In 1902, James Mc, Fadden offered all of his Newport home, consisting of the Newport townsite, about half the Balboa Peninsula, and the swamplands that were to become Harbor, Lido, and Balboa Islands (totaling about 900 acres) to William Stepp "WS" Collins (WS Collins was likewise president of the Associated Oil Business) and C.
Hanson for an undisclosed amount, thought to be $50,000 with $5,000 down. Development by dredging, 1906-1941 [edit] Public Dock on Balboa Island, Newport Beach California Collins and Hanson saw Newport Bay's resort and entertainment potential. They took on Henry E. Read More Here as a partner in the Newport Beach Company. Huntington had actually gotten the Pacific Electric train system and used it to promote new communities beyond Los Angeles.
By 1906, the Pacific Electric line Red Cars began servicing the Balboa Peninsula and Balboa Pavilion, and soon the Red Cars brought thousands of visitors from Los Angeles. Docks on Balboa Island, Newport Beach California Collins developed a dredge and, by 1906, began digging up a channel on the north side of the bay and depositing the sand and silt on tidelands that would end up being Balboa Isle.
This developed the grid system of little lots and narrow streets and alleys that still exists today. Balboa Island Main Street Within a couple of years, property promoters began sending salesmen to Pasadena and to Los Angeles (both linked by the Red Cars) to promote home around Newport Harbor.
In 1908 and 1909, with consent of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, Collins moved his little dredge to the eastern part of the Newport bay, a mud flat called "Snipe Island," and start cutting a channel along the north side of the bay throughout from the Structure, piling the sand and silt up on the tidal flat and thus Balboa Island was born.
He utilized a pamphlet visualizing a classy, but non-existing, hotel on the island to assist sell his lots. He also assured ferryboat service, electrical energy, paved streets, sewage systems, streetlights, and water. Nevertheless, despite the ads, Collins originally offered lots on the Island for as low as $25. 00, with pledges that all streets, sewers and street lights would quickly be set up and a bridge and ferry service to follow.