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The history of Laguna Beach
Laguna Beach is in Orange County, California. Forest Avenue, Broadway and the streets near Main Beach bring together shops, galleries and local restaurants. The southern part of the city has its own coastal neighborhoods and small local businesses; check distances before planning a walk.
People who shaped Laguna Beach
These milestones are an introduction, not a complete local history. Follow the linked city and museum sources to explore the people and places behind them.Read the local historical account.
Watch the city’s history
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Time Machine - Laguna Beach - Part 1 of 3
A local history film shared by The Time Machine.
Watch on YouTube ↗Famous people born in Laguna Beach
See all 48 famous people
- 1888
Hotel Laguna begins
The original wooden Hotel Laguna was built as Laguna Beach grew into a summer destination.
Visit Laguna Beach ↗ - 1918
Artists organize
Anna Hills, Edgar Payne and other artists formed the Laguna Beach Art Association, the predecessor of Laguna Art Museum.
Laguna Art Museum ↗ - 1927
City incorporation
Laguna Beach incorporated on June 29, 1927.
Visit Laguna Beach ↗ - 1929
A purpose-built gallery
The art association opened its Myron Hunt-designed gallery, now part of Laguna Art Museum.
Laguna Art Museum ↗ - 1932
The Festival of Arts begins
The first Festival of Arts show was staged in downtown Laguna Beach.
Visit Laguna Beach ↗
See the history for yourself.
Walk downtown Laguna Beach near Main Beach, where American Craftsman bungalows from the early 1900s still dot the streets. Check current opening hours before visiting Laguna Art Museum.
For deeper research, the Laguna Beach library resources is a starting point for archival material and research help. Historic photographs have their own permissions; we link to the collection instead of treating every old image as free to reuse.
Selected milestones researched September 13, 2026. This is an introduction, not a complete account of the city’s history.