NBHS September Log

Newport Beach at 120: 

A Coastal Legacy Still Making Waves

As Newport Beach celebrates its 120th anniversary, its story is still unfolding. What began as a rough little port has become one of California’s best-known coastal cities, famous for its harbor, beaches, neighborhoods, surf breaks, shopping, and seaside lifestyle.

That transformation did not happen quickly. Newport Beach grew through a series of turning points, from early shipping and rail connections to beach tourism, harbor development, entertainment, conservation, and modern cultural visibility.

The city’s story began in 1870, when the first commercial ship entered the bay to create a “new port” between San Diego and Los Angeles. The McFadden brothers eventually took over the landing, built an ocean wharf in 1888, and added the Santa Ana & Newport railroad in 1891. These changes moved activity toward McFadden’s Wharf (Newport Pier) and created the first town site of the Newport Beach area.

By 1903, Newport Beach had about fifty full-time residents. Three years later, the Pacific Electric “surf line” made it easier for visitors to reach the coast, helping Newport quickly become a hotspot for tourists and new residents.

In 1906, Newport Beach officially incorporated with a 44–12 vote. New communities such as Balboa, Balboa Island, Corona del Mar, and East Newport began to take shape. People purchased lots for summer cottages and permanent homes, the newly formed city council invested in infrastructure and promoted the seaside area, and businesses soon followed.

Newport Beach also learned how to draw and entertain visitors. The Christmas Boat Parade began in 1908, followed by the launch of the Balboa Island Ferry in 1909, and Glenn Martin’s noted flight from Balboa to Catalina in 1912. Hollywood soon added to the city’s visibility when films such as Cleopatra and All Quiet on the Western Front used the area as a filming location.

The 1920s and 1930s helped turn Newport Beach into a true coastal destination. Coast Highway opened in 1926, Duke Kahanamoku’s famous 1928 rescue brought attention to Corona del Mar’s surfing beach, the Rendezvous Ballroom was constructed, and the 1936 harbor dredging helped create one of the region’s great pleasure harbors.

Entertainment and national events continued to shape Newport Beach in the decades that followed. The Art Deco Lido Theater opened in 1939, and the Port Theatre followed in 1949 as another local entertainment landmark. At the same time, Hollywood glamour, World War II, and post-war growth all left their mark: movie stars such as Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Greta Garbo, and John Wayne were drawn to the city; the harbor served as a naval repair port and boat-building center during the war; and many veterans later settled in the area.

By the 1960s and 1970s, Newport Beach was balancing rapid growth with a stronger sense of preservation and identity. Surf culture, along with the music and lifestyle that surrounded it, became an important part of the city’s coastal image. At the same time, the Newporter Inn arrived in 1962, Fashion Island opened in 1967, and Upper Newport Bay was protected as a state ecological reserve in 1975.

By the 1980s and 1990s, Newport Beach had become a symbol of coastal luxury and culture. The Four Seasons opened at Newport Center in 1986, the Wedge drew huge surf crowds in 1995, and the Newport Beach Film Festival debuted in 1999.

In the 2000s and 2020s, Newport Beach became even more recognizable. Television shows such as The OC and Arrested Development brought new attention to the city, and its population continued to grow. By 2026, the population had reached about 85,000—a far cry from its small 1903 beginnings.

Thankfully, Newport Beach still has many reminders of its past, including the 1906 Balboa Pavilion, the restored Lido Theater, the New Port Theatre, The Cannery, Balboa Fun Zone, Balboa Island Ferry, The Wedge, Five Crowns, Crystal Cove Cottages, and the Dory Fishing Fleet. Historic streets such as Marine Avenue on Balboa Island, Ocean Front in Newport Beach, and Main Street in Balboa also help preserve the city’s character. As Newport Beach marks its 120th anniversary, these treasured landmarks remind us that the city’s future is strongest when it remains connected to the people, places, and stories that shaped its past.