Balboa Pavilion
Encyclopedia
The Balboa Pavilion in Newport Beach, Orange County
, California
, is a state landmark. Established on July 1, 1906, the Balboa Pavilion played a prominent role in the development of Newport Beach by attracting real estate buyers to an area formerly designated as “swamp and overflow” land.
The Balboa Pavilion is one of California's last surviving waterfront recreational pavilions from the turn of the century. The Pavilion continues to serve the public today as a marine recreational facility and is Newport Beach’s most famous landmark, as well as its oldest standing building.
The promoters built the pavilion
on the Newport Harbor
side of the sand spit and its sister project, the Balboa Pier
, on the adjacent ocean side of the sand spit, which is today called the Balboa Peninsula. These two structures were built to attract lot purchasers to this area of Newport Beach called Balboa.
freelance architect Fred R. Dorn, who would later go on to work as an associate of Stiles O. Clements
of Morgan, Walls & Clements
. On July 1, 1906, the 65 feet (19.8 m)-high Victorian
style building was fully completed to coincide with the completion of the Pacific Electric Railway
Red Car Line extension to central Balboa near the Balboa Pavilion on July 4, 1906, after only 10 days of construction.
With the extension of the Red Car line, People began to flock to Balboa and some purchased lots, and, thus, the Newport Investment Company’s plan worked.
The original building had a second story meeting room and a first story bathhouse. In the bathhouse, people could change from street attire into rented “bathing suits.” Soon, yearly Fourth of July bathing beauty parades brought large gatherings of people to Balboa.
era. On weekends the Pavilion featured such prominent bands as Count Basie
, Benny Goodman
, and the Dorsey Brothers. Phil Harris
and his band played regularly on weekdays. The dance step called the "Balboa
" originated at the Balboa Pavilion and swept across the United States.
The Pavilion had several upstairs and downstairs card rooms where patrons would gamble.
Until the later 1930s, the Pavilion offered speed boat rides. Two speedy 35 feet (10.7 m) boats would take off full speed from underneath the Balboa Pavilion with sirens blaring and race out of the bay and into the Pacific Ocean.
, Newport Harbor was the center of sport fishing activity in southern California with over 100 boats and 9 landings, one of which operated out of the Pavilion. Today, only two sport fishing landings with less than ten boats survive, one of which still operates out of the Balboa Pavilion.
In 1942, the Pavilion's owners leased the upstairs of the building to a gentleman who built and operated a ten-lane bowling
alley. Pinsetters hand set the pins.
In 1947 or 1948, the Gronsky family purchased the deteriorated Balboa Pavilion at a very low price and replaced the deteriorating original wooden pilings with large, concrete pilings. The result was a newly fortified, element-resistant city landmark.
In the later 1940’s and early 1950’s the Balboa Pavilion housed a “Skil-O-Quiz” bingo
parlor which gave prizes rather than cash. But bingo was deemed too wicked, was outlawed, and the sheriff closed the establishment down.
.
passenger service. Its president, Phil Tozer, refurbished the building’s interior to reflect the early 1900s architecture.
On May 20, 1980, the Balboa Pavilion Company branched off from Davey’s Locker and took over ownership of the Pavilion.
In late November 2005, the Balboa Pavilion Company sold the Balboa Pavilion to the Gugasians.
to Catalina Island
, small boat (skiff) rentals, whale watching, a restaurant and upstairs ballroom for banquets, receptions and conferences.
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, is a state landmark. Established on July 1, 1906, the Balboa Pavilion played a prominent role in the development of Newport Beach by attracting real estate buyers to an area formerly designated as “swamp and overflow” land.
The Balboa Pavilion is one of California's last surviving waterfront recreational pavilions from the turn of the century. The Pavilion continues to serve the public today as a marine recreational facility and is Newport Beach’s most famous landmark, as well as its oldest standing building.
Origins
On September 20, 1905, the War Department in Washington D.C. granted a group of promoters, called the “Newport Bay Investment Company,” permission to construct the Pavilion as a “boat-house, bath-house, and pavilion.”The promoters built the pavilion
Pavilion (structure)
In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
on the Newport Harbor
Newport Harbor
- Geography :* Newport Beach, California* Newport Harbor High School, in Newport Beach, Orange County, California* Newport Harbor Light, in Newport, Rhode Island* Newport, Rhode Island* Newport, Pembrokeshire...
side of the sand spit and its sister project, the Balboa Pier
Balboa Pier
The Balboa Pier is one of two piers located in the city of Newport Beach, Orange County, California. It is located in a part of Newport Beach called the Balboa Peninsula....
, on the adjacent ocean side of the sand spit, which is today called the Balboa Peninsula. These two structures were built to attract lot purchasers to this area of Newport Beach called Balboa.
Design
The pavilion was designed by Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
freelance architect Fred R. Dorn, who would later go on to work as an associate of Stiles O. Clements
Stiles O. Clements
Stiles Oliver Clements was a Los Angeles architect trained at the École des Beaux-Arts, Paris, and a key figure in the art deco movement of 1920s Los Angeles...
of Morgan, Walls & Clements
Morgan, Walls & Clements
Morgan, Walls & Clements was an architectural firm based in Los Angeles, California and responsible for many of the city's landmarks. Originally Morgan and Walls, with principals Octavius Morgan and John A. Walls, the firm worked in the area from before the turn of the century.Around 1910 Morgan's...
. On July 1, 1906, the 65 feet (19.8 m)-high Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
style building was fully completed to coincide with the completion of the Pacific Electric Railway
Pacific Electric Railway
The Pacific Electric Railway , also known as the Red Car system, was a mass transit system in Southern California using streetcars, light rail, and buses...
Red Car Line extension to central Balboa near the Balboa Pavilion on July 4, 1906, after only 10 days of construction.
The original building had a second story meeting room and a first story bathhouse. In the bathhouse, people could change from street attire into rented “bathing suits.” Soon, yearly Fourth of July bathing beauty parades brought large gatherings of people to Balboa.
Big Band era
The 1930s ushered in the Big BandBig band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
era. On weekends the Pavilion featured such prominent bands as Count Basie
Count Basie
William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...
, Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman
Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
, and the Dorsey Brothers. Phil Harris
Phil Harris
Harris and Faye married in 1941; it was a second marriage for both and lasted 54 years, until Harris's death. Harris engaged in a fistfight at the Trocadero nightclub in 1938 with RKO studio mogul Bob Stevens; the cause was reported to be over Faye after Stevens and Faye had ended a romantic...
and his band played regularly on weekdays. The dance step called the "Balboa
Balboa (dance)
Balboa today is commonly used both as a term to describe a fusion of dances that originated in Southern California during the 1920s and 1930s, and also referring to a specific dance from that era that was the original Balboa .The original Balboa dance is a form of swing dance that started as early...
" originated at the Balboa Pavilion and swept across the United States.
The Pavilion had several upstairs and downstairs card rooms where patrons would gamble.
Until the later 1930s, the Pavilion offered speed boat rides. Two speedy 35 feet (10.7 m) boats would take off full speed from underneath the Balboa Pavilion with sirens blaring and race out of the bay and into the Pacific Ocean.
Post World War II
Right after World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Newport Harbor was the center of sport fishing activity in southern California with over 100 boats and 9 landings, one of which operated out of the Pavilion. Today, only two sport fishing landings with less than ten boats survive, one of which still operates out of the Balboa Pavilion.
In 1942, the Pavilion's owners leased the upstairs of the building to a gentleman who built and operated a ten-lane bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
alley. Pinsetters hand set the pins.
Decay
Because the Pavilion is anchored on a narrow strip of sandy waterfront, about 90% of the building was supported on wooden pilings, which extend over the bay. In 1947, the wooden pilings deteriorated, and the building began to collapse into the bay.In 1947 or 1948, the Gronsky family purchased the deteriorated Balboa Pavilion at a very low price and replaced the deteriorating original wooden pilings with large, concrete pilings. The result was a newly fortified, element-resistant city landmark.
In the later 1940’s and early 1950’s the Balboa Pavilion housed a “Skil-O-Quiz” bingo
Bingo (US)
Bingo is a game of chance played with randomly drawn numbers which players match against numbers that have been pre-printed on 5x5 matrices. The matrices may be printed on paper, card stock or electronically represented and are referred to as cards. Many versions conclude the game when the first...
parlor which gave prizes rather than cash. But bingo was deemed too wicked, was outlawed, and the sheriff closed the establishment down.
Museum usage
In 1954, Gronsky instituted a shell museum upstairs. The museum displayed over 2.5 million shells. Eventually, the shell fish collection was donated to Bowers Museum in Santa AnaSanta Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
.
Restoration
In 1961, the Gronskys sold the Balboa Pavilion to Ducommun Realty Company of Los Angeles. Edmond G. “Alan” Ducommun’s “mission” was to restore the building to its original 1906 look, and he generously invested an estimated one million dollars into the property. In 1963, Ducommun added 1500 lights to the buildings exterior which remain on the building today. These lights, along with the Cupula on top of the building, additionally serve as a navigation beacon for night boat travelers.Purchase
In 1969, Davey’s Locker Inc., a sport fishing operation, purchased the Balboa Pavilion to provide a permanent terminal for the expansion of its Catalina IslandSanta Catalina Island, California
Santa Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is long and across at its greatest width. The island is located about south-southwest of Los Angeles, California. The highest point on the island is...
passenger service. Its president, Phil Tozer, refurbished the building’s interior to reflect the early 1900s architecture.
On May 20, 1980, the Balboa Pavilion Company branched off from Davey’s Locker and took over ownership of the Pavilion.
In late November 2005, the Balboa Pavilion Company sold the Balboa Pavilion to the Gugasians.
Pavilion today
Currently, the Balboa Pavilion is used as a marine recreation facility, with sport fishing boats, the transportation terminala for the Catalina FlyerCatalina Flyer
thumb|right|300px|The Catalina Flyer, with the [[Catalina Casino]] in the background.The Catalina Flyer is a 500 passenger catamaran ferry operated by Catalina Passenger Service....
to Catalina Island
Santa Catalina Island, California
Santa Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is long and across at its greatest width. The island is located about south-southwest of Los Angeles, California. The highest point on the island is...
, small boat (skiff) rentals, whale watching, a restaurant and upstairs ballroom for banquets, receptions and conferences.
See also
- Balboa Fun ZoneBalboa Fun ZoneThe Balboa Fun Zone is a small amusement park located on the Balboa Peninsula in the city of Newport Beach, Orange County, California. However, little is left of the original park....
(Est. 1936). Rides, food, shops, merry-go-round, and Ferris wheelFerris wheelA Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
. - Balboa Island FerryBalboa Island FerryThe Balboa Island Car Ferry is a ferry service in Newport Beach, California.The ferry boats travel under 1,000 feet from Balboa Island to the Balboa Peninsula and vice versa, reaching a top speed of four miles per hour. The speed limit in the harbor is 5 miles per hour, and the ferry docks about...
(Est. 1919). Transports vehicles and people from Balboa IslandBalboa Island, Newport Beach, CaliforniaBalboa Island is an area of Newport Beach, California, actually comprising three modified or artificial islands in Newport Harbor: Balboa Island , the largest; the smaller Little Balboa Island to the east of Balboa Island, joined by a two-lane bridge; and the smallest Collins Island to the...
to the Balboa Peninsula. - Balboa PierBalboa PierThe Balboa Pier is one of two piers located in the city of Newport Beach, Orange County, California. It is located in a part of Newport Beach called the Balboa Peninsula....
(Est. 1906). - The Wedge (surfing)The Wedge (surfing)The Wedge is a world-famous surfing and bodysurfing spot located at the extreme east end of the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, California. During a south swell of the right size and direction, the Wedge can produce huge waves up to high....
. A fun place to go to watch crazy surfers on rare giant south swell days.
External links
- http://www.balboapavilion.com/history.html
- http://www.balboapavilion.com/Photospavilion.html
- http://www.balboapavilion.com/animals_at_Balboa_Pavilion.html