In 1886 George Jones settled in Solana Beach, originally called Lockwood Mesa. The area comprised of a few families living a quiet existence until about 1917 when Lake Hodges was built, bringing in a much needed water supply and as with the other coastal towns, Solana Beach finally prospered and began a steady growth.
Colonel Ed Fletcher purchased most of the Lockwood Mesa in 1922, buying 140 acres at $20 per acre.98 What God did not provide Colonel Fletcher did. He created Fletcher's Cove in 1924 to provide a man-made ocean view. Using hydraulic water pressure to create an entrance to the beach, the task took three months but was successful.
Col. Fletcher went on to build the Bank of Solana Beach, which later became the Bank of America. He was also instrumental in building the train station, a much needed resource bringing travelers and tourists into town. In 1924 Fletcher built the Solana Beach Hotel. Other town amenities included a hotel, lumberyard and two auto camps.
By 1930 Solana Beach had a modest population of 547, and as with other towns, the Depression had a distressing impact on Solana Beach and value in real estate plummeted.
