Asilomar Conference Grounds facts for kids
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Asilomar Conference Grounds
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Merrill Hall, Asilomar
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 Location in Monterey Peninsula
Location in California
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| Location | Asilomar Blvd., Pacific Grove, California |
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| Area | 9 acres (3.6 ha) |
| Built | 1913 |
| Architect | Julia Morgan |
| Architectural style | Arts and Crafts Movement and American craftsman Bungalows |
| NRHP reference No. | 87000823 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | February 27, 1987 |
| Designated NHLD | February 27, 1987 |
Asilomar Conference Grounds is a famous conference center located right by the ocean in Pacific Grove, California. It was originally built for the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA).
Between 1913 and 1929, a famous architect named Julia Morgan designed and built 16 buildings here. Today, 11 of those original buildings are still standing. In 1956, the area became part of California's State Parks system and was renamed Asilomar State Beach. The name Asilomar comes from a Spanish phrase, asilo al mar, which means "refuge by the sea." This land is also the historic home of the Rumsen Ohlone people.
History of Asilomar
The YWCA used to hold its yearly conferences at a hotel in Capitola, California. By 1911, they needed a bigger space. A kind woman named Phoebe Apperson Hearst hosted the 1912 conference at her home. All the money raised that year went towards buying a permanent home for the conferences.
In 1912, a YWCA committee convinced the Pacific Improvement Company to give 30 acres of land to the YWCA. In early 1913, the YWCA announced that Julia Morgan would design the new conference grounds. She was already working on another YWCA building in Oakland.
Construction started in the spring of 1913. By August 1913, the Social Hall and the Longhouses (where people could stay) were open. Nearly 300 girls attended the first conference there. Merrill Hall was the last building Julia Morgan designed for Asilomar. It was officially opened in 1928.
Other important women in California helped create this special retreat. These included Ellen Browning Scripps and Mary Sroufe Merrill.
The name "Asilomar" was chosen in a contest. A student from Stanford named Helen Salisbury came up with the winning idea. She combined two Spanish words: asilo (meaning asylum or refuge) and mar (meaning sea). This type of combined word is called a portmanteau.
In 1987, Asilomar was named a National Historic Landmark. This was because of its important role in women's recreation, the growth of the YWCA, and its connection to the nearby resort town of Monterey, California.
Asilomar Today
The official name for the property is "Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds." It is owned by California State Parks. Today, it is mostly used as a conference center that groups can rent. However, individuals can also book rooms, and it's a popular spot for family reunions and other events. The grounds are open for everyone to visit.
From 1956 to 1994, different non-profit groups helped manage the conference grounds with California State Parks. Later, companies like Delaware North Companies and Aramark took over managing the park.
To keep the natural and peaceful feel of the resort, there are no telephones or televisions in the rooms. But don't worry, Wi-Fi has been added throughout the property!
In 2012, work began to make Asilomar more accessible for everyone. This included replacing old paths with new ones made of brick. The improvements continued into 2014, making it easier to get around both inside and outside the buildings.
Notable Conferences
Many important conferences have been held at Asilomar over the years:
- 1972 Experimental NMR Conference
- 1975: Asilomar conference on recombinant DNA
- 1994: Critical Assessment of Techniques for Protein Structure Prediction (the very first meeting)
- 2010: Asilomar international conference on climate intervention technologies
- 1969–2012: West Coast Number Theory (mostly in odd-numbered years)
- 2014: International Commission on the History of Geological Sciences
- 2017: Asilomar Conference on Beneficial AI
Images for kids
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Merrill Hall
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Social Hall
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Inside the Social Hall
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Asilomar Chapel
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Crocker Dining Hall
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Inside Crocker Dining Hall
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Lobby at Asilomar
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A guest room in the Cypress building
