Santa Monica History Museum
www.facebook.com
Throughout its history, Santa Monica has been described by many endearing phrases, among them “City by the Sea,” and “Jewel of the Sunset Bay.” Discover more about its history, the native people, the Tongva Gabrielino Native Americans, founders and more.
/favicon.ico
Santa Monica History Museum
Colonel Baker, originally from Rhode Island, came to California in 1849 during the gold rush, and engaged in business in San Francisco dealing in mining supplies and later, in the Tejon Country, in the cattle and sheep business.

In 1872, Colonel Baker purchased the Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica from the Don Francisco Sepulveda heirs for $55,000.

He began to talk of a town on the bay and believed that Southern California was sure to grow into a thriving, prosperous region. Colonel Baker knew it would take a great deal of money to make this happen so he tried to interest some eastern capitalists in investing their money.

Listening to the speeches, the people became anxious to own a lot in the new town. They forgot the dusty barren plain. Within a few weeks after the town lot sale a change had come over the barren plain. Houses and stores sprang up, a general store was opened and a newspaper started. Although some of Colonel Baker and Senator Jones dreams materialized, they were disappointed that the harbor at Santa Monica was not the one chosen by Los Angeles for the Los Angeles Port, and that Santa Monica was not a commercial city. In later years the residents were glad that the beautiful bay and mountain country did not become an industrial or commercial region.

The city electorate went to the polls in November 1886 and voted 97 to 71 to incorporate Santa Monica.

Colonel Baker died in May, 1894.

In 1905, the town had a population of 7,208.

By the 1920s, the population was growing rapidly. The Ocean Park and Venice pleasure piers drew huge crowds, as did the Looff Pier (Santa Monica Pier). The northern area of Santa Monica had become a renowned resort for the rich and famous, many lived along the “Gold Coast.” There were numerous sports enthusiasts.

From 1909 to 1919, thrilling road races that began on Ocean Avenue were watched by thousands of people. This and tennis put Santa Monica in the national limelight.

In 1924, the first round-the-world flight was made in Donald Douglas built World Cruisers. The flight put Santa Monica on the map.

Santa Monica struggled during the 1930s Depression and the 1940s war years. The late 1940s and 1950s were prosperous years for the city. Its population soared to more than 83,000.

From its very beginning, Santa Monica has been world renowned as a place of leisure, tourism, scenic splendor and year-round fun.

Originally from England, Senator Jones, a multimillionaire from silver and gold mining in Nevada, came to Santa Monica in 1874, and purchased three-fourths of Colonel Baker’s property for $162,500. Together, they founded the town of Santa Monica on July 10, 1875. Senator Jones, a widower with a young son, Roy, married Georgina Sullivan in 1875. The family residence, known as Miramar, was a center for entertainment celebrated throughout the country for its hospitality for men and women of achievement in every field, including statesmen, artists and notables such as Mark Twain. In his younger years, Senator Jones served as sheriff of Trinity County, California, and was later elected to the State Legislature. In 1873, he became U.S. Senator for Nevada and served for thirty years. He died in 1912.