The name New Brighton was first applied to the hotel of a short-lived seaside resort, Camp San Jose. The camp, founded by Thomas Fallon in 1878, was located just east of Capitola. Fallon was married to Carmelita Lodge, daughter of Martina Castro Lodge, original grantee of the Soquel Rancho. In 1882, Fallon renamed the resort New Brighton. Perhaps Fallon, an Irishman, took the name from the famed English seaside resort of Brighton. New Brighton was made into a state park in 1933. Note the famed Cement Ship (the S.S. Palo Alto) at Seacliff State Beach in the background, newly transformed into a pleasure venue. The entertainment venue went broke two years later and a storm cracked the ship’s hull. In 1936, the remains of the ship were sold to the state of California.
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