Bringing the Past and Present Together
“Capitola Then & Now,” this year’s exhibition at the Capitola Historical Museum with an opening reception noon to 2 p.m. March 14, will focus on how the beach-front city has changed over the past century.
Opal Cliffs, completely undeveloped, not even a tree, late 1880s.
“It’s amazing to see how much some parts of Capitola have changed,” said Curator Frank Perry, “while other areas have changed hardly at all.”
Perry has drawn upon the museum’s large collection of historical photographs and artifacts to assemble the displays. Juxtaposed with the historical photos are the same scenes taken today by Perry and museum volunteers.
Some of the old pictures are ones never displayed before.
Opal Cliffs Today. Both photos show the wharf, beach, and Opal Cliffs in the distance.
“Several people have made important donations of photos in recent years, and we are pleased to showcase some of these in this new exhibition,” said Perry.
Other new displays include profiles of two local families: the Nutter family (which had an apple drying operation on Capitola Avenue in the early 1900s) and the Pawlas. In the early 1900s, Edith Pawla and her daughter, Emily, had a business breeding and selling violets from their nursery on Wharf Road.
There will also be a display on the local history of the telephone, from 1880 (the first one) to the present. All the new exhibits will be up through December.
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Capitola Historical Museum is located at 410 Capitola Ave. Admission is free. Regular hours are noon to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Information: 831-464-0322.
Photos courtesy of Capitola Historial Museum