About the Pioneers

​Organized in 1938, Soquel Pioneer and Historical Association is a community organization that sponsors an annual picnic each July to commemorate the town’s history and its role in the development of Santa Cruz County. There are no membership restrictions.

Everyone interested in sharing and preserving Soquel history is invited to participate in the annual picnic celebration that keeps the past alive.

We also maintain a History Room at the  Porter Memorial Library on Porter Street. The room is open to anyone who wants to explore Soquel history through displays. books and scrapbooks.

Contact Us

Have a question about membership, our mailing list, or Soquel history?

Email us at SoquelPioneers@gmail.com
​Click here to order the book
Images of America
​ Soquel
Historical Photos. Most of the pictures on this site are cropped versions of historical photos from our collection. Original copies can be found in scrapbooks at the Porter Memorial Library or at our picnic, or in our book.
The Soquel Pioneer and Historical Association committee worked four years to create a history of Soquel. The long-awaited book is part of the Arcadia Publishing Company Images of America Series. It may be obtained for a donation of $22 at the Soquel Porter Memorial Library.

The book includes many of the pictures archived in the Pioneers library. As a gift to Soquel, Stan Stevens, Librarian Emeritus at the University of California, Santa Cruz, compiled an index that is now available for the cost of printing, $3. with the book purchase.


Library hours are 12 to 4 P.M. Monday through Friday and 10 to 2 on Saturday

Millstones on the Move

Recently the historic Martina Castro family millstones were moved from the Pringle Grove picnic area to the entrance to the grove.  They weigh over a thousand pounds, so this was no small feat!  Our sincere thanks to Shan Gilmore for building the pedestal to display the stones and to Soquel Nursery Growers for carefully moving them.  Now the attendees each year to the Soquel Pioneers Picnic can better enjoy and appreciate these reminders of our rich heritage.
2023 Annual Picnic A Success!
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The Pioneers annual picnic was held on July 29.  The fun started at 11:30 with music by Open Heart-strings.  There were historical exhibits, an auction, and a chance to enjoy an afternoon with other Soquelites, both oldtimers and newcomers.  Thomas Sutfin presented an informative talk on the history of redwood logging in the Soquel Creek watershed, from the Native American period to the present.

Mark your calendar for the 2024 picnic, Saturday, July 27.
The Pioneers board of directors for 2021-2023 poses with the historic Martina Castro millstones at a recent picnic.
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Santa Cruz County History Fair. The 2023 fair was held on May 13th at the Felton Community Center and was organized by the San Lorenzo Valley Museum. Over 20 organ-izations, including the Soquel Pioneer and Historical Association, participated. It was well attended and people were treated to a variety of interesting displays explaining local history from every area of the county. Thanks to board member Lisa Nelson for curating a wonderful display of historic Soquel artifacts. 

This site last updated August 7, 2023