La Jolla Historical Society

The La Jolla Historical Society, located at 7846 Eads Avenue, is committed to the discovery, collection and preservation of La Jolla's heritage. The organization was founded in 1963 by a small group of community leaders and local citizens dedicated to preserving the community’s rich heritage and culture.

The work of the Society, however, actually dates back to the late 1930s with the arrival in La Jolla of Howard S.F. Randolph. A historian and genealogist from New England, Randolph advocated greater recognition of local history in the community, particularly in La Jolla's development during the 1880s and '90s. Working with the Library Association of La Jolla, Randolph established a Historical Committee and gathered photographs and documentation to create his seminal book La Jolla: Year by Year. The publication triggered increased interest in local history amongst La Jollans, culminating in a February 22, 1940, meeting in the Presbyterian Church attended by more than a hundred citizens to discuss La Jolla's recorded past and how it might be best preserved. With the community's support, Randolph's collection grew, becoming the nucleus of the significant archival collection of images and documents that the Society maintains today.

La Jollans' efforts supporting heritage education and preservation remained connected to the Library Association for years. In 1955, the Association financed a second edition of Randolph's book and, by the 1960s, community members realized a separate organization was necessary to address the growing interest in La Jolla history. After the Society's founding, the board of trustees of the Library Association in April 1964 gave the Historical Committee permission to transfer the Randolph Collection to the new organization.

Today, the Society boasts more than 1,000 members and has grown into a multi-faceted non-profit organization with an exciting future. For more information about current projects, to learn more about La Jolla's history, or to make a donation, please visit the La Jolla Historical Society website.

Main Office
7846 Eads Avenue
La Jolla, CA 92037

Wisteria Cottage
780 Prospect Street
La Jolla, CA 92037
www.lajollahistory.org/