North Shore, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
North Shore
Mortmere/Mortmar
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The North Shore Beach and Yacht Club in 2018
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Location in Riverside County and the state of California
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 North Shore
Location in southern California
North Shore
Location in California
North Shore
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Riverside |
| Settled | 1930 |
| Incorporated CDP | 2010 |
| Named for | Northern End of the Salton Sea ("North Shore") French: Mort[e] Mer ("Dead Sea") |
| Government | |
| • Type | Unincorporated County |
| Area | |
| • Total | 11.177 sq mi (28.949 km2) |
| • Land | 11.177 sq mi (28.949 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) 0% |
| Elevation | -69 ft (−21.0 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,585 |
| • Density | 320.75/sq mi (123.838/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes |
92254
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| Area codes | 442/760 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2583097 |
North Shore is a small community in southeastern Riverside County, California. It got its name because it's located on the northern edge of the Salton Sea. This area was once a popular spot for vacations. However, the Salton Sea became saltier and more polluted, which caused tourism to stop.
North Shore is surrounded by parts of the Salton Sea State Recreation Area. In 2020, about 3,585 people lived here.
A very special building in North Shore is the North Shore Beach and Yacht Club. It was designed by a famous architect named Albert Frey and opened in 1962. It was used until 1984. Rising water levels damaged its boat dock in 1981, making it impossible for boats to use. The Yacht Club has since been fixed up with a large grant. Since 2011, it's open to everyone as a community center and a historical landmark.
You can reach North Shore by taking State Route 111. A wildlife refuge and campground are also nearby, just south of the town.
History of North Shore
Early People: The Cahuilla Tribe
For many years, the Cahuilla people lived in the Coachella Valley. They used a place called Dos Palmas Spring as a water stop. This spring was also the eastern edge of their lands. The Cahuillas traveled from their village in Martinez to Dos Palmas Spring. They used an old Native American path called the Halchidoma Trail. This trail went right through where North Shore is today.
Spanish Explorers Arrive
Melchior Diaz was the first non-native person to explore inland California. He arrived in December 1540 near the Yuma Crossing and Imperial Valley. This area is about 90 miles southeast of North Shore.
There's a local story about Juan de Iturbe's Lost Pearl Ship. People say that after a huge flood in 1862, they saw an old Spanish ship. This ship was supposedly beached during a trip on the ancient Lake Cahuilla in 1615. Some reported seeing the ship in the salt marshes just south of North Shore.
Juan Bautista de Anza led a group of settlers in 1774. He traveled from Mission San Xavier del Bac (in Tucson) to San Gabriel Mission (near Los Angeles). Anza went through the Imperial Valley, south of the Coachella Valley. Here, he met the native Cahuillas. This was the first time Spanish people made contact with them.
In 1776, a friar named Francisco Garcés explored the area. He reached the Pools of Tesquien (now Chuckwalla Springs), which is about 40 miles east of North Shore. He might have used the Halchidoma Trail. If he had kept going on that trail, he would have entered the Coachella Valley through North Shore. Instead, he went around the Mojave Desert.
Spanish missionaries from the San Gabriel Mission made long trips. They came to collect salt from salty pools near the Salton sink in 1815. This sink was where the ancient Lake Cahuilla used to be.
Mexican Rule and Expeditions
In April 1822, Alta California (which included this area) became loyal to the new Mexican Empire. This empire was led by Emperor Agustín de Iturbide in Mexico City.
In December 1823, Captain José Romero and José María Estudillo explored the Coachella Valley. They were ordered by the Mexican emperor to find a land route from Alta California to Sonora. They used the Halchidoma Trail and were guided by the Cahuilla people. They reached Dos Palmas Spring on December 31, 1823. They camped there for four days.
Fort Romualdo Pacheco was the only Mexican settlement in the Colorado Desert. It was built in 1825 in the Imperial Valley.
In late November 1846, General Stephen W. Kearny led the Army of the West. This was during the Mexican-American War. He used the Southern Emigrant Trail, about 40 miles south of North Shore. Mexico gave Alta California to the USA in January 1847.
American Era and the Bradshaw Trail
California became a U.S. State in 1850.
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In late November 1853, Robert S. Williamson led a survey team. They were looking for the best train route for the Southern Pacific railroad. This was part of the Pacific Railroad Surveys. Williamson explored the San Gorgonio Pass and the Coachella Valley. He was one of the first Anglo-Americans to visit the Coachella Valley.
In 1862, William D. Bradshaw created a route connecting the La Paz Gold mines to Los Angeles. He used the old Indian Halchidoma Trail and renamed it the Bradshaw Trail. There was a rest stop on this trail called "Lone Palm" or "Bitter Spring." It was located near North Shore. Many travelers used this trail to go from Arizona to California. Later, the railroad replaced the stagecoach trail.
The Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific built a railroad connecting Yuma to Los Angeles. This railroad passed near the town site. It was finished in 1869.
The New Liverpool Salt Company started in 1883 near the town of Salton. This was just south of North Shore. It produced a lot of salt.
The Salton Sea and Mortmere Station
From 1905 to February 1907, the Colorado River overflowed. It flooded into the Salton Sink, which had been a lake many times before. This time, it was an accident caused by engineering. This event created the modern Salton Sea. Several SPRR train stations were flooded forever. The railroad tracks had to be moved north, and new stations were built. The rebuilt station of Mortmere became the starting point for the modern town of North Shore.
Date Palm Beach and Desert Beach
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A few communities grew along the Salton Sea's shore. One of the first, and the first on the northern shore, was Date Palm Beach. In 1926, Gus Eilers bought land near the Mortmere train station. He wanted to create an exotic getaway with Egyptian designs. The first small building and pier were built in 1930. Eilers moved two small houses from Los Angeles in 1932. These became the first guest houses at Date Palm Beach. The business did well, especially during World War II, when soldiers visited.
In 1946, the Eilers family sold Date Palm Beach to C. Roy Hunter. He renamed it Desert Beach. The Desert Beach Yacht Club was started. But in 1948, the sea's water level began to rise. By 1953, all the buildings along the waterfront were destroyed.
North Shore's Development and Decline
Major development for "North Shore" began in 1958. Developers Ray Ryan and Trav Rogers bought land north of Desert Beach. They started building the North Shore Beach & Yacht Club (designed by Albert Frey) and the North Shore Motel in 1960. Both opened in 1962. North Shore's marina was one of the biggest in Southern California. For some years, North Shore was a popular place for famous people like the Beach Boys and Jerry Lewis.
However, like other communities around the Salton Sea, North Shore faced problems. The water levels changed a lot, and the water became saltier and polluted. A flood in 1981 destroyed the boat dock, making the marina useless. In 1984, the Yacht Club closed.
Hurricane Kathleen's Impact
On September 7, 1976, a strong hurricane called Kathleen hit the Coachella Valley. This storm and later floods stopped progress in the eastern Coachella Valley. Eventually, the tourism business disappeared. North Shore, which had been a resort for a long time, started to change. It became more focused on farming and small ranches, as well as homes, while still feeling like a rural area.
Geography and Population
North Shore covers an area of about 11.2 square miles (28.9 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
In 2010, North Shore had a population of 3,477 people. Most of the people living here were of Hispanic or Latino background (95.3%). About 40% of the population was under 18 years old. The average household had about 4.64 people.
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See also
In Spanish: North Shore (California) para niños
