Camp Capitola, the resort which grew into present-day Capitola, was established in 1869 and formally opened on July 4, 1874.

Frederick A. Hihn was the founder and sole owner of the camp until his death in 1913. He purchased the land from the family of Martina Castro, the original Soquel land grantee. The property encompassed what is now Capitola Village, Depot Hill and the Riverview area.

The district is an intact residential enclave developed around a formally landscaped village green. These structures, once a part of Capitola's tourist facilities and accommodations, are the community's most important link to its turn of the century seaside resort development.

Architecturally, the district incorporates two distinct building types:

• late 19th century, two-story Victorian apartments which look out onto the ocean
• early 20th century gable-front cottages which face Lawn Way

Highlighting the district are the 19th century Six Sisters. These six, near-identical, two-story Victorian apartments on the Esplanade overlook well-tended, fenced lawns.

The cottages lining Lawn Way are uniform in scale and character but diverse in detail, texture and fenestration.

Adapted from the NRHP nomination submitted in 1987.