Empire Grade

Empire Grade is a windy road in Santa Cruz County, California. According to Google Maps, it is approximately long and runs from Highview Drive in Santa Cruz, California near the UC Santa Cruz Botanical Gardens to Bertoli Road near Lehi Park and Eagle Rock in Boulder Creek, California. South of Highview Drive, the road continues as High Street for another until it reaches a dead end near California State Route 1 just after Edgecliff Way. Empire Grade was constructed in 1872 and named after a mining company named Empire that operated during the 1850s. The term "Grade" is used in the name because it is a steep road that travels up the Ben Lomond Mountain. This road can be referred to as "Empire Grade Road". Many of the land sales on that road refer to it by that name. This road was where the last bear in the county was shot in 1885 and was the scene of many modern farms during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The suspect, 21 year old Elliot Dress, was arrested a few days later. He plead guilty to vehicular manslaughter and felony hit in run on June 22, 2011 and was sentenced to 14 years and 8 months in prison.
Intersections
*South End: Highview Drive in Santa Cruz, California.
*Heller Drive in Santa Cruz, California.<ref name="EmpGradeMap" />
*Smith Grade in Santa Cruz, California.<ref name="EmpGradeMap" />
*Ice Cream Grade and Felton Empire Road in Felton, California.<ref name="EmpGradeMap" />
*Pine Flat Road in Felton, California.<ref name="EmpGradeMap" />
*Alba Road in Felton, California.<ref name="EmpGradeMap" />
*Jamison Creek Road in Boulder Creek, California.<ref name="EmpGradeMap" />
*North End: Bertoli Drive in Boulder Creek, California.<ref name="EmpGradeMap" />

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