[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 133 (Friday, August 1, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E745]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING SANTA MONICA'S 150TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. TED LIEU

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 1, 2025

  Mr. LIEU. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 150th 
anniversary of the City of Santa Monica, California.
  This milestone marks one hundred and fifty years since July 14, 1875, 
when the town of Santa Monica was first mapped out and the initial 
plots of land were sold, following its co-founding by Senator John P. 
Jones and Colonel Robert S. Baker on July 10, 1875. Officially 
incorporated in 1886, Santa Monica has grown from a quiet coastal 
settlement into a thriving urban community.
  Known affectionately over the years as the ``City by the Sea,'' 
``Pearl of the Pacific,'' and ``Jewel of the Sunset Bay,'' Santa Monica 
has long been admired for its natural beauty, but its true strength 
lies in the spirit of its people from its early days as a destination 
for leisure and tourism to its role today as a growing center for art, 
culture, sports, technology, architecture, environmentalism, and more, 
Santa Monica continues to evolve dynamically.
  This year, the city is marking its sesquicentennial with a series of 
community celebrations spanning July through December 2025. These 
events offer opportunities to reflect on the city's journey, honor its 
achievements, and acknowledge the complex history that has shaped it--
including the legacy of the Gabrielino/Tongva peoples, the original 
stewards of the land now known as Santa Monica. In October 2013, the 
City of Santa Monica dedicated a beautiful landscape in their honor 
called Tongva Park, located on Main Street across from city hall.
  With a population of more than 90,000 residents, Santa Monica remains 
a place where people from all walks of life come together. As the city 
commemorates another year, I express my gratitude for the generations 
of residents, public servants, and visionaries who have contributed to 
its enduring success.
  I wish a happy 150th anniversary to Santa Monica.

                          ____________________