The History of Santa Monica, California , USA, covers the significant events and movements in Santa Monica's past. While intertwined with the history of its larger neighbor, Los Angeles, Santa Monica has led an independent existence in modern times.
Population by decade
- 1880 - 417
- 1890 - 1,580
- 1900 - 3,057
- 1910 - 7,847
- 1920 - 15,252
- 1930 - 37,146
- 1940 - 53,500
- 1950 - 71,595
- 1960 - 83,249
- 1970 - 88,289
- 1980 - 88,314
- 1990 - 86,905
- 2000 - 84,084
- 2002 - 86,799 (estimate)
Pre-history
Santa Monica was long inhabited by the Tongva people.
1760s
The first Caucasian group to set foot in the area was the party of explorer Gaspar de Portolà, who camped near present day Wilshire Boulevard on August 3, 1769. There are two different versions of the naming of the city. One says that it was named in honor of the feast day of Saint Monica (mother of Saint Augustine), while the other says that it was named on account of a dripping spring that was reminiscent of the tears that Saint Monica shed over her son's early impiety.
Regarding the latter, one of the padres noted in his diary that the group found a Gabrioleno spring (where University High School is today). They re-named it "Spring of Saint Monica" to recall the tears that St. Monica had for her reckless son, Augustine. This spring remains holy to the Natives Americans in the area.
1840s
The Californios valiantly defended their territories against the Manifest Destiny colonial expansion of the United States westward during the Mexican–American War. The annexation of Mexican territories cost the US dearly, it was by far bloodiest war per capita the US had ever fought against a foreign country (CIA website). Specifically in Los Angeles several battles were fought by the Californios, however in the end the US came out victorious. Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which gave Mexicans and Californios living in state certain unalienable rights. US government sovereignty over California was born on February 2, 1848.
1870s
The northern sections of the City of Santa Monica once belonged to Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica and Rancho Boca de Santa Monica. Jose del Carmen Sepulveda of the prominent Sepulveda family sold 38,409 acres (155 km 2 ) of the land for $54,000 in 1872 to Colonel Robert S. Baker and his wife, Arcadia Bandini de Stearns Baker. Bandini was the daughter of Juan Bandini, a prominent and wealthy early Californian, and was the widow of Abel Stearns, once the richest man in Los Angeles. Nevada Senator John P. Jones bought a half interest in Baker's property in 1874.
Jones and Baker subdivide part of their joint holdings in 1875 and create the town of Santa Monica. The town site is fronted on the ocean and bounded on the northwest by Montana Avenue, on the southeast by Colorado Avenue and on the northeast by 26th Street. The avenues are all named after the States of the Pacific Coast, the streets being simply numbered. The first lots in Santa Monica were sold on July 15, 1875.
Jones built the Los Angeles and Independence Railroad, which connected Santa Monica and Los Angeles, and a wharf out into the bay. The first town hall was a modest 1873 brick building, later a beer hall, and now part of the Santa Monica Hostel. It is Santa Monica's oldest extant structure.
The southwestern section of the city originally belonged to the Rancho La Ballona of the Machado and Talamantes families. Mrs. Nancy A. Lucas purchased 861 acres (3.48 km 2 ) from the rancho in 1874 for $11,000. The property was farmed by her sons, and a parcel of 100 acres (0.40 km 2 ) was sold to Williamson Dunn Vawter for subdivision in 1884.
1880s
Business started springing up. The town's new business district was initially centered around the current Third Street Promenade. Early street names consisted of both numbers and the names of western States; however Utah eventually became Broadway and Oregon became Santa Monica Boulevard.
By 1885, the town's first hotel, the Santa Monica Hotel, was constructed on Ocean Ave., between Colorado and Utah in 1885. The Hotel burned in 1887. The 125-room "Arcadia Hotel" opened on January 25, 1887. Named for Arcadia Bandini, it was one of the great hotels on the Pacific Coast of its era. The hotel was the site where Colonel Griffith J. Griffith shot his wife in 1903, which led to their divorce and his (short) imprisonment.
The residents voted to incorporate November 30, 1886, and chose the first board of trustees.
Senator Jones built a mansion, Miramar , and his wife Georgina planted a Moreton Bay Fig tree in its front yard in 1889. (The tree is now in the courtyard of the Fairmont Miramar Hotel and is the second-largest such tree in California.)
1890s
When the Southern Pacific Railroad arrived at Los Angeles, a controversy erupted over where to locate the seaport. The SP preferred Santa Monica, while others advocated for San Pedro Bay. The Long Wharf was built in 1893 at the north end of Santa Monica to accommodate large ships and was dubbed Port Los Angeles. At the time it was constructed, it was the longest pier in the world at 4700 feet, and accommodated a train. The plan did not last: San Pedro Bay, now known as the Port of Los Angeles, was selected by the United States Congress in 1897. Still, the Long Wharf acted as the major port of call for Los Angeles until 1903. Though the final decision disappointed Jones and other property owners, the selection allowed Santa Monica to maintain its scenic charm. The rail line down to Santa Monica Canyon was sold to the Pacific Electric Railroad, and was in use from 1891 to 1933.
Meanwhile, Abbot Kinney acquired deed to the coastal strip previously purchased by W.D. Vawter and named the area Ocean Park in 1895. It became his first amusement park and residential project. A race track and golf course were built on the Ocean Park Casino . After a falling out with his partners he focused on the south end of the property, which he made into Venice of America.
1900s
Amusement piers became enormously popular in the first decades of the 20th century. The extensive Pacific Electric Railroad easily transported to the beaches people from across the Greater Los Angeles Area. Competing pier owners commissioned ever larger roller coaster rides. Wooden piers turned out to be readily flammable, but even destroyed piers were soon replaced. There were five piers in Santa Monica alone, with several more down the coast. The earliest part of the current Santa Monica Pier, which is now the last remaining amusement pier, was built in 1909 on what was referred to as the North Bay. The second half, an amusement park pier, was built later and the two rival piers were merged.
Among the South Bay piers, the most notable in this period was Abbot Kinney's Venice of America pier, started in 1904 and built to rival his former partner's Ocean Park Pier. Located at the end of Windward Avenue in Venice, Kinney's pier was 900 feet long, 30 feet wide and included an Auditorium, large replica Ship Cafe, Dance Hall, Dentzel carousel, a Japanese Tea House and an Ocean Inn Restaurant. Venice soon became considered its own neighborhood.
A new charter was adopted in 1906 that converted the city government to a Mayor - Council form of government. Under the new charter, the City Council was composed of one Mayor with veto power, and one Councilmember from each of its seven wards.
At the turn of the century, a growing population of Asian Americans lived in or near Santa Monica and Venice. A Japanese fishing village was located near the Long Wharf while small numbers of Chinese lived or worked in both Santa Monica and Venice. The two ethnic minorities were often viewed differently by White Americans who were often well-disposed towards the Japanese but condescending towards the Chinese. The Japanese village fishermen were an integral economic part of the Santa Monica Bay community.
1910s
The Ocean Park Pier burned down in 1912. In its place was Fraser's Million Dollar amusement pier, which claimed to be the largest in the world at 1250 feet long and 300 feet wide. The pier housed a spacious dance hall, two carousels, the Crooked House fun house, the Grand Electric Railroad, the Starland Vaudeville Theater, Breaker's Restaurant and a Panama Canal model exhibit. It too burned within the year.
A new charter was adopted in 1914 that converted the city government to a commission form. This proved to be very weak, especially since the police commissioner was poorly paid and had no accountability.
Auto racing became popular. Drivers would race an 8.4 mile loop made up of city streets. The Free-For-All Race was conducted between 1910-1912. The United States Grand Prix was held in Santa Monica in 1914 and 1916, awarding the American Grand Prize and the Vanderbilt Cup trophies. By 1919, the events were attracting 100,000 people, at which point the city halted them.
1920s
Donald Wills Douglas, Sr. founde
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