Before there was Carmel-by-the-Sea there was Carville-by-the-Sea. A neighborhood of homes built near the ocean in San Francisco. This was a bohemian community. At it’s founding the ocean beach was a formidable place, blowing sand everywhere. A few hardy folks under Adolph Sutro’s help created a group of homes built from discarded streetcars, both horse drawn and cable drawn. Some of those who came were the cream of San Francisco’s artists including people like Maynard Dixon and Gelette Burgess.
I short easy to read book, I highly recommend it.
http://www.carville-book.com