Capistrano Beach, Dana Point, California

Capistrano Beach, or Capo Beach, is a coastal neighborhood in the city of Dana Point in Orange County, California.[2] It is bordered by San Clemente to the south and Doheny State Beach to the north.

Capistrano Beach
District of Dana Point
Capistrano Beach
Coordinates: 33°27′45″N 117°40′18″W[1]
Country United States
State California
County Orange
CityDana Point
Elevation16 m (51 ft)
Time zoneUTC-8 (PST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code
92624
Area code(s)949

Capistrano Beach is situated along the coast on the southern end of Dana Point. Homes range from beach cottages to some of the finest real estate in Orange County. Many multimillion-dollar homes can be found in the area, with some situated atop a cliff overlooking Coast Highway and the Capistrano Beach park below. Several celebrities live in the town area, notably on Beach Road, where Hobie Alter conceived of the popular Hobie Cat catamaran.[3] There are modest, older homes a little farther from the shore.

History

Rancho Boca de la Playa, granted to Don Emigdio Vejar, was the initial land title issued in the area now known as Capistrano Beach. The land was sold to Juan Abila in 1860, and then purchased by Marcus A Forster in 1886. Forster sold a strip of the land to the San Bernardino and San Diego Railway.[4] The railway, in collaboration with the California Central Railway, built a rail line between Los Angeles and San Diego, with a station at Capistrano. The station was initially named San Juan by the Sea, but in 1910 was changed to Serra, the name of the newly formed school district.[5][1]

Development of Capistrano Beach started in 1925 with residential homes on the bluff. The Capistrano Beach Club was built along the shore of the new development. In 1929, the Petroleum Securities Company (owned by Edward L. Doheny) became the new owners of the Capistrano Beach development.[6] In 1931, following the death of Doheny's son, he donated over 40 acres (16 ha) to the state for Doheny State Beach.[7] Capistrano Beach became part of the city of Dana Point in 1989.[8]

During the excavation of the land during development, the bones of a mastodon (or possibly a mammoth) were discovered in 2016.[9]

The 1,180 feet (360 m) wooden pier is popular for strolling, sightseeing, and fishing. The pier was severely damaged by waves in 1964, after which it was condemned and demolisded 1965.[10] The Capistrano Beach Club became rundown and, in the late 1960s, was dismantled.[6]

During storms in 2018, a boardwalk collapsed and an outdoor basketball court was severely damaged after being undermined by erosion caused by the waves. The storm exposed old cars put there decades prior as part of a now corroded sea wall. More Boulders were placed to protect the basketball court that was damaged.[11][12]

  • Capistrano Beach from the sea, c. 1900
  • Rock arches at Capistrano Beach in 1910
  • Rock arches at Capistrano Beach in 1910
  • The San Juan Creek's southwestern mouth at Capistrano Beach
  • Capistrano Beach sea bluffs in 2005
  • Santa Fe 3751 in Capistrano Beach in May 2010
  • A lifeguard stand at Capistrano Beach

See also

References
  1. "Capistrano Beach". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. "Capistrano Beach County Park". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 6, 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-02.
  3. http://www.danapointtimes.com/hobie-alter-farewell-to-a-pioneer-of-fun/
  4. "It's History: Rancho Boca de la Playa Plants Capistrano Beach Roots". Dana Point Times. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
  5. Gudde, Erwin Gustav (1949). California Place Names: A Geographical Dictionary. Berkley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press. p. 326.
  6. "It's History: A Lost Beachfront Treasure". Dana Point Times. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
  7. "Tracing the history of Dana Point". The Orange County Register. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
  8. "How Capo Beach became a part of Dana Point". The Orange County Register. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
  9. "It's History: The Capistrano Mastadon [sic]". Dana Point Times. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
  10. "It's History: Capistrano Pier, Only Memories Remain". Dana Point Times. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
  11. Connelly, Laylan. "Capo Beach crumbles with walkway destroyed, palms uprooted, old buried cars exposed from surf battering". OC Register. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  12. Do, Ahn (2018-12-07). "Residents fear losing Capistrano Beach as storms chip away at their 'piece of paradise'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2019-10-03.


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