John Newlander Living Here John Newlander - First Team | Page 12

An example of Oak Street cottage
style in Laguna’s village.
The Village, the Heart of Laguna
S
tyle and architecture: Picket
fences, clapboard cottages,
narrow streets, Dutch doors,
flowering front yard gardens, beach
arrow signs, ocean front cottages and
villas, intimate boutiques, quaint
coffee shops, quiet neighborhoods,
lush vegetation, every home unique,
walkers of all kinds: these are just
a few of the things that come to
mind as I walk my neighborhood of 27 years. Beach
cottage, Spanish revival, Craftsman, and Cape Cod are
common architectural styles to be found here. Some
people compare The Village to European villages
because of the quaintness of the architecture and the
coziness of our small avenues. What strikes me the
most, and what has kept me here for so many years,
is the pride in ownership and the unique sense of
“specialness” exuded by The Village residents.
The Village defined? The Village can be roughly
defined as bordered on the north by Park Avenue, to
the east by Temple Terrace and Wendt Terrace, to the
south by Calliope Street, and to the West by the Pacific
Ocean; however, several neighboring areas will lay
John Newlander
claim to the title of The Village. The
Village can be generally described
as the more flatland area of central
Laguna Beach, although all of
Laguna is on some kind of slope or
hillside.
History: Little is spoken of the
history of this area of Laguna Beach,
which is one of the oldest sections
of the city. But what brings its past
into perspective for me is recalling a story told to me
by a lady I knew who lived on Oak Street. She recalled
that in the early 1900’s the only paved road in The
Village was Thalia Street. So in the winter after the
rains, they would drive up Thalia in their Model T and
then slide down their muddy dirt road to arrive at their
home: up and over on rainy days.
How the community has evolved: When I think of
how the community in The Village has evolved I am
always drawn back to the balance between cottage appeal
and view access. “Peak” has always been a common
term used in The Village to describe the views. And
what has always impressed me is how many of these
homeowners have been able to increase their “peak”
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