Dana Point

^{Father Junipero Serra founded Mission San Juan Capistrano which was five miles inland from the coast. Named for St John of Capistrano, Italy, the area was called Bahia Capistrano or ( Capistrano Bay). A pirate from Argentina sailed his fleet to the cove Dana Point. His name was Hippolyte Bouchard and his pirates invaded the mission.}

^{The city was incorporated in 1989 and is named after Richard Henry Dana Jr. who was born in 1815 and died in 1882. He was a Harvard-trained lawyer, a seaman and the author of Two Years Before the Mast which was published in 1840. This journal documents his travels on the merchant ship, Pilgrim, from Boston around Cape Horn and on to California. Dana depicted this area that was once known as Capistrano with so much appreciation and described it as “the most romantic spot in California.” Now, that Capistrano Bay is known as Dana Point.}

^{The home were all white adobe with red-tiled roofs placed along wide streets that were moulded on maritime signal lanterns. In fact, streets in Dana Point were named after lanterns. There were names like “Street of Blue Lantern”, “Street of the Golden Lantern.” and the like. When the stock market crashed in 1929, the Great Depression followed.}

^{After that, oil tycoon Edward Doheny attempted to resurrect development of the area but it failed. He eventually donated more than 40 acres of prime ocean front property to the state. That property became Doheny State Beach Park and was California’s first state beach.}

^{Then, in the 1950s, the area became a popular spot for surfers who came to ride the “Killer Dana”, a legendary wave that broke at the Dana Point Cove.}

^{Point is well known as a starting place for dolphin and whale-watching cruises across the ocean. It’s also a well-loved city for its marinas, eclectic boutiques and the amazing trails that spiral through the Dana Point Headlands Conservation Area and offer breath-taking views of the ocean. In the late 1960’s, construction of Dana Point Harbor began and it was officially dedicated on July 31st, 1971. There are over 2,500 boats in the Dana Point Harbor. This Harbor attracts thousands of guests year after year for shopping, fishing, walking, parasailing and so many other things.}

^{Residential development began in the 1970’s and the lazy beach town became anew and in 1989, a vote was placed to incorporate it as a legal city in light of future planning and development.}

^{The City of Dana Point celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2009. The city has roughly seven miles of coastal bluffs and beautiful hills that sweep along the Pacific Ocean. Of all the bluffs, there is one known as the Headlands. It overlooks the Dana Point Harbor and is one of the moist poignant landmarks of the entire Orange County coastline.}

^{Dana Point is located near the half way point between Los Angeles and San Diego and is a very ethnically diverse city.}

^{The median household income is $97,519 as of 2019.}

^{Population: Approximately 33,769 as of 2019}

^{Well Known Places in Dana Point}

^{Dana Point Harbor}

^{Dana Point Bluff Top Trail}

^{Dana Strands Beach}

^{Fact Sheet}

^{This city is known as the Whale Watching Capital of the West.}

^{Dana Point is a popular destination for sunset cruises, luxury spas and high end golfing.}