Wurfl, John | Balboa Island Museum

top of page

Call: 949.675.3952

VISIT
SUPPORT
LEARN
EVENTS
VETERANS
More

Use tab to navigate through the menu items.

1/3

Wurfl, John

Follow Us on
Social Media

TAG a friend who never knew John Wayne lived this large.

TAG a friend who never knew John Wayne lived this large.

Winds at 65 knots. A boat turns belly-up in Newport Harbor.
In 1939, the hurricane slammed into the coast, swallowing vessels and scattering sailors. One man was thought lost forever, until word arrived he had drifted north to the channel islands, alive, against all odds. Newport remembers storms as much as sunshine.

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

Winds at 65 knots. A boat turns belly-up in Newport Harbor.
In 1939, the hurricane slammed into the coast, swallowing vessels and scattering sailors. One man was thought lost forever, until word arrived he had drifted north to the channel islands, alive, against all odds. Newport remembers storms as much as sunshine.

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

1920s. John Wayne missed Annapolis by one spot.
He dreamed of being an admiral, but fate steered him to Hollywood—and the Hornblower, where Newport’s most famous koa-wood table saw family dinners, card games, and legends in the making. History turned on a single rejection letter.

Comment ‘MEMBER’ to join and preserve Newport’s stories.

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

1920s. John Wayne missed Annapolis by one spot.
He dreamed of being an admiral, but fate steered him to Hollywood—and the Hornblower, where Newport’s most famous koa-wood table saw family dinners, card games, and legends in the making. History turned on a single rejection letter.

Comment ‘MEMBER’ to join and preserve Newport’s stories.

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

1940s. Humphrey Bogart wasn’t just in Hollywood he was on the harbor.
Parties spilled across the decks, rivalries brewed at the yacht clubs, and Newport became the backdrop for stars chasing wind and whiskey. Drama as wild onshore as it was at sea.

TAG a friend who would’ve loved Bogart’s yacht club era.

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

1940s. Humphrey Bogart wasn’t just in Hollywood he was on the harbor.
Parties spilled across the decks, rivalries brewed at the yacht clubs, and Newport became the backdrop for stars chasing wind and whiskey. Drama as wild onshore as it was at sea.

TAG a friend who would’ve loved Bogart’s yacht club era.

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

1939. The hurricane that nearly swallowed Newport Harbor.
Winds at 65 knots shook the jetties, boats fought for survival, and even the cameraman struggled to hold steady. Rare film shows the raw power that tested every vessel and every life on board.

Comment ‘EVENTS’

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

1939. The hurricane that nearly swallowed Newport Harbor.
Winds at 65 knots shook the jetties, boats fought for survival, and even the cameraman struggled to hold steady. Rare film shows the raw power that tested every vessel and every life on board.

Comment ‘EVENTS’

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

Huell Howser, California Gold, 1990s.
When Huell stepped onto the Balboa Island Ferry, he called it one of Newport’s simplest joys—less than 1,000 feet, a few minutes, and more than a century of memories. A ride so short it lasts forever.

Huell Howser, California Gold, 1990s.
When Huell stepped onto the Balboa Island Ferry, he called it one of Newport’s simplest joys—less than 1,000 feet, a few minutes, and more than a century of memories. A ride so short it lasts forever.

1939. The hurricane that ripped through Newport Harbor.
A small rescue boat overloaded with survivors fought through the storm, while the cruiser Blue Water was nearly swallowed by a wave. Dramatic footage that few have ever seen, our harbor at its breaking point.

COMMENT and of your Newport storms memory.

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

1939. The hurricane that ripped through Newport Harbor.
A small rescue boat overloaded with survivors fought through the storm, while the cruiser Blue Water was nearly swallowed by a wave. Dramatic footage that few have ever seen, our harbor at its breaking point.

COMMENT and of your Newport storms memory.

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

Bill and his crew fought breakdowns, storms, and fate itself to bring FDR’s “USS Potomac” back from near ruin insured, of all things, by Lloyd’s of London. A vessel once left for dead was given a second life.

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

Bill and his crew fought breakdowns, storms, and fate itself to bring FDR’s “USS Potomac” back from near ruin insured, of all things, by Lloyd’s of London. A vessel once left for dead was given a second life.

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

1962. Carol Washburn was crowned Rose Bowl Queen, stepping into Pasadena’s spotlight. But behind the crown was a Newport Beach secret: her father Don Washburn, who had purchased Joan Irvine’s cliffside mansion, built his fortune from 7UP. From Rose Parade floats to coastal parties, her story mixed soda pop empire with seaside glamour.

◆ COMMENT if you grew up with 7UP in your fridge

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

1962. Carol Washburn was crowned Rose Bowl Queen, stepping into Pasadena’s spotlight. But behind the crown was a Newport Beach secret: her father Don Washburn, who had purchased Joan Irvine’s cliffside mansion, built his fortune from 7UP. From Rose Parade floats to coastal parties, her story mixed soda pop empire with seaside glamour.

◆ COMMENT if you grew up with 7UP in your fridge

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

1850s. Rancho lands stretched from river to sea, but debts and drought broke the great estates. Sepulveda lost his shoreline, and James McFadden later bought the bay for just one dollar an acre. Meanwhile, Irvine and his partners secured the inland swaths that would shape Orange County’s future.

◆ COMMENT if you knew Newport’s bay once sold for a dollar an acre ◆

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

1850s. Rancho lands stretched from river to sea, but debts and drought broke the great estates. Sepulveda lost his shoreline, and James McFadden later bought the bay for just one dollar an acre. Meanwhile, Irvine and his partners secured the inland swaths that would shape Orange County’s future.

◆ COMMENT if you knew Newport’s bay once sold for a dollar an acre ◆

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

1949. Jane Wyman left Ronald Reagan, calling him “too boring.” That same year, she won an Academy Award for Johnny Belinda, while her best friend Claire Trevor won for Key Largo. Both women lived on Lido, where parties with Edgar & Fran Bergen, Dick Powell, and June Allyson lit up the harbor.

◆ TAG a friend who loves Hollywood history ◆

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

1949. Jane Wyman left Ronald Reagan, calling him “too boring.” That same year, she won an Academy Award for Johnny Belinda, while her best friend Claire Trevor won for Key Largo. Both women lived on Lido, where parties with Edgar & Fran Bergen, Dick Powell, and June Allyson lit up the harbor.

◆ TAG a friend who loves Hollywood history ◆

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

September 1939. A rare chubasco roared up from Mexico and struck the Southern California coast with little warning. Boats capsized, piers snapped, and Newport Harbor was forever changed. For locals, it wasn’t just a storm—it was a night etched in memory.

◆ SHARE this with someone who loves Newport history ◆

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, walking tours, and how to become a member — spots fill fast

September 1939. A rare chubasco roared up from Mexico and struck the Southern California coast with little warning. Boats capsized, piers snapped, and Newport Harbor was forever changed. For locals, it wasn’t just a storm—it was a night etched in memory.

◆ SHARE this with someone who loves Newport history ◆

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, walking tours, and how to become a member — spots fill fast

◆ COMMENT ‘MEMBER’ to join and help us keep these stories alive ◆

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

◆ COMMENT ‘MEMBER’ to join and help us keep these stories alive ◆

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

“On our bikes to grammar school, we’d race past the cannery—holding our breath, laughing as the smell hit the air. Once in a while, we’d sail to class instead, docking at the Legion and walking barefoot into school. Summers toughened our toes and freed our days. Newport was a classroom of tides, piers, and salt air, a place where childhood felt endless.

◆ COMMENT your favorite Newport childhood memory

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

“On our bikes to grammar school, we’d race past the cannery—holding our breath, laughing as the smell hit the air. Once in a while, we’d sail to class instead, docking at the Legion and walking barefoot into school. Summers toughened our toes and freed our days. Newport was a classroom of tides, piers, and salt air, a place where childhood felt endless.

◆ COMMENT your favorite Newport childhood memory

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

1821. Mexico claims independence. California’s ranchos are born.

When the mission system ended, Spain’s land grants became Mexico’s land grants. José Antonio Yorba received Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana—tens of thousands of acres stretching across what we now call Orange County.

The ranchos ran on cattle. Hides and tallow were shipped across the world. At Dana Point, sailors hurled hides off the cliffs into waiting ships, a scene described by Richard Henry Dana in Two Years Before the Mast. He even mocked Sepúlveda for not caring about the shoreline, saying it was “hard to catch a fish from the back of a horse.”

Life on the ranchos was also lavish. José Andrés Sepúlveda of Rancho San Joaquín was a Gatsby figure of the 1830s. His fiestas, horse races, and gambling were legendary.

Then came war. In 1848, the U.S. purchased Alta California for $50 million. That same year, gold was discovered. Cattle were suddenly in high demand, and rancheros grew rich selling beef to San Francisco.

But by the 1860s, a devastating drought killed nearly every cow in California. With no income, rancheros couldn’t pay the new American taxes, court fees, or survey costs. Debt swallowed them.

That’s when James Irvine and his partners, the Bixbys and Flints, bought them out. By the late 1800s, they controlled over 100,000 acres. The shoreline, however, stayed out of Irvine’s hands—leaving room for James McFadden to later buy the bayfront for a dollar an acre and spark Newport Harbor’s growth.

The ranchos faded, but their legacy remains in names, maps, and the very shape of Orange County.

✦ COMMENT if your family has roots in Rancho Days

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, and walking tours — spots fill fast

1821. Mexico claims independence. California’s ranchos are born.

When the mission system ended, Spain’s land grants became Mexico’s land grants. José Antonio Yorba received Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana—tens of thousands of acres stretching across what we now call Orange County.

The ranchos ran on cattle. Hides and tallow were shipped across the world. At Dana Point, sailors hurled hides off the cliffs into waiting ships, a scene described by Richard Henry Dana in Two Years Before the Mast. He even mocked Sepúlveda for not caring about the shoreline, saying it was “hard to catch a fish from the back of a horse.”

Life on the ranchos was also lavish. José Andrés Sepúlveda of Rancho San Joaquín was a Gatsby figure of the 1830s. His fiestas, horse races, and gambling were legendary.

Then came war. In 1848, the U.S. purchased Alta California for $50 million. That same year, gold was discovered. Cattle were suddenly in high demand, and rancheros grew rich selling beef to San Francisco.

But by the 1860s, a devastating drought killed nearly every cow in California. With no income, rancheros couldn’t pay the new American taxes, court fees, or survey costs. Debt swallowed them.

That’s when James Irvine and his partners, the Bixbys and Flints, bought them out. By the late 1800s, they controlled over 100,000 acres. The shoreline, however, stayed out of Irvine’s hands—leaving room for James McFadden to later buy the bayfront for a dollar an acre and spark Newport Harbor’s growth.

The ranchos faded, but their legacy remains in names, maps, and the very shape of Orange County.

✦ COMMENT if your family has roots in Rancho Days

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, and walking tours — spots fill fast

1962. John Wayne buys a WWII minesweeper and names it the Wild Goose.

Once a Navy vessel, it became his floating retreat—hosting Hollywood stars and family alike. The bridge and wheel remain original, a reminder of its dual life as warship and legend. Captain Bert still tells the stories that keep the Duke’s spirit alive.

✦ COMMENT your favorite Newport memory

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

1962. John Wayne buys a WWII minesweeper and names it the Wild Goose.

Once a Navy vessel, it became his floating retreat—hosting Hollywood stars and family alike. The bridge and wheel remain original, a reminder of its dual life as warship and legend. Captain Bert still tells the stories that keep the Duke’s spirit alive.

✦ COMMENT your favorite Newport memory

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

The dream was never just a museum.

It began with a puzzle table, a sandbox, and neighbors trading stories. The founder Shirle wanted it to feel like home, history kept alive in a living room for the community. What started as a vision became Newport’s gathering place.

✦ Comment MEMBER to join and help carry the vision forward

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, walking tours, and how to become a member — spots fill fast

The dream was never just a museum.

It began with a puzzle table, a sandbox, and neighbors trading stories. The founder Shirle wanted it to feel like home, history kept alive in a living room for the community. What started as a vision became Newport’s gathering place.

✦ Comment MEMBER to join and help carry the vision forward

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, walking tours, and how to become a member — spots fill fast

1939. A hurricane tore into Newport Harbor.

Winds howled, boats capsized, and desperate rescues played out against the storm. The documentary film of that night, once produced for the Newport Harbor Museum, remains one of the most gripping records of our coast’s history.

✦ SHARE this with someone who loves California’s storm stories

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

1939. A hurricane tore into Newport Harbor.

Winds howled, boats capsized, and desperate rescues played out against the storm. The documentary film of that night, once produced for the Newport Harbor Museum, remains one of the most gripping records of our coast’s history.

✦ SHARE this with someone who loves California’s storm stories

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum

1942. A Navy minesweeper. 1960s. John Wayne’s Wild Goose.

The bridge, telegraph, and wheel remain original. Captains say they still feel the Duke’s presence at the helm. One even admitted, “I would pay for the chance to drive her.” The Wild Goose became Hollywood history anchored in Newport.

✦ COMMENT your favorite Newport memory

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, walking tours, and how to become a member — spots fill fast

1942. A Navy minesweeper. 1960s. John Wayne’s Wild Goose.

The bridge, telegraph, and wheel remain original. Captains say they still feel the Duke’s presence at the helm. One even admitted, “I would pay for the chance to drive her.” The Wild Goose became Hollywood history anchored in Newport.

✦ COMMENT your favorite Newport memory

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, walking tours, and how to become a member — spots fill fast

1939. A hurricane slammed into Newport Harbor and Catalina.

The yacht Paragon nearly went under in the storm, as sailors fought wind and water to survive. This rare documentary, first made for the Newport Harbor Museum, captures one of the most dramatic rescues in local maritime history.

✦ SHARE this with someone who loves California’s storm stories

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, walking tours, and how to become a member — spots fill fast

1939. A hurricane slammed into Newport Harbor and Catalina.

The yacht Paragon nearly went under in the storm, as sailors fought wind and water to survive. This rare documentary, first made for the Newport Harbor Museum, captures one of the most dramatic rescues in local maritime history.

✦ SHARE this with someone who loves California’s storm stories

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, walking tours, and how to become a member — spots fill fast

The Banning family shaped more than commerce in 19th-century Southern California. Their maps laid out trade routes, shipping channels, and dreams of a growing region. To study them is to glimpse Orange County before the harbors and highways.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, and walking tours that keep history alive.

@newportbeachhistory @newportbeach @newport.in.the.rearview.mirror @visitbalboaisland @visitnewportbeach @visittheoc @visitcalifornia

The Banning family shaped more than commerce in 19th-century Southern California. Their maps laid out trade routes, shipping channels, and dreams of a growing region. To study them is to glimpse Orange County before the harbors and highways.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, and walking tours that keep history alive.

@newportbeachhistory @newportbeach @newport.in.the.rearview.mirror @visitbalboaisland @visitnewportbeach @visittheoc @visitcalifornia

1935. Christian’s Hut brought Hollywood to Balboa.

Clark Gable and Charles Laughton came here after Mutiny on the Bounty, filmed in Tahiti, Hawaii, and Catalina. Boats docked right outside, tiki torches lit the night, and “The Goof” in his tall hat watched from above. Today, condos stand where stars once gathered.

✦ COMMENT your favorite Newport memory

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, walking tours, and how to become a member — spots fill fast

1935. Christian’s Hut brought Hollywood to Balboa.

Clark Gable and Charles Laughton came here after Mutiny on the Bounty, filmed in Tahiti, Hawaii, and Catalina. Boats docked right outside, tiki torches lit the night, and “The Goof” in his tall hat watched from above. Today, condos stand where stars once gathered.

✦ COMMENT your favorite Newport memory

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, walking tours, and how to become a member — spots fill fast

The Balboa Island Museum was only a dusty upstairs room.

When Shirley walked in, she didn’t just see what it was, she saw what it could become. Shaped by her parents and her sister’s resilience, she built something lasting for the community.

✦ Share this with someone who loves Newport history

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, walking tours, and how to become a member

The Balboa Island Museum was only a dusty upstairs room.

When Shirley walked in, she didn’t just see what it was, she saw what it could become. Shaped by her parents and her sister’s resilience, she built something lasting for the community.

✦ Share this with someone who loves Newport history

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, walking tours, and how to become a member

1939. A hurricane tore into Newport Harbor.

Amid the chaos, local surfers paddled out on their boards, rescuing passengers from capsized boats. This documentary, first produced for the Newport Harbor Museum, captured a moment when courage rose with the tide.

✦ Share this with someone who loves California surf history

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, walking tours, and how to become a member — spots fill fast

1939. A hurricane tore into Newport Harbor.

Amid the chaos, local surfers paddled out on their boards, rescuing passengers from capsized boats. This documentary, first produced for the Newport Harbor Museum, captured a moment when courage rose with the tide.

✦ Share this with someone who loves California surf history

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, walking tours, and how to become a member — spots fill fast

1941. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s yacht, the USS Potomac, was called “the floating White House.”

Bill and his crew rescued it from Barbados, preserving a vessel that carried a president through history. Today he curates Arts of the Ancient Mariner at the Balboa Island Museum, filled with artifacts of the sea.

✦ Share this with someone who loves untold history

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, walking tours, and how to become a member — spots fill fast

1941. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s yacht, the USS Potomac, was called “the floating White House.”

Bill and his crew rescued it from Barbados, preserving a vessel that carried a president through history. Today he curates Arts of the Ancient Mariner at the Balboa Island Museum, filled with artifacts of the sea.

✦ Share this with someone who loves untold history

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, walking tours, and how to become a member — spots fill fast

1942. A Navy minesweeper. 1960s. John Wayne’s Wild Goose.

The original wheel, the old binnacle, and the engine room telegraph remain intact. Captains who step aboard feel the same weight Wayne once did — as if he’s still seated at the helm, cigar in hand. One captain even said, “I would pay for the chance to drive her.”

✦ Share this with someone who loves Newport history

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, walking tours, and how to become a member — spots fill fast

@newportbeachhistory @newportbeach @newport.in.the.rearview.mirror @visitbalboaisland @visitnewportbeach @visittheoc @visitcalifornia @tsgnewportbeach @cityofnewportbeach @nbchamber @orangecoastmag @visitbalboavillage @balboaislandferry @orangecountyhistory @realwilloneill @newportbeachcommunity @balboaislandlivingmagazine @lidomarinevillage @cdmhistoricalsociety @ocwanderlust @balboaferriswheel @ocmamuseum

1942. A Navy minesweeper. 1960s. John Wayne’s Wild Goose.

The original wheel, the old binnacle, and the engine room telegraph remain intact. Captains who step aboard feel the same weight Wayne once did — as if he’s still seated at the helm, cigar in hand. One captain even said, “I would pay for the chance to drive her.”

✦ Share this with someone who loves Newport history

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, walking tours, and how to become a member — spots fill fast

@newportbeachhistory @newportbeach @newport.in.the.rearview.mirror @visitbalboaisland @visitnewportbeach @visittheoc @visitcalifornia @tsgnewportbeach @cityofnewportbeach @nbchamber @orangecoastmag @visitbalboavillage @balboaislandferry @orangecountyhistory @realwilloneill @newportbeachcommunity @balboaislandlivingmagazine @lidomarinevillage @cdmhistoricalsociety @ocwanderlust @balboaferriswheel @ocmamuseum

In the 1960s, Newport Harbor wasn’t just boats and beaches. Orange Coast College fraternities filled The Shed in Costa Mesa with music from the Nomads, laughter, and beer kegs stacked high. Girls got in free, guys paid $1.50, and sometimes even USC fraternities joined the chaos. For a moment, Newport was the stage for youth, rebellion, and the golden age of harbor nights.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum and tap the link in bio for exhibits, events, and walking tours that bring these stories to life.

In the 1960s, Newport Harbor wasn’t just boats and beaches. Orange Coast College fraternities filled The Shed in Costa Mesa with music from the Nomads, laughter, and beer kegs stacked high. Girls got in free, guys paid $1.50, and sometimes even USC fraternities joined the chaos. For a moment, Newport was the stage for youth, rebellion, and the golden age of harbor nights.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum and tap the link in bio for exhibits, events, and walking tours that bring these stories to life.

1941. FDR’s yacht, the USS Potomac, was called “the floating White House.”

Decades later, it lay sunken in Barbados until Bill and his crew raised it back to life. Today, as curator of Arts of the Ancient Mariner, Bill shares relics of the sea that connect us to history’s tides.

✦ SHARE this with someone who loves untold history

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, walking tours, and how to become a member — spots fill fast

1941. FDR’s yacht, the USS Potomac, was called “the floating White House.”

Decades later, it lay sunken in Barbados until Bill and his crew raised it back to life. Today, as curator of Arts of the Ancient Mariner, Bill shares relics of the sea that connect us to history’s tides.

✦ SHARE this with someone who loves untold history

⚑ Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for exhibits, events, walking tours, and how to become a member — spots fill fast

"The coast once smelled of hides and tallow, not sunscreen and surf."

In the 1830s, Richard Henry Dana Jr. described California’s ranchos as places where cowhides were “California banknotes” and barrels of tallow lit homes across the world. These shores held commerce, labor, and survival long before the beach days we know now.

✨ Comment Member for perks or Events to see what’s next.

⚡ Follow @balboaislandmuseum for more history

@newportbeachhistory @newportbeach @newport.in.the.rearview.mirror @visitbalboaisland @visitnewportbeach @visittheoc @visitcalifornia

"The coast once smelled of hides and tallow, not sunscreen and surf."

In the 1830s, Richard Henry Dana Jr. described California’s ranchos as places where cowhides were “California banknotes” and barrels of tallow lit homes across the world. These shores held commerce, labor, and survival long before the beach days we know now.

✨ Comment Member for perks or Events to see what’s next.

⚡ Follow @balboaislandmuseum for more history

@newportbeachhistory @newportbeach @newport.in.the.rearview.mirror @visitbalboaisland @visitnewportbeach @visittheoc @visitcalifornia

When Shirley sold her business, she gained reward. But when she began piecing together the museum, she gave back something greater. Every puzzle placed, every photo framed, every child’s laughter in the sandbox became part of a story bigger than herself.

✨ Comment Member for perks or Events to see what’s next.

⚡ Follow @balboaislandmuseum for more history

@newportbeachhistory @newportbeac @visitbalboaisland @visitnewportbeach @visittheoc @visitcalifornia

When Shirley sold her business, she gained reward. But when she began piecing together the museum, she gave back something greater. Every puzzle placed, every photo framed, every child’s laughter in the sandbox became part of a story bigger than herself.

✨ Comment Member for perks or Events to see what’s next.

⚡ Follow @balboaislandmuseum for more history

@newportbeachhistory @newportbeac @visitbalboaisland @visitnewportbeach @visittheoc @visitcalifornia

Bob Dalton’s dock, where English tavern charm met whole turkeys carved tableside…

In 1958, Bob Dalton’s Restaurant opened at 3450 Via Oporto (today’s Nobu), quickly becoming a Newport landmark with Sunday brunches, holiday feasts, and glamorous charity dinners.

Big thanks to Bill Lobdell, award-winning journalist, author, and now the inaugural City Historian Laureate of Newport Beach, who shared this gem with us. Make sure to Follow him for more treasures from our coast’s past.

Share your memories of Daltons and the harbor below.

✨ Follow @balboaislandmuseum for local legends, exhibits, and walking tours that bring these stories back to life.

Bob Dalton’s dock, where English tavern charm met whole turkeys carved tableside…

In 1958, Bob Dalton’s Restaurant opened at 3450 Via Oporto (today’s Nobu), quickly becoming a Newport landmark with Sunday brunches, holiday feasts, and glamorous charity dinners.

Big thanks to Bill Lobdell, award-winning journalist, author, and now the inaugural City Historian Laureate of Newport Beach, who shared this gem with us. Make sure to Follow him for more treasures from our coast’s past.

Share your memories of Daltons and the harbor below.

✨ Follow @balboaislandmuseum for local legends, exhibits, and walking tours that bring these stories back to life.

Every photograph is more than faces on a ferry, it’s the living heartbeat of Balboa Island’s story.

Neighbors, friends, and supporters gathered on the bay, raising a glass not just to the island, but to the museum that keeps its memory alive.

Laughter, stories, and classic California sunset skies turned our Soirée on the Bay into history in motion.

Thank you all who attended and for your continued support of the Balboa Island Museum.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for upcoming exhibits and events.

📸 Photography @josephb.photo

Every photograph is more than faces on a ferry, it’s the living heartbeat of Balboa Island’s story.

Neighbors, friends, and supporters gathered on the bay, raising a glass not just to the island, but to the museum that keeps its memory alive.

Laughter, stories, and classic California sunset skies turned our Soirée on the Bay into history in motion.

Thank you all who attended and for your continued support of the Balboa Island Museum.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio for upcoming exhibits and events.

📸 Photography @josephb.photo

hidden stories or gems do you know about Balboa Island that most people don’t? Share in the comments.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit our link in bio for events, exhibits, and walking tours

Shop online or visit our Museum Shop in person for the best gifts.

hidden stories or gems do you know about Balboa Island that most people don’t? Share in the comments.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit our link in bio for events, exhibits, and walking tours

Shop online or visit our Museum Shop in person for the best gifts.

when cars were turned around on a literal turntable, and families made memories just watching it spin.

He also nods to George Buccola, the man behind Vista del Lido Newport Beach’s first high-rise, near where Bluewater Grill and the Hyatt Newporter now stand.

Before the skyline changed, it all started with a turntable and a vision.

📍 Hear more Newport stories in the Newport Legends Series at @balboaislandmuseum

when cars were turned around on a literal turntable, and families made memories just watching it spin.

He also nods to George Buccola, the man behind Vista del Lido Newport Beach’s first high-rise, near where Bluewater Grill and the Hyatt Newporter now stand.

Before the skyline changed, it all started with a turntable and a vision.

📍 Hear more Newport stories in the Newport Legends Series at @balboaislandmuseum

With his signature charm, Huell Howser takes us onboard the Balboa Island Ferry, guiding viewers through the little rituals that make this local tradition feel like California gold.

📍 Watch Huell’s full ferry adventure at @balboaislandmuseum
🔗 Link in bio for the California’s Gold episode and ferry exhibit

With his signature charm, Huell Howser takes us onboard the Balboa Island Ferry, guiding viewers through the little rituals that make this local tradition feel like California gold.

📍 Watch Huell’s full ferry adventure at @balboaislandmuseum
🔗 Link in bio for the California’s Gold episode and ferry exhibit

During Easter Week in Newport Harbor, locals made extra cash by renting their homes to families from Pasadena and San Marino, then moving into the garage for the week.

Back then, the harbor wasn’t just for yachts it was for burgers, too. Sailors would pull up to what Tim Mang calls “the greatest sailing club in Newport” just to grab a hamburger between tacks.

Simple times. Big memories.

📍 Discover more Golden Age stories in our Newport Legends Series at @balboaislandmuseum

During Easter Week in Newport Harbor, locals made extra cash by renting their homes to families from Pasadena and San Marino, then moving into the garage for the week.

Back then, the harbor wasn’t just for yachts it was for burgers, too. Sailors would pull up to what Tim Mang calls “the greatest sailing club in Newport” just to grab a hamburger between tacks.

Simple times. Big memories.

📍 Discover more Golden Age stories in our Newport Legends Series at @balboaislandmuseum

Tim Mang recalls how this famed vessel made its way into Hollywood history featured in The Days of Wine and Roses with Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick.

A shore boat ferried the cast and extras over for a party scene filmed right on deck.
Newport wasn’t just a harbor. It was a backlot for legends.

📍 Discover more stories at @balboaislandmuseum

Tim Mang recalls how this famed vessel made its way into Hollywood history featured in The Days of Wine and Roses with Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick.

A shore boat ferried the cast and extras over for a party scene filmed right on deck.
Newport wasn’t just a harbor. It was a backlot for legends.

📍 Discover more stories at @balboaislandmuseum

“This was once called Modjeska Island named after a New York stage legend.”

While cruising Newport Harbor, Tim Mang shares stories of Bay Island, once known as Modjeska Island, named for famed actress Madame Modjeska, who also built a castle in what is now Modjeska Canyon.

The island was home to celebrated sailors like Nancy Corquette, daughter of Tom Corquette, and part of a long line of Newport’s nautical elite.

“This was once called Modjeska Island named after a New York stage legend.”

While cruising Newport Harbor, Tim Mang shares stories of Bay Island, once known as Modjeska Island, named for famed actress Madame Modjeska, who also built a castle in what is now Modjeska Canyon.

The island was home to celebrated sailors like Nancy Corquette, daughter of Tom Corquette, and part of a long line of Newport’s nautical elite.

Tim Mang reveals lesser-known truths about Myford Irvine, heir to the Irvine legacy.
Behind the polished image were high-stakes games at the Irvine Coast Country Club and whispers of serious gambling losses. Rumors still swirl about his death, some say it wasn’t just tragic. It was connected to unpaid debts and men from New York.

📍 Uncover more untold Newport stories at @balboaislandmuseum

Tim Mang reveals lesser-known truths about Myford Irvine, heir to the Irvine legacy.
Behind the polished image were high-stakes games at the Irvine Coast Country Club and whispers of serious gambling losses. Rumors still swirl about his death, some say it wasn’t just tragic. It was connected to unpaid debts and men from New York.

📍 Uncover more untold Newport stories at @balboaislandmuseum

“From deckhand to captain. That’s the dream.”

For many local teens, the Balboa Island Ferry starts as a summer job. But for some, it becomes a lifelong calling.

One crew member began right out of high school and now works full time, on track to earn his captain’s license after logging 350 days of sea time. His brother already made the leap.

The ferry doesn’t just move people. It builds careers and carries hometown pride.

📍 Discover more ferry crew stories at @balboaislandmuseum @newportbeachhistory @newportbeach @newport.in.the.rearview.mirror @visitbalboaisland @visitnewportbeach @visittheoc @visitcalifornia

“From deckhand to captain. That’s the dream.”

For many local teens, the Balboa Island Ferry starts as a summer job. But for some, it becomes a lifelong calling.

One crew member began right out of high school and now works full time, on track to earn his captain’s license after logging 350 days of sea time. His brother already made the leap.

The ferry doesn’t just move people. It builds careers and carries hometown pride.

📍 Discover more ferry crew stories at @balboaislandmuseum @newportbeachhistory @newportbeach @newport.in.the.rearview.mirror @visitbalboaisland @visitnewportbeach @visittheoc @visitcalifornia

the glamorous days at Ken Niles’ Villa Marina once the go-to spot in Newport for celebrities, cocktails, and classic California charm.

During one star-studded event, his former wife found herself plucking hors d’oeuvres as movie stars mingled in the front row. It wasn’t just a party. It was a glimpse into Newport’s golden age, where Hollywood met the harbor.

📍 Discover more legendary local stories at @balboaislandmuseum

the glamorous days at Ken Niles’ Villa Marina once the go-to spot in Newport for celebrities, cocktails, and classic California charm.

During one star-studded event, his former wife found herself plucking hors d’oeuvres as movie stars mingled in the front row. It wasn’t just a party. It was a glimpse into Newport’s golden age, where Hollywood met the harbor.

📍 Discover more legendary local stories at @balboaislandmuseum

“Errol Flynn had a boat called The Sirocco and a reputation to match.”

In the golden age of Newport Harbor, Hollywood royalty didn’t just visit they docked. Actor Errol Flynn was known for his hard partying, sharp wit, and serious sailing skills.

Tim Mang remembers him not just as a drinker or a star, but as a surprisingly good guy and a hell of a sailor.

📍 Watch the Newport Legends Series with Tim Mang at @balboaislandmuseum

“Errol Flynn had a boat called The Sirocco and a reputation to match.”

In the golden age of Newport Harbor, Hollywood royalty didn’t just visit they docked. Actor Errol Flynn was known for his hard partying, sharp wit, and serious sailing skills.

Tim Mang remembers him not just as a drinker or a star, but as a surprisingly good guy and a hell of a sailor.

📍 Watch the Newport Legends Series with Tim Mang at @balboaislandmuseum

In the 1950s, under Governor “Goody” Knight, California launched a statewide Ground Observer Corps for air defense.

On Lido Isle, a tower was built. Locals took shifts spotting planes, logging flight patterns, and earning service wings.

Tim Mang remembers his mother’s wings, and an eccentric artist who drew colorful flying saucers in the logbook.

It was part patriotism, part imagination, and pure mid-century Newport.

📍 Watch the full Newport Legends Series at @balboaislandmuseum

In the 1950s, under Governor “Goody” Knight, California launched a statewide Ground Observer Corps for air defense.

On Lido Isle, a tower was built. Locals took shifts spotting planes, logging flight patterns, and earning service wings.

Tim Mang remembers his mother’s wings, and an eccentric artist who drew colorful flying saucers in the logbook.

It was part patriotism, part imagination, and pure mid-century Newport.

📍 Watch the full Newport Legends Series at @balboaislandmuseum

The Wild Goose isn’t just iconic from the outside, its insides are full of stories too.

Captain Bert walks through the boat like it’s a living memory, recalling cracked tubs, speckled yellow woodwork, and every repair he ever made.

Most of the boat remains just as it was when John Wayne walked these halls. From portholes to polished brass, it’s a time capsule wrapped in teak and steel.

📍 Explore the Wild Goose’s interior history at @balboaislandmuseum

The Wild Goose isn’t just iconic from the outside, its insides are full of stories too.

Captain Bert walks through the boat like it’s a living memory, recalling cracked tubs, speckled yellow woodwork, and every repair he ever made.

Most of the boat remains just as it was when John Wayne walked these halls. From portholes to polished brass, it’s a time capsule wrapped in teak and steel.

📍 Explore the Wild Goose’s interior history at @balboaislandmuseum

Harbor Island, the wealthiest island in Newport Beach, and a single lot that once held one of the harbor’s most iconic estates.
Originally home to world-renowned violinist Jascha Heifetz, and later owned by financier Howard Ahmanson, the grand brick house is now gone. In its place stand three separate homes, each among the most valuable in the harbor.
But the legend still lingers.

📍 Watch the full Newport Legends cruise at @balboaislandmuseum

Harbor Island, the wealthiest island in Newport Beach, and a single lot that once held one of the harbor’s most iconic estates.
Originally home to world-renowned violinist Jascha Heifetz, and later owned by financier Howard Ahmanson, the grand brick house is now gone. In its place stand three separate homes, each among the most valuable in the harbor.
But the legend still lingers.

📍 Watch the full Newport Legends cruise at @balboaislandmuseum

Tim Mang recalls the star-studded coastline of Lido Isle, where Bob Hope had a summer home and Claire Trevor once lived.

Rock Hudson famously tried to dock his yacht, the Newporter, and smashed the bow.

Though the beaches were public, few dared to use them. Locals remember “Whitey the Cop,” who told tourists it was private, and they believed him.

📍 Watch more Newport legends in our Newport Harbor Oral History Series at @balboaislandmuseum

Tim Mang recalls the star-studded coastline of Lido Isle, where Bob Hope had a summer home and Claire Trevor once lived.

Rock Hudson famously tried to dock his yacht, the Newporter, and smashed the bow.

Though the beaches were public, few dared to use them. Locals remember “Whitey the Cop,” who told tourists it was private, and they believed him.

📍 Watch more Newport legends in our Newport Harbor Oral History Series at @balboaislandmuseum

It’s more than a scenic ride, it’s a local ritual, a window into community life, and a daily check-in with the harbor.

📍 Discover more ferry stories at @balboaislandmuseum
@newportbeachhistory @newportbeach @newport.in.the.rearview.mirror @visitbalboaisland @visitnewportbeach @visittheoc @visitcalifornia

It’s more than a scenic ride, it’s a local ritual, a window into community life, and a daily check-in with the harbor.

📍 Discover more ferry stories at @balboaislandmuseum
@newportbeachhistory @newportbeach @newport.in.the.rearview.mirror @visitbalboaisland @visitnewportbeach @visittheoc @visitcalifornia

“They won the island in a poker game.”
Collins Island was once nicknamed Cagney Island, after actor James Cagney supposedly won it in a poker bet with his brother Bill.
The harbor was a hotspot for old Hollywood—Bogart, Bacall, Cagney, and their circle partied and gambled on and around the island.
Nearby lived Don Brinn, a champion skier who almost made the Olympics, and son of Milton Brinn, heavyweight Hollywood producer and husband of actress Claire Trevor.

“They won the island in a poker game.”
Collins Island was once nicknamed Cagney Island, after actor James Cagney supposedly won it in a poker bet with his brother Bill.
The harbor was a hotspot for old Hollywood—Bogart, Bacall, Cagney, and their circle partied and gambled on and around the island.
Nearby lived Don Brinn, a champion skier who almost made the Olympics, and son of Milton Brinn, heavyweight Hollywood producer and husband of actress Claire Trevor.

“We used to watch the submarine races and the alligator fights in the bay.”

In the 1950s, Newport Harbor was full of charm and teenage mischief. Tim Mang remembers parking near the water with high school dates, watching the waves from the best seat in town.

Back then, the Wild Goose looked different too less enclosed, more iconic. These days, it’s a tourist boat, but the memories still anchor deep.

📍 Dive into Newport’s Golden Age in our Newport Legends Series at @balboaislandmuseum

“We used to watch the submarine races and the alligator fights in the bay.”

In the 1950s, Newport Harbor was full of charm and teenage mischief. Tim Mang remembers parking near the water with high school dates, watching the waves from the best seat in town.

Back then, the Wild Goose looked different too less enclosed, more iconic. These days, it’s a tourist boat, but the memories still anchor deep.

📍 Dive into Newport��’s Golden Age in our Newport Legends Series at @balboaislandmuseum

.pro-gallery-wix-wrapper {display: block !important;} .pro-gallery-wix-wrapper .gallery-item-container {opacity: 1 !important; display: block !important;}

Newsletter Sign Up

Email Address

Visit

BALBOA ISLAND HISTORY

HISTORY OF 210 MARINE AVE.

VISITOR RESOURCES

Support

VOLUNTEER/DOCENT

BECOME A MEMBER

HIGH SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS

Learn

10 MINUTE TALKS

Events

UPCOMING EVENTS

Balboa Island's rich charm lies in its upscale homes, scenic views, and iconic frozen bananas, making it a coastal gem.

210 B Marine Avenue

Balboa Island, CA 92662

949.675.3952
info@balboaislandmuseum.org

Balboa Island Musem © 2025 All Rights Reserved.

bottom of page