McFadden Wharf facts for kids
Quick facts for kids McFadden Wharf |
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McFadden Wharf in 1891
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| Location | near Newport Bay, California |
| Built | 1888 |
| Designated | July 3, 1964 |
| Reference no. | 794 |
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McFadden Wharf was a very important pier built in 1888 in what is now Newport Beach, California. It was a busy shipping hub that helped towns in Orange County, San Bernardino, and Riverside get supplies. Today, the spot where McFadden Wharf once stood is recognized as a California Historical Landmark (No. 794).
| Old Landing | |
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| Location | near Newport Bay |
| Built | 1870 |
| Designated | June 20, 1935 |
| Reference no. | 198 |
Contents
Building McFadden Wharf
The McFadden brothers, James and Robert, came from Delhi, New York to California. They bought a large piece of land near Newport Bay in 1875. This land was part of an old Mexican land grant.
Challenges of the Bay
The bay was not very good for big ships. It was narrow, had sand bars, and wasn't deep enough. This made it hard for ships to come and go, which meant less business for the McFadden brothers' shipping company.
James McFadden asked the United States Army Corps of Engineers for help in 1887. He wanted them to make the port better for ships. However, they said it would cost too much money and refused to help.
A New Pier is Built
So, in 1888, the McFadden brothers decided to build their own pier, or "wharf." It was huge! The wharf was 1,320 feet long (about four football fields) and 60 feet wide. This new wharf allowed bigger ships to dock and unload goods.
In 1891, they built a railroad line called the Santa Ana and Newport Railway. This 11-mile track connected the wharf directly to the Santa Ana Depot. This meant goods could be easily moved from ships to trains and sent to other towns.
A small town called Newport Landing grew up near the wharf. The McFadden brothers' shipping company became very successful, employing about 100 people.
Changes and New Beginnings
Even though McFadden Wharf was busy, another port in San Pedro was bigger and closer to Los Angeles. This meant less shipping business for Newport.
In 1899, James McFadden sold the wharf and the railroad line to the Southern Pacific Transportation Company. The railroad line stopped running in 1907.
In 1902, James McFadden sold the town of Newport Landing and other land to Williams S. Collins and C. A. Hanson. They saw the area not as a shipping port, but as a perfect place for a seaside resort.
They teamed up with Henry E. Huntington to develop Newport Beach. In 1905, electric streetcars started running to Newport, making it easy for people to visit.
The End of the Old Wharf
The original McFadden Wharf was damaged by a big storm in 1928. It was finally removed in 1939. In 1940, the Newport Municipal Pier was built in its place, which is still there today.
The First Port: Old Landing
Before McFadden Wharf, there was another important spot called Old Landing. This place is also a California Historical Landmark (No. 198).
Opening Newport Bay
On September 10, 1870, Captain Samuel S. Dunnells and William A. Abbott were the first to open Newport Bay for trade. They sailed into the bay on a flat-bottomed steamer ship called the SS Vaquero. It carried a cargo of shingles and lumber from San Diego.
Samuel S. Dunnells built a small pier here, which was also called the Newport Landing. It was located near where the Pacific Coast Highway and the Newport Bay Bridge are today.
A "New Port" is Named
The area was named "Newport" because it was a "new port" for trade. Important landowners like James Irvine, Benjamin Flint, James McFadden, and Robert McFadden owned the land around this port. The McFadden brothers ran a regular shipping service from Old Landing during the 1870s and 1880s, before they built their bigger wharf.
Historical Markers
Historical markers help us remember important places and events. Here's what the markers say about McFadden Wharf and Old Landing:
McFadden Wharf Marker
A marker at the McFadden Wharf site tells us:
- The first wharf here was finished in 1888–89.
- A railroad connected it to inland areas in 1890–91.
- It was a key place for shipping and distributing goods for Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties until 1907.
- This wharf was the starting point for the city of Newport Beach.
- This marker (Number 794) was put up in 1965 by the California State Park Commission and the City of Newport Beach.
Another record for McFadden Wharf (California Historical Landmark No. 794) states:
- The McFadden brothers completed the original wharf in the summer of 1888.
- As the end point of their Santa Ana and Newport Railway, it was the main way lumber and other goods flowed into Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties from 1891 to 1907.
Old Landing Marker
A marker at the Old Landing site (Newport Landing) says:
- On September 10, 1870, Captain Samuel S. Dunnells and William A. Abbott opened Newport Bay to trade. They were the first to enter it on the steamer Vaquero.
- James Irvine, Benjamin Flint, James McFadden, and Robert McFadden named the landing "Newport" – meaning a new port.
- The McFaddens ran a regular shipping service here in the 1870s and 1880s.
- This marker (Number 198) was put up in 1935 by the State Department of Parks and Recreation, with help from the Newport Beach Historical Society and the City of Newport Beach.
