The trolley that turned a sandy peninsula into a beach resort is the subject of the Balboa Island Museum's latest "A Look Back" installment, published Monday, July 27.

The weekly photo series spotlights Henry Huntington's Pacific Electric Railway Company, founded in 1901 with the goal of linking Southern California under a single electric trolley network. A portion of the track ran down the coast from Long Beach, reached Newport Beach on Aug. 5, 1905, and extended to Balboa on July 4, 1906, according to railway historians at ERHA.

That Independence Day arrival was no accident. The 65-foot Victorian-style Balboa Pavilion opened the same week, built by the Newport Bay Investment Company for roughly $20,000 to serve as the Red Cars' southern terminal. Within months, thousands of summertime visitors were riding in from Los Angeles, snapping up lots in what had been little more than empty sand.

"Balboa was but a sandy peninsula until PE extended to the town site," railway historians wrote. "Steady growth thereupon ensued and in due time Balboa surpassed Newport as a favorite spot for holiday seekers."

The Red Cars did more than bring tourists. According to PBS SoCal, the railroad's arrival spurred the three towns of Balboa, Newport Beach, and East Newport to incorporate as the City of Newport Beach in 1906. Huntington himself was a partner in the Newport Beach Company alongside developer William S. Collins, who had purchased the Newport townsite in 1902.

At its peak in the 1920s, the Pacific Electric operated more than 1,000 miles of track across Southern California. Regular passenger service on the Newport-Balboa line ended in 1950.

The "A Look Back" series is part of a broader summer of 120th-anniversary programming. The Visit Newport Beach "120 Years of Welcome" exhibit, which includes a Red Car reproduction, is on display at the museum through Oct. 1 with free admission.

The Balboa Island Museum and Museum Store sit at 210 B Marine Ave. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free. Two-hour parking is available on Marine Avenue. More information: 949-675-3952 or balboaislandmuseum.org.

Upcoming Newport Beach community events:

  • "120 Years of Welcome" exhibit at Balboa Island Museum, open through Oct. 1. Free admission.
  • "A Look Back" photo series continues weekly at the museum.
  • Newport Beach's 120th incorporation anniversary falls in September 2026.