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St. James Catholic Church Celebrates 100 Years
Over the last 100 years, Solana Beach and Del Mar grew from a sparsely populated area into the beautiful, vibrant communities we have today. The journey has often been difficult as the history contains periods of boom and bust economies, fortunes made and fortunes lost, risks taken—sometimes successful and sometimes not. St. James Catholic Church, now located in Solana Beach, was always very much a part of this history and it too has had good times and bad.
The Franciscan friars are an integral part of the history of California including the history of Del Mar and Solana Beach. Beginning in the 1880s, a Franciscan friar named Father Guadalupe del Rio traveled on foot in the area, going from orchard to hacienda to the humble homes of ranch hands. He carried a small worn case housing the portable altar he would use to say Mass. To visit his “parish,” he had to walk the dirt paths and old dusty stage roads.
Arrival of the Railroad and Developers
Things started to change in 1882 when the railroad line between San Diego and San Bernardino opened. Now visitors and settlers could get to Del Mar much more easily. Del Mar was founded in 1885 with a population of 200.
The railroad allowed land developers a chance to build new villages and homes. The first wave of development began in 1886, with the building of the hotel, Casa Del Mar, 40 small houses, a school house, and a train depot. Unfortunately, the hotel burned down in 1889, bringing that period of growth to an end.
It was another 15 years before new developers planned a village with a “Stratford-upon-Avon” theme. The Stratford Inn was built in 1910. The Sisters of Mercy purchased a home on Stratford Court between 11th and 12th Street where a room was designated as a chapel for Father Guadalupe del Rio to say Mass when he visited Del Mar.
Shown at the bottom are the three founders of the Del Mar Racetrack, which opened in 1937 – Bill Quigley, Bing Crosby, and Pat O’Brien.
St. James Church is Built
In 1911 a visiting bishop from Los Angeles celebrated Mass in the home of the Kellers, principal stockholders of South Coast Land Co. The home is now known as Rock Haus on 15th Street. When the bishop saw the number of people coming to the home for Mass, he decided that the time for Del Mar to have a parish had arrived and he created the parish of St. James. Through the efforts and largesse of the Kellers, the first St. James Church was built in 1914 at 13th Street and Highway 101. The Kellers donated land and hired architects who designed a very attractive Craftsman’s style building.
When the twenty-five families of the new St. James’ parish met to celebrate Mass, the inside of the church was a decidedly austere place. The building had no altar, no wiring, no electricity, and no pews.
The worshippers knelt on the floor and sat on boxes. But, the parish of St. James had its new home and, for a time, the only place of worship from San Diego to San Clemente. Since the winter population of Del Mar was only about twelve households, many of the parishioners came from the back country and up the coast.
About the same time as the Church was built in Del Mar in 1914, a settlement of migrant workers and their families was emerging in La Colonia (Eden Gardens) in Solana Beach. The priests and parish of St. James were active in its support of the residents. St. James eventually established a small church there, St. Leo Mission. (See “La Colonia” sidebar on page 18 for more details.)
The Keller family built this home at 15th street, which was the site of the first Mass of the St. James parish in 1911. The home is known locally as the Rock Haus.
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St. James Church in Solana Beach was built in 1982 as a contemporary Spanish church. The pastor, Father John Donovan, is standing at the front entrance to the church which has a nine-foot etched glass representation of St. James the Greater.
The Best of Times,
the Worst of Times
The period of 1930 – 1935 was a hard time for St. James Church as well as Del Mar and Solana Beach as the Great Depression hit. In 1930, Father Tritz arranged to have 3 nuns from the Los Angeles diocese instruct the more than 100 children of St. James. The parishioners struggled to support the church and the building was falling into disrepair.
Then, the Del Mar Racetrack opened in 1937, which was a major boost to the growth of Del Mar and to St. James. The Racetrack brought Catholic celebrities to the area. Bing Crosby, Pat O’Brien, Desi Arnaz, and Jimmy Durante were some of the new parishioners.
In addition to the visitors, the Racetrack also brought new residents. Increased donations allowed the revitalized parish to make much-needed improvements.
The Del Mar Library now occupies the building which was the original St. James church, completed in 1914. The Library has upgraded and expanded the original building.
Coming of Age
In 1952 the parish purchased a building on 11th Street and Highway 101 and opened the St. James Academy. In the 1950s and 60s as Del Mar grew so did the congregation and a larger church was needed.
By 1966, the original St. James Church in Del Mar had been sold and is now the location of the Del Mar Library. The Church had acquired property in Solana Beach and the parish moved to its new location as the first buildings were completed. In 1971, St. James Academy moved to the Solana Beach location and sold its building which is now the location of the Del Mar City Hall.
After acquiring additional land the Church now has a sprawling campus, covering 11.41 acres in Solana Beach including the new Church (which was built in 1982), a rectory, and St. James Academy.
Celebration
2011 marks the centennial of St. James, now a congregation of 6,000 members. As it celebrates its centennial, it remembers its humble beginnings as a “parish” attended by an intrepid and kind padre but looks forward to the next 100 years of St. James.
Its premier event is a benefit concert on June 4th given by the world famous classical guitarists, the Romeros, who are also parishioners of St. James. The concert will be
held in the Church and the parish hopes that all Solana Beach and Del Mar residents will join in the celebration.
St. James Catholic Church
Rev. John Howard
625 South Nardo Ave.
Solana Beach, CA
858 755 2545
St. Leo Mission Church
936 Genevieve St.
Solana Beach, CA
858 481 6788
Find out more at:
StJamesandLeo.org
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