The coast of La Jolla attracts tourists and townspeople because it is considered one of the most interesting geographical places in Southern California. There are not only beautiful rocks but also underwater caves there. The amazing La Jolla Caves deserve special attention. Los-Angeles Name tells more about their story.
The history of the La Jolla Caves and Schultz’s role in it
In 1902, a German engineer and professor of philosophy arrived at La Jolla Bay. He planned to rest here but was fascinated by a real geological wonder. Those were the seven caves of La Jolla.
Schultz has always been an active man, so he came up with the idea of how to make money from the caves carved by the force of the stormy surf. He decided to build a tunnel through which visitors would be able to climb into one of the caves, explore the insides and pay for it. Thus, thoughts about retirement were put aside.
The next 20 months were full of work. Schultz managed to dig a tunnel and build 133 wooden steps in a narrow passage. After that, everyone was able to pay the entrance fee and go down into the tunnel. Such an idea was brilliant because the seven caves instantly became a lure for all residents of the region, as well as for tourists and vacationers.
The caves as the symbol of La Jolla
Near the caves, there was a bay in the shape of a crescent moon, which was later destroyed. After Schultz’s idea was put into practice, about 200 people paid one dollar per adult (50 cents for children) every day in the summer to enter them. There were plenty of people who wanted to walk through the narrow and damp tunnel and descend to the bottom of the caves.
In 1906, Schultz built a private enterprise named the La Jolla Cave & Shell Shop, It appeared on Coast Boulevard, where the top of the cave stairs led. That was another successful idea, which increased his fortune.
The experience of a tunnel tour
Imagine a journey that took place more than a century ago. Here’s what visitors saw and felt after paying:
- sea smell
- the cool temperature, which was kept thanks to the sandstone walls
- the noise of the surf
- a path made of wooden boards
- fossilized shells
- traces of water level.
Some visitors also left traces, such as slogans on the rock, carved names on the wooden deck, etc.
Devil’s Hill
This place is related to stories that do not end only with the success of the clever Gustav Schultz. There is another version, written by James A. Leftwich, according to which the picturesque community of San Diego got its name due to Devil’s Hill.
Even before the arrival of the German exploiter, the operators of the San Diego – La Jolla railroad companies paid divers $25 to dive in the late 1890s. This was one of the attempts to attract the region’s tourists, as well as potential home buyers.
Another astonishing fact is provided by the La Jolla Historical Society. Horses were pushed off the cliffs to impress the audience. Corresponding photos have been preserved in the society’s archive.
Here are some more amazing facts about Devil’s Hill:
- Professor Horace Poole doused himself in a flammable substance on July 4, 1898, and jumped into the water but managed to survive
- Bert Reed was less fortunate that year. The son of the mayor of San Diego fell from the cliffs and died from his injuries.
The last event put an end to bold pranks and attempts to attract attention. Later, the railway workers offered the guests a rope descent over the edge of the Devil’s Hill. It was similar to modern surfing and also inspired Schultz.
Smugglers
The passage through the cave was used not only during the day but also at night. According to local stories, whiskey was delivered to San Diego through the La Jolla Caves during Prohibition. This place was also used for the transportation of narcotic substances. The representatives of the Historical Society talked about one of the benefactors of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, who personally saw the process of unloading them into the cave.
A perfect place for filming pirates
The La Jolla Caves were shown in Neptune’s Daughter movie, as well as in other pirate films.
Moreover, the La Jolla Caves were used for various purposes, even for romantic dates. This place still attracts visitors because there is something mysterious about it.
