Santa Monica

Santa Monica, city, Los Angeles County, southwestern California, on Santa Monica Bay (an inlet of the Pacific Ocean), adjacent to Los Angeles; incorporated 1886. It is a seaside resort and residential city with varied light manufacturing. Santa Monica is home to many art galleries, museums, artist studios, and public murals. A community college is also here. In 1769 Spaniards visiting the site gave the name Santa Monica to a spring here. A Mexican ranch incorporating the site of the present-day city was established by grant in 1838. The property was later sold to land developers, who laid out the community in 1875. Population 88,314 (1980); 86,905 (1990); 84,084 (2000); 88,050 (2006).