Established Walking Tours of Downtown
Tours are every Friday at noon. Email us to reserve your spot or just show up at in front of the Community Center. For corporate tours or groups of 5 or more, email us to set up a custom tour.

Online interactive map of Historic Resources established by Carolyn Kipper

North Beach Historic District established
Read more about our decades of effort to achieve this important status for North Beach.

Received four completed Landmarks on Del Mar murals from Michael King

Jay Longley of Rainbow Sandals donated $10,00

HPPA, Mills Act, HS lobbied for inspection charge

Two $750 scholarships awarded

City Council Candidates Forum at Annual Meeting

Contributed to Memories of Orange County book. Get a copy of yours here.

Archives moved to old City Hall on Avenida Presidio

Online interactive map of Historic Resources established by Carolyn Kipper

Home Tour, first one since 2005

Oral Histories – Tom Marshall conducted during the year

Established Speakers Bureau

Established Scholarships Program, gave two $500 scholarships

Installed weathervane on Ole Hanson Beach Club, with plaque
Read more about our process for restoring an exact replica of the historic weathervane.

Donated large classic film collection to UCLA Film Library, 46 reels

Pat Nixon bust donated to Nixon Library

Rick Divel nominated Patriarch to replace Jack Lashbrook

Alan Ergo family sponsored Casa Romantica Mural, June

Dedicated the Bartow Mural to Lois and Fred Diver

Received original Landmarks on Del Mar paintings from Raad Ghantous

Provided museum for San Clemente Day at Ole Hanson Beach Club

Updated Fishcarts book and provided to 400 third grade classes

Updated the Walking and Driving Tour Map

Lobbied to keep protection of historic red tile sidewalks

Wayne Eggleston nominated for Wall of Recognition

Van Slykes returned Ole Hanson Bed

Supported continued operation of the Pier Bowl train depot

Revised San Clemente Story Book

Presented History of Casa Romantica at Casa.

Donated photos for Pier Bowl restroom murals

Jack Lashbrook became new patriarch to replace Bill Ayers

Donated photos for Pier Bowl restroom murals

40th Anniversary Recap at Quarterly Meeting

Lois Divel and Fred Divel nominated for Wall of Recognition

Successfully opposed 3 story project next of Historic City Hall

Unsuccessfully opposed exterior alterations of Ole Hanson Beach Club

Lobbied for Trestles to be placed on National Register

Processed scores of boxes of Dorothy Fuller material

Participated in Earth Day Event at Panhe and Pier

Opposed demolition of old Chamber of Commerce building, lobbied for historic listing

Annual Meeting presentation on Virgil Westbrook

Founder’s Day Meeting – Ole Hanson Chicken Dinner

Successfully lobbied for two story limit on Avenida Del Mar

Worked to successfully prevent a 3-story development at 105 N. El Camino Real

Advocated for a 2-story limit downtown

New Year’s Eve at Casino San Clemente

“Then and Now” TV program
Some old episodes of our Then and Now program are hosted on our Facebook page.

Historic Walking Tours

Helped develop the Historic Plaque and murals at new Ralph’s

Miramar Theater September listed for sale for $4.9 million

Collaborated on publishing the Arcadia Book, book signing at Casa Romantica
The Arcadia Publishing’s book, San Clemente (Images of America) is a wonderful resource about San Clemente’s history and is available for purchase in our online shop.

Participated in remodel of Discovery Room at Casa

Assisted Casa Romantica with Richard Nixon Exhibit

Walking tours of Avenida Del Mar

Successfully opposed drastic change to Plaza Park

New Year’s Eve Party at Casino 

Baron von Willard tombstone given to City -PD dog

Rick Steed painting presented to City -First PD officer killed in action

First installment of the Murals on Del Mar project, Hotel and Casino

New Year’s Eve Party at newly reopened Casino

Received Dorothy Fuller estate

Doheny House demolition, we helped DPHS prevent it

Bill Ayer appointed Patriarch

Landmark Preservation Ordinance adopted, due to HS lobbing

Marc Spizzirri bought the Miramar for $5.3 million promising “No demolition, only adaptive reuse”

Patriarch Don Divel passed away, March 14

Lois Divel named Matriarch

Successfully prevented demolition of Miramar Theater

Society advocates for adaptive reuse of historic resources

Lobbied for State funded study of Miramar Theater

New owner of Miramar Theater sought demolition permit, we successfully opposed

Spearheaded the listing of San Clemente as a “Preserve America City”

Sponsored Conference of California Historical Societies

Matriarch Madge Johnson passes away

Terry Hirchag purchased Miramar for $2.7 million

Successfully opposed a project to build condos on the Sea Cliff Villas/Robison Property

Kickoff of the Landmarks on Del Mar project
Our Landmarks on Del Mar project is an ongoing beautification project on Avenida Del Mar. We have completed 8 of the 14 proposed plagues adorning the street.

Celebrated SCHS 30th anniversary of founding with a potluck dinner in the Ole Hanson Room

Christmas Tree Trimming party at Museum

3rd Mayors Cup Putting Tournament

Stopped marquis demolition at Miramar Theater

Tile mural project at Pier Bowl

Received $500 grant from City for Museum

Annual Meeting at SC State Beach, Murphine cottage

A “Walking and Driving Tour of San Clemente” is made available to the public

Mayor’s Cup Putting Golf Tournament

Slide show of historic homes

Day trip to San Diego

Society docents conduct tours of Casa Romantica

Home and Garden Tour

Jubilee Dinner Dance 1925 – 2000 with cake decorating contest

Museum moves to Historic City Hall in February

Historic Home Tour

Yearlong celebration of 70th Anniversary of Cityhood

Historical Parade

Tent party on Ave. Cabrillo

“Beatlemania” concert

HS hired an Executive Director for 6 months

Museum moves to 117 Avenida Cabrillo, 26 volunteers signed up to be docents

First Historical Parade is held

Collaborated with OC Library to get old newspapers microfilmed

Historical homes tour

Fundraiser at Fiesta, selling t-shirts and apple pie

Prepared a business plan for using the Casa as a Cultural Center

Helped get grant for Casa for $110,400.00 for roof repair, electrical repair, restoration of murals

Museum at Casa closes

Fundraiser at Fiesta, selling t-shirts and apple pie

The  City commissioned a Historic Resource Survey to formally document our resources,

HS photos and lists from early 1970’s made the effort more accurate

Bus tour to Mission Inn in Riverside

Madge Johnson named Matriarch after death of Bernice Ayer

The Society successfully opposed a 130 room Beachcomber Resort Hotel in the Pier Bowl

HS photos and lists from early 1970’s made the effort more accurate

Provided a remembrance service for Richard Nixon

2nd Luau at the Casa

Museum opens at Casa Romantica as ”The Spanish Village Historical Center”

Luau Dinner at Casa Romantica

HS photos and lists from early 1970’s made the effort more accurate

Sponsored the Ballet Folklorico de Los Ninos

Successfully opposed the city’s plan to develop the Casa Romantica

The Society wanted to establish a Museum, Cultural Center, and Genealogical Library at the Casa

HS photos and lists from early 1970’s made the effort more accurate

Successfully opposed the Radisson Hotel’s plan to demolish Beachcomber Motel and Robison house and gardens for a hotel

Casa Romantica is placed on National Register of Historic Places

Museum moved to Casa Romantica, one room for storage and Ole’s octagon office for display

HS photos and lists from early 1970’s made the effort more accurate

”Hanson’s Hoopla” fundraiser at Casa nets $1000

City gives Society $1600 for restoration of display cases, photo restoration, and buying artifacts

Bernice Ayer is named matriarch

City buys Casa Romantica for $2.5 million-we request museum space

Society proposes Casa be nominated to National Register,

City opposed, wanted to develop the site first

Instrumental in saving remnants of fountains at Plaza Park

Society lobbies City to relax parking requirements for historic buildings commercial to encourage renovation

Don Divel named Patriarch

Almost convinced CC to build a Museum/senior center in dormant shuffleboard court – 3 to 2 vote

Society successfully opposes a proposal to square off Plaza Park

Participated in the Fiesta Parade

A Richard Nixon museum is opened at the San Clemente Inn

Continued placing bronze landmark medallions

HS members on Community Design Commission push for requiring SCR architecture on T-zone commercial remodels

Five crates of Nixon memorabilia are donated to the Society

Lee Smiley reveals the white paint formula used by his father for Ole Hanson homes

100 Landmark plaques bought for $1728

Art auction held to raise funds

Acquired 20 scrapbooks from Garden Club and two from Marion Moon

Historical Society Museum moves to 3801 S. El Camino Real, “A Bit of History”

Letters sent to owners seeking permission place 5 inch bronze landmark on their historical home or structure

Bust of Ole Hanson is acquired from Ole Hanson School

Society buys 300 decorative Mexican tiles for stair risers at Ole Hanson Beach Club

Agreement for a new museum/gift shop/coffee shop, “A Bit of History”, Ole Hanson & Richard Nixon theme

Successfully lobbied for an ordinance to protect historic structures from demolition or significant alteration

Entered Escrow to buy 110 Avenida Serra for a Museum, price was $86,500, could not get a grant

Convinced City to have a Cultural Heritage Board with one seat exclusively for a Historical Society member

Celebrated San Clemente’s “Golden Birthday” with a film, commemorative plates

Completed inventory of all Hanson memorabilia

Medallion Fund established to buy Landmark Medallions

Published “the San Clemente Story”
The San Clemente Story is a booklet we published about the founding of San Clemente. Books are given to all new Members of the Historical Society and are available for purchase in our online shop.

Buried Time Capsule at Bonita Canyon Bi-Centennial Park

Lobbied City and State for a Landmark protection ordinance

Acquired bed once owned by Ole Hanson from Schuyler Family (former Casa Romantica owners

First Historical Museum opened in the Old City Plaza

Monthly tours of the Casa Romantica

City Council proclaimed December 6 as “Ole Hanson Day”

Mapping Committee identifies and photographs historic structures

Tile medallion program for historic structures

“Ole Hanson’s Dream” movie restored and narrated

Fishcarts to Fiestas published by SCHS and SC Junior Women’s Club

Laminated and catalogued El Heraldo newspaper

Rasmussen House tiles were sold as a fundraiser

Tours of A.T. Smith House, Moulton House, Casa Romantica, and Ole Hanson Beach Club

The Easley/Rasmussen House was sold in Jan. 1973, to be replace by condos

Rasmussen House fountain and tiles were salvaged, fountain now at Community Center

The Society is formally founded. March 18

The ”Windows to the sea” effort to leave some “openings” along the ocean front

Convinced CC to open up the pier bowl

Landmarks identified and mapped

Bartow Mansion – Bulldozed without a permit!

HS Founders wrote letters rallying citizen against further demolitions

Fred Divel’s letter to President Nixon saves Casa Pacifica – restoring it as the Nixon Western White House