Davenport History: Whaling Beginnings, Cement Foundations Settlement in the area of todays Davenport, California got its start in 1868 when Captain John Davenport, a sea-based whaler by trade, built a 450 foot wharf off what became to be known as Davenports Landing (near El Jarro Point). The wharf was used to export local timber by boat to San Francisco. Captain Davenport also used a practice developed in the Azores Islands of Portugal called shore-based whaling. Scouts on the bluffs would alert men to go out from shore in a boat, kill the whale, and tow it back to shore for processing. It allowed the crew to stay with their families and was easier than processing the blubber at sea. By 1880 the high cost of operation forced Davenport to abandon the landing and move to Santa Cruz. The history of the modern town of Davenport is wholly wrapped up with the Davenport Cement Plant. The town was built in 1905 by the Coast Dairies and Land Company to house workers for the cement plant. On the shores of San Vicente Creek, it is located about a mile south of Davenport Landing. The town was originally called San Vicente, but when the post office was moved from Davenport Landing to the new town in 1907, it retained the name of Davenport. In those days the power of the post was great. San Vicente slowly faded away as a name, to be officially replaced by Davenport. By 1915 Davenport had a population of about 1800 people, with 60 homes, two hotels, a school, a hospital, a church, and a hotel. The cement from the plant was used to rebuild San Francisco after the 1906 quake, build one of the Panama Canal locks, and even construct the dry docks in Pearl Harbor. Though it was bought and sold by several different companies over the decades, the plant continued to supply cement for major construction projects up and down the West Coast. It was the main employer in Davenport for over 100 years. Like the content? Please like our page and check out our mobile AppTours about the natural and human history of the Santa Cruz coast. One of which is free! mobileranger.
Posted on: Mon, 04 Aug 2014 16:00:01 +0000