During the 13th to 16th centuries most of the current Jūrmala city territory was included in former Livonian order state. Small fishermen villages started to emerge along seashore.

The oldest part of Jūrmala is Sloka. Sloka flourished in the middle of the 17th century when it was governed by a Courland’s duke Jacob. From 1561 to 1783 when Jūrmala was a part of Courland dukedom, the first church in Jūrmala was built in Sloka, and a small trade port was built in Kaugurciems.

In 1783 Sloka was included in the Livland guberniya that was a territorial subdivision of Russia. It was a time when first vacationers – Courland’s landlords, came to Jūrmala, to Kaugurciems.

Up to 19th century fishery was the main branch of occupation for the inhabitants of Jūrmala. Fresh smoked fish was delivered to cottagers and was sent also to Rīga.

Bathing places of Jūrmala gained popularity in the 19th century.

The beginning of the 19th century is the dawn of Jūrmala resort history. After the war between Russia and France in 1812, the wounded Russian army officers came to take rest at local fishermen houses.
 

The first bathes’ establishment “Marienbad” in Dubulti was opened in 1870. Doctor Johan Christian Nordstrom started to use climate therapy as a course of treatment; he indicated jogging along the beach, sea water treatments, as well as physical activities in fresh air.

The end of the19th century – beginning of the 20th century was the time when resort started to flourish; it was the time when most of health establishments, wooden architecture houses and resort infrastructure were built. In those days bathing houses with bathtubs of warmed  up sea water were built for the purpose of healing treatments and relaxation.

In the beginning of the 19th century when no bathing suits were known, separate swimming hours for men and women were set. Since 1897 special hours for swimming in bathing suits were introduced – bathing suit consisted of trousers up to knee, and a sleeveless shirt with a belt. In 1914 swimming without bathing suits was banned.

In 1844 the first steamboat in Jūrmala started to operate and brought approximately 150 passengers at a time. Later five steamboats were bringing people from Rīga and Jelgava. The biggest steamboat “Undīne” started to run along the river in 1857, and was able to pick up approximately 500 persons. A street in Majori was named Undīnes in the honour of the steamboat.

The opening of the railway line “Rīga - Tukums” in 1877 was a notable event as it contributed to the development and growth of Ķemeri resort and Jūrmala bathing places.

The first iron bridge was built in 1876. During the World War I the bridge was detonated when Russian army draw back. In 1922 a new railway bridge was opened, and again it was detonated in the end of World War II, it was rebuilt in 1949.

Melluži and Asari were popular for their strawberry gardens. Strawberry seedlings were brought from France, and not only local inhabitants were using them, but they were sent also to markets in Rīga and St. Petersburg.

Ķemeri region with its curative qualities of sulphur springs is well known since 18th century, but the official year of establishing Ķemeri state resort is 1838, when the first medical bathing house was built there. In 1928 Ķemeri gained city rights.

In 1920 city rights with the name of Rīgas Jūrmala were granted to the current territory of Jūrmala from Priedaine to Kauguri.

The united Jūrmala city was established on November 11, 1959 - merging 3 territories - Rīgas Jūrmala, Sloka and Ķemeri.