Del Mar (;

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

for "Of the Sea") is a beach town in

San Diego County, California San Diego County (), officially the County of San Diego, is a county in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,298,634, making it California's second-most populous county and the fi ...

, located on the coast of the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

. Established in 1885 as a seaside resort, the city incorporated in 1959. The Del Mar Horse Races are hosted on the

Del Mar racetrack The Del Mar Fairgrounds is a event venue in Del Mar, California. The annual San Diego County Fair is held here, which was called the Del Mar Fair from 1984 to 2001. In 1936, the Del Mar Racetrack was built by the Thoroughbred Club with foundin ...

every summer. In 1885, Colonel Jacob Taylor purchased from Enoch Talbert, with visions of building a seaside resort for the rich and famous. The

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

operated a Naval Auxiliary Air Facility for

blimp A blimp, or non-rigid airship, is an airship (dirigible) without an internal structural framework or a keel. Unlike semi-rigid and rigid airships (e.g. Zeppelins), blimps rely on the pressure of the lifting gas (usually helium, rather than hydr ...

s at Del Mar during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. The population was 3,954 at the 2020 census, down from 4,161 at the 2010 census. The town has a wealthy population along the coast and the bluffs above the ocean. However, these properties are very vulnerable to climate change, which has caused

sea level rise Globally, sea levels are rising due to human-caused climate change. Between 1901 and 2018, the globally averaged sea level rose by , or 1–2 mm per year on average.IPCC, 2019Summary for Policymakers InIPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cry ...

and subsequent

coastal erosion Coastal erosion is the loss or displacement of land, or the long-term removal of sediment and rocks along the coastline due to the action of waves, currents, tides, wind-driven water, waterborne ice, or other impacts of storms. The landward ...

; already transportation infrastructure has been under threat. The city has a

climate change adaptation Climate change adaptation is the process of adjusting to current or expected effects of climate change.IPCC, 2022Annex II: Glossary öller, V., R. van Diemen, J.B.R. Matthews, C. Méndez, S. Semenov, J.S. Fuglestvedt, A. Reisinger (eds.) InClimat ...

plan which notably excludes the option of a

managed retreat Managed retreat involves the purposeful, coordinated movement of people and buildings away from risks. This may involve the movement of a person, infrastructure (e.g., building or road), or community. It can occur in response to a variety of hazar ...

, even though such a strategy was recommended by the California Coastal Commission in 2019.

History

Del Mar was first settled in the early 1880s by Theodore M. Loop, a railroad official, and his wife Ella. Ella gave the site its name, inspired by Bayard Taylor's poem "The Fight of Paso del Mar". In 1885, Del Mar was officially founded after another settler, "Colonel" Jacob Taylor, purchased the land from homesteader Enoch Talbert.

Geography

Del Mar is one of only two locations where the Torrey pine tree naturally occurs. The Torrey pine is the rarest

pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...

in the United States; only two populations of this

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...

exist, in Del Mar and on Santa Rosa Island. The

Soledad Valley Soledad Valley is a coastal valley in San Diego County, California at the northern end of the city of San Diego. Mention of the valley was made as early as 1850 in association with the occurrence of ''Pinus torreyana'' at the mouth of the lagoon. Th ...

at the south of Del Mar severs two colony segments. At the southern edge of Del Mar is the

Los Peñasquitos Lagoon Los Peñasquitos Marsh Natural Preserve and Lagoon is a coastal marsh in San Diego County, California, United States situated at the northern edge of the City of San Diego, forming the natural border with Del Mar, California.Torrey Pines State Pr ...

. To the north is the San Dieguito Lagoon and the

San Dieguito River The San Dieguito River is a major river in Southern California, United States. Its headwaters rise on the southern slope of the Volcan Mountains in San Diego County and the river flows generally southwest for ,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hy ...

, which empties into the Pacific Ocean at Del Mar. The bluffs along Del Mar's south beach are subject to collapse. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the city has a total area of , of which of it is land and of it (3.94%) is water.

Climate

Del Mar's climate is considered mediterranean-subtropical with warm, dry summers and mild, humid winters. Temperatures exceed only on a few occasions throughout the year and rarely drop below . The average yearly temperature in Del Mar is approximately .

Demographics

2010

The

2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...

reported that Del Mar had a population of 4,161. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 2,341.9 people per square mile (904.2 per km²). The racial makeup of Del Mar was 3,912 (94.0%)

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 10 (0.2%)

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, eight (0.2%) Native American, 118 (2.8%)

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, three (0.1%)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 25 (0.6%) from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 85 (2.0%) from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 175 people (4.2%). There were 2,064 households, with 340 (16.5%) having children under the age of 18, and 927 (44.9%) with opposite-sex married couples living together, 114 (5.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 57 (2.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 124 (6.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 19 (0.9%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. There were 707 households (34.3%) comprising one individual, and 209 (10.1%) comprising one individual 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02. There were 1,098

families Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideal ...

(53.2% of all households); the average family size was 2.57. The population comprised 564 people (13.6%) under the age of 18, 205 people (4.9%) aged 18 to 24, 1,071 people (25.7%) aged 25 to 44, 1,455 people (35.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 866 people (20.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.1 males. There were 2,596 housing units at an average density of 1,461.1 per square mile (564.1 per km²), of which 1,113 (53.9%) were owner-occupied, and 951 (46.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.9%. Of the population, 2,398 people (57.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,763 people (42.4%) lived in rental housing units.

2000

The 2000

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

, reported 4,389 people, 2,178 households, and 1,083 families residing in the city, with an average family size of 2.61. The age distribution was reported as 13.6% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 33.1% from 25 to 44, 33.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $120,001, and the median income for a family was $130,270. Males had a median income of $81,250 versus $70,069 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $92,425. About 7.8% of families and 8.7% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 18.6% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

Current estimates

According to the San Diego Association of Governments, the estimated population of Del Mar as of January 1, 2018, was 4,322, with 2.08 persons per household and a

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of ...

of $129,880 (not adjusted for

inflation In economics, inflation is an increase in the general price level of goods and services in an economy. When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation corresponds to a reductio ...

). When adjusted for

(2010 dollars; comparable to

Census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

data above), the median household income was $115,179.

Government

The City of Del Mar is governed by a city council of five elected representatives. Each year a new mayor is chosen from among the councilmembers. In 2022, councilmember and deputy mayor Dwight Worden succeeded councilmember and

UCSD The University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego or colloquially, UCSD) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in San Diego, California. Established in 1960 near the pre-existing Scripps Insti ...

Professor

Terry Gaasterland Theresa Gaasterland is an American politician and scientist. She is a Professor of Computational Biology and Genomics and Director of the Scripps Genome Center at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). She was elected a Fellow of the Int ...

as mayor. Worden had previously served as mayor from 2017-2018. In the

California State Legislature The California State Legislature is a bicameral state legislature consisting of a lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members; and an upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members. Both houses of the Legisla ...

, Del Mar is in , and in . In the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

, Del Mar is in .

Education

Del Mar is served by the

Del Mar Union School District The Del Mar Union School District (DMUSD) is a public school district based in Del Mar in San Diego County, California. The district was founded in 1906. For many years, the district was small, serving approximately 1,000 students in the City ...

, which includes eight K–8 schools. High school education is provided by the

San Dieguito Union High School District San Dieguito Union High School District (SDUHSD) is a public school district in northern San Diego County, California. Established in 1936, the district serves over 13,000 students in five middle schools, five comprehensive high schools, and one a ...

Transportation

The

North County Transit District The North County Transit District (typically abbreviated as NCTD) is the agency responsible for public transportation in Northern San Diego County, California. The agency manages the COASTER commuter rail service between Oceanside and San Die ...

operates their BREEZE bus service. The historic

Del Mar station Del Mar station is an at-grade light rail station on the L Line of the Los Angeles Metro Rail system. It is located between Arroyo Parkway and Raymond Avenue at Del Mar Boulevard, after which the station is named, in Pasadena, California. The ...

once served passengers on the

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The railroad was chartered in February 1859 to serve the cities of Atchison, Kansas, Atchison and Top ...

Surf Line The Surf Line is a railroad line that runs from San Diego north to Orange County along California's Pacific Coast. It was so named because much of the line is near the Pacific Ocean, within less than in some places. The tracks are now owned by ...

and the

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

San Diegan intercity service between the early 1900s until its closure in 1995, due to the opening of the new

Solana Beach station Solana Beach station, also known as the Solana Beach Transit Center, is a train station on Amtrak California's ''Pacific Surfliner'' passenger train and on North County Transit District's COASTER commuter rail route located in Solana Beach, Cali ...

two miles north. That station provides

Coaster commuter rail Coaster (stylized as COASTER) is a commuter rail service in the central and North County, San Diego, northern coastal regions of San Diego County, California, United States, operated by the North County Transit District (NCTD). The commuter r ...

and Amtrak's

Pacific Surfliner The ''Pacific Surfliner'' is a passenger train service serving the communities on the coast of Southern California between San Diego and San Luis Obispo. The service carried 2,924,117 passengers during fiscal year 2016, a 3.4% increase from F ...

service. This trainline is the second busiest passenger rail corridor in the United States.

Environmental issues

Climate change

Much of the population is on the coast and nearby

bluff Bluff or The Bluff may refer to: Places Australia * Bluff, Queensland, Australia, a town * The Bluff, Queensland (Ipswich), a rural locality in the city of Ipswich * The Bluff, Queensland (Toowoomba Region), a rural locality * Bluff River (New ...

which are vulnerable to sea level rise caused by climate change. In 2019, the city refused to develop a managed retreat strategy for moving infrastructure and population centers from the water. This decision was made against the recommendation of the California Coastal Commission. Instead the city is planning on using other

strategies, such as

seawall A seawall (or sea wall) is a form of coastal defense constructed where the sea, and associated coastal processes, impact directly upon the landforms of the coast. The purpose of a seawall is to protect areas of human habitation, conservation ...

s and

beach nourishment Beach nourishment (also referred to as beach renourishment, beach replenishment, or sand replenishment) describes a process by which sediment, usually sand, lost through longshore drift or erosion is replaced from other sources. A wider beach ...

. The

railroad tracks A railway track (British English and UIC terminology) or railroad track (American English), also known as permanent way or simply track, is the structure on a railway or railroad consisting of the rails, fasteners, railroad ties (sleepers, ...

were built adjacent to coastal bluffs some above the beach. San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) is conducting a $3 million study on relocating the rail line farther inland through the city. On August 16, 2020, the California Coastal Commission emphasized the need to move the railroad tracks inland due to the persistent coastal erosion which eats away at the bluff each year. The accelerating rate of

due to

global warming In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...

adds urgency to the issue. A tunnel under Del Mar which would cost more than $3 billion is being considered.

Attractions

, held live during the summer and now the fall at the

Del Mar Fairgrounds The Del Mar Fairgrounds is a event venue in Del Mar, California. The annual San Diego County Fair is held here, which was called the Del Mar Fair from 1984 to 2001. In 1936, the Del Mar Racetrack was built by the Thoroughbred Club with foundi ...

. The fairgrounds also hosts the satellite wagering facility Surfside Race Place throughout the year when races are not live. *

San Diego County Fair The San Diego County Fair (formerly called the Del Mar Fair) is a county fair held every summer at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in Del Mar, California. The fair is a major draw for San Diego County residents; in recent years, attendance figures have ri ...

Torrey Pines State Beach Torrey Pines State Beach is a public beach located in the San Diego, California community of Torrey Pines, south of Del Mar and north of La Jolla. Coastal erosion from the adjacent Torrey Pines State Reserve makes for a picturesque landscape. I ...

* Powerhouse Community Center * Del Mar Antique Show, held three times a year for over 50 years on the

*North Beach Area (29th Street to Solana Beach border), also known as "Dog Beach".

Notable people

Desi Arnaz Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III (March 2, 1917 – December 2, 1986) was a Cuban-born American actor, bandleader, and film and television producer. He played Lucy and Ricky Ricardo, Ricky Ricardo on the American television sitcom ''I Lov ...

maintained a residence in North Del Mar on the beach west of Highway 101 near the Del Mar Racetrack after his divorce from Lucille Ball. He was arrested once for brandishing a firearm and ordering people off of his beach area. He resided there until his death. *

Burt Bacharach Burt Freeman Bacharach ( ; born May 12, 1928) is an American composer, songwriter, record producer and pianist who composed hundreds of pop songs from the late 1950s through the 1980s, many in collaboration with lyricist Hal David. A six-time Gra ...

, songwriter, has a beach residence in north Del Mar. * Gary Beck radio DJ lived on top of Del Mar Heights in the early 70's on Mission Carmel Cove. *

Drew Brees Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees i ...

, quarterback of the

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...

. *

Rachel Buehler Rachel Marie Buehler Van Hollebeke ( ; ; born August 26, 1985) is an American former soccer player who last played as a defender for the Portland Thorns FC and the United States women's national soccer team. In 2015, Van Hollebeke retired from ...

, defender for the

United States women's national soccer team The United States women's national soccer team (USWNT) represents the United States in international women's Association football, soccer. The team is the most successful in international women's soccer, winning four FIFA Women's World Cup, Wom ...

. * Martin Cooper, conceived the first handheld mobile phone. * Tom DeLonge, guitarist and founding member of the

pop-punk Pop punk (or punk pop) is a rock music genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop. It is defined for its emphasis on classic pop songcraft, as well as adolescent and anti-suburbia themes, and is distinguished from other pu ...

band

Blink-182 Blink-182 (stylized as blink-182) is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Poway, California in 1992. Their current lineup consists of bassist/vocalist Mark Hoppus, guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. Though their ...

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band

Angels & Airwaves Angels & Airwaves (also written as Angels and Airwaves; stylized and abbreviated as ΛVΛ) is an American rock band, comprising Tom DeLonge (lead vocals, guitars, keyboards), David Kennedy (guitars, keyboards), Ilan Rubin (drums, keyboards, ...

, and punk rock band

Box Car Racer Box Car Racer is an American pop punk band formed in San Diego, California, in 2001. The group consists of guitarist and vocalist Tom DeLonge and drummer Travis Barker of Blink-182, formerly alongside guitarist David Kennedy of Hazen Street. An ...

. *

Jimmy Durante James Francis Durante ( , ; February 10, 1893 – January 29, 1980) was an American comedian, actor, singer, vaudevillian, and pianist. His distinctive gravelly speech, Lower East Side accent, comic language-butchery, jazz-influenced song ...

, lived on the beach for many years and has a street named after him. * Steve Fisher, former head basketball coach at San Diego State University, resident since 1999. *

Rachael Flatt Rachael Elizabeth Flatt (born July 21, 1992) is an American former competitive figure skater. She is the 2008 World Junior champion, a winner of four silver medals on the Grand Prix series, and the 2010 U.S. national champion. She was nominat ...

, former figure skater, 2010 Olympian, 2010 US Champion, three-time US silver medalist and 2008 World Junior Champion, was born in Del Mar. *

, professor of biology at UCSD, serves on the Del Mar City Council and served as its mayor. *

Bill Gates William Henry Gates III (born October 28, 1955) is an American business magnate and philanthropist. He is a co-founder of Microsoft, along with his late childhood friend Paul Allen. During his career at Microsoft, Gates held the positions ...

, co-founder of

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...

Corporation, has a vacation residence on Del Mar beach. *

Craig Taro Gold Craig Taro Gold (born November 1969), known as Taro Gold, is an American author, entertainer, singer-songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is the author of several ''New York Times'' best-selling books including ''Open Your Mind, Open Your Life'' and ...

, author, entrepreneur and entertainer, was raised in Del Mar and attended

Torrey Pines High School Torrey Pines High School is a high school in the North County Coastal area of San Diego, California. The school is named after the Torrey pine tree that grows in the area. Torrey Pines High School is a member of the San Dieguito Union High Schoo ...

. *

Tony Hawk Anthony Frank Hawk (born May 12, 1968), nicknamed Birdman, is an American professional skateboarder, entrepreneur, and the owner of the skateboard company Birdhouse. A pioneer of modern vertical skateboarding, Hawk completed the first documen ...

, skateboarder and business entrepreneur, was raised in Del Mar. *

Kristin Hayter Kristin Hayter (born June 17, 1986) is an American singer and pianist. From 2017 to 2023, she released music and performed under the name Lingua Ignota (Lingua ignota, Latin for "unknown language"). Her professional music career began in 2017 ...

, singer-songwriter * Gary E. Jacobs, businessman, philanthropist, minority owner in the Sacramento Kings, founder of the Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs High Tech High Charter School, and owner of the Lake Elsinore Storm, lives in Del Mar. *

Sara Jacobs Sara Josephine Jacobs (born February 1, 1989) is an American politician serving as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for . Her district includes central and eastern portions of San Diego, California, San Diego, as we ...

, US Congresswoman *

Nate Kaeding Nathaniel James Kaeding (born March 26, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He played the majority of his career with the San Diego Chargers and retired after the ...

, former

San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...

placekicker. *

Charles David Keeling Charles David Keeling (April 20, 1928 – June 20, 2005) was an American scientist whose recording of carbon dioxide at the Mauna Loa Observatory confirmed Svante Arrhenius's proposition (1896) of the possibility of anthropogenic contribution to ...

, American scientist known for the Keeling Curve, and Chairman of the Citizen Task Force responsible for developing the City of Del Mar's Community Plan (General Plan) adopted in 1976. *

George R. Lunn George Richard Lunn (June 23, 1873 – November 27, 1948) was an American clergyman and politician from New York. He was the first Socialist mayor in the state of New York, a U.S. Representative from 1917 to 1919, and Lieutenant Governor from ...

, former US Congressman and Lt. Governor of New York. * William Murray, American fiction editor and staff writer at The New Yorker for more than thirty years and author of numerous fiction and nonfiction work, including a series of mystery novels with a racetrack setting, spent the majority of his later years living in Del Mar. * George Emil Palade, Nobel Prize winner. *

Carson Palmer Carson Hilton Palmer (born December 27, 1979) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals. He played college football at ...

, former NFL quarterback. *

Ardem Patapoutian Ardem Patapoutian (born 1967) is an Armenian-American molecular biologist, neuroscientist, and Nobel Prize laureate. He is known for his work in characterizing the PIEZO1, PIEZO2, and TRPM8 receptors that detect pressure, menthol, and temperatur ...

, 2021

Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...

laureate, lives in Del Mar. *

Steve Perry Stephen Ray Perry (born January 22, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer of the rock band Journey during their most commercially successful periods from 1977 to 1987, and again from 1995 to 1998. He also wrote/co ...

, former lead singer of the rock band

Journey Journey or journeying may refer to: * Travel, the movement of people between distant geographical locations ** Day's journey, a measurement of distance ** Road trip, a long-distance journey on the road Animals * Journey (horse), a thoroughbred ra ...

, lives in Del Mar. * Madeleine A. Pickens, along with her deceased husband

Allen Paulson Allen Eugene Paulson (April 22, 1922 – July 19, 2000) was an American businessman. Business career in aviation Born in Clinton, Iowa, Allen E. Paulson was on his own at age 13, supporting himself selling newspapers and doing janitorial wor ...

owned a home in Del Mar overlooking the Del Mar Racetrack. She currently owns a home on the beach in Del Mar. *

Tristan Prettyman Tristan Ann Prettyman (born May 23, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter from San Diego, California. She was signed to Virgin Records until 2013 and released her first major label album '' Twentythree'' on August 2, 2005, followed by her sec ...

, singer-songwriter. *

Zandra Rhodes Dame Zandra Lindsey Rhodes, (born 19 September 1940), is an English fashion and textile designer. Her early education in fashion set the foundation for a career in the industry creating textile prints. Rhodes has designed garments for Diana, ...

, celebrity fashion designer, splits her time between homes in Del Mar and London. * Aaron Rodgers, quarterback for the

Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...

. *

Willie Shoemaker William Lee Shoemaker (August 19, 1931 – October 12, 2003) was an American jockey. For 29 years he held the world record for total professional jockey victories. Early life Referred to as "Bill", "Willie," and "The Shoe", William Lee Sh ...

, jockey, lived in North Del Mar on beach west of US 101 near

Del Mar Racetrack The Del Mar Fairgrounds is a event venue in Del Mar, California. The annual San Diego County Fair is held here, which was called the Del Mar Fair from 1984 to 2001. In 1936, the Del Mar Racetrack was built by the Thoroughbred Club with foundin ...

. *

Garrett Stubbs Garrett Patrick Stubbs (born May 26, 1993) is an American professional baseball catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Houston Astros. Stubbs attended the University of Southern ...

, baseball player. *

Norv Turner Norval Turner (born May 17, 1952) is an American football coach in the National Football League (NFL). An offensive assistant for the majority of his coaching career, he came to prominence as the Dallas Cowboys' offensive coordinator during the ...

, former head coach of the

In popular culture

* In 1966, winners of a KHJ radio station contest rode with members of

The Monkees The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was conc ...

band on a train from Del Mar, which had been renamed 'Clarksville' for the day by the town's mayor.' * Del Mar is the first surfing location mentioned in the 1963

Beach Boys A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc shell ...

song " Surfin' U.S.A." * ''Tip on a Dead Crab'' (Viking Press 1984), William Murray's first mystery in the Shifty Lou Anderson series, is set at Del Mar's racetrack.

References

External links

*
Del Mar Historical Society
{{Authority control Cities in San Diego County, California Populated coastal places in California Incorporated cities and towns in California Populated places established in 1959 1959 establishments in California