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.
2021 Picnic A Success​ 

The 2021 Pioneer's picnic at Pringle Grove was held on July 31 with about 75 people attending. Because of the pandemic, each family brought their own lunch rather than having a potluck. After introductory remarks by President Jim Hobbs and a short business meeting, historian Traci Bliss spoke on "Murder, Mayhem, and Mistaken Identity."  Supervisor Manu Koenig and Capitola Museum Curator Deborah Osterberg also made short remarks. David Lewit took the microphone around so that each person could introduce themselves and state their connection to Soquel. Laura Hamby conducted the auction. Many thanks to all those to contributed to the successful auction.

The 2022 Soquel Pioneers Picnic will be held Saturday,  July 30.  We hope many long-time Soquelonians will join us again for this fun event. Newcomers also welcome!
The Pioneers board poses with the historic Martina Castro millstones at the 2021 picnic.