HISTORY OF CARLSBAD

The following is a brief history of Carlsbad including some select photographs. For more information on the history, events, and people of Carlsbad, see the recently published book Windows on the Past.

The Community of Carlsbad is named for a popular 19th century spa in Europe but its history reflects the heritage of many cultures. Luiseno Indians camped on the shores of its coastal lagoon for centuries before the arrival of Don Gaspar de Portola and Fr. Juan Crespi in 1769. Blazing the trail now known as El Camino Real, the conquistador and Franciscan priests were exploring Alta California for the King of Spain.  It was during a rest stop, upwind from an old fishing camp, that their weary troops christened the lagoon for posterity:  Agua Hedionda (Stinking Water).

Agua Hedionda Lagoon as it appeared in 1960