The Village by the Sea, Carlsbad – Things to do and Local History
With a perfectly mild climate, each season offers a variety of activities from street fairs to art walks. Steps away from the village are beautiful uncrowded beaches for swimming, sunbathing and surfing. Not to mention the beautiful lagoons for fishing, bird-watching and nature hikes. From seaside shopping to an amusement park made of Lego’s, The Village by the Sea, Carlsbad is the epitome of family friendly. If you enjoy the arts there is a variety of creativity and inspiration in fine art studios in Carlsbad.
History:
The area known today as The Village by the Sea, Carlsbad was claimed as a territory by Spain and then by Mexico before becoming a part of the United States. The shoreline of Carlsbad’s coastal lagoon was home to the indigenous Luiseno and Diegueños Indians for centuries before the arrival of the Spaniards. The City of Carlsbad is named for a famed 19th century spa in Europe, yet its history reflects the heritage of many cultures.
Carlsbad was named after Karlsbad, a spa city (a town situated around a developed mineral spring), located in Bohemia, Czech Republic. How the name came about was from a man by the name of John Frazier, who was a former sailor, who dug a well in The Village by the Sea, Carlsbad and tapped artesian and mineral springs. He began offering his water at the train station to thirsty train passengers passing through, where the town became known as Frazier’s Station and was a popular tourist spot. A test done on a second fresh-water well found the water to be chemically similar to one of the most famous spas in Europe, at Karlsbad in Austria-Hungary (now in the Czech Republic). After Frazier’s discovery of this found-to-be therapeutic and healthy mineral water, he and several business men formed the Carlsbad Land and Mineral Water Company. Soon after, Frazier’s Station became known as Carlsbad. The area experienced a period of growth, building beautiful homes was the Twin Inns built in 1887. It soon became a favorite stopping place for travelers and diners in the 1920s. It is still standing on the corner of Carlsbad Village Drive and Carlsbad Boulevard, now named The Land & Water Company/SunDiego.) The site of John Frazier’s original well can still be found at Alt Karlsbad, a replica of a German Hanseatic house, located on Carlsbad Boulevard.
