June 24, 2002 A little history restored along with Cardiff Gate By Ann M. Gibb They worked whenever they could, fitting the project in between other jobs, often sharing the early morning quiet with birds and ground squirrels. Bicyclists, pedestrians, and dog walkers slipping on and off campus from High Street were probably the first to notice the gradual transformation. George Cardiff was the last caretaker of the Cowell Ranch before it was turned over to UCSC. This photo by Ansel Adams was taken in 1962 at the Cardiff House, now the Women's Center. Photo: Ansel Adams, Courtesy UCSC Special Collections. Ramon Zepeda, left, Doug Russo, center, and Guy Nelson show off the gate they recently finished rebuilding. Photo: Ann M. Gibb After six months of work, campus carpenter shop employees Guy Nelson, Doug Russo, and Ramon Zepeda can step back and admire the results of their labor: The Cardiff Gate, an ornamental reminder of campus and Santa Cruz history, has been completely restored. "It was a Physical Plant team effort," said Russo. "Sometimes we worked on it together, sometimes we worked alone. The grounds crew started the project by cleaning out the plantings, we did the rebuilding, and the campus painters finished up the project." The Cardiff Gate--along with Cardiff Place, which meets High Street directly opposite the gate--is most likely named for George Cardiff, the caretaker of the Cowell Ranch just before it became UC Santa Cruz. The gate marks the entrance of the driveway leading up to the building called Cardiff House, now the home of the Women's Center. Cardiff, who died in the early 1960s, and his wife were the last private residents of the house. The "grape stake" design gate, with two end and two center columns, is a stately if somewhat anomalous presence along High Street. It was built by campus facilities staff in the 1960s to replicate the original gate, with the design based on a photo of the gate found in Special Collections at McHenry Library. "We tried to save as much of the existing gate as we could," said Russo about the most recent work, "but the dry rot was so extensive we had to replace quite a bit of wood." Nelson, Russo, and Zepeda essentially rebuilt the gate from the ground up, carefully following the design. They improved on the existing foundation, replaced most of the stakes, and rebuilt the columns. The center columns are 10 1/2 feet high and hollow, but weigh in at about 300 pounds each. They were lowered into place with a Genie Lift operated by Zepeda, while Nelson and Russo plumbed them to ensure they stood at a right angle to the foundation. About 80 hours of work were required to complete the job, which included slight design changes intended to discourage dry and wet rot. Vents were installed in the backs of the columns, and the bottom rail of the fence was raised to increase air circulation and decrease the amount of soil that builds up along the fence during the winter rains. These modifications are expected to help the Cardiff Gate remain in good condition for at least another 40 years. Return to Front Page