Today, #santacruzthen flashes back 30 years to the corner of Pacific & Soquel.
Where were you when the Loma Prieta Earthquake hit at 5:04 pm on October 17th, 1989?
After Loma Prieta hit, nearly 40 commercial buildings were leveled or later demolished in downtown Santa Cruz— including the Trust Building. For a long time, a majority of downtown looked like this archive photo shown above.
Rubble and dust filled the spaces where beloved businesses and homes once stood. But today, downtown is nearly unrecognizable with the final hole being filled at the end of Pacific Avenue in the summer of 2020.
Visit the MAH to learn how downtown was rebuilt using creativity and connection in Art & Healing, a pod exhibit found in the permanent Santa Cruz County History Gallery. Art & Healing is on view through August 22nd, 2021.