The world changed on May 15, 1880. Before, there was only a dusty toll road through the Santa Cruz Mountains. After, there was the South Pacific Coast Railroad. Farmers, lumber firms, and remote resorts far up in the hills above Scotts Valley suddenly found themselves on the mainline of an ambitious railroad linking Oakland and Santa Cruz. Almost overnight, settlements appeared at the headwaters of Soquel Creek and along Bean Creek, ready to take advantage of what the railroad offered.

In SIDETRACKED: Laurel & Glenwood, Derek R. Whaley investigates life in two mountain towns whose entire existence was tied to the railroad. Visit Laurel and the nearby F.A. Hihn Company's mill. Explore Glenwood and its two tunnels. Or relax at the seven popular resorts that drew hundreds of visitors each year. Over 100 historical photographs, some never before seen in publication, bring this history to life.