Stories of People and Places

The distinctive and diverse landscapes of the Santa Cruz Valley are resilient places well adapted to our challenging desert conditions. The watershed sustains an abundant desert which has served as a crossroads for many cultures—dating back more than 12,000 years.

Here, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Mexican, and American Territorial traditions intersect with the natural landscape in ways unique to the American story. Today, its people represent several cultures who maintain distinctive identities that influence each other as well as the landscape around them.

Here are a few of their stories: