Mexican Rule
In 1821 Mexico became independent from Spain and ruled this area until 1846. Portions of Alta California were divided into land grants and "sold" for very small fees to interested Mexican citizens. The three land grants in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park were: Rancho Carbonera, Rancho Zayante and Rancho Rincon. These Ranchos signaled the beginning of European settlement.

Isaac Graham, a frontiersman, had come from Hardin County, Kentucky, in 1833. Shortly after Alvarado came to power, Graham and his associates were arrested as dangerous foreigners and placed in confinement on a boat in Monterey Harbor. Don Jose Castro then sailed with the prisoners for Mexico. When they arrived, Mexican authorities released them all. It was reported Isaac Graham received $36,000 as indemnity for the outrage done to him. With this money Graham cast his eyes on the Zayante Tract. Graham, along with his friend Henry Neale, induced Joseph Majors who was a Mexican citizen to apply for the grant. Majors was named as grantee of Zayante and the adjoining San Augustine Rancho of 4,326 acres. Majors procured the land for this syndicate of "foreigners" who declined to become Mexican citizens.

In 1841, Majors, Graham, a German named Frederick Hoeger, and a Dane named Peter Lassen, agreed to erect a mill on Zayante Creek near its entrance to the San Lorenzo River. The colony of British and American "foreigners" at Zayante attracted many of the pioneers who came over the Santa Fe Trail in the 1830's to Mount Hermon and to the present Henry Cowell State Park.

A Limestone Quarry
In 1849 Henry Cowell and his brother John left their home town of Wrentham, Massachusetts when the lure of gold was drawing the adventurous to California. John soon returned to Boston because of poor health. Henry, then 30 years old, began a successful drayage business that soon grew to include routes to Stockton and the gold country.

Henry Cowell arrived in the Santa Cruz area in 1865. In Santa Cruz he diversified by entering the limestone quarrying and processing business. He acquired thousands of acres of land and ultimately gained control of two lime producing companies. The Santa Cruz area was blessed with many natural outcroppings of limestone. During the years of highest demand, nearly 80% of lime for the state came from Santa Cruz County. Intense heat was used to convert the quarried rock into usable material. Kilns were built in several locations including the North Fork of Fall Creek and in the Rincon area of the San Lorenzo River. Hundreds of thousands of cords of wood were burned over the years to keep the kiln fires burning. The Cowell family's ranches and lime operations prospered and eventually the Cowell name was on the title of 6,500 acres of Santa Cruz County land. The holdings included over 1600 acres of forest and river frontage adjacent to Welch's Big Trees Resort.

Preserving the Redwoods
In the early part of the twentieth century, the Welch family began to look for a buyer for the resort and surrounding property. Welch's son and the county worked toward a purchase that would make the grove a county park, thereby preserving the beautiful redwoods. Many people were excited by the prospect, but others were worried about the strain on the county budget. In the end, the park advocates prevailed, thanks to the indefatigable efforts of former Lieutenant Governor William Jeter. Though elderly and confined to a hospital bed, Jeter wrote letters and made phone calls. In 1930 Santa Cruz County paid $75,000 for 120 acres which included the incomparable 40 acre Big Tree Grove. For the next 24 years the county managed the area and it continued to be a favorite setting for picnics, walks, and swimming for local and out-of-town visitors alike.

Henry Cowell's daily life was a mystery. Not much is known because he hated publicity with a passion. By 1950 there was only one member of the Cowell family left, Henry's middle son, Samuel "Harry" Cowell, who was nearly ninety years old. He was the last link in the Cowell family line, and had long been an outdoorsman. He was especially fond of the family's property next to Welch's grove. In 1952 he decided he wanted to give that property to the state for a park in memory of his father. His intent was to have the county give up ownership of the grove to the state at the same time so that it could all be managed together. Cowell's representatives met with state and county officials and the negotiations were successful. On August 18, 1954, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park was formally dedicated as a new unit in California's State Park System.

After Samuel Cowell died, his will provided for 21 faithful employees, and the rest of his money went to the public good, which was governed by the Cowell Foundation. The Santa Cruz Sentinel estimated the donation amount to be over $14 million. Some donated locations in Santa Cruz include the First Congregational Church on Lincoln and Center Street, Cowell Beach, the University of California at Santa Cruz (the former Cowell Ranch), and Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.