Long before La Jolla became one of Southern California’s most recognizable seaside communities, it was a sparsely populated stretch of coastline defined by rugged cliffs, sea caves, and a handful of early settlers drawn to its natural setting.
“La Jolla is a jewel of the coast, where the ocean breeze revives the body and the cliffs delight the eye,” — said a promotional brochure, Pacific Coast Land Bureau, 1887–1890s.
The area was known to the Kumeyaay people as mat kulaaxuuy, commonly translated as “land of holes,” a reference widely understood to describe the sea caves along the shoreline. The name La Jolla appeared later, likely as a Spanish transcription of the Indigenous term, though some historians have also linked it to la joya, meaning “the jewel.” While the precise origin remains debated, the name itself would soon become central to how the area was promoted and perceived.
La Jolla Cove, ca. 1887, with a wooden ladder leading from the cliff to the beach. At this time, La Jolla had summer visitors but few permanent residents. The subdivision and sale of La Jolla Park by Frank T. Botsford in 1887 marked the beginning of La Jolla’s history as a community. Photo original held at SDHC Archives, Douglas Gunn, Picturesque San Diego (Chicago, 1887). (Photo via Wikipedia/Public Domain)Get Your Land!
“Modern development began in earnest in 1887, when the Pacific Coast Land Bureau subdivided large tracts of land in what was then known as La Jolla Park. The effort coincided with a broader Southern California land boom, as developers marketed coastal communities as healthful retreats offering mild weather, scenic views, and distance from crowded urban centers. One 1890s newspaper captured the allure for visitors: ‘Families come here to breathe the invigorating sea air and enjoy the temperate climate, far from the dust and bustle of the city.’”
1940 photo of cormorants nesting on cliffs in La Jolla. Cormorants include about 40 species of aquatic birds. They nest in colonies around the shore, on trees, islets, or cliffs. They are coastal rather than oceanic birds. The majority of species have dark feathers. The bill is long, thin, and hooked. Their feet have webbing between all four toes. All species are fish-eaters, catching their prey by diving from the surface. (Photo courtesy of the city of San Diego Digital Archives)Promotional materials and newspaper advertisements from the late 19th century, like those below, emphasized La Jolla’s climate, ocean scenery, and suitability for both seasonal visitors and permanent residents. Real estate listings framed the area as a refined seaside enclave, appealing to artists, writers, and those seeking a quieter alternative to city life. These themes appeared consistently in period advertising tied to land auctions and early lot sales.
“I came for a summer retreat and found a place that nourishes both spirit and imagination,” according to an early La Jolla resident diary, c. 1900–1910.
(Ads from old San Diego newspapers via CDNC)Transportation played a key role in turning promotion into reality. By the 1890s, rail connections linking downtown San Diego with Pacific Beach and La Jolla made the area increasingly accessible. Improved transportation supported the rise of early visitor amenities, including bathhouses, pavilions, and modest lodging options such as rental cottages and tent accommodations near the coast.
The Place to Be
As visitors arrived, La Jolla’s identity as a coastal destination began to take shape. Scenic walking paths along the bluffs offered uninterrupted ocean views, reinforcing the area’s appeal. These early public routes established a pattern that emphasized access to the coastline—an approach that later became central to preservation efforts.
By the 1920s, La Jolla was firmly established as a seaside community with a growing reputation for natural beauty and cultural life, as well as a place that movie stars of the era quickly discovered. Public areas such as Coast Walk and the Children’s Pool attracted both residents and visitors, while residential development expanded along the bluffs and inland.
La Jolla Children’s Pool and Point Mencinger (Cape) circa 1965. The Children’s Pool was created by building a seawall to form a protected cove for children to swim, but in recent years, sand has filled in much of the area inside the wall, and seals and sea lions have been using the beach to rest, reproduce, and molt. During much of the year,r they are present on or near the beach. A reserve for these marine mammals, called Seal Rock, is just offshore. (Photo courtesy of the city of San Diego Digital Archives) Photo by Harry (Jimmy) Erickson, 12/7/1930. Aerial view of La Jolla taken in 1930. Located 12 miles north of downtown San Diego, La Jolla occupies 7 miles of curving coastline along the Pacific Ocean. It began as the Pueblo lands during the Mexican period of San Diego’s history. During the 1880’s real estate boom, it was subdivided by Frank T. Botsford and George W. Heald. By 1900, there were 350 residents, and now there are over 40,000. It is home to a variety of businesses and scientific research, including UCSD, the Salk Institute, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. (Photo courtesy of the city of San Diego Digital Archives)Although growth continued, community leaders increasingly recognized the importance of protecting shoreline access and open space.
Present-day Coast Walk and nearby shoreline features became defining public spaces as La Jolla grew into a resort community. (Photo via Wikipedia/Pubic Domain)A True Transformation
That philosophy is reflected in the La Jolla Park Coastal Historic District, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The designation recognizes not only individual historic structures, but the broader coastal landscape shaped by early planning decisions. The founding of the La Jolla Historical Society in 1964 further reinforced efforts to document and preserve the community’s development.
La Jolla’s transformation was neither accidental nor purely organic. Through deliberate real estate promotion, strategic transportation improvements, and sustained investment in tourism infrastructure, early developers and residents shaped a distinct coastal identity.
More than a century later, those early decisions remain visible in the village’s layout, its public spaces, and its enduring reputation as one of San Diego’s most scenic coastal communities.
Thousands of birds flock to the bluffs near La Jolla Cove every summer. (Photo by Thomas Melville/La Jolla Village News)Sources
La Jolla Historical Society. History of La Jolla and early development. San Diego History Center. La Jolla history, transportation, tourism, and real estate promotion archives. sandiegohistory.orgCalifornia Office of Historic Preservation. La Jolla Park Coastal Historic District (National Register of Historic Places). PBS SoCal. Weekend Explorer: La Jolla history and coastal development. Wikipedia. La Jolla — etymology and early history sections. California Digital Newspaper Collection (CDNC). San Diego Union and San Diego Sun, late 19th–early 20th century La Jolla real estate and tourism advertisements.
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