La Jolla Timeline

Lands of La Jolla incorporated as part of the City of San Diego

Auction of lots in first La Jolla Park subdivision; considered as founding year of La Jolla

Opening of La Jolla Park Hotel

Railroad extended to La Jolla from San Diego; La Jolla Post Office established. Reading Room opened. Anna Held arrived in La Jolla and created Green Dragon Colony.

First La Jolla Village Improvement Society organized

Ellen Browning Scripps buys two lots on the ocean side of Prospect Street and builds her first home

Library Association of La Jolla formed

Barber Tract development begins (first known as Neptunia); first telephone lines installed

Wisteria Cottage built

Marine Biological Association organized, later Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Ground broken for new bathhouse at the Cove; first La Jolla newspaper is published

Architect Irving Gill designs a re-model of Wisteria Cottage for Virginia Scripps

The Bishop’s School, with buildings designed by Irving Gill, is built; Gill also designs and builds first Scripps Institution of Oceanography building

Opening of Colonial Inn (Grande Colonial La Jolla)

La Jolla Woman’s Club is built

Arsonist sets fire to several La Jolla buildings, including Ellen Browning Scripps’ house; work begins on new home designed by architect Irving Gill; La Jolla Community House and Playground, now La Jolla Recreation Center, also designed by Irving Gill, opens

Scripps Memorial Hospital opens (first known as the Sanitarium); paving of La Jolla streets begins

Electric railroad begins operations; Casa de Manana opens as resort hotel; street lights introduced

La Valencia Hotel opens; The Balmer School started at La Jolla Country Club; The Muirlands development begins

La Jolla Beach and Yacht Club formed (now La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club)

Childrens Pool breakwater built

Ellen Browning Scripps dies (August 3)

Art Center organized in former home of Ellen Browning Scripps

Camp Callan established at Torrey Pines Gliderport with start of World War II

Wisteria Cottage becomes The Balmer School, later La Jolla Country Day School (until 1961)

First stop signs erected at Girard and Torrey Pines Road

La Jolla Playhouse founded by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, and Mel Ferrer

The Cove movie theater opens

White Sands begins operations as a retirement home

University of California San Diego campus established in La Jolla; La Jolla School of Arts and Crafts formed

La Jolla Historical Society founded

Salk Institute built, designed by Louis Kahn

La Jolla Community Plan adopted by San Diego City Council

University Towne Center shopping mall opens

BLOB (“Ban Large Office Buildings”) organized to oppose large structures in the built environment

La Jolla celebrates its centennial

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