Editing Laguna Beach, California (section)

==History==

=== Tongva Era ===
Laguna Beach was the site of a prehistoric paleoindian civilization.<ref>{{cite book |title=Archaeology in America: An Encyclopedia |chapter=The Earliest Inhabitants and Sites |first1=Francis P. |last1=McManamon |first2=Linda S. |last2=Cordell |first3=Kent G. |last3=Lightfoot |first4=George R. |last4=Milner |publisher=[[Greenwood Publishing Group]] |date=December 2008 |isbn=978-0-313-33184-8 |page=22}}</ref> In 1933, the first fossilized skull of a paleoindian found in California was uncovered during construction on St. Ann's Drive.<ref>{{cite news |title=His 38-Year Affair With 'Laguna Woman'; Amateur Archaeologist Tells Affair With 'Laguna Woman' |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |last=Driscoll |first=Marjie |date=November 4, 1971 |page=H4}}</ref> Known as "Laguna Woman", the skull originally was [[Radiocarbon dating|radiocarbon dated]] to more than 17,000 [[Before Present|BP]], but revised measurements suggest it originated during the [[Holocene]] era, 11,700 years BP.<ref>{{cite book |title=Archaeological Chemistry |url=https://archive.org/details/archaeologicalch00poll_583 |url-access=limited |first1=A. Mark |last1=Pollard |first2=Carl |last2=Heron |publisher=[[Royal Society of Chemistry]] |year=2008 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/archaeologicalch00poll_583/page/n299 281]–84 |isbn=978-0-85404-262-3}}</ref> Subsequent research has found several prehistoric encampment sites in the area.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Chace |first=Paul G. |year=1965 |title=A History of Archaeology in Orange County |journal=Pacific Coast Archaeological Society Quarterly |volume=1 |issue=3 |pages=3–23 |issn=0552-7252 }}</ref>

The indigenous people of the Laguna Beach area were the Tongva. [[Aliso Creek (Orange County)|Aliso Creek]] served as a territorial boundary between [[Gabrieleno]] and [[Acjachemen]] groups, or [[Juanenos|Juaneños]], named by Spanish missionaries who first encountered them in the 1500s.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Cameron |first=Constance |title=Determining tribal boundaries through potsherds-an archaeological perspective |journal=Pacific Coast Archaeological Society Quarterly |volume=35 |issue=2/3 |year=1999 |pages=96–126 |issn=0552-7252 |url=http://www.pcas.org/Vol35N23/3523Cameron.pdf }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Archaeology in America: An Encyclopedia |first1=Francis P. |last1=McManamon |first2=Linda S. |last2=Cordell |first3=Kent G. |last3=Lightfoot |first4=George R. |last4=Milner |publisher=[[Greenwood Publishing Group]] |date=December 2008 |isbn=978-0-313-33184-8 |page=97}}</ref> The area of [[Laguna Canyon]] was named on an 1841 Mexican land grant map as {{lang|es|Cañada de las Lagunas}} (English: Glen of the Lagoons).<ref>{{cite book|last=Gudde|first=Erwin Gustav|title=California Place Names: The Origin and Etymology of Current Geographical Names|url=https://archive.org/details/californiaplacen0000gudd|url-access=registration|edition=3rd|year=1969|publisher=University of California Press|location=Berkeley and Los Angeles, California|page=[https://archive.org/details/californiaplacen0000gudd/page/170 170]}}</ref> 

=== American era ===
After the [[Mexican–American War]] ended in 1848, the area of [[Alta California]] was ceded to the United States pursuant to the [[Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo]]. The treaty provided that Mexican land grants be honored and [[Rancho San Joaquin]], which included north Laguna Beach, was [[Land patent|granted]] to [[Sepúlveda family of California|José Antonio Andres Sepúlveda]] prior to the war. Following a drought in 1864, Sepúlveda sold the property to [[James Irvine (landowner)|James Irvine]].<ref name="CCC">{{cite book|last=[[California Coastal Commission]]|title=The California Coastal Resource Guide|date=November 6, 1987|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-06186-6|pages=[https://archive.org/details/californiacoasta00cali/page/324 324–25]|url=https://archive.org/details/californiacoasta00cali/page/324}}</ref> The majority of Laguna Beach was one of the few parcels of coastal land in Southern California that never was included in any Mexican land grant.<ref name="CCC" />
[[File:Hotel Laguna pre-1917.jpg|thumb|left|Pre-1917 postcard of Joseph Yoch's original Hotel Laguna, built in 1888 and replaced in 1930]]
[[File:Laguna Beach Main Beach, Sayles Dance Hall at left, Hotel Laguna Beach in center - Tom Pulley Postcard Collection-L.jpg|thumb|left|View of the Main Beach c. 1915]]
[[File:Laguna Beach, Festival of the Arts Sign.jpg|thumb|Laguna Beach, Festival of the Arts Sign]]
Settlers arrived after the [[American Civil War]]. They were encouraged by the [[Homestead Act]] and [[Timber Culture Act]], which granted up to {{convert|160|acre}} of land to a homesteader who would plant at least {{convert|40|acre}} of trees. In Laguna Beach, settlers planted groves of [[eucalyptus]] trees.<ref>{{cite book|last=Vogel|first=Claire Marie|title=Laguna Beach|series=Images of America|date=March 31, 2009|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=978-0-7385-6997-0|page=36}}</ref> In 1871, the first permanent homestead in the area was occupied by the George and Sarah Thurston family of Utah on {{convert|152|acre}} of [[Aliso Creek Canyon]].<ref name="Boyd">{{cite web|url=http://www.lagunabeachindy.com/early-days-of-a-pioneering-laguna-family/|title=Early Days of a Pioneering Laguna Family|last=Boyd|first=Michelle|date=March 31, 2011|publisher=Laguna Beach Independent|access-date=October 8, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first=Joseph Smith |last=Thurston |year=1947 |title=Laguna Beach of Early Days |publisher=Murray & Gee |oclc=3512568 }}</ref> In 1876, the brothers William and Lorenzo Nathan "Nate" Brooks purchased tracts of land in Bluebird Canyon at present-day Diamond Street. They subdivided their land, built homes and initiated the small community of Arch Beach.<ref name="Turnbull">{{cite book |last=Turnbull|first=Karen|title=A Hundred Years of Yesterdays: Centennial History of the People of Orange County & Their Communities|editor=Ester R. Cramer|date=January 1, 1988 |publisher=Orange County Centennial Inc.|location=Santa Ana|oclc=18979450}}</ref> In his book, ''History of Orange County, California'' (1921), Samuel Armor cited the permanent homestead of Nate Brooks as the beginning of the modern day town and described Brooks as the "Father of Laguna Beach".<ref>{{cite book|last=Armor|first=Samuel|title=History of Orange County, California|url=https://archive.org/details/historyoforangec00armo|year=1921|publisher=Historic Record Company|location=Los Angeles|pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyoforangec00armo/page/478 478]–81}}</ref>

The community in Laguna Canyon and around the main beach expanded during the 1880s. The city officially founded a post office in 1887 under the name Lagona, but the postmaster in 1904, Nicholas Isch, successfully petitioned for a name correction to Laguna Beach.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Talber|first1=Thomas B.|last2=MacAuthur|first2=Mildred Yorba|last3=Meadows|first3=Don C.|title=The Historical Volume and Reference Works: Orange County|year=1963|publisher=Historical Publishers|page=241}}</ref> By then Laguna Beach already had developed into a tourist destination.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Clemence|first=Sara|date=May 23, 2005|title=Lavish Laguna Living|journal=Forbes Magazine|url=https://www.forbes.com/2005/05/23/cx_sc_0523how.html}}</ref> Hubbard Goff built a large hotel at Arch Beach in 1886, which later was moved and added to Joseph Yoch's Laguna Beach Hotel built in 1888 on the main beach.<ref>{{cite book|last=Vogel|first=Claire Marie|title=Laguna Beach|series=Images of America|date=March 31, 2009|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=978-0-7385-6997-0|page=17}}</ref> Visitors from local cities pitched tents on the beaches for vacation during the warm summers.<ref name="Neisser">{{cite journal|last=Neisser|first=JaPatmes|date=April 12, 1979|title=Laguna Beach: Orange County's Eclectic Village|journal=[[Orange Coast Magazine]]|volume=5|issue=4|pages=10–16|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Zg0EAAAAMBAJ&q=Lagonas+%22Laguna+Beach%22&pg=PA10|access-date=October 8, 2013}}</ref>

=== 20th century ===
The scenic beauty of the isolated coastline and hills attracted [[plein-air]] painters in the early 1900s. [[William Wendt]], [[Frank Cuprien]], and [[Edgar Payne]] among others settled there and formed the Laguna Beach Art Association. The first art gallery opened in 1918 and later became the [[Laguna Beach Art Museum]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lagunaartmuseum.org/about-us/|title=History|year=2013|work=About Us|publisher=Laguna Art Museum|access-date=October 8, 2013|archive-date=September 30, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130930135824/http://lagunaartmuseum.org/about-us/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Precursors to The Festival of Arts and the Pageant of the Masters began in 1921, and eventually were established in their present-day form by Roy Ropp in 1936.<ref>{{cite book|last=Vogel|first=Claire Marie|title=Laguna Beach|series=Images of America|chapter=4 Art, Festivals and Films| date=March 31, 2009|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=978-0-7385-6997-0|pages=77–86}}</ref> Due to its proximity to [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]], Laguna also became a favorite filming location. Starting in 1913, dozens of silent films were made at local coves with [[Harold Lloyd]], [[Mary Pickford]], [[Douglas Fairbanks Jr.]], and others. Actors and film crews stayed during long production shoots at the Arch Beach Tavern on the hillside above Moss Street.<ref>{{cite book|last=Sleeper |first=Jim|author-link=Jim Sleeper|title=Great movies shot in Orange County that will live forever (or at least until 1934)|year=1980|publisher=California Classics |location=Trabuco Canyon, CA}}</ref>

The arrival of painters, photographers, filmmakers, and writers established Laguna Beach as a noted artist community.<ref name="Neisser" /> Although there only were approximately 300 residents in 1920, a large proportion of them worked in creative fields.<ref name="249-250">{{cite book|last1=Talber|first1=Thomas B.|last2=MacAuthur|first2=Mildred Yorba|last3=Meadows|first3=Don C.|title=The Historical Volume and Reference Works: Orange County|year=1963|publisher=Historical Publishers|pages=249–50}}</ref> The small town remained isolated until 1926 because the long, winding Laguna Canyon road served as the only access.<ref name="249-250" /> With the completion of the [[California State Route 1|Pacific Coast Highway]] in 1926, a population boom was expected. To protect the small-town atmosphere of the art colony, residents who called themselves "Lagunatics" pushed for incorporation.<ref name="249-250" /> The municipal government for Laguna Beach incorporated as a city on June 29, 1927.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lagunabeachcity.net/about/overview.htm|title=City of Laguna Beach. Overview|access-date=April 29, 2009|publisher=City of Laguna Beach|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416075759/http://www.lagunabeachcity.net/about/overview.htm|archive-date=April 16, 2009}}</ref> The city has experienced steady population growth since that time, rising from 1,900 residents in 1927 to more than 10,000 in 1962, and becoming four times larger in area.<ref name="249-250" />

Many creative, bohemian, and wealthy people have made Laguna Beach their home. They have added to the local culture by providing a theme for the small town. Adventurer [[Richard Halliburton]] built his [[Hangover House]] on the slopes of South Laguna. Hildegarde Hawthorne, granddaughter of the novelist [[Nathaniel Hawthorne]], described Laguna "as a child of that deathless search, particularly by persons who devote their lives to painting or writing, or for some place where beauty and cheapness and a trifle of remoteness hobnob together in a delightful companionship."<ref>Gerry Max, ''Horizon Chasers: The Lives and Adventures of Richard Halliburton and Paul Mooney'' (McFarland, 2007), p. 67 and 258n9 for references.</ref>

Laguna Beach was the Southern California epicenter of the 'alternative' [[hippie culture]] in the late 1960s and early 1970s.<ref name="Schou">{{cite book|last=Schou|first=Jonathan |title=Orange Sunshine: The Brotherhood of Eternal Love and Its Quest to Spread Peace, Love, and Acid to the World|date=March 16, 2010|publisher=St. Martin's Press|location=New York|pages=2–8}}</ref><ref>Liz Goldner. [https://www.kcet.org/shows/artbound/laguna-beach-in-the-1960s-and-1970s-photos "Laguna Beach in the Sixties: A Colony for the Arts,"], KCET Artbound, January 25, 2016.</ref> In early 1967, John Griggs and other founding members of  [[the Brotherhood of Eternal Love]] relocated from [[Modjeska Canyon]] to the Woodland Drive neighborhood of Laguna Beach, which they later renamed "Dodge City".<ref name="Schou" /> [[Timothy Leary]] lived in a beach house on Gaviota Drive.<ref>{{cite book|last=Schou |first=Jonathan|title=Orange Sunshine: The Brotherhood of Eternal Love and Its Quest to Spread Peace, Love, and Acid to the World|date=March 16, 2010|publisher=St. Martin's Press|location=New York|page=69}}</ref> The Utsava Rajneesh Meditation Center was located on Laguna Canyon Road and was the last remaining commune in the United States for followers of the spiritual teacher and guru Osho, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh.<ref>{{cite web |last1=EMMONS |first1=STEVE |title=Rajneesh Meditation Center Giving Way to Children's Day-Care Facility |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-10-19-me-5989-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=July 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120061459/http://articles.latimes.com/1986-10-19/local/me-5989_1_meditation-center |archive-date=January 20, 2012 |url-status=live |date=October 19, 1986}}</ref> 

The city was deemed a smoke-free place by Laguna Beach Council on May 23, 2017. Ordinance 1624 was imposed by the Beach Council to prohibit smoking in all public places in the city.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://lagunabeachcity.net/resident/smoking.htm|title=City of Laguna Beach - Smoke-Free Public Places|website=lagunabeachcity.net|language=en|access-date=October 4, 2018|archive-date=October 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181004185753/http://lagunabeachcity.net/resident/smoking.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Since the founding of Laguna Beach Art Association in 1913, the community has been considered an open-minded artist village. <ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Lewinnek |first=Elaine |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv2j6xf5f |title=A People's Guide to Orange County |last2=Arellano |first2=Gustavo |last3=Vo Dang |first3=Thuy |date=2022 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-29995-5 |edition=1 |volume=4}}</ref> The election of Robert F. Gentry in 1982 marked the first openly gay elected official in southern California and the first openly gay mayor in the state. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Robert Gentry Papers |url=https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8k64jv6/ |access-date=2025-05-15 |website=oac.cdlib.org}}</ref> The city has held a sizable LGBTQ population since the 20th century. The Boom Boom Room of the Coast Inn was a nightclub and disco that predominately catered to the gay community until it shut down in 2007. <ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://www.coastinnlagunabeach.com/history |access-date=2025-05-15 |website=Coast Inn |language=en-US}}</ref>

===1993 fire===
In October 1993, a fire in Laguna Beach destroyed or damaged 441 homes and burned more than {{convert|14,000|acre}}. The National Fire Protection Association listed it as the seventh-largest loss wildland fire in the United States.<ref>{{cite news|title=Remembering the Day Laguna Beach Burned|newspaper=[[The Orange County Register]]|date=October 27, 2013|page=News 1}}</ref> To avoid a recurrence of the damage to animals that occurred during the fire, a [[wildlife corridor]] is being created between Laguna Beach and the Cleveland National Forest in order to ensure that animals can retreat from fire safely if needed.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Brazil|first=Ben|date=January 29, 2021|title=Progress made on wildlife corridor connecting O.C. coast with Cleveland National Forest|url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-01-29/progress-made-on-crucial-wildlife-corridor-connecting-o-c-coast-with-cleveland-national-forest|access-date=November 3, 2021|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}}</ref>