How Carlsbad Got Its Name

Once upon a time, there was a small station stop called Frazier's Station. A man named John Frazier had needed water for the 126-acre farm he bought from Lafayette Tunnison for $1.25 an acre.

Tired of traveling three miles inland to the Marron creek, he drilled near the ocean, despite suggestions by a Los Angeles paper that it was ludicrous to think that anyone could find fresh water in that location. Not only did he find fresh water, but more importantly for our history, Frazier found mineral water.

By 1896, the train was stopping and Frazier was serving passengers mineral water, which has been and still is considered healing. A gentleman living in Nebraska named Gerhard Schutte came out in 1886. Schutte was a German immigrant who had fought for the Union with a Wisconsin regiment. After traveling with his family by train to San Diego, he ventured up to see about buying land in the area. Being farsighted, he bought all of John Frazier's land.

The mineral water was tested and found to have the same mineral content as a famous spa in Karlsbad, Bohemia. Three other Nebraska gentlemen joined him and they started the Carlsbad Land and Water Co. Frazier stayed on as the superintendent. Schutte had a vision for a select residential community by the sea and our name became Carlsbad.

FYI: Karlsbad, Bohemia is today Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic—one of our sister cities!