We’re open today from 11 AM - 7 PM
Join us for a collaborative presentation featuring speaker Molly McClain, PhD. Presented by MCASD and the La Jolla Historical Society, this program is the latest installment of the Ellen Browning Scripps Lecture Series. We invite you to explore the rich historical narratives that shape our region through this engaging and informative session.
Ellen Browning Scripps transformed the idea of what it meant to “improve” a community. When most civic leaders of her era spoke of “beautification,” they meant adding ornamental gardens, grand buildings, and formal parks. Scripps looked at La Jolla and saw something different, a place where natural beauty could become the highest form of civic art. In her vision, preservation could be more transformative than any construction project. Tonight, we’ll look at how her philosophy shaped La Jolla, the Torrey Pines reserve, and the character of San Diego’s coastal communities.
5PM: Wine and cheese reception at La Jolla Historical Society (780 Prospect St., La Jolla, CA 9203)
5:30PM: Walk over to MCASD (350 ft / 1 min walk)
5:45PM: Check-in and call to seats
5:55PM: Welcome and opening remarks
6PM: Lecture
6:45PM: Q&A, Closing
Molly McClain, PhD
Molly McClain (PhD, Yale) is a professor of history at the University of San Diego. Her academic honors include USD’s distinguished University Professorship and the Davies Award for Faculty Achievement. A ninth-generation San Diegan, she is the author of four books and numerous articles, including Ellen Browning Scripps: New Money and American Philanthropy (2017). An editor of The Journal of San Diego History for over a decade, she encouraged writers to explore the region’s fascinating, and understudied, past. McClain has worked on a variety of public history projects, including listing of La Jolla Park Coastal Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.
La Jolla Historical Society
La Jolla Historical Society celebrates the history and culture of this region along the water’s edge through interdisciplinary programs, exhibitions, and research that challenge expectations. It balances contemporary and historic perspectives to create understanding and connection.