Crystal Cove Historic District - Laguna Beach Ca

The Crystal Cove Historic District is a small part (12 acres) of Crystal Cove State Park. It consists of 46 beach cottages built mostly in the early part of the last century.  They were built primarily from wood made available when a lumber ship capsized in the area. It is one of the only remaining Southern California beach developments from early last century. It is located on a beautiful stretch of SoCal coastline, and several silent movies were filmed here in the 1920's.

This was private property until the state purchased it in 1979. People were in a bit of an uproar, because they thought the state was going to demolish all the cottages. They didn't though! In fact, the state, along with the Crystal Cove Conservancy, began a restoration project of the cottages. So far, 21 cottages are now available for overnight rental. There is a lot more information available, but I think what I just said, is just about all you need.  I apologize in advance for the poor quality of some of these photos. It was the middle of a very hazy day and the light was brutal. I would have been better off using the camera on my phone.

Judging by the cars. I'd say this photo (which I found on the CA State Parks website) was taken in the early 1940's. Even though most of the structures you see here are not in good shape today...

...most of them still stand.  The cottages in the foreground have been restored to original. This photo is from the same place as the previous one. 

The following photos are just a small part of what is left. There is also a second tier of cottages.

 There has to be at least one B&W

This is one of the restored cottages

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Laguna Niguel Lake

Another departure from the desert.

This lake is just down the hill from where we live, and is part of our local park. It's a great place and we can walk to it in just a few minutes. 

For those of you who are familiar with my granddaughter Tay, this is her younger brother. He's a bit older and bigger than this now. Either way, he is still a maniac.

It's a great place for fishing and hiking.

A common site just about everywhere this time of year.

Just a few of the Canadian Geese that spend winter and spring here. Some have even stopping migrating and seem to live here full time now. I'm pretty sure that most of these guys are gone though.

I'm not a bird expert, and don't usually post photos of them, but what the heck. They are pretty cute.

Boat rentals and one lonely goose.

Great Tailed, or Mexican Grackle. These are very common around these parts and are very much characters. They are also very smart, and will even hold a conversation with you (in their language).

Thanks to our amazing rain this year, the water level is almost to the top of this picnic table right now (if it was still sitting there). It even spilled a lot of water over the dam at the other end. The drought is over!

Sulphur Creek fills the lake

Not much of a photo, but I liked the reflections

No joke! People occasionally find them in their yards and gardens.

Time to go...

More to come relating to this place. There was once an Acjachemen/Juaneno Indian village here. Unfortunately, very little of their presence still remains today. 

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