Fred E. Basten Santa Monica Bay: The First 100 Years, A pictorial history of Santa Monica, Venice, Ocean Park, Pacific Palisades, Topanga and Malibu, Douglas-West Publishers: Los Angeles, CA, 1974, 227 pp., 1871, 1870, 1860s,
"By the late 1860's, Santa Monica Canyon was being used as a summer resort by travelers from Los Angeles to escape the heat and dust of the city. The visitors pitched canvas tents, enjoyed the sun and surf, lit scattered bonfires, and held Saturday night dances. . . . In 1870, a saloon opened. A year later, a modest hotel . . . Over the next 20 years . . . After a short drive along Ocean Avenue, the Canyon is reached . . ." p. 4