Beautifying La Jolla: A Lecture Presented by Molly McClain, PhD

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.

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