Women and girls pose at a Philomathean Charity Club Inc. social event in the 1950s. Credit: Quinn Research Center.
The Santa Monica Conservancy protects the places we love. We are a nonprofit dedicated to promoting widespread understanding and appreciation of the cultural, social, economic and environmental benefits of historic preservation.
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Join the Black Surfers Collective and partners for the 12th annual Nick Gabaldón Day on June 1, 2024!

Nick Gabaldón was a Santa Monica local who lived in the Pico neighborhood and the first documented surfer of color at Santa Monica Bay, where he learned to surf at the beach near Bay Street and Ocean Avenue. Now part of the Bay Street Beach Historic District, the area served as an important gathering place for Black beachgoers during the Jim Crow era.

This special annual event honors Gabaldón and celebrates his passion, athleticism, discipline, and love for the ocean. Nick fearlessly pursued his passion for surfing, paving the way for countless others. This event serves as a celebration of diversity in surfing and an opportunity for the community to come together, share stories, and ride the waves in his honor. Let’s celebrate his legacy of resilience, determination, and love for the waves. Together, let’s keep his spirit alive!

Click HERE for more information and to register.

Upcoming Events

June 8

Downtown Walking Tour

June 15

Free In-Person Tours: Preservation Resource Center

June 22

Downtown Walking Tour
View All Events →
Search for historic resources throughout Santa Monica

Preservation Resource Center
at the Shotgun House

The PRC will be open for free, in-person tours on May 25 and 26, from noon to 2 p.m. The date for the next virtual tour will be announced soon.
2520 2nd Street
Santa Monica, CA
90405
Explore the last intact shotgun house in Santa Monica, which now serves as an award-winning Preservation Resource Center for our community. Built in 1897, the little house features three original rooms where you can explore Santa Monica history and learn about preservation. Look behind the walls and the floor to reveal vintage materials, and see if you can find the one original window in the Shotgun House. learn more →

News

Spies in Santa Monica: Target Douglas Aircraft, by Ronald Drabkin

Historian, author and West LA native Ronald Drabkin reveals some of Douglas Aircraft and the historic Associated Telephone Building’s WWII era secrets in the following article, adapted from ... more

Advocacy Alert: A New Opportunity for Samohi's English Building

The Santa Monica Conservancy strongly supports the School District’s plans to modernize Santa Monica High School’s (Samohi) 100 year-old English Building for school uses. In historic preservation terms, ... more

Santa Monica Conservancy Nominates Civic Auditorium to National Register of Historic Places: Opens Door for Additional Preservation Incentives

Read the Application here. The Conservancy strongly supports preservation and revitalization of Santa Monica’s Civic Auditorium. As a community benefit, historic preservation provides a framework and toolkit for developing community ... more

Meztli Projects Releases City Hall Mural Recommendations to the Public

Following nearly a year of organized public engagement, including outreach, learning workshops, and discussions, Meztli Projects released an Executive Summary of their highly anticipated Phase 1 report this ... more

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