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Balboa Island History
It used to be that Newport was not all that easy to imagine as a community - it did not in fact start as a community. Instead, it began as a landing place
for trade items such as hay, hides and tallow. In effect, Newport Harbor was a sort of commercial wharf back in the nineteenth century. The fact that
the general area is surrounded by calm waters that are rarely subjected to ocean storms made it an ideal place to do business, as there is no risk of
damages to the goods being exported and imported. However, near the turn of the century, a new harbor in San Pedro became Southern California's major
seaport, and Newport Harbor went into slow decline as a commercial harbor.
But all was not lost. Because of the very same qualities that made it an ideal port, Balboa Island was noticed as a good potential recreation and
resort area. This being the case, it would not take long before they started to make developments that would turn some of the area's tide lands
into what we now recognize as Balboa Island (back then known as Balisle). It would take even longer before Balboa Island will become as accessible
as it is today, with its two bridges and two three-car ferry services. Back then, only sailboats could get you to the island - while red cars from
Los Angeles would take visitors to the area during the summer vacation months. Still, real estate from the area (Balboa Island in particular) sold
like hotcakes and this in turn prompted further developments that culminated with the summer vacation place that is Balboa becoming a bona fide community
that is rich in California culture brought in by its first settlers.
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