NBHS + Bill Lobdell: The Story of W.S. Collins & Balboa Island
Mon, Mar 24
|Balboa Pavillion Grand Ballroom
W.S. Collins: Balboa Island Visionary, Con Man or Both?


Time & Location
Mar 24, 2025, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Balboa Pavillion Grand Ballroom, 400 Main St, Newport Beach, CA 92661, USA
Guests
About the Event
W.S. Collins: Balboa Island Visionary, Con Man or Both?
The farsighted land speculator is best known for buying the entire Newport Beach townsite in 1902 and next creating Balboa Island out of a tiny, mosquito-ridden mudflat. But Collins also had a darker side that’s been rarely explored: shady deals, broken promises, five wives, bankruptcy, and endless controversies. Despite only spending little more than a decade in Newport Beach, W.S. Collins may be the most interesting person in city history.
Bill Lobdell Bio
Bill Lobdell is a local historian who produces a popular podcast called "Newport Beach in the Rearview Mirror," along with Instagram videos about local history that have gotten nearly 2.5 million views. Bill’s love for Newport Beach history began during his decade-long stint as the award-winning editor of the Daily Pilot. He also worked as an award-winning investigative reporter and editor for the Los Angeles Times for many…
Tickets
NBHS + Bill Lobdell Dinner
General Admission tickets include 1 year NBHS membership.
From $60.00 to $75.00- $75.00
- $60.00
Total
$0.00