By Frank Perry
This article is part of the MAH’s Online History Journal, a collection of original research on local history. Dive deep into Santa Cruz County history in this ever-growing forum and start creating your own.
Online History Journal of Santa Cruz County – Curious Canyon
Tourism has long been an important part of the Santa Cruz economy. By the middle 1900s, more and more vacationers took to automobiles instead of trains, prompting the development of several “roadside” attractions. After World War II, more attractions followed: the Tree Circus in Scotts Valley (1947); Sorenson’s House of Wax in Capitola (1956); Santa’s Village in Scotts Valley (1957); The Lost World (a successor to the Tree Circus, 1963); and Roaring Camp Railroad in Felton (1963).
In 1954, smack dab in the middle of the post-war baby boom came Curious Canyon. Curiously, it was a close neighbor of The Mystery Spot and practically identical. Not surprisingly, the histories of the two attractions were intertwined.
Read the journal linked below to learn more about this short-lived, largely forgotten attraction.
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