The park is named for Emma Grubb Wood (May 23, 1881-September 19, 1944).
Wood was the daughter of Alice Taylor Grubb, the owner of the Taylor Ranch (originally the Rancho Cañada de San Miguelito), an 8,000-acre sheep ranch on which oil was discovered in the 1930s.
When Alice Taylor Grubb died in 1936, she left the ranch to her daughter Alice and son Percy.
Percy, who was unmarried, committed suicide in December 1937 by carbon monoxide poisoning in a garage owned by Emma Wood's husband, Adrian "Buddy" Wood.

Wood died in 1944 in Carpinteria.
At the time of her death, her land holdings, which included the Taylor Ranch, were valued at $8 million.
 She was buried at Ivy Lawn Cemetery in Ventura.

Adrian Wood inherited the Taylor Ranch from Emma, and in 1956, Adrian, gave land totaling 112-acre (45 ha) with 7,600 feet of ocean frontage to the State of California.
The land became the Emma Wood State Beach, which opened in 1957.
The park is named for Emma Grubb Wood (May 23, 1881-September 19, 1944). Wood was the daughter of Alice Taylor Grubb, the owner of the Taylor Ranch (originally the Rancho Cañada de San Miguelito), an 8,000-acre sheep ranch on which oil was discovered in the 1930s. When Alice Taylor Grubb died in 1936, she left the ranch to her daughter Alice and son Percy. Percy, who was unmarried, committed suicide in December 1937 by carbon monoxide poisoning in a garage owned by Emma Wood's husband, Adrian "Buddy" Wood.
Wood died in 1944 in Carpinteria. At the time of her death, her land holdings, which included the Taylor Ranch, were valued at $8 million.  She was buried at Ivy Lawn Cemetery in Ventura.
Adrian Wood inherited the Taylor Ranch from Emma, and in 1956, Adrian, gave land totaling 112-acre (45 ha) with 7,600 feet of ocean frontage to the State of California. The land became the Emma Wood State Beach, which opened in 1957.
Emma Wood State Beach