LOOKING BACK

Young Chang

Before Costa Mesa’s city government began to operate out of its huge

and official-looking building on Fair Drive, it had two different homes.

The first city hall was located in the 100 block of East 20th Street,

from 1953 to 1957. It was a small, one-story space about as big as a

modern-day gift shop, shoe store or perhaps a dentist’s office.

A glass-encased photo at the Costa Mesa Historical Society shows this

first building, with its first team of employees standing out front.

Margaret Peterman is pictured.

“We call Margaret, Peg,” said Alvin “Bud” Anderson, a volunteer at the

society.

Peg Peterman handles membership for the society today.

The February edition of the “Mesa Breeze,” published by Costa Mesa

Realtor Dave Leighton, says the building sat behind a gas station and had

a small garage where the police department began its business.

A man named Gus Beach owned the land, says Leighton’s newsletter, and

he eventually moved the gas station that sat in front of City Hall.

The city’s first mayor was Charles TeWinkle, according to Bob Wilson’s

“From Goat Hill to City of the Arts: The History of Costa Mesa,” and he

kept the position for nine months. The first city manager was George W.

Coffey, the first city clerk was Arlington “Arlie” Swartz and the first

city engineer was Donovan Southworth.

In 1957, City Hall moved to its second spot -- to the 600 block of

West 19th Street. The space was bigger and city officials operated out of

the building for 10 years.

“Slice of Orange: The History of Costa Mesa” by Edrick J. Miller tells

us that the city needed to start a treasury about this time, so council

members each contributed $20 to set one up.

Also in 1957, Costa Mesa got its official city seal.

Ten years later, council members moved to yet another new home -- it’s

current plush spot on Fair Drive.

Today, as in the ‘50s, City Hall is neighbored by the city’s main

police station.

* Do you know of a person, place or event that deserves a historical

Look Back? Let us know. Contact Young Chang by fax at (949) 646-4170;

e-mail at [email protected]; or mail her at c/o Daily Pilot, 330 W.

Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627.