SANTA CRUZ \u2014 For years, the San Lorenzo River mouth surf break in Santa Cruz has been celebrated by local surfers and history buffs as the location where surfing was first introduced to the continental United States more than a century ago. On Friday, state authorities stepped in to make that recognition official.<\/p>\n
The California Historical Resource Commission<\/a> unanimously agreed to designate the Three Princes\u2019 Surf Site at the San Lorenzo River mouth as a California Historical Landmark. The application process was spearheaded by California State <\/a>Parks but\u00a0came after at least a decade of advocacy work among local community members and surfers<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cTogether with our partners at the City of Santa Cruz and the Seabright and surfing communities, we are delighted to see the Three Princes\u2019 surf site at the San Lorenzo Rivermouth formally recognized as a California Historical Landmark,\u201d State Parks Santa Cruz District Superintendent Chris Spohrer told the Sentinel in a statement after the vote.<\/p>\n Spohrer said he had already reached out to the state\u2019s Office of Historic Preservation for guidance on creating and installing a commemorative plaque and noted that \u201cas soon as we have guidance we will work with our community partners to make it happen.\u201d<\/p>\n The point of coastal confluence, sandwiched between the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and a bluff that juts out into the water from East Cliff Drive, is where teenage Hawaiian princes David Kaw\u0101nanakoa, Jonah K\u016bhi\u014d Kalaniana\u02bbole and Edward Keli\u02bbiahonui paddled out to glide among the waves in the summer of 1885 during a break from their schooling at Saint Matthew\u2019s Hall, an episcopal military academy in San Mateo.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Santa Cruz Daily Surf reported on July 20, 1885, that with an audience of thirty or forty swimmers, the princes surfed the San Lorenzo Rivermouth break and put on an exciting exhibition,\u201d State Parks wrote in the application. \u201cThis event is noted as the first-time surfing was observed and documented outside of Polynesia.\u201d<\/p>\n In the 140 years that have elapsed since, surfing has become a cornerstone of Santa Cruz\u2019s economy and cultural identity, and the popularity of the sport has grown to epic proportions. According to the Surf Industry Members Association, more than 4.2 million people paddled out for a surf<\/a> at least once in 2024. A report released in September<\/a> by local nonprofit Save the Waves Coalition estimated that surfing brings in $194.7 million to the Santa Cruz County economy each year.<\/p>\n The river mouth location has also remained a highly desirable one for local wave riders, especially during winter months when strong storms create a sandbar that sends wave barrels along both directions of the coastline. Members of the local surf community and history enthusiasts have also continued to honor the legacy of the princes and the region\u2019s spiritual connection<\/a> with the water by organizing paddle outs at the discreet ocean enclave.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat a wonderful historical landmark it\u2019ll be,\u201d said well-known surfboard shaper and Santa Cruz Surf Club President Bob Pearson. \u201cIt\u2019s something that makes Santa Cruz even more special.\u201d<\/p>\n The princes\u2019 historic visit is the subject of an exhibition at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History<\/a>, which features replicas of the more than 100-pound redwood boards that the princes used. The exhibition also sheds a light on the legacy of Antoinette Swan, the daughter of Hawaiian royalty who was living in Santa Cruz at the time of the epochal event and hosted the princes during their visit.<\/p>\n