"Crystal Cove" was named in 1927 by Elizabeth Wood "because
the name seemed right for such a beautiful place." The site was
always a favorite spot of the owners James Irvine II and James Irvine
III, who spent much time enjoying the beach setting. They generously
allowed employees and friends to build small shelters and cottages along
the beach and against the bluffs.
During these years, the cottages were close to the creek that drained
Los Trancos Canyon. Tents were pitched on the beach. A parking area for
cars was developed at the foot of the canyon. Sometime in the 1920's,
a lumber ship capsized and wood suitable for construction of more cottages
drifted ashore.
It became a tradition for many families who had enjoyed the Cove since
the 1920's to return to this favored place each summer. The Irvine Family
had been generous with permission for the construction of the cottages
that still line the beach today, virtually unchanged. In the late 1930's,
as the cottage owners made improvements and lengthened their stay, the
Irvine Family decided that those with cottages must make a choice. They
were invited to either move their cottages elsewhere or to relinquish
ownership and lease their cottages from The Irvine Company.
This short term leasing system actually served to preserve Crystal Cove
in its original form since the leases specified that no dimensional changes
could be made to the cottages. This single act ensured that the area
appears much as it did in the 1920's with the exception of the absence
of seasonal visitors who are no longer allowed to pitch tents on the
beach.
In the mid-seventies, Martha Padve learned of the California State Parks’ interest
in acquiring Crystal Cove. Mrs. Padve and her husband had been weekend
residents of the Cove for nearly 20 years. Her interest in historic preservation
in her home town of Pasadena led her to explore placing Crystal Cove
on the National Register of Historic Places, thereby saving the cottages
for future use. With the help and advice of another Cove resident, historian
Christine Shirley, and of Elsa Burns, a preservationist from San Juan
Capistrano, Mrs. Padve researched the early history of Crystal Cove and
its resident community. She wrote a successful proposal adopted by members
of the State Historical Commission, who recommended it for National Register
status.
In 1979, the State of California purchased the land from The Irvine
Company to form a state park named after Crystal Cove.
Crystal Cove Film History
In the 1920's, the primitive and beautiful Crystal Cove attracted the
attention of the booming silent film industry. Palm trees are shown as
early as 1917 in photographs, and a "paradise of the south seas" was
created for film makers who could easily reach this location by rail
and spare themselves the expense of an actual location trip. Small cottages
were built and thatched with palms, and Crystal Cove took on the exotic
appearance of Hawaii or Tahiti. For years every cottage built at Crystal
Cove kept its palm thatch, because the needs of the filmmakers were considered.
Films reportedly shot here include Rain, Treasure Island, Half a Bridge,
and White Shadows of the South Seas. At Table Rock, located at the southernmost
end of Crystal Cove, the film Storm Tossed was made in 1921. |
