The Story of Byrne Bros Hardware, Pt. 3
Byrne Bros was a fixture on Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz during the first half of the 20th century. But as the family went their separate ways, the days of the hardware store were numbered.
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Trains in the Family
Every family has a train nut. This family has several, including one who designed some of the largest steam locomotives in history.
The Story of Byrne Bros Hardware, Pt. 2
The story of how the Byrne brothers, George and Walter, built a thriving hardware and plumbing business in the growing town of Santa Cruz.
The Story of Byrne Bros Hardware, Pt. 1
Two early Santa Cruz pioneers, Charles Byrne and Lucien Heath, established a successful hardware and plumbing business that would later evolve into Byrne Bros.
Fernald Byrne’s deadly roller coaster ride
The first death on the Giant Dipper roller coaster at the Santa Cruz Beach & Boardwalk. Fernald Byrne was a bright, promising young man whose life was tragically cut short.
Ryland Drennan and the siren song of the sea
For many years, my grandparents dedicated a wall in their Santa Cruz home to old family photos. They were mostly run-of-the-mill portraits and snapshots of aunts and uncles, with the notable exception of a blurry image of a dapper man in a white uniform, standing on the deck of a ship, circa 1920. With a … Read more