Was it the Chumash Indians who first called this place home naming it Humaliwo? That name meant where the surf sounds loudly. Now we know this place as On LA & Malibu.
Malibu is a beach city in Los Angeles County. It sits in the Santa Monica Mountains region. Malibu lies about 30 miles west of downtown Los Angeles. It is famous for its Mediterranean climate. Malibu is also known for its beaches stretching 21 miles.
The Pacific Ocean coast adds to its beauty. For years, many wealthy Hollywood celebrities have called Malibu home. They live in multi-million dollar mansions. Malibu also has middle and upper-middle-class areas. The Pacific Coast Highway runs through the city. It follows California’s South Coast. In 2020, the city’s population was 10,654.
Locals and surfers call Malibu The ‘Bu. It is noted for its beaches. Many parks are in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. They lie along the ridges above the city. Malibu is bordered by the Santa Monica Mountains to the north. Topanga is to the east. Solromar is to the west. The ocean lies to the south.
The Chumash territory once covered this area. It stretched from the San Joaquin Valley to San Luis Obispo. It also included islands off the southern coast. Humaliwo was an important regional center in prehistoric times. The village existed from about 2500 BCE. It was the second-largest Chumash coastal settlement.
Juan Rodríquez Cabrillo may have stopped at Malibu Lagoon in 1542. He likely sought fresh water. Later, the area became part of Rancho Topanga Malibu Sequit in 1802. This was a 13000-acre land grant.
Frederick Hastings Rindge acquired the ranch in 1891. He and his wife Rhoda May Knight Rindge defended their land. After Frederick’s death, May hired guards. They kept out trespassers. She fought a court battle to block a railroad.
Few roads existed here before 1929. That year, the state won a court case. It built the Pacific Coast Highway. May Rindge then divided her property. She began selling and leasing lots. The Rindge house is now the Adamson House. It is a National Register of Historic Places site.
In 1926, May Rindge started a ceramic tile factory. It was called Malibu Potteries. It employed over 100 workers. The factory made decorative tiles. Many Los Angeles buildings feature these tiles. A fire damaged the factory in 1931.
Malibu’s dry brush and steep slopes make it prone to fires. It is also prone to floods and mudslides. Beaches here include Zuma Beach and Surfrider Beach. State parks include Malibu Creek State Park. The Malibu Coast is part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
Several wildfires have struck Malibu over the years. In 1993, a large fire burned over 16516 acres. Three people died and 739 homes were destroyed. The city then adopted strict fire codes. In 2018, the Woolsey Fire burned 96949 acres. It destroyed 1500 structures.
Malibu is also subject to coastal storms. These storms sometimes uncover remains of the Rindge railroad. Malibu incorporated as a city in 1991. This allowed local control of the area. Before this, residents fought county developments.
Malibu’s story is one of natural beauty. It is also one of Native American heritage. It is a story of Spanish influence. It is a tale of Hollywood glamour. And it is a narrative of resilience in the face of natural disasters.