Pioneer Families Lay Foundation of Aldeita Court
By Jane Petty Janz, Special to the Independent
The history of 422 North Coast Highway involves several of the families that came to Laguna very...
Heiresses Leave Lasting Heritage
Part 1
Pennsylvania mining heiresses Blanche and Florence Dolph chose the coastal foothills of Laguna and south Orange County as the focus of their property...
La Casa Del Camino, Laguna’s First ‘Modern Hostelry’
By Anders Lasater, Special to the Independent
Saturday, Jan. 26, 2008, marked the 79th anniversary of the grand opening of the La Casa del Camino....
Tales of the Watermen: Sun and Surf Take a Toll on Guards and Towers...
By Dale Ghere, Special to the Independent
The pros and cons of permanent lifeguard towers have become a subject of debate in recent months. I...
A Catalyst for the Conversion of Laguna’s Coast
By Jackie Davie
Laguna Beach today is well known as a world-class destination for vacationers from around the
globe. How Laguna came to have this reputation...
Setting the Scene for Art and Architecture
St. Clair Family
Norman St. Clair, Laguna's First Artist
Part 1
By Ann Christoph
Artist and architect Norman St. Clair and his descendents played a powerful role...
Don’t Overlook Arch Beach Heights When Looking for Laguna History
By Suzanne Dunn, Special to the Independent
When my realtor told me three years ago that my $1 million plus home was a great Laguna...
Life in Laguna during ‘the War’
by Regina Hartley, Special to the Independent
The story of Bill Hartley begins in Ontario, Calif., where his father, William Hartley Sr., managed what became...
The Building that Babb Built
By Andy Hedden, Special to the Independent
The Babb Building, venerably situated on the corner of South Coast Highway and Thalia Street, was erected in...
Phoenix Rising: A Brief History of LCAD
By David Randel, Special to the Independent
This account of the school that became the Laguna College of Art & Design, prepared to honor its...
Airplane rides, movie extras and open hillsides
By Jennifer Erickson
Born in 1901, Blanche Smith, nee Clapp, grew up in Fresno where her father bought and restored farmhouses. She first came to...
William Wendt: Nature’s Faithful Interpreter
By Jean Stern, Special to the Independent
Laguna Beach is widely know as an Artists’ Colony, and today, looking at
the abundance of art galleries, one would...
From red-light district to destruction zone, Canyon Acres-Arroyo Drive retains its character
By Suzie Harrison
The Canyon Acres house I once lived in was once a mere treehouse that little by little was constructed into a real...
Tales of The Tell: Part 2
By Mark Chamberlain, Special to the Indy
In the Spring of 1989, my partner Jerry Burchfield and I, with the help of scores of dedicated...