View and Discuss Historic Laguna Beach Photographs from the Orange County Public Library

The Laguna Beach Historical Society will be presenting a program Monday, April 19th “View and Discuss Historic Laguna Beach Photographs from the Orange County Public Library” by Historical Society Board Members Eric Jessen & Gene Felder. The program is from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and will be held at the Laguna Beach City Hall Council Chambers, 505 Forest Avenue. The public is invited and there is no charge.

City Engineer Steve May sent the Historical Society a photo of the 1926 opening of Coast Highway that we had never seen before. He had gotten it from www.OCPL.org and online is quite a collection of Laguna Beach historical photographs from the Orange County Public Library. The Society encourages those interested to come to view, and to better identify the photographs. The collection is online at www.OCPL.org under Historical Images Collection.

For example, there is a 1925 photograph of Leif G. Glomstad surveying the very empty area around Wendt Terrace and Thalia Street. He built several tracts in Laguna, lived on what is now Glomstad Lane. Glomstad Lane is off of Wendt Terrace.

The Laguna Beach Historical Society has a web site to view historic photographs at www.Laguna-Historical-Society.smugmug.com. For those having treasured historic photographs or printed material, the Historical Society is happy to scan them electronically and return them to the owners. This way there will be a record preserved for future generations without the necessity for the owners to relinquish the item. Viewers are invited to leave comments to help the Society better identify or date the photographs. At the web site, prints can also be purchase; for example an 8” by 10” glossy for $6.97 plus tax and shipping.

There is a new Laguna Beach Sightseeing Catamaran Tour from Dana Point Harbor, Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00pm - 3:00pm that the Society recommends. See www.danawharf.com for details.

Step back into 1920s Laguna by visiting the Laguna Beach Historical Society Murphy-Smith Bungalow which located at 278 Ocean Avenue and which is opened to the public at no-charge every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. New Historical Society Board Member Karen Smith is now in charge of displays, and the Bungalow’s interior looks better than it has before. The closet now has period clothing which Karen wears when volunteering the 2nd Saturday and Sunday of each month.

Those interested in supporting and joining the Laguna Beach Historical Society should send $15 per individual, $25 per household or $50 per business/organization to 278 Ocean Avenue, Laguna Beach CA 92651. The Laguna Beach Historical Society is a section 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Tax ID #33-0519882.