La Selva Beach
Between Aptos and Watsonville along San Andreas Road
SITE HISTORY
In the mid-1920, coastside resort development was booming in Santa Cruz County from Santa Cruz to Watsonville as the economy and tourism accelerated after World War I. Its during this time that Seacliff and Rio del Mar communities were established. Another resort was taking shape by 1925 when David Bachelor purchased 160 acres of land called ‘Villa Manresa” from the College of Santa Clara. Bachelor named the development, Rob Roy after the Scottish highland leader, Rob Roy MacGregor.
Bachelor subdivided streets, supplied utilities and constructed the first homes and summer cottages including log cabins in the ‘woods’ area of the new development.
Today, some of the original cabins still remain on Margarita Road and Arbolado Drive. The intersection of Freedom Boulevard and San Andreas Road is still known as Rob Roy Junction. In 1948, the state acquired the 21-acre beach renaming it Manresa State Beach and in 1947, La Selva Beach Improvement Association was formed.
Rob Roy by the Sea. Credit: University of California, Santa Cruz. McHenry Library, Special Collections. Digital collection
Log Cabin. Credit: Carolyn Swift
Aerial of La Selva Beach, 1955. Credit: Covello & Covello, courtesy of Carolyn Swift
Boy at Rob Roy Beach. Credit: University of California, Santa Cruz. McHenry Library, Special Collections. Digital collection
Santa Cruz Sentinel, Feb 2, 1976