A generous anonymous gift is helping UC Santa Cruz honor its history, reimagine the entrance to campus, and create a unique meeting and event space for the campus and the greater community. The gift is intended to lead and jumpstart fundraising to support the rehabilitation of what is known as the Cowell Ranch Cooperage, one of the oldest buildings on the UC Santa Cruz campus.
Built in 1869, the cooperage was originally used to construct and house wooden barrels for storing and shipping lime, heated from quarried limestone in the adjacent limekilns. The building has undergone several iterations in its 155-year lifespan, including when it was shortened to make way for Coolidge Drive, which became the main entrance to campus.
It is believed to be the only remaining free-standing cooperage in California.
_____
For the full story about this exciting development, please go to this post on the UCSC NewsCenter site.
