History of Huntington Beach|Collectible Wood Art

The Roots of Huntington Beach

Known throughout the country as Surf City, Huntington beach has a rich history behind it, all commemorated in the museums all around the city. Like all cities, their history started with starting a replenishable source of economy, and being near the shores, it wasn’t long before a small settlement exploded into a full blown city.

The First Owner

In 1784, the first person to officially own the land under Huntington beach was a Spanish soldier named Manuel Nietos, who named the 300,000 acres of land, “Rancho Los Nietos” or simply, The Nietos Ranch. Here he raised cattle, horses and farmed barley. The economy practically started with him selling the barley to other emerging ranches.

The Oldest Residence

Among the first people who settled in Huntington beach, before it was called that, was William Newland and his wife, Mary Newland. In 1898 they built a small but functional Queen Anne-style house. With their sweat and effort, they turned 500 acres of swamp lands into croplands, growing beets, peppers and lima beans. Their house is considered to be the oldest residence in Orange County.

The Incarnations

Huntington Beach had many names before it became Huntington beach. The first name was called Shell Beach, during the times of the first settlers such as the Newlands. Eventually, in 1901, they built the first resort, big enough to rival Atlantic City. Subsequently, they changed the name from Shell Beach to Pacific City, to match the rivalry.

The Name That Stuck

In 1904, the first pier opened, creating opportunities for travel, exports and imports. In the sake of transportation, the community of Pacific City changed the name to Huntington Beach, in order to gain favor and secure the Red Car lines. The Red Car lines, also known as the Pacific Electric, is a mass transit system composed of electrically powered vehicles running on train tracks.

This fast tracked the development of the now named Huntington Beach as it was incorporated in 1919, but the city was about to take an interesting turn.

Oil in the Sands

The biggest economic boom came when the city discovered oil in their own lands in 1920. The population boomed to nearly four times in less than a month due to it. What truly surprised some people is that previously, an encyclopedia company sold land at Huntington Beach for a fairly low price. Little did the lucky land owners knew that there would be oil around those parts.

Overnight, the oil wells sprang up like daisies. They went on springing up until the 1950s where a movement was made to rid the oil rigs to make way for housing developments for new incoming citizens. The economic boom kept on going well into the 1970s, with housing projects being approved here and there.

Eventually, existing oil derricks had to be concealed, all for the sake of improving the beach’s image.

Surf City

While the city made one economic turn after another, surfers were abroad. In 1914, Duke Kahanamoku, a Hawaiian Olympic swimmer, introduced surfing to Huntington Beach. This Big Kahuna began popularizing the sport by using his connections in Hollywood to publicize it.

Soon enough, surfing became popular, further boosted by Huntington Beach’s great natural waves that break close to the beaches. In 1956, the first surfboard shop was opened and it paved the way for other surfers and surfboard shops to open.

In 1963, Jan and Dean, an American Rock Duo who, recorded the classic tune, “Surf City.” This, along with the city’s pioneers in surfing, gave Huntington Beach it’s nickname, “Surf City.”

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