Could this be Felton Grove or was there a Sycamore Grove Resort Camp somewhere off Hwy 9 near Felton? I’m including the front and back of this postcard with the hope that someone (Ronnie?) can also help me date the photo.
FRONT:
Sycamore Grove Resort Camp postcard, front. Courtesy of Dan Selling.
BACK:
Back of Sycamore Grove Resort Camp postcard.
Felton Homes and History 
There definitely was Sycamore Grove (Auto Camp) on Highway 9 was built by the Fridleys (of Fridley Dr in upper Westside). It was about 1/2 mile North of Golf Club Drive on the river. The book “Pogonip, Jewel of Santa Cruz” by Joan Martin & Coleen McInerney-Meagher has a lovely chapter on it,
with many photos and a map or two.
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Ronnie, thanks! You say it’s about 1/2 mile North of Golf Club Drive on the river. Can you help me understand where Golf Club Dr was? Is it near Felton? I’m lost.
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Ronnie, can you also make a guess at the date, too? Or even a date range?
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Golf Club Drive is in Santa Cruz, intersecting Hwy 9 a little North of The Tannery.
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Well thank you, SCM Michael! I’ve lived here since 1972 and that’s a street I’d never heard of. Thanks!
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Sycamore Grove Camp was just Past the Tannery,The Friedley’s owed it. It was a Beautiful fun Place I was there 71 years ago and our Family went there very summer for the next 15 years
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Thanks Steve!
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So did our family Steve. We have wonderful memories of being there in the 50’s and 60’s. The San Lorenzo river, the juke box and dance floor, rubber tire swings, horse shoes, campsites with gas stoves, running water and electricity for lighting, a laundry. I still remember the fragrance of the sycamores. It was a magic place for kids. We didn’t really need supervision; we would go to the camp store for all the candy we wanted and would actually check for our mail there. We usually went for three weeks in August. My dad would go deep sea fishing and the boys would clean the fish and mom would cook it up in an iron skillet. I understand flooding in the 60’s ruined the camp and the Friday’s decided not to reopen it. Such good memories.
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Jeanette, what absolutely wonderful memories! Thanks for sharing.
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Steve, thanks so much for sharing your comment! You must have some wonderful memories of the place. Feel free to share any little tidbits or photos about your vacations there. Thanks!
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I also spent many happy days at the
“Grove “. From the early 30’s to the early 50’s.. So many things to do, the nightly bonfire and marshmallows. juke box, shuffleboard, swimming (2 areas), even got to ride in the garbage truck and help. The raccoons were cute and friendly. the bats at night, wow.. And had so much fun and great memories that I could almost write a book about the place .
Dean
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That picture looks like my sister and I. If so it would be around 1959. We went there for several years until about 1964. Is any part of the resort still standing?
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Sycamore Grove Campground – had a huge sign (based on a sycamore leaf) hanging from a tree on the edge of Hwy 9 – just outside of Santa Cruz, past the first 20 MPH S curve past the tannery – there is currently (AUG 2016) a wide turnout, etc. In my youth (1950’s) there was a private campground, concrete dance floor, and camp store. It was a BIG TREAT to have the folks take us from our cabin in the redwoods back down Hwy 9 to “The Grove”, get a treat at the campground store, etc. Almost like forbidden fruit. BPWATERBOY
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Went to the “Grove” every year from 1033 to about 1950. And to Santa Cruz until about 1986/7. The store had good burgers, candy etc. The swimming was great the juke box and dance floor, big fireplace. So many wonderful memories. Ah, to be young again.
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Hi Dean, I must say I laughed so hard I nearly feel off my bed as I read your memories of Sycamore Grove. Either that or you’re one ancient guy. Ya gotta love typos! I enjoyed your recollections and appreciate your taking the time to write. I think these little stories are wonderful, and valuable, not just for us older folks, but for future generations. I’m also an amateur genealogist (past 20 yrs), so the value of stories from the past are very meaningful, to me and others. To hear first hand stories from the people who lived them mean so much! Thanks! Vicki Wees
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I camped there with my mother, about 1955- to whenever the last Friedley on the lease passed away. I have wonderful memories of Sycamore Grove. I don’t remember that building in the photo, but I believe there was a fire at one time that destroyed some of the buildings. I still remember the jukebox playing “The Happy Organ” while the kids dances and the rest of us sat around the large fire. playing on the San Lorenzo River. Days of simple pleasures, where have you gone?
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So true! Where have those days of simple pleasures gone? At least we were lucky enough to have experienced them.
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We lived in Sacramento and many summers we stayed at Sycamore Grove Campground. It would have been around the late 1950s and early 1960s.
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Thanks zBill!
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My family went there when I was a kid. The owners had two pet raccoons in a cage. Their names were Mike and Ike. So many fond memories. Great rope swing and craw dad fishing in the creek.
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Great memories! Ike and Mike. What’s not to love? Thanks!
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