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Bungalow Rentals on Collins Island.

Bungalow Rentals on Collins Island.

Bungalow Rentals on Collins Island.

Did you ever walk thru this arch?

Bungalow Rentals on Collins Island.

Did you ever walk thru this arch?

Photo taken from 204 Grand Canal in 1949.

What details do you notice here that no longer exist today?

Follow @balboaislandmuseum for more

Photo taken from 204 Grand Canal in 1949.

What details do you notice here that no longer exist today?

Follow @balboaislandmuseum for more

Grand Canal 1947

What would you miss most about living here in 1947?

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

Grand Canal 1947

What would you miss most about living here in 1947?

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

While restoring the USS Potomac, Bill discovered a telescope sealed near the captain’s cabin. Its markings traced back to Philadelphia in 1850. An antique, even in Roosevelt’s time. Likely a gift to the president himself.

Years later, the Potomac Association finally acknowledged what happened in Barbados. Americans and Barbadians brought her home together. Only a few sailors still remain.

This story survived because someone stayed.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum to keep these stories alive.

While restoring the USS Potomac, Bill discovered a telescope sealed near the captain’s cabin. Its markings traced back to Philadelphia in 1850. An antique, even in Roosevelt’s time. Likely a gift to the president himself.

Years later, the Potomac Association finally acknowledged what happened in Barbados. Americans and Barbadians brought her home together. Only a few sailors still remain.

This story survived because someone stayed.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum to keep these stories alive.

After buying the sunken USS Potomac for $25,000, Bill Stewart faced a new demand. Lloyd’s of London refused insurance unless both engines ran. Only one did. The crew ran out of time, money, and patience. Most went home.

Bill stayed. Alone in Barbados. Three more months. New crew made from strangers, hitchhikers, and hope. Locals said the ship would never leave. Too many jobs depended on her staying.

On July 4th, they tried anyway.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum for Part 3.

After buying the sunken USS Potomac for $25,000, Bill Stewart faced a new demand. Lloyd’s of London refused insurance unless both engines ran. Only one did. The crew ran out of time, money, and patience. Most went home.

Bill stayed. Alone in Barbados. Three more months. New crew made from strangers, hitchhikers, and hope. Locals said the ship would never leave. Too many jobs depended on her staying.

On July 4th, they tried anyway.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum for Part 3.

In 1962, the USS Potomac, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidential yacht, lay sunk in a shallow harbor in Barbados. Most believed it would never leave. Then a small crew from Balboa took the call.

Bill Stewart helped raise her, restore her, and sail her home against insurance threats, local resistance, and near disaster. One engine. One chance. One impossible Fourth of July departure.

This is how history almost stayed underwater.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum for Part 2.
Link in bio for exhibits, talks, and walking tours.

In 1962, the USS Potomac, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidential yacht, lay sunk in a shallow harbor in Barbados. Most believed it would never leave. Then a small crew from Balboa took the call.

Bill Stewart helped raise her, restore her, and sail her home against insurance threats, local resistance, and near disaster. One engine. One chance. One impossible Fourth of July departure.

This is how history almost stayed underwater.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum for Part 2.
Link in bio for exhibits, talks, and walking tours.

This photo, taken July 31, 1949, offers a complete panoramic view of both the big and small islands separated by the canal. The jammed bridge shows that people have been flocking to Balboa Island for a long time.

What’s your earliest Balboa Island memory?

Follow @balboaislandmuseum

@@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

This photo, taken July 31, 1949, offers a complete panoramic view of both the big and small islands separated by the canal. The jammed bridge shows that people have been flocking to Balboa Island for a long time.

What’s your earliest Balboa Island memory?

Follow @balboaislandmuseum

@@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

Before Lido Isle was lined with homes and harbor lights, it was land no one wanted. Developers walked away. Locals doubted it. The bay nearly reclaimed it.

Yet vision and persistence reshaped the shoreline forever.

This February, join Historian Laureate Bill Lobdell as he reveals how Lido Isle went from rejected land to Newport icon.

Comment EVENT for details

Before Lido Isle was lined with homes and harbor lights, it was land no one wanted. Developers walked away. Locals doubted it. The bay nearly reclaimed it.

Yet vision and persistence reshaped the shoreline forever.

This February, join Historian Laureate Bill Lobdell as he reveals how Lido Isle went from rejected land to Newport icon.

Comment EVENT for details

🎬 Film Screening | One Night Only
📍 Lido Theater, Newport Beach
🗓️ Feb 26, 2026 | 5:00 PM

🎟️ Comment 'EVENT' for tickets

Based on "Bawdy Balboa" by Judge Robert Gardner, "Sin City: Newport Beach" transports viewers to the 1920s and 30s, when Newport Beach was a raucous seaside playground fueled by illegal booze, gambling, and scandalous nightlife.

Through the stories of a dance hall, a brothel, a formidable madame, and two larger-than-life Dukes, the film reveals how the once boisterous honky-tonk town transformed Newport Beach into the world-class luxury destination we know today.

Presented in collaboration with the Newport Beach Historical Society.

🎟️ Comment 'EVENT' for tickets

🎬 Film Screening | One Night Only
📍 Lido Theater, Newport Beach
🗓️ Feb 26, 2026 | 5:00 PM

🎟️ Comment 'EVENT' for tickets

Based on "Bawdy Balboa" by Judge Robert Gardner, "Sin City: Newport Beach" transports viewers to the 1920s and 30s, when Newport Beach was a raucous seaside playground fueled by illegal booze, gambling, and scandalous nightlife.

Through the stories of a dance hall, a brothel, a formidable madame, and two larger-than-life Dukes, the film reveals how the once boisterous honky-tonk town transformed Newport Beach into the world-class luxury destination we know today.

Presented in collaboration with the Newport Beach Historical Society.

🎟️ Comment 'EVENT' for tickets

Based on “Bawdy Balboa” by Judge Robert Gardner, “Sin City: Newport Beach” transports viewers to the 1920s and 30s, when Newport Beach was a raucous seaside playground fueled by illegal booze, gambling, and scandalous nightlife. Through the stories of a dance hall, a brothel, a formidable madame, and two larger-than-life Dukes, the film reveals how the once boisterous honky-tonk town transformed Newport Beach into the world-class luxury destination we know today.

🎟️ Tickets in our biolink or visit our website today.

@balboaislandmuseum @newportbeachhistory

Based on “Bawdy Balboa” by Judge Robert Gardner, “Sin City: Newport Beach” transports viewers to the 1920s and 30s, when Newport Beach was a raucous seaside playground fueled by illegal booze, gambling, and scandalous nightlife. Through the stories of a dance hall, a brothel, a formidable madame, and two larger-than-life Dukes, the film reveals how the once boisterous honky-tonk town transformed Newport Beach into the world-class luxury destination we know today.

🎟️ Tickets in our biolink or visit our website today.

@balboaislandmuseum @newportbeachhistory

A GOOD BUY at $39,500! Balboa Island

A postcard meant to advertise a home on the island. The letter was put out by Chester Salisbury, relator, who's office was on 315 Marine Avenue. He also lists his associates: E. S. Rockwell, Hal Will Smith, Williamn Stephenson, and Fern Torrance.

Text reads:

Well located 2 bdrm. home with guest room plus 1 bdrm apt. both furnished. Property just newly painted, and in excellent condition. A GOOD BUY at $39,500.

A GOOD BUY at $39,500! Balboa Island

A postcard meant to advertise a home on the island. The letter was put out by Chester Salisbury, relator, who's office was on 315 Marine Avenue. He also lists his associates: E. S. Rockwell, Hal Will Smith, Williamn Stephenson, and Fern Torrance.

Text reads:

Well located 2 bdrm. home with guest room plus 1 bdrm apt. both furnished. Property just newly painted, and in excellent condition. A GOOD BUY at $39,500.

Arborn's Harbor Market, at this time the market was where Shanghai is to today but in the 1942 directory it was at 319 Onyx Ave. Paul Arborn was the son of the original owner.

Arborn's Harbor Market, at this time the market was where Shanghai is to today but in the 1942 directory it was at 319 Onyx Ave. Paul Arborn was the son of the original owner.

Guess the year?

Image 1 and 3: Allen's Pharmacy and the old Balboa Island post office that used to be in the back half of the pharmacy building. The photograph was taken from in front of what is now the fire station.

Image 2: A photograph of the 300 block of Marine avenue. Taken from the opposite side of Balboa Avenue (end of the 200 block) in front of address 229 Marine. The roundabout for Norton's hardware store is visible.

Image 1 and 3: The image is of Norton's Hardware store, "Hardware, General and Marine" at 301 Marine Avenue. which became "Island Material's Company:."

Follow @balboaislandmuseum for more local Newport Beach history

Guess the year?

Image 1 and 3: Allen's Pharmacy and the old Balboa Island post office that used to be in the back half of the pharmacy building. The photograph was taken from in front of what is now the fire station.

Image 2: A photograph of the 300 block of Marine avenue. Taken from the opposite side of Balboa Avenue (end of the 200 block) in front of address 229 Marine. The roundabout for Norton's hardware store is visible.

Image 1 and 3: The image is of Norton's Hardware store, "Hardware, General and Marine" at 301 Marine Avenue. which became "Island Material's Company:."

Follow @balboaislandmuseum for more local Newport Beach history

“It started as a rowboat, and just turned 100 years old.”

The Balboa Island Ferry is the oldest continuous business on Newport Harbor, traveling 900 feet from the island to the peninsula.

Originally launched by Joe Beek as a rowboat, the ferry evolved into a 3-car vessel, still operated by the same family a century later. Joe’s son Seymour carries on the tradition, keeping this iconic link between past and present alive on the water.

📍 Celebrate 100 years of crossings at @balboaislandmuseum

“It started as a rowboat, and just turned 100 years old.”

The Balboa Island Ferry is the oldest continuous business on Newport Harbor, traveling 900 feet from the island to the peninsula.

Originally launched by Joe Beek as a rowboat, the ferry evolved into a 3-car vessel, still operated by the same family a century later. Joe’s son Seymour carries on the tradition, keeping this iconic link between past and present alive on the water.

📍 Celebrate 100 years of crossings at @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.

The Wild Goose wasn’t just John Wayne’s yacht, it was his escape. A floating sanctuary from Hollywood where he spent quiet days with his wife and kids, far from the spotlight.

Captain Bert remembers long watches in the wheelhouse, feet propped up, Wayne often by his side.
It may have been a converted minesweeper, but for The Duke, it was always a family boat.

📍 Explore more Wild Goose memories at @balboaislandmuseum
🔗 Link in bio for the full exhibit and oral history series

The Wild Goose wasn’t just John Wayne’s yacht, it was his escape. A floating sanctuary from Hollywood where he spent quiet days with his wife and kids, far from the spotlight.

Captain Bert remembers long watches in the wheelhouse, feet propped up, Wayne often by his side.
It may have been a converted minesweeper, but for The Duke, it was always a family boat.

📍 Explore more Wild Goose memories at @balboaislandmuseum
🔗 Link in bio for the full exhibit and oral history series

As the harbor tour rounds the bend, Tim Mang points out the modest one-story home once owned by John Wayne, right here in Newport Beach.

Wayne bought the house from Elgin Gates, a world-renowned big-game hunter who served as technical director on Hatari, the film where Wayne famously lassos a rhinoceros.

The home may be humble, but the legends who lived there were anything but.

📍 Explore more Newport icons in our Newport Legends Series at @balboaislandmuseum

As the harbor tour rounds the bend, Tim Mang points out the modest one-story home once owned by John Wayne, right here in Newport Beach.

Wayne bought the house from Elgin Gates, a world-renowned big-game hunter who served as technical director on Hatari, the film where Wayne famously lassos a rhinoceros.

The home may be humble, but the legends who lived there were anything but.

📍 Explore more Newport icons in our Newport Legends Series at @balboaislandmuseum

“We were just little old Orange Coast College, but our parties were legendary.”

In this cruise through Newport Harbor’s golden age, Tim Mang recalls his rebellious college years, president of an illegal fraternity, hosting wild shipwreck parties at “The Shed” in Costa Mesa, a venue owned by his mom.

Every Saturday was a kegger. Girls got in free. SC fraternities showed up. Newport’s calm harbor hid a rowdy undercurrent.

📍 Watch the full oral history at @balboaislandmuseum

“We were just little old Orange Coast College, but our parties were legendary.”

In this cruise through Newport Harbor’s golden age, Tim Mang recalls his rebellious college years, president of an illegal fraternity, hosting wild shipwreck parties at “The Shed” in Costa Mesa, a venue owned by his mom.

Every Saturday was a kegger. Girls got in free. SC fraternities showed up. Newport’s calm harbor hid a rowdy undercurrent.

📍 Watch the full oral history at @balboaislandmuseum

John Wayne believed in running a tight ship, with six full-time crew members and a galley that served $30-a-pound steaks back in the day
.
Chef Billy Sweat cooked for the Duke and the crew for 12 years. The meat was top-tier, the portions generous, and no one left the table hungry.

One former crew member laughed, “I’d gain ten pounds every trip.” Wayne made sure his ship ran right, and his people ate well.

📍 More Wild Goose stories now at @balboaislandmuseum

John Wayne believed in running a tight ship, with six full-time crew members and a galley that served $30-a-pound steaks back in the day
.
Chef Billy Sweat cooked for the Duke and the crew for 12 years. The meat was top-tier, the portions generous, and no one left the table hungry.

One former crew member laughed, “I’d gain ten pounds every trip.” Wayne made sure his ship ran right, and his people ate well.

📍 More Wild Goose stories now at @balboaislandmuseum

1951 Postcard looking down Jamboree onto Balboa Island and Little Balboa Island from on the hill above the island where Irvine Terrace is now located. The harbor entrance, Balboa Peninsula and ocean are partially visible along the horizon.

1951 Postcard looking down Jamboree onto Balboa Island and Little Balboa Island from on the hill above the island where Irvine Terrace is now located. The harbor entrance, Balboa Peninsula and ocean are partially visible along the horizon.

This one is especially close to our hearts.

The Balboa Island Museum delivered all of the pajamas collected at the museum to Orangewood Children’s Home. These pajamas will be given to foster youth who have nowhere to go on Christmas morning and shared during their annual Chicken and Waffles breakfast.

It is a simple gift, but it carries warmth, dignity, and the reminder that someone cares.

At Balboa Island Museum, we believe history is lived, not just remembered. Thank you to everyone who helped make this moment possible.

This one is especially close to our hearts.

The Balboa Island Museum delivered all of the pajamas collected at the museum to Orangewood Children’s Home. These pajamas will be given to foster youth who have nowhere to go on Christmas morning and shared during their annual Chicken and Waffles breakfast.

It is a simple gift, but it carries warmth, dignity, and the reminder that someone cares.

At Balboa Island Museum, we believe history is lived, not just remembered. Thank you to everyone who helped make this moment possible.

This is your last call.

If you still need a Christmas gift that actually matters, this is it.
Our classic vintage ride on race cars are almost gone.

Silver, red, black, and green.
Limited inventory. No restock before Christmas.

Buy now or pick up in store today.
Tomorrow is too late.

@balboaislandmuseum

This is your last call.

If you still need a Christmas gift that actually matters, this is it.
Our classic vintage ride on race cars are almost gone.

Silver, red, black, and green.
Limited inventory. No restock before Christmas.

Buy now or pick up in store today.
Tomorrow is too late.

@balboaislandmuseum

Still need a gift that does not feel rushed?

These iconic Balboa Island ornaments are almost gone.
Ferry. Duffy. Pavilion. Ferry Sign. Dad’s Banana.
$30 each. Limited inventory.

Support a local small business and young entrepreneurs this holiday.
Shop online or pick up in store today at the Balboa Island Museum.

If you wait, they will be gone.

Still need a gift that does not feel rushed?

These iconic Balboa Island ornaments are almost gone.
Ferry. Duffy. Pavilion. Ferry Sign. Dad’s Banana.
$30 each. Limited inventory.

Support a local small business and young entrepreneurs this holiday.
Shop online or pick up in store today at the Balboa Island Museum.

If you wait, they will be gone.

Most toys get forgotten. This one becomes a memory.

Our classic vintage race car ride ons are back in stock in silver, red, black, and green.
Limited quantity available.

Parents who wait usually miss out.
Shop online or visit the Balboa Island Museum today.
@balboaislandmuseum

Most toys get forgotten. This one becomes a memory.

Our classic vintage race car ride ons are back in stock in silver, red, black, and green.
Limited quantity available.

Parents who wait usually miss out.
Shop online or visit the Balboa Island Museum today.
@balboaislandmuseum

The Moon Bear Family visits Balboa Island Museum.
Credit: Athena Rounds.

Shop Online or In Store Today @balboaislandmuseum

The Moon Bear Family visits Balboa Island Museum.
Credit: Athena Rounds.

Shop Online or In Store Today @balboaislandmuseum

Every December, the island turns into a living Christmas postcard.

If you have walked these streets at night in December, you know the feeling. If you have not, this is your invitation.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum for more island history, stories, and seasonal moments.

📷 Follow @JosephB.Photo

@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

Every December, the island turns into a living Christmas postcard.

If you have walked these streets at night in December, you know the feeling. If you have not, this is your invitation.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum for more island history, stories, and seasonal moments.

📷 Follow @JosephB.Photo

@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

Museums were never meant to be silent warehouses for the past.
They were meant to be places where memory lives.

In its December 15, 2025 edition, The Wall Street Journal featured a story about small museums across the country and how they are rethinking their role in the modern world. Not by chasing trends, but by remembering why museums exist in the first place.

As the Journal wrote, many small museums are finding ways to keep history relevant by inviting people into the story rather than standing apart from them. One museum leader put it simply. The goal is “to not be a white ivory tower,” but a place that feels human, welcoming, and shared.
(The Wall Street Journal, December 15, 2025, Page A13)

Another line from the article stayed with us. The piece notes that this work is about “raising awareness even among audiences who may never actually visit.” In other words, history still matters, even if it only sparks a memory, a conversation, or a moment of reflection at home.

That idea feels deeply familiar here on Balboa Island.

This island has always been shaped by stories. Families walking the same streets for generations. Neighbors who remember what used to stand where something new now rises. Moments that were never written down, but never forgotten either.

At the Balboa Island Museum, our mission is not to change history. It is to keep it alive. To make sure the people, places, and everyday moments that shaped this island are remembered, talked about, and passed on.

We believe history belongs to everyone.
Not locked away. Not rushed past.
But shared.

Now we would love to hear from you.

What Balboa Island memory stays with you the most?
Is there a story you think should never be forgotten?
What makes a museum feel meaningful to you?

Your stories are part of this place.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum

Museums were never meant to be silent warehouses for the past.
They were meant to be places where memory lives.

In its December 15, 2025 edition, The Wall Street Journal featured a story about small museums across the country and how they are rethinking their role in the modern world. Not by chasing trends, but by remembering why museums exist in the first place.

As the Journal wrote, many small museums are finding ways to keep history relevant by inviting people into the story rather than standing apart from them. One museum leader put it simply. The goal is “to not be a white ivory tower,” but a place that feels human, welcoming, and shared.
(The Wall Street Journal, December 15, 2025, Page A13)

Another line from the article stayed with us. The piece notes that this work is about “raising awareness even among audiences who may never actually visit.” In other words, history still matters, even if it only sparks a memory, a conversation, or a moment of reflection at home.

That idea feels deeply familiar here on Balboa Island.

This island has always been shaped by stories. Families walking the same streets for generations. Neighbors who remember what used to stand where something new now rises. Moments that were never written down, but never forgotten either.

At the Balboa Island Museum, our mission is not to change history. It is to keep it alive. To make sure the people, places, and everyday moments that shaped this island are remembered, talked about, and passed on.

We believe history belongs to everyone.
Not locked away. Not rushed past.
But shared.

Now we would love to hear from you.

What Balboa Island memory stays with you the most?
Is there a story you think should never be forgotten?
What makes a museum feel meaningful to you?

Your stories are part of this place.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum

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 shopping

@@newportbeachhistory @newportbeach @newport.in.the.rearview.mirror @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 shopping

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

The Moon Bear Family visits Balboa Island Museum.
video, created by Athena Rounds. Thank you for creating and sharing this with us!

@balboaislandmuseum

The Moon Bear Family visits Balboa Island Museum.
video, created by Athena Rounds. Thank you for creating and sharing this with us!

@balboaislandmuseum

By the 1920s and 30s, Balboa Island’s small storefronts became part of the holiday ritual. Locals crossed by ferry not just to look, but to buy. Simple gifts, handwritten notes, and items chosen face to face. Shopping here was never rushed. It was personal, seasonal, and rooted in community.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio to explore exhibits, events, and Shop in store or online🎄

By the 1920s and 30s, Balboa Island’s small storefronts became part of the holiday ritual. Locals crossed by ferry not just to look, but to buy. Simple gifts, handwritten notes, and items chosen face to face. Shopping here was never rushed. It was personal, seasonal, and rooted in community.

Follow @balboaislandmuseum and visit the link in bio to explore exhibits, events, and Shop in store or online🎄

Balboa’s most iconic ornaments are back.
Ferry. Pavilion. Dad’s Banana. Ferry Sign. Duffy.
All handcrafted. All super limited. All thirty bucks.

Made by two young local entrepreneurs building something special.
You get a killer ornament. They get real support.
Everyone wins.

They sell out every year so grab yours now in the Museum Store or online.
Tap the link in bio and get the ones you want before they’re gone. 🎄✨

Balboa’s most iconic ornaments are back.
Ferry. Pavilion. Dad’s Banana. Ferry Sign. Duffy.
All handcrafted. All super limited. All thirty bucks.

Made by two young local entrepreneurs building something special.
You get a killer ornament. They get real support.
Everyone wins.

They sell out every year so grab yours now in the Museum Store or online.
Tap the link in bio and get the ones you want before they’re gone. 🎄✨

Saturrday only! The Annex is basically giving everything away.

Sixty five percent off books, decor, toys, gifts, all of it.

If you’ve ever wanted the good stuff without paying full price, this is the moment.

208 Marine Ave
Two doors down from the Museum

12pm to 430pm
Saturday December 6

Saturrday only! The Annex is basically giving everything away.

Sixty five percent off books, decor, toys, gifts, all of it.

If you’ve ever wanted the good stuff without paying full price, this is the moment.

208 Marine Ave
Two doors down from the Museum

12pm to 430pm
Saturday December 6

Families on Balboa Island… want an easy holiday win?

Come build a gingerbread house without destroying your own kitchen.

Gingerbread House Decorating Party
Wed, Dec 10
5 to 7 PM

30 gets you the house, the candy, the decorations, and two hours of zero stress.
Just show up. Have fun. Take adorable photos. Leave the mess with us.

Only a handful of spots.
Call 949 675 3952 to reserve.

Balboa Island Museum
210 Marine Avenue

Families on Balboa Island… want an easy holiday win?

Come build a gingerbread house without destroying your own kitchen.

Gingerbread House Decorating Party
Wed, Dec 10
5 to 7 PM

30 gets you the house, the candy, the decorations, and two hours of zero stress.
Just show up. Have fun. Take adorable photos. Leave the mess with us.

Only a handful of spots.
Call 949 675 3952 to reserve.

Balboa Island Museum
210 Marine Avenue

Balboa Island feels like a Christmas movie tonight.
Lights, calm water, and the kind of holiday magic you only find here.

Captured at the heart of the island.

📸 @josephb.photo

@balboaislandmuseum

Balboa Island feels like a Christmas movie tonight.
Lights, calm water, and the kind of holiday magic you only find here.

Captured at the heart of the island.

📸 @josephb.photo

@balboaislandmuseum

Years ago Huell stood right here on Balboa Island with his camera crew, capturing the gentle clatter of docks and the laughter drifting from frozen banana stands.

He call Balboa Island and Newport “magical” and “one of his favorite places in California.

If you feel it too, follow @balboaislandmuseum and check the link in our bio for exhibits, events that keep these memories alive.

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

Years ago Huell stood right here on Balboa Island with his camera crew, capturing the gentle clatter of docks and the laughter drifting from frozen banana stands.

He call Balboa Island and Newport “magical” and “one of his favorite places in California.

If you feel it too, follow @balboaislandmuseum and check the link in our bio for exhibits, events that keep these memories alive.

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

Share with a friend who loves Newport Beach history

Share with a friend who loves Newport Beach history

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

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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

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