National Register of Historic Places

Crystal Cove Historic District

Laguna Beach, Orange County, California
Listed
June 14, 1979
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
79000514

About this property

The Crystal Cove Historic District is a part of the Crystal Cove State Park located in Newport Beach, California. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places encompassing 12.3 acres (50,000 m2) along the Southern California coast. It was listed on the National Register not only because of its significance but also because of the 46 cottages located there which were built in the 1920s and 1930s. These cottages are perfect examples of Southern California coastal development in the early 20th century and were preserved by the Crystal Cove Conservancy Alliance. Since the restoration, the cottages have been open to the public for overnight stays. The historic district features the Crystal Cove Shake Shack and the Beachcomber at Crystal Cove restaurants. The Crystal Cove Conservancy is now working on restoring the North Beach cottages. A resident of the cottages, Martha Padve, was highly involved in a long-running case to list Crystal Cove on the National Register and to fight the State of California over tenancy matters. The cottages at Crystal Cove were first built by the Irvine Company and were owned by movie directors and producers. Many movies have been filmed here, including Treasure Island (1918) and Beaches (1988). Many of the cottages are currently available for public vacation rentals. The district also remains a popular location for the film industry. The main cottage featured in Beaches is currently being used as a homage to Crystal Cove's Hollywood past where visitors can learn about the different movies filmed in Crystal Cove. In 2015, Crystal Cove Alliance was featured, along with other organizations, in Laguna Beach Eco Heroes, a 30-minute documentary by The My Hero Project. The efforts of the Laguna Canyon Foundation, ECO Warrior, Laguna Bluebelt, Nancy Caruso, One World One Ocean, Pacific Marine Mammal Center, Wyland, and Zero Trash Laguna were also highlighted in the documentary.

Location

Laguna Beach, Orange County, California
33.57494, -117.84120

Categories

HISTORIC - ABORIGINALENTERTAINMENT/RECREATIONEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTARCHITECTUREPERFORMING ARTS
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Balboa Pavilion
Industrial
3.8 mi
Balboa Inn
Industrial
3.8 mi
Bank of Balboa-Bank of America
Industrial
3.9 mi
New Lynn Theater
Industrial
4 mi
St. Francis by-the-Sea American Catholic Church
Industrial
4.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Crystal Cove Historic District listed on the National Register?

Crystal Cove Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 14, 1979.

What type of historic resource is Crystal Cove Historic District?

Crystal Cove Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Crystal Cove Historic District?

The period of significance for Crystal Cove Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Crystal Cove Historic District?

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