Westlake Pond History
Written by Ron Goodman, primary source "Rancho Tres Ojos de Agua" by Dean Silvers
Prepare yourself for a rapid review of 500 million years of Westlake Pond history!
500-250 millions years ago, tiny animals deposited calcium carbonate in the ocean. This was transported and deposited in the Santa Cruz area as Limestone. Limestone dissolves in slightly-acidic rain, forming "karst" – a network of cracks, tunnels, and pools that hold precipitation and slowly transport it to springs like the ones that emanate into what we now call Westlake Pond. This water has flowed for (at least) thousands of years, being utilized and managed by indigenous people.
This continued until the arrival of the Spanish in 1769. The Spanish mission system was brutal to indigenous people – in addition to so much other loss, the Spanish also denied natives the right to use the land. And that included use of this natural pond (we don't know what the pond may have been called then).
But the mission system was short-lived, and in 1833 the mission system was largely dismantled. In 1834, 3 plots of land were returned to indigenous people. One of these was then called "Rancheria de las Fuentes" and it contained the pond. In 1837 this land was returned to a native named Geronimo Miguel Pacheco Chugiut. The area was thus subsequently called "Geronimo's Land".
In April of 1843, records show that Joseph L Majors bought the title to the land from Geronimo. He claimed he did so to protect native people's access, and while some criticize his action, he did in fact continue to provide a home on the land for Geronimo and his kin.
In the late 1800s, the pond was bordered by thick willow and berry bramble. Somewhere toward the end of the century, the land transfered from Majors to Al Lent. At that point, the area was called the "Al Lent Property". Al apparently kept a rowboat on his pond, and let only a few people have access.
In the 1930s, some nearby residents called it "Stinky Lake" due to muck and rotting vegetation. At this point, the pond was essentially a shallow marsh.
Aerial image of Westlake Pond area in 1931 (click to enlarge)
Same image with modern street names superimposed (click to enlarge)
Aerial image of Westlake Pond area in 1940 (click to enlarge)
In the early 1950s, Victor Bogard bought the pond land from Al Lent. In 1954, Bogard Sr. named the pond after a residential area he had admired in Daly City named Westlake. While its location in Santa Cruz could have influenced this choice, it was not the source of the name. Unfortunately, the "Daly City" Westlake has a problematic history, which may be why some have suggested renaming it.
Victor reported that the pond was thick with trees and vegetation and dirt. His son spent the summer clearing.
Victor developed 80 homes over the subsequent years around Westlake Pond, turning it into something much closer to what we see today. What we don't see is the home Vic considered building on piles and piers in the center of the pond, with a drawbridge like a medieval fort. Instead he chose to donate the pond land to the City of Santa Cruz Parks Department. The city offered to name it "Bogard Park" but Vic declined. In the original deed restriction, the first homeowners had to buy and plant 2 flowering plums!
Do you have thoughts about this historical summary of Westlake Pond? Please share your feedback!