Dana Point, California
| Dana Point, California | ||
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| General law city | ||
Aerial view of Dana Point
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| Motto: "Harboring the Good Life" | ||
 Location of Dana Point within Orange County, California. |
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 Dana Point, California
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| Coordinates: 33°28′2″N 117°41′53″W / 33.46722°N 117.69806°WCoordinates: 33°28′2″N 117°41′53″W / 33.46722°N 117.69806°W | ||
| Country | United States | |
| State | California | |
| County | Orange | |
| Incorporated | January 1, 1989 | |
| Named for | Richard Henry Dana, Jr. | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Council-Manager | |
| • Mayor | Carlos N. Olvera | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 29.484 sq mi (76.364 km2) | |
| • Land | 6.497 sq mi (16.828 km2) | |
| • Water | 22.987 sq mi (59.536 km2) 77.96% | |
| Elevation | 144 ft (44 m) | |
| Population (April 1, 2010) | ||
| • Total | 33,351 | |
| • Estimate (2013) | 34,062 | |
| • Density | 1,100/sq mi (440/km2) | |
| Time zone | Pacific (UTC-8) | |
| • Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC-7) | |
| ZIP codes | 92624, 92629 | |
| Area code(s) | 949 | |
| FIPS code | 06-17946 | |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1656474, 2410293 | |
| Website | www |
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| Reference no. | 189 | |
 Photo of Dana Point before the boat harbor
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Dana Point is a city located in southern Orange County, California. The population was 33,351 at the 2010 census. It has one of the few harbors along the Orange County coast, and with ready access via State Route 1, it is a popular local destination for surfing.
The city was named after the headland of Dana Point, which was in turn named after Richard Henry Dana, Jr., author of Two Years Before the Mast, which included a description of the area. Dana described the locale, including neighboring San Juan Capistrano, as "the only romantic spot on the coast". Although Dana described the anchorage as poor, it is now a developed harbor and contains a replica of his ship, the Pilgrim. The Pilgrim is used as a classroom by the Ocean Institute, which is located at the harbor. This area is designated California Historical Landmark #189.
Dana Point was a popular port for ships involved with the hide trade with nearby Mission San Juan Capistrano. Trading reached its peak in the 1830s and 1840s. In 1818, Argentine sailor Hippolyte de Bouchard anchored there while conducting his raid on the mission. Richard Henry Dana then visited the area in 1835 while serving aboard the sailing brig Pilgrim on her voyage along the California coastline.
In 1923, Los Angeles Times publisher Harry Chandler and General M. H. Sherman, director of the Pacific Electric Railway Company, created a major real estate group to develop what is known today as the Hollywood Hills. Sidney H. Woodruff, already a prominent Los Angeles homebuilder, was hired to lead the project.
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