News & Events
Friends of the Cowell Lime Works participating in 2024 History Fair on Saturday, May 18
May 4, 2024
The Friends of the Cowell Lime Works will be participating in a local History Fair on Saturday, May 18, 2024.
Philanthropy will help rehabilitate the historic Cowell Ranch Cooperage
April 29, 2024
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.
Breaking News: Cooperage to be Rehabilitated!
November 8, 2023
The historic Cooperage building beside Coolidge Drive near the main entrance to the UCSC campus will be rehabilitated.
A Rough Life
November 1, 2022
Some of the stories from the early years at the Cowell Ranch read like the script from a 1950s western.
Friends of the Cowell Lime Works participating in History Fair on Saturday, May 14
May 3, 2022
The Friends of the Cowell Lime Works will be participating in a local History Fair on Saturday, May 14. Come on by!
Walking tour of the Lime Works District on Saturday, May 21
May 3, 2022
The Friends of the Cowell Lime Works will be conducting a walking tour of the district for members and other interested persons on Saturday, May 21.
The Cowell Reservoir
April 7, 2022
In the cover story for the Spring/Summer 2022 edition of the Lime Kiln Chronicles, Board President Frank Perry describes the history of the Cowell Reservoir, which at one time was Santa Cruz’s primary water storage facility.
Campus Beginnings and the Historic District
October 1, 2021
In the cover story for the Fall 2021/Winter 2022 Lime Kiln Chronicles, Board President Frank Perry describes the history that led to the establishment of the UC Santa Cruz campus and the Cowell Lime Works Historic District.
From Scout Camp to University
April 1, 2021
In the cover story for the Spring/Summer 2021 Lime Kiln Chronicles, John Law Smith recalls his experiences on the Cowell Ranch and early days of the UC Santa Cruz campus.
Reconstruction of historic Cardiff Shed completed
May 20, 2020
The Friends board has announced that the historic Cardiff Shed reconstruction project has been completed.
When Hollywood came to the Cowell Ranch
December 1, 2019
On at least two occasions, the Cowell Ranch came close to being immortalized in a Hollywood picture.
Cardiff Shed project nearly completed
November 30, 2019
The Friends board has announced that its project to rebuild the historic Cardiff Shed has nearly been completed.
Reconstruction of historic Cardiff Shed to take place
August 28, 2019
The Friends board has announced that the historic Cardiff Shed will be reconstructed.
Santa Cruz County History Fair taking place May 18
January 28, 2019
The Santa Cruz County History Fair will return on Saturday, May 18, 2019.
A newsletter story: "Dating District Structures"
November 1, 2018
In this story, which was featured in our Friends Group's Fall 2018 newsletter, Frank Perry provides interesting leads on when the district's historic structures were built.
Quarry Amphitheater Open Again
November 12, 2017
Tales from the Cowell Cooperage
November 12, 2017
Each of the lime-making operations around California had a cooperage, but the one at UC Santa Cruz is the only one still standing.
Lecture: The Cowell Ranch Hay Barn Reinvented
November 12, 2017
A Tale of Two Immigrants
May 1, 2017
The 2016 History Fair led to this article about two Santa Cruz immigrants with similar interests in the local lime industry who had different family stories.
2nd History Fair a success
November 1, 2016
The Friends of the Cowell Limeworks organized a second Santa Cruz County History Fair in October that was even more successful than the inaugural event.
Second annual Santa Cruz County History Fair taking place October 8
July 24, 2016
For the second year in a row, the Friends of the Cowell Lime Works will be hosting the Santa Cruz County History Fair. Between 20 and 30 local museums, historians, historical societies, and other groups will have displays and host activities at the October 8 event.
History fair a tremendous success
January 11, 2016
Last fall's History Fair at UCSC, sponsored by the Friends of the Cowell Lime Works, was a huge success, with nearly 300 people in attendance.
Who Was Henry Cowell?
October 10, 2015
This article is from the Fall 2015 edition of the Friends of the Cowell Lime Works newsletter, the Lime Kiln Chronicles.
Many local organizations to participate in History Fair at UCSC on October 24
August 17, 2015
The Friends of the Cowell Lime Works Historic District is presenting a local history fair, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of Henry Cowell's purchase of the land that would become UC Santa Cruz. The event will take place on Saturday, October 24, on the UCSC campus.
Intern with the Friends of the Cowell Lime Works Historic District
March 9, 2015
UCSC Physical Planning and Construction (PP&C), together with Friends of the Cowell Lime Works Historic District, is seeking up to three student interns to conduct research and prepare poster displays for the Henry Cowell Sesquicentennial Conference in October 2015.