ENSENADA

Ensenada was founded in 1882, when the small community of Rancho Ensenada de Todos Santos was made the regional capital for the northern partition of the Baja California Territory. The city grew significantly with the proliferation of mines in the surrounding mountains. While the Mexican Revolution curtailed much of Ensenada's expansion, the onset of Prohibition in the United States transformed the city into a popular tourist destination for Americans seeking entertainment and alcohol. Ensenada's reputation as a resort town was cemented by the 1950's and 1960's, which saw a construction boom and the city's rise in international prominence outside of North America.