Capistrano Beach, Dana Point, California

Rancho Boca de la Playa, granted to Don Emigdio Vejar, was the initial land title issued in the area now known as Capistrano Beach. The land was sold to Juan Abila in 1860, and then purchased by Marcus A Forster in 1886. Forster sold a strip of the land to the San Bernardino and San Diego Railway.{{Cite web|url=http://www.danapointtimes.com/its-history-rancho-boca-de-la-playa-plants-capistrano-beach-roots/|title=It's History: Rancho Boca de la Playa Plants Capistrano Beach Roots|website=Dana Point Times|date=7 April 2014 |language=en-US|access-date=2016-03-21}} The railway, in collaboration with the California Central Railway, built a rail line between Los Angeles and San Diego, with a station at Capistrano. The station was initially named San Juan by the Sea, but in 1910 was changed to Serra, the name of the newly formed school district.{{cite book |last=Gudde |first=Erwin Gustav |title=California Place Names: A Geographical Dictionary |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qJAGAQAAIAAJ |year=1949 |publisher=University of California Press |location=Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA |page=326}}{{cite gnis |id=1656450 |name=Capistrano Beach }}

Development of Capistrano Beach started in 1925 with residential homes on the bluff. The Capistrano Beach Club was built along the shore of the new development. In 1929, the Petroleum Securities Company (owned by Edward L. Doheny) became the new owners of the Capistrano Beach development.{{Cite web|url=http://www.danapointtimes.com/its-history-a-lost-beachfront-treasure/|title=It's History: A Lost Beachfront Treasure|website=Dana Point Times|date=5 July 2014 |language=en-US|access-date=2016-03-21}} In 1931, following the death of Doheny's son, he donated over {{convert|40 |acres}} to the state for Doheny State Beach.{{Cite news|url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/dana-628364-point-doheny.html|title=Tracing the history of Dana Point|newspaper=The Orange County Register|access-date=2016-03-21}} Capistrano Beach became part of the city of Dana Point in 1989.{{Cite news|url=http://www.ocregister.com/articles/san-534059-beach-capistrano.html|title=How Capo Beach became a part of Dana Point|newspaper=The Orange County Register|access-date=2016-03-21}}

During the excavation of the land during development in 1929, the bones of a mastodon (or possibly a mammoth) were discovered. The bones were taken to the Los Angeles Natural History Hall for display.{{Cite web|url=http://www.danapointtimes.com/its-history-the-capistrano-mastadon/|title=It's History: The Capistrano {{sic|Masta|don|nolink=y}}|website=Dana Point Times|date=3 May 2013 |language=en-US|access-date=2016-03-21}}

The {{convert|1180|ft}} wooden pier was popular for strolling, sightseeing, and fishing. The pier was severely damaged by waves in 1964, after which it was condemned and demolished in 1965.{{Cite news|url=http://www.danapointtimes.com/its-history-capistrano-pier-only-memories-remain/|title=It's History: Capistrano Pier, Only Memories Remain|work=Dana Point Times|language=en-US|access-date=2016-03-21}} The Capistrano Beach Club became rundown and, in the late 1960s, was dismantled.

During storms in 2018, a boardwalk collapsed and an outdoor basketball court was severely damaged after being undermined by erosion caused by the waves. The storm exposed old cars put there decades prior as part of a now corroded sea wall. More boulders were placed to protect the basketball court that was damaged.{{Cite news|url= https://www.ocregister.com/2018/12/01/capo-beach-crumbles-with-walkway-destroyed-palms-uprooted-old-buried-cars-exposed-from-storm-battering/ |title= Capo Beach crumbles with walkway destroyed, palms uprooted, old buried cars exposed from surf battering|last=Connelly|first=Laylan |newspaper=OC Register|access-date=2018-01-08}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-capistrano-beach-20181202-story.html|title=Residents fear losing Capistrano Beach as storms chip away at their 'piece of paradise'|last=Do|first=Ahn|date=2018-12-07|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-03}}

The Serra Siding project is proposed along the shoreline that would build {{convert|1.2| miles}} of additional siding track. The project would create additional train capacity along this busy corridor.{{Cite news|last=Brandon Pho|date=2021-04-05|title=Dispute Erupts Over Proposed Rail Project Along Eroding Capistrano Beach|url=https://voiceofoc.org/2021/04/dispute-erupts-over-proposed-rail-project-along-eroding-capistrano-beach/|access-date=2021-04-06|work=Voice of OC|language=en-US}}

File:Dana Point and the bluffs at Capistrano, California, ca.1900 (CHS-1548).jpg|Capistrano Beach from the sea, {{circa|1900}}

File:Laguna Beach surf and Arch Rocks between Laguna and Capistrano, 1910 (CHS-1311).jpg|Rock arches at Capistrano Beach in 1910

File:Laguna Beach surf and the rock arches at Capistrano Beach, "The Lady of the Sea", 1910 (CHS-1303).jpg|Rock arches at Capistrano Beach in 1910

File:Capistrano Beach Dana Point California photo D Ramey Logan.jpg|The San Juan Creek's southwestern mouth at Capistrano Beach

File:Capistrano Beach.jpg|Capistrano Beach sea bluffs in 2005

File:San Diego Steam Special II along Coast Highway in Capistrano Beach, May 2010.jpg|Santa Fe 3751 in Capistrano Beach in May 2010

File:Capistrano Beach, California (3436693609).jpg|A lifeguard stand at Capistrano Beach

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Category:Dana Point, California

Category:Neighborhoods in Orange County, California