San Clemente, CA : History and Community Overview

The Spanish Village by The Sea as San Clemente is known, is a coastal paradise located at the southernmost part of Orange County. The city was officially chartered on February 27, 1928 after a few years of development by Ole Hanson. With San Clemente, an area situated halfway between the large cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Hanson wanted to create a beachfront community that promoted “the slow life.” After buying 2,000 acres of land in the area, Hanson designed a city where the homes and buildings exhibited a Spanish flare, complete with red tile roofs, white-walled homes and lush foliage. As one of the first master-planned cities in California, Hanson did not merely settle for building homes. He developed the San Clemente Pier, a community center, park, beach club and a golf course. With designer Carl Lindbom, he built for his family a magnificent Spanish-style estate on a bluff overlooking the pier. Named Casa Romantica in 1946, this San Clemente landmark serves as the anchor of downtown San Clemente and was added to the National Registry of Historical Places in 1991.

For over 40 years, San Clemente remained the quiet Spanish hamlet Hanson envisioned. In 1969, San Clemente was thrust into the national spotlight when President Richard Nixon purchased La Casa Pacifica, an estate overlooking the Pacific Ocean in southwest San Clemente. Nicknamed The Western White House Nixon utilized his new home as a private getaway and to host foreign leaders, including Mexican President Gustavo Diaz Ordaz and Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev. The estate, which sits above one of Southern California's major surfing spots (Trestles), became a symbol of prosperity for this quiet coastal community.

As San Clemente continues to grow, it has never lost sight of Ole Hanson's vision as a Spanish-style coastal village. New developments such as Talega and the future Marblehead Coastal community utilize the Spanish architectural style while providing panoramic ocean, mountain and hill views that can be seen year-round in the sunny San Clemente climate. The downtown area leading to the pier bustles with mom-and-pop stores, antique shops, businesses and intimate dining experiences, yet never feels overwhelming due to the warmth of the area and its citizens. While San Clemente's continual development strengthens its stature as one of California's premier coastal communities, the comfort of living a quiet life in a small town remains intact.

For specific information on the San Clemente real estate market including historical trends and future projections, please refer to the Market Info section of our website and refer to Market Analysis

For more specific community information, such as schools, beaches, and golf, please refer to more of the Discover SC section of our site.

Discover San Clemente

• Interactive Map
• Photo Gallery
• Community Overview
• Schools
• Beaches
• Golf
• Parks
• Weather
• Transportation
• Other Amenities

Our Real Estate Consultants

© Copyright 2008 by SanClementeCoastalLiving.com | San Clemente Real Estate, San Clemente Homes and San Clemente Condos for sale | Contact Us