Santa Cruz County administrative offices are located at 701 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060; phone: 831‑454‑2100.
Santa Cruz County was created in 1850, one of the original counties established after statehood. First named Branciforte, after a 1797 Spanish pueblo, the name was shortly changed to Santa Cruz (Holy Cross). The original Mission Santa Cruz was destroyed by an earthquake in 1857.
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