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The
next stage of Valencia's history is intimately connected with the life of a
young German emigrant named Frederick Augustus Hihn (F. A. Hihn), who arrived in
San Francisco in 1849.
 Hihn
came to Santa Cruz County in 1851, after a number of less than successful
business ventures in San Francisco and Sacramento. The business failures were
the result of floods and fires, but Santa Cruz County would be more gracious to
Mr. Hihn.
In the following
sixty years, F. A. Hihn became one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Santa
Cruz County. Hihn managed to acquire large tracts of land, much like the Castros
before him... but Hihn developed his land holdings. Hihn's empire included
lumbering, mining, land development, tourist trade, transportation, as well as
more speculative ventures.
He was involved with the
development of rail lines between his mill site and Aptos, between Santa Cruz
and Watsonville, encouraged electrification, the establishment of water systems,
founded a bank, and engaged in politics. In addition to serving on the Board of
Supervisors of Santa Cruz County, he also held a seat in the State Assembly.
Other than Valencia, he laid out the community of Felton, subdivisions in Aptos
and Live Oak, and founded Camp Capitola, which grew and prospered to become a
leading resort on Monterey Bay.
 FA
Hihn Family-1850's
Hihn, The Politician
Hihn's commercial ventures were aided by his insight of politics. The land
was virgin and needed to be developed to create jobs. He also needed to build a infrastructure
that could move people, goods and raw materials. Hihn realized
that politics could help move Santa Cruz and his ventures forward.
Santa Cruz County politics would also
be helpful to expanding his empire.
Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors,
1862-1868
| Year |
Chairman |
Supervisors |
| 1862 |
John Parrott |
F.A. Hihn, Benjamin F. Porter & B.T. Barney |
| 1863 |
F.A. Hihn |
B.T. Barney & Benjamin F. Porter |
| 1864 |
F.A. Hihn |
John W. Towne & B.A. Barney |
| 1865 |
B.A. Barney |
F.A. Hihn & John W. Towne |
| 1866 |
John W. Towne |
F.A. Hihn & B.A. Barney |
| 1867 |
Thomas Walker |
F.A. Hihn, Jacob Parsons, Thomas W. Moore & B.A.
Barney |
| 1868 |
F.A. Hihn |
Jacob Parsons, Thomas W. Moore, P.F. Dean & B.A. Barney |
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Sacramento was Hihn's next calling...
to the State Legislature, but I have little background on this period of his
political life. Update: here's some newspaper stories on Hihn's work in
Sacramento.
 
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FA
Hihn Family-1850's
