Santa Monica is a famous resort town in western Los Angeles County, California. The city attracts a lot of tourists because of its attractive beaches, shopping, restaurants, and its overall charm. Santa Monica has an interesting and long history that dates all the way back to 1769.
Before western explorers set up camp in the area that is now Santa Monica in 1769, it was inhabited by the Tongva people who called it Kecheek in their language. The explorer Gaspar de Portola and his party were the first non-indigenous people to travel to this area. It is believed that the town was named after Saint Monica, the mother of Saint Augustine, to commemorate her feast day on May 4th. The first official use of the name Santa Monica was on a grazing permit in 1827.
The Mexicans and Californios fought against the incursion of the United States during the early half of the 1800s, but the territory finally fell to the U.S. in 1848. The state of California officially became part of the union with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on Feb. 2, 1848.
In the 1870s, a large portion of the northern part of the town belonged to the Sepulveda family ranch estates. These territories were sold to Colonel Robert S. Baker in 1872 for $54,000. Subsequently, the Baker family used their property holdings to create the town of Santa Monica in 1875.
The oldest standing structure in Santa Monica is a Hostel building that was built in 1873. It served as the city's first town hall, then later became a beer hall. In 1874, the southwestern section of the city was acquired from the Machado and Talamantes family of ranchers. This area became part of the town in 1884.
The business activity in Santa Monica began to boom in the 1880s. The town's first hotel, the Santa Monica Hotel, was built in 1885, but it burned down in 1887. A large 125-room hotel, the Arcadia Hotel, opened in 1887, and it was known as one of the grand hotels of the Pacific coast. The residents of Santa Monica voted to incorporate the town in 1886, and they established the city's first board of trustees.
In 1893, the Port of Los Angeles was built to accommodate large ships in the northern coast of Santa Monica. At that time, it was the longest pier in the world, spanning a length of over 4700 feet, and it also had a railway system. In the early 1900s, pier amusement parks became very popular. Santa Monica Pier, built in 1909, is the last remaining amusement park pier. Other noteworthy amusement piers were the Venice of America pier, built in 1904, and the Ocean Park Pier of the same era.
The first mayor of the city was appointed in 1906. It was also during this time that a population of Asian Americans started to migrate to the area. There was a Japanese fishing village near the Long Wharf and some Chinese people who worked in the area. American citizens had a more favorable attitude toward the Japanese than the Chinese, which could be due to the economic advantage of the Japanese fishing industry.
In the 1920s, nationwide prosperity also boosted the economy of Santa Monica. At the end of this decade, the population increased from 15,000 up to 32,000. Many new buildings were constructed in the downtown area. High-class resorts were built during this time, including the Club Casa del Mar in 1926. In 1930, a 13-story skyscraper with a large four-faced clock was completed.
The Papermate ballpoint pen factory came to the town in 1957 but closed in 2005. In 1958, the 3,000-seat Santa Monica Civic Auditorium was completed, and the Oscar awards ceremonies were held there for some years.
The 1960s saw the completion of the Santa Monica Freeway in 1966, and the Santa Monica Mall was opened in 1965. In the 1970s, many fitness related shops and businesses began to boom in the area. In the 80s, the Santa Monica Place mall was built, and a complex of stores, restaurants, and museums opened south of that area.
The city has continued to gain prosperity for the remaining decades up to the present. Santa Monica residents have a lot to enjoy in this great city. So don't spend your free time mowing lawns. For the best in all your lawn care needs, contact Lawn Love today.
