History of La Conchita

LA CONCHITA HISTORY

(An ongoing research history project)

“La Conchita” Spanish for little shell, was first used as the name of a spur on the Southern Pacific railroad line in the 1880s and it was a name generally used to describe a broader area then the present day community. During this time until 1923, the small beach settlement was named “Punta” and the street names still carried today (San Fernando, Ojai, Bakersfield, Carpinteria, etc.) commemorated the home town areas of the railroad workers who settled in the town while building the Southern Pacific line. Up through the 1930s, as historically documented, the area from Bates Road down to Mussel Shoals (then known as Mussel Rock) was referred to as La Conchita. The name change and clarification as the parameters of the town then known as La Conchita are crucially important to an understanding of the specific region today and its geologic history.

Victor Nickol, View of La Conchita, 1930, courtesy Jeff Ross archive.

1817–1912

Prior to the establishment of the village of Punta, the coastal area was named Punta Gorda. “Punta Gorda” Spanish for massive point referred to the outstanding feature of this coastal area, a large rock promontory. A monk who stopped at the Mission San Buenaventura in 1817 first mentioned the site. The history of the hamlet of La Conchita is closely tied to developments in the Rincon Point area. The name “The Rincon” was also routinely used to designate the area from Carpinteria’s Rincon Point to Ventura’s Sea Cliff. What is now the community of La Conchita was originally part of the Rancho El Rincon. The rancho was established through a historically significant land grant from Spain of 4,460 acres given to Teodoro Arrellanes in 1840. Arrellanes’ daughter Maria married Dr. Matthew Biggs, and subsequently the property was transferred to Dr. Biggs in 1855. From 1850 until 1873 when Ventura County was established, Punta Gorda was part of Santa Barbara County. During the 1860s following a long period of draught, the record rainfall of 1868 produced major flooding throughout the county. It was during this time of climatic calamity that major portions of the great old ranchos were subdivided and sold off by heirs to an increasing number of arriving Anglos. The Homesteading act of 1862 had brought many adventurous newcomers to settle in California.

Levi Gould Stanchfield, born in Leeds, Maine in 1841, established a ranch at Punta Gorda in 1875 where he raised sheep, grew lima beans and built a ranch house at Mussel Rock. Stanchfield sold the property to Charles. E. Ablett in 1879. Ablett, born in England, was well known as a druggist in Santa Barbara and a key figure in the homesteading activity of the Punta Gorda area from the 1880s on. At this time, the La Conchita section of the Southern Pacific railroad was almost completed and the village of Punta was established. Among the founding families of Punta: the Callis from Kentucky; the Mullins from Charlotte, Prince Edward Island, Canada; and the Gaynors from Ireland. Various members of these families made lasting contributions to the region for more than 60 years.

From 1880-1916 a U.S. post office was sited in Punta and Punta Gorda served as a stop for both the stagecoach and the railroad. Charles E. Ablett served as the first postmaster. In 1883 the Rincon School district was established and classes were first held in the home of Robert Callis with nine pupils in attendance. The 1883 census listed 17 children living in Punta. In 1890 the name was changed to the Punta Gorda School District and the first school structure was built in the village. The Ventura County Register of 1890, as well as the Rincon district electoral records from 1900-1916 reflects a rich cultural mix of Anglo and Hispanic residents in Punta and the Rincon area.

The Punta Gorda Schoolhouse in the 1930s. Courtesy of Eleanor Gallardo

At the Punta Gorda School (from left to right) Consuelo de La Guerra, Francis Hughes (top), Dan Ruano, Charlie Gallardo, Mary Ruano, Miss Bessie Davison, Josie Dacayana, Shirley Dacayana, Chet Dacayana, Dorothy Ruano and Charlotte Gallardo (top) Courtesy of Eleanor Gallardo

Halloween costumes at the Punta Gorda School, courtesy of Eleanor Gallardo.

Punta Gorda School classmates from left to right, Shirley Dacayana, Ellen Vahlbruch, Eleanor Gallardo and Edward Musick in 1938 courtesy of Eleanor Gallardo.

The Gallardo House on Ventura (Sunland Avenue) ca. 1929, Courtesy of Eleanor Gallardo

Jesse and Joseph Gallardo in front of their La Conchita home, ca. 1929, courtesy of Eleanor Gallardo.

A right of way was granted to the Southern Pacific railroad in 1887 and narrow ledges were blasted for the tracks. Since there was no room for a wagon road after that, the idea of building a series of wooden causeway around the cliffs was first developed in 1910. The idea was taken from the European models that existed at the time in Monte Carlo. The “causeway,” a timber pile trestle with a 16’ wide roadway was a cooperative project between Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. By 1912, Rincon Road became part of the state highway system. In 1926, it was replaced with cement concrete pavement.

The Rincon Causeway in 1911

Farming remained the predominant occupation of the area through the First World War. It was a precarious way of life, since there was little fresh water available. During the severe drought of 1898 news accounts detailed the record number of livestock being driven north to pasture and to early market. During this time, there were in-effective drilling efforts for sources of artesian water to attempt to ease the farmers’ plight.

Successful oil drilling however was a different matter. Oil leasing, which started in the area as early as the 1850s, became increasingly important. The Punta Gorda Land & Oil Company was established in 1900.

1913–1926

Dr. C.E. Bates was an English doctor drawn to the California gold rush. He later practiced medicine in Santa Barbara. His son, Robert W. Bates, returned from military service in Europe during World War I and worked the ranch along with his brother Edward. A parcel map of La Conchita was first recorded in the 1920's. At that time it was primarily occupied by workers in the nearby oil fields.

Robert Bates and Andrew Bailard purchased land in La Conchita in hopes of finding oil in the area. (Andrew Bailard had purchased 500 acres of land in Carpinteria in 1868). This enterprise was to fail financially. As noted in the memoirs of Edward Bates, from 1910 until the late 1920s the beach area of the Rincon was viewed as more of a liability than an asset. Unsuccessful drilling for water for development also began in earnest at this time.

Edward C. Ramelli, bought land that had a resort hotel called the Mussel Rock Inn and property in La Conchita at the water’s edge in 1923. His brother Milton was a civil engineer and surveyor. He laid out the first nineteen homes and called it La Conchita del Mar. The following May, Milton Ramelli laid out 327 more lots on a dozen 40-foot streets on the uphill side of the railroad tracks. La Conchita del Mar was promoted as an affordable seaside paradise with lots available starting at $200, which included oil rights. It was called a “beach with a future.” Milton Ramelli also subdivided the 66-lot community of Mussel Shoals in 1924 on land owned by the Hickey Brothers. Ten years later he also developed Solimar Beach on leased land.

1927–1959

Successful oil drilling off of Mussel Rock began in 1927. Many oil workers leased rental property in La Conchita. A mild interest in beach property began to grow in the early 1930s. However, despite oil fields producing in Sea Cliff and elsewhere on the Rincon, no oil was discovered in La Conchita. Fresh water promised to all residential lots never materialized either.

Oil wells along the Coastal Highway between Ventura and Santa Barbara, Post Card, ca. 1930s. Courtesy Jeff Ross archive

For many years La Conchita remained a small and quiet community. Many people who had purchased property here initially built summer homes right on the beach, drawn to the serenity and the unspoiled beauty of the ocean and the spectacular view of the Channel Islands. By 1930 there were also a dozen or so families living in small cottages at the foot of the hill. Lima beans grew on either side of the community and the community sloped down to the shore broken only by the railroad tracks and the old Rincon Highway. For 25¢ per five-gallon jug, the Matilja Water Company delivered water to La Conchita residents.

In 1931 Rudy Scheidman and Frank Regamey purchased the Mussel Rock Inn on the beach side of the railroad track at Mussel Shoals. It once had a glass enclosed dance floor over the water, eventually lost to the winter surf and attracted such Hollywood celebrities as Marie Dressler, Werner Olan and opera singer Lotte Lehman. When the highway was widened to three lanes in 1935, the restaurant had to be moved to the beach at La Conchita and was renamed as Frank and Rudy’s. It closed in 1942.

In 1949 the Highway was widened to four lanes with outer edges of the seawall protected by a riprap seawall of boulders weighing up to 10 tons brought by rail from Riverside County.

During the 1950's and 1960's it became a popular vacation destination for many families in the San Fernando Valley. Mobile homes and small beach cottages started popping up in the small lots, and as the town became more popular, larger custom homes.

The Gallardo House on Ventura (Sunland Avenue) ca. 1929, Courtesy of Eleanor Gallardo

In 1956-7 an island was built by the Richland Oil Company for oil drilling off Mussel Shoals. The construction of Casitas Dam was completed in 1959 and through its distribution system, running water finally came to La Conchita.

1960–2007

In the mid 1960s when the California Division of Highways, now known at Caltrans, began a widening project to make the highway four lanes in the La Conchita area, approximately 8 homes on the beach were relocated into La Conchita. Some of these homes can still be viewed in the community. To make the highway less susceptible to high tides and flooding, engineers designed the highway approximately eight feet above the original location. This height change was accomplished by bringing in rock and fill dirt.

Stagecoach Crossing the Rincon during High Tide, 1871, sketch by Edward Vischer, courtesy archival sources

In 1967- Phillips Petroleum Company proposed its processing plant on 15 acres, North of La Conchita, previously zoned for homes. Also the quiet community of La Conchita began to succumb to development. This was largely the result of word of mouth. One person would discover the community, purchase a lot, build a home and then tell his family and friends about his newly found treasure. In the late 1960’s and early to mid 1970’s most vacant lots in La Conchita were developed. At that time, the houses were either weekend get-a ways or built by people intending to retire in La Conchita. The community remained fairly status quo until 1995 when the first landslide occurred.

In 1971- Highway 101 completed enhancing travel from Southern California to Northern California. This stretch of the 101 Highway was the last two lane section between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara to be widened to four lanes. It is now scheduled to be widened to six lanes including a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane in 2011. Additionally a pedestrian under crossing will be installed during the highway widening process so that La Conchita residents will have a safe way to access the beach.

In 1985 the La Conchita banana plantation was established. From it’s opening until its forced closure in 1996, the Seaside Banana Gardens operated by Doug Richardson and his partner Paul Turner, became the most famous attraction in La Conchita. The Gardens were featured in both national and international publications and made La Conchita a landmark along Highway 101. Although horticultural authorities maintained that bananas could not be commercially grown in California, Richardson and Turner proved them wrong by cultivating over 50 exotic varieties. The unique microclimate of the community’s location was ideal for this purpose. Many subsequent generations of bananas continue to grow and thrive throughout the home gardens of La Conchita today.

Photo courtesy Jeff Ross archive

Internationally recognized Artist Roger Brown purchased property in La Conchita in 1986 and in 1992 renowned Chicago architect Stanley Tigerman completed a studio/home for Mr. Brown on Ojai Street. Mr. Brown (1941-1997) lived primarily in La Conchita from the late 1980s until his untimely death in 1997. The community and its environment inspired many of the artist's paintings during the last decade of his life. Mr. Brown was a member of the class-action lawsuit filed against La Conchita Ranch as a result of the 1995 mudslide, and some of his most powerful works depict the cataclysmic events of that day rendered in the bold and primal forms that are hallmarks of his style. His works are in major museums and private collections throughout the country. The artist's estate and collections are maintained at the Roger Brown Study Collection at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. http://www.saic.edu/art_design/special_collections/rogerbrown/index.html

The pink adobe home has become a significant landmark in La Conchita. Mr. Brown had fought for more than two years to get the design of this studio through the Ventura County Planning Commission and even commemorated his frustrations with the Commission in a now famous painting.

The Stanley Tigerman designed studio of artist Roger Brown completed in 1992.

1995- First major mudslide in the history of the village of La Conchita.

Roger Brown, The Great La Conchita Landslide, 1995, oil on canvas, 72 x 48”

The towns first major mudslide occurred in 1995 and resulted in the destruction of nine properties and damage to others but no loss of life. In 2005 a second mudslide occurred and an additional ten homes were destroyed, five damaged and ten residents lost their lives. Most were long time residents and the community continues to feel this loss daily. Jan. 15, 2005 the La Conchita Community Organization (LCCO) formed as the voice of the residents. The LCCO has worked diligently with Local, State and the Federal Government officials to resolve the landslide situation that has affected the community for the last twelve years. In March 2006 Governor Schwarzenegger announced the allocation of $667,000 for a “comprehensive study to examine how to ensure the safety of the beachside community”. The contract to the consulting firm was signed in April of 2007 and a “draft” report is due in late fall of 2007.

The entire town consists of two streets, parallel to the shore, with ten short perpendicular streets, ending at the base of Rincon Mountain. Because this tiny enclave is isolated from the larger towns nearby it has evolved into a very tight knit community. Despite the dangers of the hillside looming over the town, it is highly sought after because of the camaraderie that exists between neighbors, its accessibility to fine surfing beaches, a Mediterranean-like climate, and spectacular views of the Santa Barbara Channel.

La Conchita is at 119 degrees 26’ 52.8 W longitude and 34 degrees 21’ 50.4 N latitude, on a southwesterly-facing portion of the coast. The town is called "Punta" on USGS topographic maps but the community is currently petitioning the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) to officially name the community, La Conchita, and the beach fronting the community La Conchita Beach. It is between Rincon Point to the northwest and Mussel Shoals to the southeast. 2161 foot Rincon Mountain rises sharply to the northeast and the nearest incorporated town is Carpinteria, about five miles to the northwest.

History Enhanced

The La Conchita Story project has been greatly enriched by the oral histories and vital memories of a number of special people who lived in the community from 1928 and, in some cases some still live there. Pete Richardson came to La Conchita in the late 1920’s, when he was two years old. His father Harry Richardson was an oil worker who drilled the first oil well in Mussel Shoals (then known as Mussel Rock). At that time, Richardson remembers his family as having the only “real house in La Conchita”, an adobe, whose foundation can still be found just south of town. Dick Talaugon’s father Federico Talaugon leased a large house from the Gaynor family on the site of the current Phillips oil storage facility. The family moved there in the winter of 1932 and was part of a growing Pacific Islander community working the farms and ranches of the major landowners of the region. Here Talaugon farmed lima beans and barley. Both Pete Richardson and Dick Talaugon attended Punta Gorda School, the one-room schoolhouse in La Conchita. The school was moved in the mid 1950s to Santa Clara Street in Ventura and used as a kindergarten. Prior to demolition of the building, part was salvaged and moved to its present location in La Conchita at 6746 Ojai Street. Remnants of the concrete foundation can still be found just west of town near the avocado orchard across from Carpinteria Street.

CREDITS

The La Conchita Story is an ongoing research project of the History Committee of the La Conchita Community Organization (LCCO). The Committee is currently engaged in collecting oral histories and documenting significant events in the history of this community. The Committee gratefully acknowledges the contributions of the following in bringing this project to fruition: Jeff Ross; David Griggs at the Carpinteria Valley Historical Society; Charles Johnson, Archivist and Librarian at the Ventura County Historical Society; Dick Talaugon and the Talaugon Family; Pete Richardson; Robbie Hutto of the Bates Family and the Roger Brown Study Collection at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.