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Last Month Three Balboa
Landmarks Bit the Dust.
Main Street
Trees
Main Street's ficus trees were
originally planted in the early 1950's.
This circa 1955 postcard shows the Main Street trees
shortly after they were planted.
Over the years these trees
have grown to produce a mixed blessing for the Main Street merchants and
visitors alike. True, they are beautiful and create a soft shade for the
downtown Balboa area. But they also create major problems.
This is Main Street before the trees were removed.
Their roots grow so fast and big
they crack and buckle the sidewalks as well get into the sewer lines. So
it was decided the trees must go as part of the upcoming redevelopment
of the Central Balboa area.
The trees came tumbling down with
a crash.
This is Main Street after most of the trees have
been removed and before the upcoming redevelopment.
The Grey Goose Apartments
The Grey Goose Apartments have been a part of Balboa legend and
folklore as far back as anyone can remember. To get the full story,
Click Here
This old circa 1950 postcard reflects the Grey
Goose in its glory days.
The Grey Goose just before it
was demolished.
A fond farewell to the Grey
Goose.
A sign displays the new homes to be built on the
location of the Grey Goose.
Words Of Wisdom
When one engine fails on a twin engine airplane, you
always have enough power left to get you to the scene of the crash.
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The Ficker House
Of all the homes in Balboa, the Ficker house was one of
the most well known. Built in 1927, this 6,000 square foot home stood out
as an example of old school craftsmanship and house building.
The Ficker house in all of its glory.
Located at the corner of 6th Street and Oceanfront,
it was the envy of everyone who passed it while traveling down the
Oceanfront boardwalk. Named after its long time owner and Americas
Cup winner Bill Ficker, the house is remembered by many for the lavish
Christmas parties that were thrown there every year.
The house was labeled and
disassembled.
After being for sale for many years with no takers, it
was finally purchased by a developer to be leveled to make way for two grand ocean
front homes. When news of the upcoming demolition of the Ficker
house reached Steve and Jeannine Abraham, they contacted the developer
and arranged to get some time to disassemble the house for reconstruction
in Northern California at a later date. After all, the lumber used in the
construction this old house was the finest long grain cedar. Unheard of
in today's house building.
As the house was disassembled, it was loaded into the
truck.
An enclosed eighteen wheeler truck was brought in and the
house was painstakingly disassembled, labeled and put into the truck.
Finally when time ran out, a bulldozer was brought in and in a few hours
what was left of the house was reduced to mulch.
A bulldozer was brought in to finish
the job.
Within a few hours the Ficker house
was gone.
Viewer Email
Jim--
I just wanted to drop you a quick note and thank you for the In Memory
tribute to my grandmother on your website. It was a very sudden shock to
me and my whole family, and it's amazing how much I miss her already.
I'm her oldest grandchild and I remember spending many a summer in
Newport Beach as a kid while she was tending to the apartment building,
renting to families all over the country. My grandfather would come down
from Los Angeles on the weekends and help with a bunch of chores around
the building and otherwise hang out with me and the other kids/cousins.
As a resident of Northern California for over 35 years, every time I've
gone back to Newport Beach through the years to visit my grandparents
and all my wonderful memories I've felt as blessed as a person could be.
With my last grandparent's passing, there will be a hole in my heart
when I visit again but I'll never forget her energy, drive, laughter and
love. Nana and Papa (as we called them) were truly the memory makers!
Thanks again. You're website is great!!
Brent Morgon (son of Dennis Morgon, Venoa and Paul's oldest son)
brent@wilsonbike.com
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