOL! Where did I live? Well, my mom and I lived in the little, single-wall shack building that sat on top of the market! :O ................... Anyway, In facing the market, to the left side of the building was a small business that was separate from the market itself. It was called the Copper Kitchen, and it was a coffee shop owned by my mom. Actually, she owned the business, but the Langendorf bread man, Arnie Bertozzi owned the building........... Facing outward from the market, directly across the street, on the west side, the left corner of Ocean and Barson had a gas station. Directly behind it, on Ocean St. was a bar. I think the bar is still there, but not sure........ To the right, on the corner, directly across from the gas station, was a senior apartment complex called the Swan Lake Apartments........ As usual, when no one was in the coffee shop, I was sitting, not at the counter, but on the counter. And it was me, who said: "Uhhh, Mom! There's water coming in!"...... Just a few minutes later, it seemed, the water was at counter height. My and I really had no place to go, except upstairs. However, this would have meant we had to leave the building, go next door to the market, walk through to the back to take the stairs to the roof and our little shack. So Mom decided we should stay put....... My legs had been dangling over the side of the counter, and I could feel electricity in the water. So I swung my legs to the other side of the counter to find the current was less. So, I walked towards the ront window and the door to peer out........... Holy Cow! There were men in row boats across the street rescuing seniors from the complex. There must have been three or four there. And, a Fire Truck, lights flashing, just up Ocean St. at the start of the hill, but out of the water...... I tell my mom. What does she do? She opened up the front door and hollers to one of the boats, "I've got FREE HOT COFFEE if anybody wants it. One by one, the boats came over and Mom served them coffee from the front door. It was pretty awesome! At 6 years old, this was truly an adventure..... So the day passes, the seniors being rescued, and the rain just pouring down. Darkness had fallen and Mom was wondering what we should do. We both sat on the counter huddled together, just wondering...... Then(!) the front door pops open! Who walked in, but none other than Arnie Bertozzi, himself! He picks me up, with my mom following as he wades us out the front door, up Ocean St. Hill to where the water ended, and into the back of his truck. Arnie had backed the truck all the way down the hill to rescue us! We're going to his houseon Pacheco Ave., for the night! ....... His wife, stunningly beautiful - like an angel - grabbed my hand, lead me to the bathroom and threw me in the bath tub! LOL! My adventure ended with a warm, comfy bed, and memories to last a lifetime!........ So who be me? Steve Hartman. SCHS Class of 1967! :D
Very good. My parents, Bob and Beth Pepper, were new to Aptos at the time. In fact, my Dad had just picked my Mom up from the Salinas bus station on the 22nd and brought her to their new home on a farm at 6850 Freedom Blvd. It had been an ordeal to drive from Salinas, through Watsonville to bring Mom home. My Dad got behind a truck, so that their '54 Ford wouldn't get flooded out in the deep water as they came on Salinas Road into Watsonville. Our neighbor, Harry Gregg, had just cut a new driveway straight up the hill to his new home site. The driveway hadn't been paved and was starting to wash out. My Dad grabbed his shovel and went to tell Mr. Gregg that it would be OK to direct the water off the driveway and into our fields. Dad had planted a good cover crop that was able to absorb all the water off the driveway. Together, they worked for hours and made small cuts across the driveway and directed the water out into our fields. Because of the good soil husbandry practices that my Dad had learned in ag school on the GI Bill, not a speck of sand was washed out onto Freedom Blvd. An enduring friendship was also created.
Excellent documentary and very timely as we're in the middle of the storm of January 2023. I'm crossing my fingers and toes that the San Lorenzo River doesn't overflow the levee and flood downtown where I've lived since 1980.
Thank you! As a resident of El Rio Mobile Home Park, I found this very relevant. I am torn every year as the City clears out vegetation in the river near my home, destroying wildlife habitat, but perhaps saving me and my neighbors from flooding. I could not live where I live without the levee.
My parents bought a home in Soquel in 1955. I was very young and don't remember much of this. I do remember the bridge was knocked out in downtown Soquel because of all the debris. This is quite an eye opener, I had no idea.
I remember the 82 flood I was in kindergarten at gault school and watching the water flowing in-between sea Bright and Broadway my stepfather went threw the 1955 flood.
I remember well this flood, as well as the one in '57 and the awful '64 flood. During the '55 flood we lived in Menlo Park in the Bay Area. The very deep San Francisquito Creek was only blocks away from our house. I can remember my dad putting my shoes on my bed at bedtime. I guess he was letting me know he was taking good care of us. I was just 9 then. The rain seemed to go on forever. We moved to Felton in '57.
My family and I had to leave our home because the surging water came up on the sidewalk; we walked up to Broadway. It was very sad because the whole town and businesses were decorated for Christmas. Afterwards, the "smell" in the businesses were difficult to remove. I remember the smell especially at the Newberry store.
I remember the Flood of 55. I was 4 almost 5 and lived at 615A California St by SCHS. It rained forever and we had to play inside all the time. We watched the leaves block up the street drains until it overflowed the sidewalks and cars sprayed water everywhere when they drove through it. After the flood I got mad because my mom wouldn't let me go downtown and look around while my 9yo brother got to go by himself.
It's going to happen again, the river needs to be dredged and the vegetation kept down. Bulwark St down by the Town Clock is named for a failed bulwark to keep the river out of town.
Thanks for the video and pictures!
I thoroughly enjoyed your video. It brings back many memories. Sadly, however, you neglected lower Ocean St., where I was at the time, at 6 years old. On the corner, of the east side of Ocean St. - at Barson, there's a store called (at the time) Ocean-Barson Market. It was located right at the very bottom of Ocean St. hill, south of Soquel Ave, and then Broadway........... LOL! Where did I live? Well, my mom and I lived in the little, single-wall shack building that sat on top of the market! :O ................... Anyway, In facing the market, to the left side of the building was a small business that was separate from the market itself. It was called the Copper Kitchen, and it was a coffee shop owned by my mom. Actually, she owned the business, but the Langendorf bread man, Arnie Bertozzi owned the building........... Facing outward from the market, directly across the street, on the west side, the left corner of Ocean and Barson had a gas station. Directly behind it, on Ocean St. was a bar. I think the bar is still there, but not sure........ To the right, on the corner, directly across from the gas station, was a senior apartment complex called the Swan Lake Apartments........ As usual, when no one was in the coffee shop, I was sitting, not at the counter, but on the counter. And it was me, who said: "Uhhh, Mom! There's water coming in!"...... Just a few minutes later, it seemed, the water was at counter height. My and I really had no place to go, except upstairs. However, this would have meant we had to leave the building, go next door to the market, walk through to the back to take the stairs to the roof and our little shack. So Mom decided we should stay put....... My legs had been dangling over the side of the counter, and I could feel electricity in the water. So I swung my legs to the other side of the counter to find the current was less. So, I walked towards the ront window and the door to peer out........... Holy Cow! There were men in row boats across the street rescuing seniors from the complex. There must have been three or four there. And, a Fire Truck, lights flashing, just up Ocean St. at the start of the hill, but out of the water...... I tell my mom. What does she do? She opened up the front door and hollers to one of the boats, "I've got FREE HOT COFFEE if anybody wants it. One by one, the boats came over and Mom served them coffee from the front door. It was pretty awesome! At 6 years old, this was truly an adventure..... So the day passes, the seniors being rescued, and the rain just pouring down. Darkness had fallen and Mom was wondering what we should do. We both sat on the counter huddled together, just wondering...... Then(!) the front door pops open! Who walked in, but none other than Arnie Bertozzi, himself! He picks me up, with my mom following as he wades us out the front door, up Ocean St. Hill to where the water ended, and into the back of his truck. Arnie had backed the truck all the way down the hill to rescue us! We're going to his houseon Pacheco Ave., for the night! ....... His wife, stunningly beautiful - like an angel - grabbed my hand, lead me to the bathroom and threw me in the bath tub! LOL! My adventure ended with a warm, comfy bed, and memories to last a lifetime!........ So who be me? Steve Hartman. SCHS Class of 1967! :D
Very good. My parents, Bob and Beth Pepper, were new to Aptos at the time. In fact, my Dad had just picked my Mom up from the Salinas bus station on the 22nd and brought her to their new home on a farm at 6850 Freedom Blvd. It had been an ordeal to drive from Salinas, through Watsonville to bring Mom home. My Dad got behind a truck, so that their '54 Ford wouldn't get flooded out in the deep water as they came on Salinas Road into Watsonville.
Our neighbor, Harry Gregg, had just cut a new driveway straight up the hill to his new home site. The driveway hadn't been paved and was starting to wash out. My Dad grabbed his shovel and went to tell Mr. Gregg that it would be OK to direct the water off the driveway and into our fields. Dad had planted a good cover crop that was able to absorb all the water off the driveway. Together, they worked for hours and made small cuts across the driveway and directed the water out into our fields. Because of the good soil husbandry practices that my Dad had learned in ag school on the GI Bill, not a speck of sand was washed out onto Freedom Blvd. An enduring friendship was also created.
Thanks so much for sharing your memories, Janie. :)
Thanks for the history. I hope the river is clear of brush and the levees in good shape next time
Excellent documentary and very timely as we're in the middle of the storm of January 2023. I'm crossing my fingers and toes that the San Lorenzo River doesn't overflow the levee and flood downtown where I've lived since 1980.
Thank you! As a resident of El Rio Mobile Home Park, I found this very relevant. I am torn every year as the City clears out vegetation in the river near my home, destroying wildlife habitat, but perhaps saving me and my neighbors from flooding. I could not live where I live without the levee.
Moved to Rio Del Mar in 55 and went to the beach to see the tidal wave that never happened in our area. Guess we're lucky to be alive.
Great history and video Dan! Kudos!!!
My parents bought a home in Soquel in 1955. I was very young and don't remember much of this. I do remember the bridge was knocked out in downtown Soquel because of all the debris. This is quite an eye opener, I had no idea.
My brother told me that the Jaycees were used to help out after this flood. May the Jaycees have other photos in their archive.
I remember the 82 flood I was in kindergarten at gault school and watching the water flowing in-between sea Bright and Broadway my stepfather went threw the 1955 flood.
I remember well this flood, as well as the one in '57 and the awful '64 flood.
During the '55 flood we lived in Menlo Park in the Bay Area. The very deep San Francisquito Creek was only blocks away from our house. I can remember my dad putting my shoes on my bed at bedtime. I guess he was letting me know he was taking good care of us. I was just 9 then. The rain seemed to go on forever.
We moved to Felton in '57.
Great video thx for that
Awesome!
My family and I had to leave our home because the surging water came up on the sidewalk; we walked up to Broadway. It was very sad because the whole town and businesses were decorated for Christmas. Afterwards, the "smell" in the businesses were difficult to remove. I remember the smell especially at the Newberry store.
Thanks for sharing your memories Georgiana. It was a hard time for many people, but a time to be proud and people stepped up and helped one another.
Should be very interesting.
Was geoengineering involved back then?