History

Costa Mesa was once grazing ground for the Mission San Juan Capistrano cattle.  The first adobe, named Estancia, was built in the beginning of the 19th century and still stands today.  By late 19th century, settlers began buying portions of the land and to build a community which they called Fairview.  Unfortunately, the railroads were destroyed a couple of years after which also brought down the town.  The land was then reverted back to farm land.  The small community grew slowly as the farming continued until the oil drilling industry accelerated the town’s growth in 1930.  The town suffered another devastating step back, yet again, from the depression.  Banks were closed and most people moved away.  World War II brought thousands of people back to the town to train at the Santa Ana Army Air Base, now Orange County Fair Ground and Orange Coast College.  Many soldiers moved back with their families after the war and contributed greatly to the incorporation of the city in 1953.  The city was named Costa Mesa which means coastal tableland in Spanish.

Costa Mesa city went from a population of 16,000 covering an area of 3.5 square miles in the 50’s to over 100,000 covering over 17 square miles today.