About La Jolla: San Diego’s Jewel
La Jolla’s history dates back to the mid-1800s. It was nicknamed “The Jewel” for its spectacular coastal views, cotton candy sunsets, palm trees, deep blue ocean, marine wildlife, charming community, award-winning schools and research centers, and upscale village by the sea. La Jolla is a coastal city in San Diego County and surrounded on three sides by ocean bluffs and beaches located between Del Mar and Pacific Beach. The climate is mild, with an average daily temperature of 70.5 °F. La Jolla’s topography and geology range from sandy beaches, rocky shorelines to narrow roads covered by large pine trees that line the canyon of Mount Soledad.
Real Estate
There are approximately 47,681 residents that makeup La Jolla’s community, according to the 2010 census and 16 different neighborhoods. It is one of the most sought-after places to live, not just in San Diego, but around the world. It is one of the most expensive and prestigious areas of town, where you can find some of the most stunning homes in San Diego. Custom built mansions, picture-perfect beach houses, gated multi-million dollar estates are what comes to mind when one thinks of La Jolla’s lifestyle. The median list price for La Jolla, as of April 2019 is $3,122,500.
Demographics
La Jolla’s income per capita is 161% higher than the national average. The median household income is 125% higher than the national average. The unemployment rate is 47% lower than the national average. According to United States Census
Bureau La Jolla’s ethnic/racial makeup is 82.5% White, 0.8% Black, 0.2% American Indian, 11.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.0% other, and 3.1% two or more races. Latinos, who may be of any race, form 7.2% of La Jolla’s population. Whether you came to here to study, live beyond the “American dream”, or vacation on the beach, you will surely understand how “The Jewel” got its name! Below is a timeline of The Jewel’s history and development from La Jolla’s Historical Society.
Historical Timeline
1850
Lands of La Jolla incorporated as part of the City of San Diego
1887
Frank T. Botsford, later deemed “The Father of La Jolla” came to La Jolla and declared it “magnificent”. Two months later he bought over 400 acres of pueblo lands already known as “La Jolla Park”
George Heald and Charles Dearborn subdivided and auctioned $62,000 worth of lots planned for homes on April 30th, which would make up the La Jolla Park subdivision; considered as La Jolla’s founding year
1893
Opening of La Jolla Park Hotel
1894
La Jolla’s railroad extended to San Diego; La Jolla’s Post Office is established. Reading Room opened. Anna Held arrives and creates Green Dragon Colony.
1895
La Jolla’s first village improvement Society is organized
1896
Ellen Browning Scripps buys two lots on the ocean side of Prospect Street and builds her first home
1897
La Jolla’s Library Association formed
1899
Barber Tract development begins (first known as Neptunia); first telephone lines installed
1900
La Jolla’s number of residents reaches 350
1904
Wisteria Cottage built
1905
Marine Biological Association organized, later Scripps Institution of Oceanography
1906
Ground was broken for new bathhouse at the Cove; La Jolla’s first newspaper is published
1907-09
Architect Irving Gill designs a re-model of Wisteria Cottage for Virginia Scripps
1910
The Bishop’s School, with buildings designed by Irving Gill, is built; Gill also designs and builds first Scripps Institution of Oceanography building
1912
Opening of Colonial Inn
1914
La Jolla Woman’s Club is built
1915
Arsonist sets fire to several of La Jolla’s buildings, including Ellen Browning Scripps’ house; work begins on a new home designed by architect Irving Gill; La Jolla Community House and Playground, now La Jolla Recreation Center, also designed by Irving Gill, opens
1918
Scripps Memorial Hospital opens (first known as the Sanitarium); paving of streets begins
By the end of World War I, the population has grown to 4,000 residents and within the last 20 years, tourism has taken the fight and become La Jolla’s economic base.
1924
Electric railroad begins operations; Casa de Manana opens as resort hotel; street lights introduced. The “beach cottage” look is out and elegant Spanish Style homes are in.
1926
La Valencia Hotel opens; The Balmer School started at La Jolla Country Club; Muirlands development begins
1927
La Jolla Beach and Yacht Club formed (now La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club) was established
1931
Children’s Pool sea wall built
1932
Ellen Browning Scripps dies (August 3)
1940
Art Center organized in the former home of Ellen Browning Scripps
1941
Camp Callan established at Torrey Pines Gliderport with start of World War II
1942
Wisteria Cottage becomes The Balmer School, later La Jolla Country Day School (until 1961)
1944
First stop signs erected at Girard and Torrey Pines Road
1947
La Jolla Playhouse founded by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, and Mel Ferrer
1948
The Cove movie theater opens
1956
White Sands begins operations as a retirement home
1960
University of California San Diego campus established in La Jolla; La Jolla’s School of Arts and Crafts formed
1963-64
La Jolla’s Historical Society founded
1964
The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is an independent, non-profit, scientific research institute is built, designed by Louis Kahn
1967
La Jolla’s Community Plan adopted by the San Diego City Council
1974
University Towne Center shopping mall opens
1976
Scripps Clinic moves to Torrey Pines Mesa
1980
Larger business buildings replaced the 1920’s era style and home-owned businesses became less common
1983
BLOB (“Ban Large Office Buildings”) organized to oppose large structures in the built environment
1987
Marks La Jolla’s celebrated centennial
1996
Architect Robert Venturi designs an update to the former home of Ellen Browning Scripps, originally designed in 1916 by architect Irving Gill, as the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
Sources:
https://lajollahistory.org/historic-la-jolla/la-jolla-timeline/
https://www.pbs.org/weekendexplorer/california/sandiego/lajolla_history.htm
