Carlsbad, California: Back to the American Karlovy Vary Success Story
Located on the outskirts of California, between Los Angeles and the border with Mexico, the city of Carlsbad has not always been the vibrant and attractive spa and seaside resort it is today. The arid climate and the inhospitable environment could surely have been right for the city's destiny, if a postmaster had not finally discovered two artesian mineral water sources with properties close to those of Karlovy Vary. A historian at the Carlsbad Historical Society, Susan Gutierrez has agreed to trace to Radio Prague Int the history of the city and the ties that unite it to his homonymous cousin of Bohemia.
The history of the city of Carlsbad is part of a rich and at least turbulent history: that of California, rivalries between empires and the conquest of the West. Can you, first of all, give us back some context in order to better understand under what circumstances the city has emerged?
“California has not always been American. At one time, it was part of the Spanish Empire, but the settlers left it aside for nearly three centuries, preferring to focus on South America and Mexico. In 1821, when it gained independence, Mexico inherited the former Spanish missions from California and the land was then divided into ranches. However, a few years later, in 1848, following the Mexican-American War, California again changed hands, passing under the United States administration. ”
"After the Civil War, in the 1860s, President Lincoln agreed that there was a need for a transcontinental railroad line from the east coast to California. Until then, to get to San Diego or Los Angeles, you first had to take a boat on the east coast of the United States, cross the amthum of Panama on the back of a mule, and then take a ship up the Californian coast to San Francisco – where the gold mines were located. The boat then ran along the coast to the south and would drop people off. Developing rail is therefore no mean feat. Let us not forget that there was then talk of steam engines that required water. San Diego County, where Carlsbad is located, is very arid and water is scarce. To give you an idea of the aridity of the region, San Diego County has an average of 280 mm of rainfall per year. One year, however, 635 mm were recorded. It was during the same year that John Frazier, who was living inland in San Diego County, came to the coast, drilled and discovered two artesian sources of mineral water. ”
Chemical and therapeutic properties similar to those of Karlovy Vary sources
In Carlsbad, as in Karlovy Vary, the history of the city begins with the discovery of sources. At Karlovy Vary, it was the king of Bohemia and emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Charles IV, who, according to legend, found these sources by chance on the occasion of a hunting party. What about Carlsbad? Who was John Frazier, the one who discovered the springs and who co-founded the city afterwards?
"John Frazier is a singular character. He was born in the state of Rhode Island on the east coast of the United States. When the railroad lines were laid in southern California, he was then a receiver of the posts, in a town about ten kilometers from Carlsbad in the land. He knew the lines. He was aware of the need for water, including trains. The year had been particularly rainy for the region. He then drilled. Providence did the rest. The water sprang and it was later found, on the occasion of analyses, that the water had chemical and therapeutic properties similar to those of the Karlovy Vary springs, hence the choice of the name of Carlsbad. ”
The link between Karlovy Vary and Carlsbad is now clearer. However, several questions remain: how did the founders of the city know about the town of Karlovy Vary, known as Karlsbad then? Have they ever been there? Why did you choose that name rather than another?
“While Frazier was drilling and selling the water from his wells, a group of investors had set out for the American West. There were four of them: Samuel Church Smith, Gerhard Schutte, D.D. Wadsworth and Henry Nelson. The latter purchased 160 hectares along the railway line from John Frazier and other farmers. Together, they founded the city and named it Carlsbad, with a “C” and not a “K” [as in its German spelling. One of the investors, Gerhard Schutte, was born and raised in Oldenburg, Germany. He was well acquainted with the spas in Karlsbad, Bohemia. They therefore used this name as a promotional tool. In the 1880s, everyone in the United States loved spas. They were blooming everywhere, especially in San Diego County. ”
Has the success been there?
“Yes, these four men divided the 160 hectares purchased into several plots. They planted trees to delineate the streets and built a huge four-storey hotel and spa whose bathwater was pumped directly into the wells. It was a remarkable building for the time and the region. The building had, in fact, an elevator and gas lighting, all in a wooden structure. Before the arrival of the train, and wood convoys from the mountains, the only buildings that existed in the vicinity were made of adobe, for lack of trees in the area. ”
Spa-baseball
Can you describe to us what the city and life in Carlsbad looked like at the turn of the 20th century?
"Soon after the creation of the city in 1887-1888, Carlsbad experienced a severe drought, a recurrent phenomenon in California. All the founders then left the city, with the exception of Gerhard Schutte, the German-born. It remained until 1906 and sold the remains of the Carlsbad Land and Water Company property to the South Coast Land and Water Company, which took control of the entire area, from Orange County, south of Los Angeles, to San Diego. Society has bought everything back. It began to install water pipes from river water and reopened the original wells of John Frazier. Later, in 1930, the luxurious Carlsbad Mineral Springs Hotel and Spa was inaugurated. The venue was popular with California baseball teams, which regularly organized their spring training camps there. The players came here to train while taking advantage of the hotel and the spa to bathe and relax. ”
The city of Karlovy Vary also has many sources, all very different, both in terms of their taste and their therapeutic virtues or their temperature. Some, in fact, reach 70 degrees Celsius. What can you tell us about the water from the sources of Carlsbad? Does it also have therapeutic virtues? Have you ever tasted it?
"Yes, I tasted it and I wasn't convinced (Laughter). The water tasted very salty. I do not think that the water in our sources reaches such high temperatures, but it has, despite everything, therapeutic virtues. During the Civil War, a multitude of prisoners of war developed serious health problems. Many of them flocked to California after the conflict to seek treatment. Railway companies were offering almost tickets to the west coast. A ticket from the Midwest cost only one dollar. ”
Alt Karlsbad
How did the thermal sector evolve during the 20th century? Is the city still known for its water and spas?
“We are all aware of these sources and the role they have played in this very arid region. However, I do not think they are the main reason why people now come to Carlsbad. However, infrastructure related to water sources requires constant maintenance. Proximity to the ocean remains a major problem. The pipes are fast corrodeed. It is a permanent challenge to maintain the flow of water because of its high mineral content. However, this did not put back the spouses Kay and Chris Christiansen, in the second half of the 20th century, to buy back the property where the well is located. Together, they participated in the construction of mineral water baths and reopened the well. Today, when you take the coastal road 101, you always see a line of people filling their water bottles at the spring. This is not comparable, of course, to the success of Karlovy Vary’s sources, but to come to it is still very popular. ”
Are there still elements in the city that are reminiscent of the glorious time of spa in Carlsbad and, at the same time, the ties to its Czech cousin?
“The Christiansen spouses, who bought the land on which the well is located, built a small two-storey building that they called “Alt Karlsbad” where visitors can come and take a bath of mineral water and get a massage. Both were members of the Carlsbad Historical Society and worked extensively to maintain the city's legacy. In 1994, a statue of John Frazier was inaugurated in front of the Alt Karlsbad of the Christiansen. It is the work of the sculptor and former mayor of Karlovy Vary, Vaclav Lokvenc, who offered it to Carlsbad, as part of the twinning between the two cities since 1991. Lokvenc represented Frazier in period dress, a cup in his hand, as if he were drinking. The statue was placed near the booth, looking at the starring bare, where passers-by still come to fill their bottles with water. ”
Karlovy Vary is known for his international film festival, water sources and liqueur named Becherovka. What are the main tourist attractions of Carlsbad today? Why do people go there? Are there, for example, local culinary specialities?
"Let me start with gastronomy. If you ask me what the local speciality is, I'll answer the tacos to the fish. The recipe was reported from Baja California (Mexico) by surfers, particularly numerous in the region. This Mexican state has a cuisine rich in seafood, very different from that of the rest of Mexico. The Rubio’s restaurant chain, founded in Carlsbad, has built its success thanks to this dish and now has establishments throughout the country. ”
“Carelsbad is, moreover, a city resolutely oriented towards sport, be it surfing, golf, jet skiing, sailing, kayaking, paddle, hiking or cycling. We are a small town of 120,000 people, so nothing to do with large towns like Los Angeles or New York. Nevertheless, we are cultivating a particularly healthy lifestyle and it seems that this rather sporting lifestyle continues to be attractive. ”
