Three Arch Bay is a 29-acre (12 ha) private gated community located in the South Laguna neighborhood of Laguna Beach, California. It is named for a formation of three natural arches in the rocky cliffs along the ocean. The community features some oceanfront homes with swimming pools built into the intertidal rocks which are replenished by the incoming tides.
History
According to a letter of Dana Point developer Sidney Woodruff, the entire 29 acres (12 ha) site was purchased in 1926 for $135,000.
The first rock pool was created in 1929 by film producer Edward H. Griffith. Griffith built his property, which included a lighthouse, for use as a backdrop in feature films. Early movies filmed in Three Arch Bay included Warner Bros.' Captain Blood (1935) starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland, and Paramount Pictures' Give Us This Night (1936).
By 1939 lots in the area were sold for $100 down on a $3,000 lot. The original sales promotional advertisements warned of "Rattlesnakes Galore."
References
- "Edward and America Griffith Residence NR Draft" (PDF). ohp.parks.ca.gov. March 30, 2022.
- Diamond, Babara (August 30, 2007). "Three Arch Bay pays for privacy". Coastline Pilot. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- Los Angeles: A Guide to the City and Its Environs. Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. 1941. p. 366.
- Thurston, J.S. (2017). Laguna Beach of Early Days. The History Press.
- "What did Three Arch Bay sell for?". Three Arch Bay California. light-headed.com. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
- "A Little Piece of Hollywood History – Edward H. Griffith's Three Arch Bay Estate". Luxatic. July 24, 2014.
- Brennan, Nick (November 2003). "Three Arch Bay". Orange County Home: 126–7.
33°29′27″N 117°43′56″W / 33.4909°N 117.7323°W / 33.4909; -117.7323
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