In 1769, the Portolá expedition, the first Europeans to explore the area, arrived from the south, where soldiers described a big bird they saw near a large river.

On the fifth day, Franciscan missionary Juan Crespi, traveling with the expedition, wrote in his diary, "This afternoon the explorers returned.

The sergeant reported that he had gone ahead twelve leagues without getting any information of the harbor that we are looking for, and that he went to the foot of a high, white mountain range.

[10] On October 15, the expedition continued to the northwest past today's community of Freedom, camping that night at Corralitos Lagoon.

The Spanish missions were secularized in the 1830s, and the future Watsonville area became Rancho Bolsa del Pajaro, a land grant made to Sebastian Rodríguez in 1837.

[14] The riots were preceded by efforts of a local justice of the peace, D.W. Rohrback[a] to stoke anti-Filipino sentiments.

[16] In May 2023, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors issued an apology for the riot in form of a resolution during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

The movement was led by primarily Latina women, and was noted as a historic labor rights win for the Mexicano/Chicano community.

Watsonville has habitat areas that support the endangered species Santa Cruz Tarweed on the California coastal prairie ecosystem.

Population has grown considerably since 1980, requiring preparation of a number of Environmental Impact Reports, with resultant development removing certain lands of the city from productive natural habitat.

Most of the coastal land adjacent to Watsonville is part of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

[27] The Watsonville Wetlands Watch was established at that time with the task of restoring and protecting the slough's natural habit.

[28] The National Weather Service cooperative station at the Watsonville Waterworks reports cool, relatively wet winters and mild, dry summers.

Therefore, although the median household income did rise significantly between 2000 and 2010 (unadjusted for inflation), the percentage of city residents experiencing poverty rose at a faster rate.

Watsonville also has an Asian-American presence consisting of Chinese, Japanese and Filipinos despite the fact that the percentage of city residents of Asian descent has dropped since 1960.

The Chinese, Japanese and Filipinos had residential sections and opened many businesses to serve their customer base in town during the mid 20th century.

The history of East Asians in Watsonville dates back to the late 19th century and are involved in the local agricultural industry.

It is presumed that as a result of Japanese-American internment during WWII, local farm companies began to attract Mexican migrant labor to the area in higher numbers and the town's racial-ethnic composition became more Hispanic in the 1980s and 1990s.

[citation needed] There was also medium-sized Sikh population in Watsonville during the late 1990s to early 2000s that were involved mostly in the trucking industry, but most have moved away to the Central Valley for cheaper housing.

Some of the largest companies headquartered in Watsonville are Monterey Mushrooms, Driscoll's, Martinelli's, Nordic Naturals, Graniterock, Granite Construction, West Marine, California Giant, A&I Transport Inc. and Orion Telescopes & Binoculars.

Crops fundamental to the economy include strawberries, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, natural plants, and raspberries.

Companies such as Driscoll's and California Giant spend around $280 million every year to processing and transport fresh food to cities in the area, such as San Jose, Castroville, and Santa Cruz, where the numbers of these fruits and vegetables do not meet the demand.

[39] It also provides a wide variety of recreational opportunities, including hiking, boating, sports, bird-watching, and beach access.

There are hiking trails throughout the city, and a nature center provides an intimate view of The Watsonville Wetlands.

[42][43] The city operates one of two parks at Pinto Lake, which includes a small watercraft launch ramp, group picnic areas, an RV park, a baseball field, volleyball, children's playground, boat rentals, fishing, and bird watching.

[45] The Pajaro Dunes area of Watsonville attracts tourists to its high-end beachfront condos and timeshares.

Watsonville is home to the annual Strawberry Festival, which includes a wide variety of strawberry-based foods, live music, vendors, and rides.

[46] Near the end of every summer, the Santa Cruz County Fair draws visitors from across and outside the county to its attractions, including rides, food, art exhibits, flower exhibits, pony rides, petting zoos, dog shows, and live music performances.

[47] The Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds host a number of other events, including car races at the Ocean Speedway, dog training programs, wedding receptions, the annual Santa Cruz County Science Fair, and the Scottish Renaissance Festival.