Carlsbad, California

Carlsbad is a city located in Northern San Diego County, California. According to the state Department of Finance, the city had a total population of 90,271 in 2003. Together with Oceanside and Vista, it makes up the "Tri-City" area, Carlsbad being the most expensive. Carlsbad was incorporated in 1952, in large part to generate sufficient funding to connect with the water pipeline running through San Diego County, but also to avoid being annexed by Oceanside.

History

Carlsbad's history begins with the Luiseño people who located one of their villages, Palamai, near what is today Agua Hedionda Lagoon. Modern-day Carlsbad came about when in the 1880s a former sea captain named John Frazier dug a well for water. He began offering his water at the train station and soon the whistlestop became known as Frazier's Station. A test done on a second fresh-water well found the water to be chemically similar to one of the most famous spas in Europe located in Carlsbad (Karlovy Vary), Czech Republic.

Related Topics:
Carlsbad - Czech Republic

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

To take advantage of this find, a partnership named the Carlsbad Land and Mineral Water Company was founded. It was founded by a German-born merchant from the Midwest named Gerhard Schutte, Samuel Church Smith, D.D.Wadsworth and Henry Nelson. The naming of the town followed soon-after along with a major marketing campaign to attract visitors. The area experienced a period of growth, with homes and businesses appearing.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

But by the end of 1887, the real estate bubble had burst and land prices slid all throughout San Diego County. The community survived though, due to the agricultural opportunities available. The site of John Frazier's original well can still be found at Alt Karlsbad, a replica of a German Hanseatic house, located on Carlsbad Boulevard.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Carlsbad is also the hometown of Tony Hawk and Shawn White.
• Carlsbad also serves as the filming location for the FOX original series Point Pleasant.
• Gary Hardwick, Guinness World Record holder for "Fastest Skateboarder" makes his residence in Carlsbad.