The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk remained successful 100 years after it first began entertaining visitors by adapting with the times while growing in a way that fit the local community. The entire Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, including the Cocoanut Grove, was named a California Historic Landmark in 1989. Over the years, older buildings received facelifts or were demolished to make way for modern facilities with features suited to changing times, and some rides were replaced by more thrilling attractions. The Canfield Family’s dedication to improving the park each year remained a guiding principle for the company. After World War II, under the leadership of Laurence Canfield, the Santa Cruz Seaside Company began revitalizing the Boardwalk to keep attracting visitors, and Laurence traveled to amusement parks across America and Europe, learning what worked and what did not before bringing a new vision home that improved everything from electrical systems to esthetics.
