Newport Beach in the Rearview Mirror
History

Newport Beach in the Rearview Mirror

by Hosted by William Lobdell

A look back at the events and people—famous and forgotten—that shaped Newport Beach. Follow on Instagram (newport.in.the.rearview.mirror).

43 episodes
EN-US language
All Episodes
1
43: The Legend of Ron Salisbury and How the Cannery Was Saved
43:27 Feb 3, 2026
2
42: The Balboa Bay Club's Beginnings
36:31 Sep 5, 2025
3
41: The Big Gamble — Building Eastbluff
21:30 Jul 6, 2025
4
40: W.S. Collins — Balboa Island Visionary, Con Man or Both? (Part 2)
41:19 Apr 26, 2025
5
39: W.S. Collins — Balboa Island Visionary, Con Man or Both? (Part 1)
42:58 Jul 1, 2024
6
38: The Secrets of Collins Castle
32:39 Mar 1, 2024
7
37: The Case of the Missing Beach in West Newport
27:09 Dec 6, 2023
8
36: The 9 Lives of the Castaways
29:35 Oct 5, 2023
9
35: The Prophet Who Predicted and Saved Newport Harbor's Future
11:27 Sep 1, 2023
10
34: How Junior Lifeguards Became a Rite of Passage for Newport Kids
38:24 Jul 11, 2023
11
33: How Tragedy and a Russian Forged the World's Greatest Lifeguard Department
30:23 Jun 17, 2023
12
32: Newport Beach's J.J. Moon — The Greatest Surfer Ever Created
19:57 Mar 23, 2023
13
31: Extra! Extra! The Rise and Fall of Newport Beach's Newspapers
56:18 Mar 3, 2023
14
30: Scouts' Honor — The Rapid Rise and Fall of Jamboree Town
46:40 Feb 11, 2023
15
29: Lido Isle — The Island No One Wanted
24:43 Jan 18, 2023
16
28: What's in a Name? The Stories Behind the Naming of 50 Newport Landmarks
25:07 Jan 6, 2023
17
27: A Brief History of Newport's Smallest Islands — Bay, Harbor, Newport and Linda
23:26 Nov 21, 2022
18
26: Growing Up in Newport with John Wayne as Your Dad
48:54 Oct 28, 2022
19
25: Secrets of the Balboa Pavilion
28:43 Sep 30, 2022
20
24: The 20 Worst Ideas in Newport Beach History (Part 3)
34:38 Sep 2, 2022
21
23: The 20 Worst Ideas in Newport Beach History (Part 2)
22:13 Aug 12, 2022
22
22: The 20 Worst Ideas in Newport Beach History (Part 1)
22:20 Jul 29, 2022
23
21: How Newport Beach Became the Kitty Hawk/Woodstock of Hang Gliding
27:14 Jul 14, 2022
24
20: Pop Quiz on Newport History, Bridges Edition
21:31 Jun 9, 2022
25
19: The Seven Architectural Wonders of Newport Beach
25:39 Apr 5, 2022
26
18: The Dirty Old Wedge: The World's Most Dangerous Bodysurfing Wave
43:50 Mar 1, 2022
27
17: Pop Quiz on Newport History, Origins Edition (Part 2)
20:00 Jan 7, 2022
28
16: Pop Quiz on Newport History, Origins Edition (Part 1)
16:50 Dec 24, 2021
29
15: The Coastal Freeway: A Postscript
8:00 Nov 30, 2021
30
14: The Coastal Freeway: A Concrete Monster Almost Unleashed on Newport
25:35 Nov 13, 2021
31
13: Dora Hill: Newport's First Woman Mayor, Greatest Reformer and Killer of Bal Week
32:12 Sep 1, 2021
32
12: Pop Quiz on Newport Beach History (v4)
13:46 Aug 5, 2021
33
11: Newport Nuggets: Three Short Stories Lost to History
17:28 Jul 1, 2021
34
10: The Ferry Godfather: The Legend of Joe Beek and the Balboa Island Ferry
37:44 Jun 10, 2021
35
9: Pop Quiz on Newport Beach History (v3)
15:53 May 13, 2021
36
8: How David Slayed Goliath and Saved Upper Newport Bay
28:11 May 4, 2021
37
7: Fisherman Pete and Newport's First Murder (1896)
16:39 Apr 6, 2021
38
6: Pop Quiz on Newport Beach History (v2)
7:52 Mar 19, 2021
39
5: The Day They Tried to Wipeout the Wedge
3:48 Mar 12, 2021
40
4: Where the Buffalo Roamed in Newport Beach
23:58 Mar 4, 2021
41
3: Pop Quiz on Newport History (v1)
7:08 Feb 17, 2021
42
2: Newport Beach's Greatest Storyteller
34:56 Feb 2, 2021
43
1: Killer Whale Captured Alive in Newport Harbor!
17:14 Jan 21, 2021
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