Cliff Drive in 1874
In 1874, a local reporter drove up to the Mesa with a horse and carriage to give his readers a "you are there" description of what the Mesa looked like. He traveled along what is now Cliff Drive. At that time, the road was called the Mesa Road, and only went about as far west as the present-day Monroe Elementary School:
"The older residents, we presume, know all about the beauties and pleasure of such a drive, but there may be others here who do not. The road is flanked by a range of hills on the one hand, so regular in their outline as to look like artificial mounds and stretching away on the other side are green fields, and the blue ocean beyond, with its mountains and islands arising therefrom. We enjoyed the ride so much that we were sorry when we came to a fence which compelled us to turn and retrace our way back to town. Still, we found almost as much enjoyment viewing the same scenes a second time. If you desire to spend an hour or two pleasantly, select a clear day and take a drive on the Mesa Road."