The History of Santa Monica and Venice

The first Caucasian explorer was part of the Gasper de Portola expedition in 1769. They camped near Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica gets it's name from the grieving mother of a reckless son, St. Augustine. The legend
has it that her tears were the spring called Gabrioleno, where University High School is today. The spring was sacred to the Native Americans which occupied the territory before European occupation and still is
sacred for Native Americans today. The Tong ' ua ("People of the Earth") Indians inhabited the region before white settlers. The Tong 'ua were skilled navigators of the Pacific Coasts (known throughout the history of theseregions of the "Gold Coast"). The Indigenous groups here navigated the Ocean waters with sewn together planks and coated with tar found from the La Brea Tar Pits which is around today's Hancock park. La Brea Tar pits where for tens of thousands of years covered by water and and the natural floura and fauna of this region has been preserved in the tar as archaeologist excavate the area. Some of the fossils excavated have been mammoths, dire wolves, short faced bears, ground sloths, and the state fossil of California - the saber toothed cat.
Due to the belief of "manifest Destiny" the settlers believed it was their divine right to expand across the N. American Continent. Hence, the Mexican - American War. It was by far the bloodiest battle the U.S. ever fought against a foreign country. Thus, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hildago, which led to a peace treaty which ended the war (1846 - 1848) In the treaty about 1/2 million sq. miles were purchased from Mexico for $15 million. The first lots were sold in 1875. The first town hall is now the Santa Monica Hostel, which is the oldest existing structure. The business district sprang up around what is now the 3rd street Promenade. which are numbers and names of the Western States. In 1900 A rich man was traveling the world as a young philanthropist named Abbot Kinney left traveling the exotic wilds of the world to come to sunny California. Here in this region of Santa Monica his years of problematic asthmatic complications subdued and he has finally found his new home. Kinney brought a large tract of land in Santa Monica and to the North which was an isolated stretch of beach. After a failed business venture and the famous coin flip Kinney took the land to the north and decided to create a recreation of Venice Italy. It was an instant success. He had build trolley's, canals, a pier, gondolas as seen in Italy's famous Venice, and an amusement park. The area became known as the Coney Island of the Pacific. In 1924 a Hawaiian named Duke Kalanomoku took a job as athletic director at the beach club and brought the game of volleyball to the U.S. Hence, volley ball was created right here in sunny Santa Monica. Now thanks to the famous coin flip we have the birthplace of the Doors. Muscle Beach and the showcase of entertainment that is renowned here in famous Venice beach.