Huntington Beach, CA news and local guide

Beach Boulevard began as a cattle trail for the rancho. The place went by many names: Shell Beach, the town of Smeltzer, and Gospel Swamp, for revival meetings held in the marsh where Golden West College now stands. It was later Fairview and then Pacific City as it grew into a tourist spot. To get a connection to the Pacific Electric Red Cars, Pacific City gave great influence to the railroad magnate Henry E. Huntington, and the town took his name. The first pier, a 1,000-foot timber structure, was built in 1904. Huntington Beach was incorporated on February 17, 1909, with Ed Manning as its first mayor. Its first developer was Huntington's Huntington Beach Company, which still owns much land and most of the mineral rights and is now owned by Chevron. An encyclopedia company once gave away lots in the area to anyone who bought a full set for $126, and the buyers got more than they expected when oil was discovered. Oil pumps still dot the city. In its early years the town also grew lima beans, asparagus, peppers, celery and sugar beets, and Holly Sugar's processing plant, a major employer, was later turned into an oil refinery. Sources Wikipedia: Huntington Beach, California