Beach Cities Real Estate - Specializing in Newport Beach Real Estate

History of Newport Beach

Located along the Orange County coast, Newport Beach is a small community of approximately 70,000 people. Newport Beach history goes all the way back to 1870 when Captain Samuel s. Dunnells arrived in the Newport Bay. Among James Irvine and the McFadden brothers, they majority landowners at that time, they had discovered a “new port”. That’s how the beautiful stretch of Southern California’s most beautiful beach community got its name. Just 30 miles south of Los Angeles, Newport Beach offers world class, surfing, fishing, dining, and some of finest beaches in California. Newport Beach is sometimes referred to as the Beverly Hills of Orange County due to its upscale real estate and community living.

In 1879, James and Robert McFadden created McFadden’s Landing inside the harbor, near the Pacific Coast Highway bridge, and in 1888, McFadden Wharf was built on the oceanfront, where Newport Pier is today. West Newport, East Newport, Bay Island, Balboa, Corona del Mar, Balboa Island and Port Orange (at old Newport Landing) were soon subdivided, and in 1905 the Balboa Pavilion was built. But Newport Beach didn’t truly become a tourist attraction until the arrival of the Pacific Electric Railway in 1906, the same year it became a city - in large part because the county was “dry” and businessmen wanted to sell liquor, and have a saloon to drink in.

In 1908, Italian gondolier John Scarpa staged the first illuminated night boat parade through the harbor, starting a tradition that lasts to this day. In 1924, the city annexed Corona del Mar. Two years later, Pacific Coast Highway was built through the city, along with a bridge over the Upper Bay. Newport Harbor was officially dedicated in 1936, after a $1.8 million project dredged out the sandbars and extended the jetties. In the 1960s, the Bluffs, Eastbluff and Fashion Island mall were built. In 1990, construction began on Newport Coast. The city still hopes to annex the area, dotted with multimillion-dollar homes.

Boating is extremely popular here, and Newport Harbor is famous for being one of the world’s largest small boat harbors. The weather is great, temperatures average below 80 in the summer and in the 60’s in the winter. World class shopping can be found in Newport Beach at South Coast Plaza & Newport Center Fashion Island. Numerous fine restaurants, first class beaches, and upscale real estate make Newport Beach a top pick for living in South Orange County.