Early Costa Mesa

By Costa Mesa Historical Society

Three emerging communities from the partitioned Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana formed the improbable start for a city that would eventually proclaim itself the "City of the Arts." These farming communities--Fairview, Paularino, and Harper--attracted families and businesspeople. Community leaders then took pragmatic steps to meet local needs such as schools, churches, and a water supply. Harper's first land developer appealed to folks of modest means by advertising, "You! Five Acres." By 1920, Harper needed a broader identity and a local businessman proposed a naming contest, offering a $25 prize. "Costa Mesa," recognizing the area's heritage and geography, reaped the reward. Eight years later, voters handily defeated the City of Santa Ana's annexation attempt by a margin of five to one. The Great Depression, the 1933 Long Beach earthquake, and the 1938 Santa Ana River flood then besieged the fledgling community. Undaunted, Costa Mesa continued to grow. By 1939, the stage had been set for the postwar miracle that would become the modern city of Costa Mesa.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Release date: Sep 18, 2012
• ISBN: 9781439623114

Costa Mesa Historical Society

The Costa Mesa Historical Society is an all-volunteer group formed in 1966. The society works with the City of Costa Mesa and other groups to preserve and promote local history.

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INTRODUCTION

Some of the earliest remnants of Costa Mesa history were uncovered in April 1935 when archaeologists found evidence of an old Native American village and burial ground on the bluffs above the Santa Ana River near Adams Avenue. This village, called Lukup, was home to hunter-gatherers who subsisted on a diet of acorns, seeds, berries, small game, fish, and shellfish. Although these people left no written history, archaeological evidence obtained since 1935 suggests Native Americans had inhabited the area for more than 3,000 years.

Even though Spain discovered California in 1542, it would be 1769 before an overland expedition, under the command of Don Gaspar de Portolá, passed through the area. In 1810, a soldier in that 1769 expedition, José Antonio Yorba, and his nephew, Juan Pablo Peralta, were granted 62,500 acres in what would become Orange County. Known as the Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana, the acreage was turned to raising cattle in concert with the hide and tallow trade established at Mission San Juan Capistrano. It was during this period that three adobe shelters were built at locations shown on the map on page 2. Of these, only the Diego Sepulveda Adobe survives. This adobe, also known as the Estancia Adobe, serves as Costa Mesa’s premier historic building and reminder of the area’s early Spanish heritage.

In 1821, Mexico won independence from Spain, and subsequently California came under Mexican control. Cattle herding still was the main activity, but Mexican administration led to more parceling of land, privatization of mission property, and introduction of land inheritance customs that paved the way for the real estate boom at the end of the 19th century. Moreover, ownership of land was hotly contested after Mexico ceded California to the United States in 1848. By 1868, the Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana was split into 73 parcels ranging in size from 25 to 12,155 acres. The present city limits of Costa Mesa include two of these parcels and portions of two others, as shown on page 2. By 1880, a majority of the larger land parcels were subdivided again. Fueled by a Southern California land boom, hundreds of land transfers took place in the area by 1888, ushering in the next chapter in Costa Mesa’s history—three early communities.

The boomtown of Fairview, the farming community of Paularino, and the village of Harper once thrived within Costa Mesa’s current boundaries. Fairview got its start in 1887 with the help of railroad rate wars. Within a year, Fairview boasted several stores, a post office, newspaper, church, school, three-story hotel, mineral bath, and railroad. Just as quickly, boom turned to bust as the town started into decline in 1889 after the tracks of the Santa Ana, Fairview, and Pacific Railroad were washed out. Meanwhile, the neighboring farming community of Paularino, named after Eduardo Polloreno, continued to maintain its rural atmosphere, consisting of a few scattered farmhouses, a public school, railroad siding, and warehouse. The arrival of retail, commercial, and residential development would have to wait until Costa Mesa annexed the area many years later.

The year 1891 marked the beginning of the village of Harper, named after Gregory Harper Jr., a rancher who came to the area after the Fairview boom. Unlike Fairview, the village of Harper had staying power mainly because of the building of the Santa Ana and Newport Railroad and the arrival of grain farmers. These two factors created enough economic activity to sustain a local population. After 1906, the impact of land developers and nearby oil discoveries promoted further settlement. Ozment’s General Store became the first commercial building in 1908. A year later, Harper’s first post office opened. The addition of stores, schools, churches, roads, and water systems gave substance to the village. Streets were laid out, and the beginnings of Costa Mesa became evident. Tracts grew up around the core village. The Fairview Farms, Newport Mesa, Newport Heights, and Santa Ana Heights tracts (see map on page 2) each featured 5-acre plots and their own water distribution systems.

By 1920, the community found itself in want of a new name. First, there was confusion with nearby Harperville, as freight shipments were mixed up. Perhaps more importantly, local leaders wanted a name that would reflect the larger community that had developed. What better way to choose a new name than to conduct a contest, giving everyone a shot at naming the new community? The winner of the $25 prize was Alice Plumer, with her entry Costa Mesa, a Spanish phrase that translates to coastal tableland.

During the Roaring Twenties, Costa Mesa continued to grow as the agricultural base shifted to smaller farms and ranches. During 1923, approximately 250 new buildings were erected. In January 1924, the Santa Ana Register reported, Costa Mesa on Highroad to Real City. Costa Mesa soon established its first volunteer fire department and employed its first policeman. As an unincorporated community, Costa Mesa was governed by county supervisors, headquartered in far-off Santa Ana. Local leadership emerged through special districts and organizations such as school boards, water boards, the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce, Women’s Club, and Lions Club. As early as 1925, the chamber was discussing the concept of home rule. The City of Santa Ana took note of the developing community and launched an annexation attempt in 1928. Local voters turned down the proposal by a 5-1 margin.

Soon afterward, the new community experienced a series of challenges. First, the Great Depression visited Costa Mesa as surely as it visited every community in America. The city slowed down but did not stall. In fact, two new schools were opened by 1931. January 1932 saw a setback with the closing of the Costa Mesa branch of the Bank of Balboa. The effects of the Depression were aggravated