Ellen Browning Scripps, 1836-1932
1836 Born in London, England
1844 Moved with her family to Rushville, Illinois
1859 Graduated from Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois
1865 Moved to Detroit, Michigan, to join her brother James
1873 The Detroit Evening News founded
1878 The Cleveland Press founded
1881 The Cincinnati Post founded
1881-97 Traveled throughout the U.S.A., Europe, Cuba, and Mexico
1890 Scripps-McRae League founded
1891 Established Miramar Ranch in San Diego, California, with E.W. Scripps
1896-97 Established her home, South Molton Villa, in La Jolla, California
1899 Helped organize the La Jolla Woman’s Club
1899 Hired architect Irving J. Gill to make improvements to her house
1902 Newspaper Enterprise Association founded
1906 Endowed the Scripps Institution of Oceanography
1907 The United Press founded
1909 Founded and endowed The Bishop’s School with Eliza Virginia Scripps
1909 Commissioned artist Albert Valentien to illustrate California wildflowers
1911 Commissioned artist William Leon Dawson to illustrate Birds of California
1914 Endowed lecture series at Pomona College
1915 Donated money for Scripps Pier and an aquarium
1915 Founded the La Jolla Playground and Community House
1915 Financed the new La Jolla Woman’s Club building
1915 Hired architect Irving J. Gill to rebuild South Molton Villa after a fire
1916 Donated land to YWCA camp at Asilomar in Pacific Grove, CA
1917 Funded the YWCA’s Hostess House at Camp Kearny
1918 Funded (later endowed) Scripps Memorial Hospital
1919 Funded the Egypt Exploration Society and gave books and antiquities to the San Diego Museum Association
1919 Financed construction of new women’s campus at Pomona College
1920-32 Funded the San Diego Society of Natural History
1921 Funded construction of the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library in La Jolla
1921 Developed Torrey Pines State Reserve
1921 Sister Eliza Virginia Scripps died
1922 Funded construction of the San Diego Zoo
1923 Financed the construction of Torrey Pines Lodge
1923 Founded Scripps Memorial Park in Rushville, Illinois
1924 Built a lath house and public tea room on her La Jolla estate
1926 Founded and endowed Scripps College
1926 Financed a new building for the San Diego YWCA
1926 Brother E.W. Scripps died
1929 Donated tower and chimes for St. James-By-the-Sea Episcopal Church
1930 Donated athletic field at La Jolla High School
1931 Financed the construction of the Children’s Pool
1931 Donated the Cottage-Retreat for Women Students (SDSU)
1932 Died in La Jolla, California
Photo: Hand-tinted photo in San Diego The Beautiful (1907), San Diego History Center Archives.
