San Clemente

San Clemente was founded in the 1920s as a Spanish style village by the sea. Construction of San Clemente started in 1925 as one of the country’s first master planned communities. To achieve Ole Hanson’s vision of a Spanish village by the sea, all homes and buildings were required to be Spanish in design with red-tiled roofs and white-stuccoed walls.  

By 1928, the population reached 1,000 residents. However, the stock market crash of 1929 devastated the young city. The development stopped, many of the residents forced into bankruptcy, and the founder himself, Ole, lost all his buildings. 

Being relatively remote and far from the bigger metropolitan ares in Southern California, San Clemente has kept much of the small town feel.  Although it has not been without its attention and celebrities.  Including being home to the Western White House, La Casa Pacifica, during the Nixon administration.  The Spanish Colonial style remains through city codes and visitors can appreciate the original grandeur of its founder’s home by visiting the Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens. In fact, San Clemente is home to 203 Designated Historic Structures, including 22 Historic Landmarks and 5 National Register of Historic Places.

Casa Romantica, now a city owned cultural center, was originally the home of Ole Hanson, the founder and developer of San Clemente.  He lost the home during the Great Depression when Bank of America foreclosed on the property.

San Clemente events range from festivals at the pier to fun fiestas in downtown. 

• Cinco de Mayo Fiesta: May, live entertainment and food fair
• Car Show: June, classic car show at the Community Center
• Ocean Festival: July, dubbed “The Greatest Show on Surf”, festivities include a board contest, boat races, fun run, ocean swim, and surf contest as well as a beach concert and woody cat exhibit.
• Fiesta Music Festival: August, held on Ave Del Mar in downtown
• Toast to the Casa: September, at Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens
• Carnival Colossal: October, four day carnival and food truck fair
• San Clemente Sea Fest: October, festival at the pier with a chowder cook-off, surfing contest, and arts & crafts show
• Micro-Brew Fest: October, microbrew celebration hosted by Left Coast Brewing 

• Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens
• Downtown District
• Surfing Heritage and Culture Center
• Coastal Trail
• Outlets
• Breweries: Left Coast, Artifex, Lost Winds
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Originally called Spanish Village by the Sea when it was a real estate development.  The town was named after the island visible from the shore.  The island was named in honor of St. Clement by explorer Sebastián Vizcaíno. 

Famous 1920s and 1930s architect Carl Lindbom designed both the Casa Romantica and La Casa Pacifica (the Western White House during the Nixon Administration). 

The official city flower is the bougainvillea, and the official city tree is the coral.