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Purpose
The purpose of the Society is to promote civic welfare by artistic and cultural advancement of the community and to contribute to the education of the public through the support of historical material and other appropriate activities.
The Solana Beach Civic and Historical Society is actively involved in and financially supports programs in education, civic affairs and local history. Our Heritage Museum offers a hands-on journey back in time 100 years. Located in La Colonia Park, the Museum guides the visitor from the original community of Lockwood Mesa through it transformation into Solana Beach. Visitors begin in a circa 1900 kitchen and living room and, as they walk through the Museum, they see the lifestyle changes that came with the arrival of running water and electricity in the 1920s and 19302. A time-line photo exhibit traces the history of Solana Beach as it developed from the arrival of the Indians and the Spanish explorers into the community of today.
The Museum is open on the first and third Saturdays of each month or by appointment. Email to request a visit.
History
The Solana Beach Civic and Historical Society evolved from the well-established Solana Beach Women’s Civic Club, which was formed in 1953. The founding officers included Olive Smith, president; Blanche Kintz, vice president, Thelma Crawford, secretary; and Frances Cornwall, treasurer. The aim of the organization was the beautification of Solana Beach and the solution of problems confronting Solana Beach as a growing town — not yet a city. At that time there was no Interstate freeway, and Highway 101 through Solana Beach was a corridor of billboards and gas stations. The Women’s Civic Club was instrumental in the removal of these billboards and planting of trees and landscaping this corridor. Among their many accomplishments was the renovation of the central plaza and installation of the “Sunburst Fountain.” In March of 1989, the newly formed Solana Beach City Council asked the Women’s Civic Club to become custodians of the City’s history, and the Civic Club’s certificate of incorporation was modified to create the Solana Beach Civic & Historical Society.
In 2023, we celebrated 70 years of service to our community by publishing a compilation of articles about the Society’s accomplishments over the decades. Click here to access the booklet.
What kinds of programs are offered for the community?
The SBC&HS is actively involved in and financially supports educational programs including our Heritage Museum, a Living History educational program for elementary school students, and annual college scholarships.
Our annual Holiday Boutique is our biggest fundraising event, with proceeds primarily supporting our Scholarship Program. In 2024, we awarded three scholarships of $3,000 each. Since its inception in 2014, our Scholarship Program has awarded $40,500 to help high school seniors and returning adult students attend college and technical schools. Click here to donate directly to our Scholarship Fund.
We also are active in civic affairs, beautification projects, and maintaining community gardens, as well as in historical research and preservation efforts.
We offer two books on the history of Solana Beach for sale at $10 each: Early Solana Beach: Recollections by George C. Wilkens & Robert “Chuckles” Hernandez and La Colonia & Solana Beach: Spring up from Colonel Ed Fletcher’s Running Water. Click here to purchase.
With grant-funding support from the City of Solana Beach, we also have digitized seven decades of archival materials about the Society and our community. These materials include interviews with long-time and notable Solana Beach citizens, as well as videographies available online through our YouTube channel.
Our monthly membership meetings cover a wide range of topics — from the practical and educational to the purely entertaining. During the 2020-2022 Covid 19 pandemic, we pivoted to virtual meetings, which also are available through our YouTube channel. Social events are planned throughout the year.
Our Crafts Group meets regularly to create items for the Society’s annual Holiday Boutique — which in 2020 became for a virtual event and in 2021 was a hybrid online/outdoor shopping opportunity. During both years of the Covid 19 pandemic, the Boutique achieved record sales of about $11,000. The Holiday Boutique usually is held on an early Saturday in November at La Colonia Community Center.
SeaWeeders Garden Club members maintain the Solana Beach Post Office sculpture garden, El Viento park, and the native garden at the Fire Station. Visit seaweedersgardenclub.org for more information.
Does the SBC&HS need volunteers?
The SBC&HS always welcomes volunteers! We are seeking nominations for our 2022-23 Board of Directors, hosts for our twice-monthly Heritage Museum tours, artisans to help create treasures for our annual Holiday Crafts Boutique, and help with our SeaWeeders’ many community garden projects. Interested? Email [email protected].
Boo-Boo had been looking forward to the Historical Society’s Halloween party all month. He had never been to one before, and was excited to dress up in his best white sheet.
Jackie o’Lantern was feeling excited as she made her way to the community center by the sea. It was the earliest Halloween party of the season, and Jackie loved nothing more than dressing up and celebrating with her friends.
The Jinx attended the earliest Halloween party of the season, at a community center by the sea. It was two days before the full moon and the days might finally start to get chilly. The Jinx was excited to attend his first Halloween party, but he was also nervous. What would he wear? He had no idea what costumes humans wore. He decided to go as himself and flew to the party in a cloud of dark smoke.
Obscuro was getting excited for the upcoming Halloween party. It would be his first one of the season, and he was looking forward to dressing up in his favorite costume. He had white latex skin that made his face look like a mask, so he always stuck out in a crowd. But that was exactly why he loved going to Halloween parties- he loved the opportunity to show off his unique look.
Lucius Morte had never been to a Halloween party before. He had always been too busy tormenting the damned in the 4th level of hell to bother with earthly celebrations. But this year, he was feeling particularly restless and decided to venture out into the world of mortals. He found a community center by the sea that was hosting a Halloween party and decided to attend.
Vespera was so excited to go to the Halloween party. It was at a community center by the sea, and it would be her first party in a long time! She had been practicing her mime and charade skills for weeks, and she was determined to show everyone how good she was.
Gourdy Bane was very excited to attend the earliest Halloween party of the season. It was being held at a community center by the sea, and he loved the sound of waves crashing against the shore. When he arrived, he saw that the party was already in full swing. There were pumpkins everywhere, and people were dressed in costumes. Gourdy Bane saw a couple of gourds wearing pirate costumes, and he couldn’t help but laugh. He loved Halloween parties, and he was having a great time dancing to the music and eating candy.
Morrigana was very excited to attend the Halloween party at the community center by the sea. It was two days before the full moon, and the days were finally starting to get chilly. Morrigana had been working on her Halloween outfit all year long, and she was looking forward to showing it off.
William Wisp had been looking forward to the community center’s Halloween party all month long. It was going to be two days before the full moon, and he loved the smell of fall in the air (cinnamon and pumpkin spice). His Halloween costume was all ready to go, and he was excited to show it off to all of his friends. This year, he was dressed as a pumpkin. His little orange boots matched his little pumpkin body perfectly.
Mr. Creepers was all dressed up and ready to go to the community center by the sea for the earliest Halloween party of the season. It had been a long time since he’d been out and about, but he was feeling young at heart and ready to have some fun. He loved the black 1940s coat that he had found at a thrift store and felt confident that he would be the most stylish person at the party.
The Frankster had always loved Halloween. He loved the costumes, the candy, and most of all, the parties. This year, he was especially excited for the party at the community center by the sea. It was two days before the full moon, and he could feel a tiny bit of a cool autumn breeze in the air.
Wooblydook was really excited to attend the Halloween party at the community center by the sea. He had never been to one before, and he was looking forward to kale pulling and making neep lanterns. The party was two days before the full moon, and Wooblydook was hoping it would start to get chilly soon. He loved being out in the cold and feeling his bat-like ears flap in the wind.
As the sun began to set, the community center by the sea came to life. Lights flickered on, announcing that the earliest Halloween party of the season was about to start. A golden sun slowly rose in the sky, growing brighter and brighter as it got closer to the horizon. As it reached its peak, people whispered: this sun only came out at night. It was the Midnight Sun.