The Balboa Peninsula (also referred to as "Balboa" or "the Peninsula") is a neighborhood of the city of

Newport Beach, California Newport Beach is a coastal city of about 85,000 in southern Orange County, California, United States. Located about southeast of downtown Los Angeles, Newport Beach is known for its sandy beaches. The city's harbor once supported maritime indu ...

. It is named after Spanish explorer

Vasco Núñez de Balboa Vasco Núñez de Balboa (; c. 1475around January 12–21, 1519) was a Spanish people, Spanish explorer, governor, and conquistador. He is best known for crossing the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific Ocean in 1513, becoming the first European to ...

, the first European to sight the

Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is bounded by the cont ...

from the Americas. Balboa is primarily residential with some

commercial Commercial may refer to: * (adjective for) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and services ** (adjective for) trade, the trading of something of economic value such as goods, services, information or money * a dose of advertising ...

areas.

History

In 1888, the McFadden family, which had arrived in California c. 1849, decided their shipping business would be more successful if they moved it from the inner shores of the bay to the oceanfront, where it was connected by rail to Santa Ana.Balboa Island Visitor's Guide, www.balboa-island.net, 2002. They built McFadden Wharf at the location where the Newport Pier is today. In 1899, the Federal Government allocated funds for major improvements to a new harbor at San Pedro, which would become Southern California's major seaport. The McFadden Wharf and railroad were sold to the Southern Pacific Railroad that same year, signaling the end of Newport Bay as a commercial shipping center. Harbor front Home Newport Beach California

Harbor front Home Newport Beach California

In 1902, James McFadden sold his Newport townsite and about half of the peninsula to William Collins, who saw Newport Bay's resort and recreation potential. Collins took on Henry E. Huntington as a partner in the Newport Beach Company. Huntington had acquired the

Pacific Electric The Pacific Electric Railway Company, nicknamed the Red Cars, was a privately owned Public transport, mass transit system in Southern California consisting of electrically powered streetcars, interurban cars, and buses and was the largest electr ...

railway system and used it to promote new communities outside of

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

. In 1905, the Pacific Electric Balboa Line was extended to Newport. Collins began dredging a channel on the north side of the bay and deposited the sand and silt on tidelands that would become Balboa Island. Newport Harbor was still largely undredged.

Boundaries

The peninsula acts as a jetty enclosing the Newport Harbor and Newport Beach's eight islands. The Peninsula is connected from the land via Pacific Coast Highway (SR 1) at Balboa Boulevard, via Bridge at Newport Boulevard ( SR 55) from SR 1 (and from Via Lido which connects via bridge to Lido Isle, via Bridge from Newport Island, via Bridge from Bay Isle and via Balboa Island Ferry from Balboa Boulevard and Palm Street to Balboa Island which is connected via bridge from

Jamboree Road Jamboree Road is a long major arterial road through Orange County, California, running through the cities of Newport Beach, Irvine, California, Irvine, Tustin, and Orange, California, Orange. Route description The southern terminus of Jamboree ...

and SR 1. The west end of Balboa Island connects via bridge to Collins Isle and the east end connects via bridge over the Grand Canal to the Little Island. The center of the Peninsula is called Balboa Village and the end of the Peninsula is called Balboa Peninsula Point. Balboa Pier is near the Balboa Island Ferry in Balboa Village and about two miles toward SR 1 is Newport Pier at McFadden Square. Linda Isle and Harbor Island connect via bridge from Bayside Drive off SR 1.

Landmarks

Balboa Pavilion The Balboa Pavilion in Newport Beach, Orange County, California, is a California Historical Landmark and a National Historic Place. Established on July 1, 1906, the Balboa Pavilion played a prominent role in the development of Newport Beach by ...

(established 1906) *Balboa Theater (established 1928) * Balboa Inn (established 1929) *

Balboa Fun Zone The Balboa Fun Zone is a family destination located on the Balboa Peninsula in the city of Newport Beach, Orange County, California. The Balboa Fun Zone offers both an ocean and harbor experience for an estimated seven million annual visitor ...

* Balboa Island Ferry *

Balboa Pier The Balboa Pier is one of two piers in the city of Newport Beach, Orange County, California. The other ocean pier on the Balboa Peninsula is the Newport Pier. The Balboa Pier was constructed in 1906 as a sister project of the Balboa Pavilion. Th ...

The Crab Cooker The Crab Cooker is a popular Southern California restaurant specializing in seafood that is located at 22nd Street and Newport Boulevard in Newport Beach, California, Newport Beach on the Balboa Peninsula. In 1969, ''Venture Magazine'' rated it ...

Dory Fishing Fleet The Dory Fishing Fleet and Market is a beachside fishing cooperative located in the city of Newport Beach, California. It was founded in 1891 at the base of what was then McFadden Wharf A wharf ( or wharfs), quay ( , also ), staith, or stait ...

Lovell Beach House The Lovell Beach House is located on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, California. The building was completed in 1926 and is now recognized as one of the most important works by architect Rudolf Schindler, second only to the Schindler ...

Newport Elementary School Newport-Mesa Unified School District is a school district in Orange County, California, United States, that mainly serves the cities of Newport Beach and Costa Mesa. The district was founded on July 1, 1966. It currently serves approximately 18 ...

The Wedge A wedge is a triangular-shaped simple machine. Wedge, The Wedge, or Wedges may also refer to: Common meanings * Wedge (footwear), a type of shoe * Wedge (golf), a type of golf club Culture Fictional characters * Wedge (''Transformers''), an ...

Gallery

File:Newport Beach california 5 march 9 2014 photo d ramey logan.jpg, Balboa Peninsula File:Newport Beach harbor california 6 march 9 2014 photo d ramey logan.jpg, Balboa Peninsula File:Balboa Peninsula Ferry Terminal 01.jpg, Balboa Island Ferry Terminal on Balboa Peninsula File:Balboa Peninsula Ferry Terminal 02.jpg, Balboa Island Ferry Terminal on Balboa Peninsula File:Wedge Newport Hurricane Marie photo D Ramey Logan.jpg, The Wedge: a popular destination for

skimboarding Skimboarding or skimming is a boardsport in which a skimboard (much like a surfboard but smaller and without fins) is used to glide across the water's surface to meet an incoming breaking wave, and ride it back to shore. There are currently 3 U ...

surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...

bodyboarding Bodyboarding is a water sports, water sport in which the surfing, surfer rides a bodyboard on the crest, face, and curl of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore. Bodyboarding is also referred to as ''Boogieboarding'' due to the in ...

and

bodysurfing Bodysurfing is the sport of riding a wave without the assistance of any buoyant device such as a surfboard or bodyboard. Bodysurfers often equip themselves with a pair of swimfins that aid propulsion and help the bodysurfer catch, ride, and kick ...

is at the end of the Balboa Peninsula, Newport Beach. File:Newport Harbor Sunset Photo D Ramey Logan.jpg, Newport Harbor Sunset File:Balboa Pier, Newport.JPG, Balboa Pier

References

External links

Newport Beach Elementary SchoolOur Lady of Mount Carmel Church
{{Newport Beach, California Neighborhoods in Newport Beach, California Peninsulas of California