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May 26, 2023

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Early evening sunlight layers the grass at Pogonip open space in golden hues at

Early evening sunlight layers the grass at Pogonip open space in golden hues at the top of Spring Street as Mike Drew returns from his daily walk at UC Santa Cruz. Pogonip, which was one of the Santa Cruz locations used during the filming of the cult classic "The Lost Boys," was once part of the extensive Cowell Ranch, originally purchased by Henry Cowell for its lime and timber resources. In 1912, Fred Swanton, developer of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, opened an 18-hole golf course on the property. Competition from other courses led to its closure in the 1930s. The area was then transformed into popular polo fields and the Pogonip Polo Club was well known in the polo world of the 1930s and 1940s and was especially noteworthy due to Dorothy Deming Wheeler and the women's polo team. Wheeler ensured the polo club was not restricted to men, and Santa Cruz became one of the few areas where women's polo was accepted. The property was purchased in 1989 with funding from the CALPAW State Bond Act and is currently an open space belonging to the Santa Cruz City Parks and Recreation Department. The word Pogonip means ‘icy fog’ in Shoshone according to Margaret Koch in her book "Santa Cruz County – Parade of the Past." According to the City of Santa Cruz website, "It is likely Native Americans relied upon the resources found within Pogonip but no prehistoric sites have been identified." (Shmuel Thaler – Santa Cruz Sentinel)

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