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The northern sections of the City of Santa Monica once belonged to Rancho San Vicente y Santa Monica and Rancho Boca de
Santa Monica. Jose del Carmen Sepulveda of the prominent Sepulveda family sold 38,409 acres (155 km²) of the land for
$54,000 in 1872 to Colonel Robert A. Baker and his wife, Arcadia Bandini de Stearns. Bandini was the daughter of Juan
Bandini, a prominent and wealthy early Californian, and was the widow of Abel Stearns, once the richest man in Los
Angeles. Nevada Senator John P. Jones bought a half interest in Baker's property in 1874. The first lots in Santa Monica
were sold on July 15, 1875. The residents voted to incorporate November 30, 1886, creating a mayor-council government. The
first town hall was a modest 1873 brick building, later a beer hall, and now part of the Santa Monica Hostel. It is Santa
Monica's oldest extant structure.
When the Southern Pacific Railroad arrived at Los Angeles a controversy erupted over where to locate the sea port. The SP
preferred Santa Monica, while others advocated for San Pedro Bay. The Long Wharf was built in 1893 at the north end of
Santa Monica to accommodate large ships and was dubbed Port Los Angeles. San Pedro Bay, now known as the Port of Los Angeles,
was selected by the US Congress in 1897. Though it disppointed Jones and other property owners the selection allowed Santa
Monica to maintain its scenic charm. The rail line down to Santa Monica Canyon was sold to the Pacific Electric Railroad, and
was in use from 1891 to 1933.
The southwestern section of the city originally belonged to the Rancho la Ballona of the Machado and Talamantes families.
Mrs. Nancy A. Lucas purchased 861 acres (3.5 km²) from the rancho in 1874 for $11,000. The property was farmed by her sons,
and a parcel of 100 acres (400,000 m²) was sold to W.D. Vawter for subdivision in 1884. Abbott Kinney acquired deed to the
coastal strip and named the area Ocean Park in 1895. It became his first amusement park and residential project. A race track
and golf course were built on the Ocean Park Casino. After a falling out with his partners he focused on the south end of the
property, which he made into Venice of America.
Santa Monica enjoys an average of 325 days of sunshine a year. Because of its location, nestled on a vast open bay (Santa
Monica Bay), morning fog and haze is a common phenomenon in May, June and early July (caused by ocean temperature variations
and currents). Locals have a particular terminology for this phenomenon: the "May Gray" and the "June Gloom". Overcast skies
are common for June mornings, but usually the strong sun burns it off by noon. Nonetheless, it will sometimes stay cloudy and
cool all day during June, even as other parts of the Los Angeles area will enjoy sunny skies and warmer temperatures.
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