NBHS Log

NBHS LOG 

Fireworks, Crowds, and Seaside Spectacles: Newport Beach’s Fourth of July 124 Years Ago 

On July 5, 1902, Newport Beach made headlines in the Los Angeles Times under the byline, “Newport Beach Never So Overrun Before: Five Thousand People Celebrate on the Sands.” It was, according to the paper, the largest crowd the seaside town had ever seen. Visitors poured in from Los Angeles, Riverside, and inland Orange County, many arriving by train at McFadden Pier, now known as Newport Pier, to celebrate the nation’s independence. 

The rush began early in Santa Ana, where the train station was overwhelmed by more than 2,000 people trying to board the first morning train to Newport. The Santa Ana and Newport Railway stretched about 22 miles and had only three passenger coaches, enough for roughly 200 to 300 riders per trip if every seat and standing space was filled. During the summer the line typically made three daily trips, but on July 4, 1902, extra runs were needed throughout the day to handle the holiday crowds. 

The Newport Beach Company, a real estate and investment firm, heavily promoted the event to draw buyers and investors to the growing community. It advertised a free clambake, fireworks, and a dance at the beachside pavilion, with music by Santa Ana band. But not everything went smoothly. The turnout exceeded expectations, and there were too few bathhouses for visitors hoping to change and go into the ocean. At the time, beachgoers typically wore heavy wool swimsuits and relied on private places to change. 

The festivities also carried a civic and patriotic tone. Santa Ana Mayor Frank Ey praised the enterprise of the Newport Beach Company and its efforts to develop Newport as a resort destination for the holiday. His remarks were followed by a reading of the Declaration of Independence and an address by Fullerton Mayor C. C. Chapman, whose speech celebrated the strength and promise of the nation. 

Following the speeches was a two-hour aquatic show at the end of the pier, “consisting of fancy swimming and various entertaining aquatic feats, ending with a realistic naval battle and the blowing up of the miniature battleships.” Concluding the day with a large firework display and live presentation of the 1902 tragic eruption of Mont Pelee.  This must have been quite an exceptional show for the people of that era!  

The article reported only one accident among the crowd. As the train arrived at the wharf, an unidentified man from Orange, said to be intoxicated, was knocked from the engine and suffered a serious scalp wound. He was taken to Santa Ana, where the railroad doctor treated him. It is striking that only one such incident was recorded. 

Like many Fourth of July celebrations of the era, the day blended patriotism with promotion. Alongside speeches, music, and fireworks, visitors were also reminded of the appeal of owning a second home in what boosters called one of Southern California’s finest recreational communities. More than a century later, the event offers a vivid snapshot of Newport Beach, as it was beginning to emerge as a major seaside destination.