Leaving Paramount Ranch, turn right on Cornell Way and follow the road for less than a
mile until you reach Malibu Lake. The road, which has now become Lake Vista Rd., travels
alongside the northern shore of this very small lake and its small community.
Lake Vista Rd. ends at Mulholland Highway where you turn left. For the next 4 miles
relax and enjoy a wonderful ride in the wilderness and marvelous oasis of the Santa Monica
Mountains. After about 4 miles, turn left on Kanan Rd. and continue the ride toward the
Pacific Coast Highway and the city of Malibu. Kanan Road ends at Pacific Coast Highway, where you will turn left and drive South toward
downtown Malibu and eventually Santa Monica.
Malibu occupies 23 miles on this beautiful
stretch of the California coast. Home to the Chumash Indians for centuries, Malibu became
a matter-of-fact private ranch in 1800 by a Spanish land concession to Jose Tapia and his
family. It remained a complete private ranch until June 1929 when the new state Roosevelt
Highway (now called Pacific Coast Highway) officially opened.
Even then all of the 17,000 acres of the Malibu ranch were still owned by the Adamson
family, owner not only of Malibu, but also of still existing local dairy company Adohr
Milk Farms. By 1951 Mr. Adamson widow, Mrs. Rhoda Rindge Adamson, was left with
"only" 4,000 of the Malibu Ranch acres which she managed through her Marblehead
Land Company until her death in 1962.
For more detailed information about the history of Malibu, visit the Malibu Lagoon Museum
site.
Today Malibu is famous all over the world for its beautiful beaches, its surfers and
for being the preferred beach retreat of so many Hollywood actors. And yes, Malibu has
also made quite a few headlines for its wildfires and mudslides, but its residents shrug
it off as the price to pay to live in paradise.
|