Bay Island, Newport Beach, California on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
Bay Island is a small island located halfway down
Bay Island is Newport Harbor's only natural island. Although not underwater, it was a mud flat with one small hill of dry land when R. J. Waters and Rufus Sanborn (Vice President of the Citizens National Bank of Los Angeles) bought it in 1904 for $350. They recognized good duck hunting there and organized a gun club. Sanborn built a small shack on the dry hill and welcomed hunters. Although at first, hunters could only arrive at low tide, it was not long until a walk on pilings was constructed. It was so popular the first year that, by the second year, a poker club was added and women were invited.
By 1907, Sanborn had built a home. Also in 1907, Sam Tustin (Son of Columbus Tustin, the founder of
Bay Island is a small island located halfway down Balboa Peninsula
The Balboa Peninsula (also referred to as "Balboa" or "the Peninsula") is a neighborhood of the city of Newport Beach, Orange County, California. It is named after Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa, the first European to sight the Pacific ...
in Newport Beach, California
Newport Beach is a coastal city in South Orange County, California. Newport Beach is known for swimming and sandy beaches. Newport Harbor once supported maritime industries however today, it is used mostly for recreation. Balboa Island, Newport ...
. It is the only island in the Newport Beach harbor islands that does not allow car traffic. The island is accessible via a small bridge that will only accommodate golf carts. The island is not accessible to the public by land, though public access to its beaches is protected by the California Constitution. It has 23 residences, a botanical garden, courtyard garden, tennis court, and several beaches.
Notable natives and residents
Bay Island is Newport Harbor's only natural island. Although not underwater, it was a mud flat with one small hill of dry land when R. J. Waters and Rufus Sanborn (Vice President of the Citizens National Bank of Los Angeles) bought it in 1904 for $350. They recognized good duck hunting there and organized a gun club. Sanborn built a small shack on the dry hill and welcomed hunters. Although at first, hunters could only arrive at low tide, it was not long until a walk on pilings was constructed. It was so popular the first year that, by the second year, a poker club was added and women were invited.
By 1907, Sanborn had built a home. Also in 1907, Sam Tustin (Son of Columbus Tustin, the founder of Tustin
Tustin is a city located in Orange County, California, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. In 2020, Tustin had a population of 80,276. The city is located next to the county seat, Santa Ana, California, Santa Ana, and does not include the un ...
) had built a home nearby, but he sold it almost immediately to Madame Helena Modjeska. Although she only owned it for a short while, she was Bay Island's most notable resident. Her acting talents were noted early and, as a young woman, she was placed under a life contract with the Imperial Theatre of Warsaw. Her fame, plus a fast-paced life and some personal losses, resulted in her collapse and the decision to immigrate to the United States to try communal farming in Anaheim. Although farming was a disaster, America welcomed her and she was soon a beloved stage star. Just before her death in 1909, she bought Tustin's home on Bay Island. As Orange County's first rich famous resident, Bay Island was temporarily renamed in her honor.
Notable residents included actress Helena Modjeska
Helena Modrzejewska (; born Jadwiga Benda; 12 October 1840 – 8 April 1909), known professionally as Helena Modjeska, was a Polish actress who specialized in Shakespearean and tragic roles. She was successful first on the Polish stage. After e ...
, H.R. Haldeman
Harry Robbins Haldeman (October 27, 1926 – November 12, 1993) was an American political aide and businessman, best known for his service as White House Chief of Staff to President Richard Nixon and his consequent involvement in the Watergate s ...
and Otis Chandler
Otis Chandler (November 23, 1927 – February 27, 2006) was the publisher of the ''Los Angeles Times'' between 1960 and 1980, leading a large expansion of the newspaper and its ambitions. He was the fourth and final member of the Chandler fami ...
.
See also
*History of Newport Beach
The recorded history of the Newport Beach, California region began when the area was first explored by Europeans in the 1500s. Prior to that time, Native Americans such as the Tongva and Juaneño/Luiseño people had been living in the area for t ...
*Balboa Island
Balboa Island is a harborside community in Newport Beach, California, accessible to the public via bridge, ferry and several public docks. The community is surrounded by a paved concrete boardwalk open to pedestrian traffic, designated as a pu ...
*List of islands of California
This list of islands of California is organized into sections, generally arranged from north to south. The islands within each section are listed in alphabetical order.
The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) lists 527 named islands in the ...
References
{{authority control Islands of Newport Beach, California Neighborhoods in Newport Beach, California Balboa Peninsula Islands of Southern California Islands of California