HISTORY OF OLD CITY PLAZA and SAN CLEMENTE

History of San Clemente

The City of San Clemente spans fifteen square miles of coastline and scenic foothills. The location of the City, long admired by explorers and passing settlers, remained virtually uninhabited until 1776, when Mission San Juan Capistrano was established by Father Junipero Serra and led both Indian and Spanish settlers to set up villages nearby.

Property rights to the land exchanged hands several times, but few ventured to build on it until 1925, when former Mayor of Seattle, Ole Hanson purchased and designed a 2,000 acre community. Hanson believed that the area's pleasant climate, beautiful beaches and fertile soil would serve as a haven to Californians who were tired of "the big city". He named the City "San Clemente" after San Clemente Island which was named by the explorer Vizcaino in 1602 after Saint Clement, the patron saint of November 23, the day of Vizcaino's arrival on the island. Hanson succeeded in promoting the new area and selling property to interested buyers. His "San Clemente by the Sea" was to consist of buildings built in the classic Spanish style with red tile roofs. He built public structures such as the Beach Club, the Community Center, the pier and Max Berg Plaza Park, which were later donated to the City. The area was officially incorporated as a City on February 27, 1928.

Ole Hansons vision for the city of San Clemente:

"I vision a place where people can live together more pleasantly than any other place in America.... the whole picture is very clear before me.... I can see hundreds of white-walled homes bonneted with red tile, with trees, shrubs, hedges of hibiscus, palms and geraniums lining the drives, and a profusion of flowers framing the patios and gardens... I want plazas, playgrounds, schools, clubs, swimming pools, a golf course, a fishing pier and a beach enlivened by people getting a healthy joy out of their life... I do not want people repulsed and sent away by ugliness in other communities... I have a clean canvas and I am determined to paint a clean picture."

When Ole Hanson began to develop San Clemente, his "Spanish Village By The Sea," he referred to the way he would create it by the following historic quote: "I have a clean canvas and I am determined to paint a clean picture. Think of it - a canvas five miles long and one and one-half miles wide!"

Ole was white-haired, a dapper dresser and known throughout the country for his eloquent and influential oratory at the height of America’s "roaring twenties." He coupled his abilities with Ham’s fortunes and, with nation-wide fanfare, San Clemente was born. Its natal dress was white and red, white stucco structures bonneted by red tile.

Ole Hanson and his family, pictured here with nine of his then ten children. Circa 1919	Hanson, far right, "Moosing it" with Teddy Roosevelt. Circa 1912	The Beginnings of a Dream. This picture is of the sales tent that Hanson sold the first lots in San Clemente out of. This is the corner of El Camino Real and Avenida Del Mar in downtown San Clemente. The main sales tent is pictured on the left.

Early Morning Riders Club near Avenida Del Mar and El Camino Real. Circa 1927	The bustling Downtown Business District on Avenida Del Mar circa 1950	The building of the historic San Clemente Pier, circa 1928. At the foot of the pier today stands The Fisherman’s Restaurant.

The original church in San Clemente, St. Clement’s Episcopal Church, circa 1928, still in use today.	The original hospital in San Clemente, pictured here with Mrs. Hanson standing in front, circa 1928.	A view of the golf course, circa 1928. The course was only nine holes until 1956, when course designer Billy Bell laid out the additional nine holes.

HISTORY OF OLD CITY PLAZA Soon after San Clemente ( The Spanish Village by the Sea) was incorporated, the need for a "Fire House" was realized. The headlines in San Clemente’s first newspaper, "El Heraldo de San Clemente" June, 1928 read: "Building to house local fire department will be constructed by popular subscription and turned over to the city when completed!" Individual subscriptions were received in the amounts from $6.00 to $1500.00 from the local citizenry. On August 27th, 1928, the first fire house and city jail were erected on these premises. Later, the blacksmith shop was added, as well as the warehouse and maintenance shops. The municipal facilities were used until 1962, when a new civic center was built. These premises were continued to be utilized as a city maintenance yard until 1974.

The municipal facilities were then turned into the Old City Plaza. With all the romance and distinctive style of San Clemente. With the one of kind shopping and romantic restaurants like New Mandarin Garden, Adele's Hollywood Cafe, Blue Danube, Los Patios you are sure to get lost in a taste of San Clemente. Many of the shops and restaurants have been voted simply best in San Clemente. You cannot loose with visiting the Historic Old City Plaza. You even can have dinner in one of the Old San Clemente Jail Cells. Truly a piece of San Clemente history and taste.
Old City Plaza is a must see for tourists visiting San Clemente.

In 1969, an event occurred which accelerated the growth and reputation of San Clemente. In that year former President Nixon purchased a Spanish mansion in the southern part of town that Hamilton Cotton had built in 1927. This "Western White House" became the site of numerous historical meetings. The Old City Plaza also at one time had a small Nixon museum inside when the city occupied the premises.

San Clemente Police Department was formed in 1925 and the San Clemente Fire Department used the facilities here at Old City Plaza.
Please find below Police and Fire Department badges, helmets, patches & leather gear worn by sworn police officers.

Please find below pictures of Nixon memorabilia that may at one time been in the museum at the Old City Plaza.

The San Clemente Historical Society met at the Blue Danube , the site of San Clemente’s first Jail House. Adelaine Antonio, Director speaks to the standing-room only crowd on June 22.

Special thanks to Dorthy Fuller, The San Clemente Historical Society, Blue Danube, San Clemente Fire Department, San Clemente Police Department and the City of San Clemente.