Naples, California | |
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Coordinates: 33°45′14″N118°07′20″W / 33.75389°N 118.12222°W | |
Country | United States |
State | California |
County | Los Angeles |
City | Long Beach |
Naples is a neighborhood of Long Beach, California, United States, built on three islands located in Alamitos Bay. The islands are divided by canals which open into the bay. Most of the streets on the island have Italianate names. The center of Naples features a large fountain which serves as a popular meeting spot. The city was named after the Italian city Naples.
Naples was once marshland within the artificial Alamitos Bay, at the mouth of the San Gabriel River. Around 1903, Arthur M. Parsons raised $500,000 from investors and purchased the marshland from the Alamitos Land Company. Construction began in August, 1905, reshaping the existing land and water into the three islands of Naples. [1] The design was by the firm Mayberry & Parker, [2] who also contributed to the Hotel Wentworth in Pasadena. [3] The concept of canals and gondolas was similar to the "Venice of America" developed by Abbot Kinney up the coast. Parson's Naples Land Company called its plans the "Dreamland of Southern California," and projected that "through the canals and under the high arching bridges gay gondoliers will propel their crafts like those in the waters of the Adriatic under the blue skies of Italy." [4] The project was completed in the 1920s. The seawall was rebuilt in 1938 [5] following the 1933 Long Beach earthquake. [6]
From 1904 to 1950, the neighborhood was served by the Pacific Electric Balboa Line.
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This sheltered beach allows for various activities due to the volleyball courts, play area and picnic sites. Known as "Mother's Beach" for its gentle wave action, as well as its shallow swimming area paired with lifeguard supervision during peak periods. Marina Park offers both a great beach for kids and a nearby grassy play area.
One very popular Christmas-time event in Naples is the "Naples Island Christmas Boat Parade," with groups of decorated boats going through the canals of Naples, around Alamitos Bay, and past Belmont Shore. The parade has been held since 1946.
The "Trees in the Bay" floating Christmas tree tradition dates to 1949. [7] [8]
At various locations near Naples Island, services for kayak rentals, stand-up paddle boarding, and hydro biking are available. Hydro bikes, are similar to paddle boats, yet are elevated in design to allow for better site-seeing. They also come in single occupancy and double occupancy.
Known locally as Naples Plaza. This small bay front park is a tear-drop shaped strip of land stretching from the west end of Corso di Napoli and terminating at the east end of Corso di Oro. It has a few park benches with a view of Seal Beach as well as Los Alamitos Bay.
In the middle of Naples Island, a small park is located that includes benches, bay views only a block away, and grass centered around an elegant, three-tiered circular fountain. It was originally named "Circle Park Naples" in 1933, and renamed in 1934 to "Bella Flora Park." In 1971, the park was given its current name "La Bella Fontana di Napoli". A well-liked place for a picnic that is a short distance from the Los Alamitos Bay walkways and views.
Naples residents [9] [10] are zoned to Long Beach Unified School District schools:
Long Beach is a coastal city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the 44th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 451,307 as of 2022. A charter city, Long Beach is the 7th-most populous city in California, the 2nd-most populous city in Los Angeles County, and the largest city in California that is not a county seat.
Los Alamitos is a city in Orange County, California. The city was incorporated in March 1960. The population was 11,780 at the 2020 census, up from 11,449 at the 2010 census. The adjacent unincorporated community of Rossmoor uses the same 90720 ZIP code in its mailing address, but is not part of the city. The Los Alamitos Race Course is named for the city, but lies in the neighboring city of Cypress.
Downtown Long Beach, California, United States is the location for most of the city's major tourist attractions, municipal services and for numerous businesses. There are many hotels and restaurants in the area that serve locals, tourists, and convention visitors.
Eastside or East Side has had two different meanings in the city of Long Beach, California. The first, and more current meaning, refers to an area roughly comprising the eastern half of the city, usually excluding areas south of the east–west line made by Pacific Coast Highway/Atherton Street. This area is also called East Long Beach. The second meaning was the area east of the Los Angeles River and north of downtown Long Beach and became notable in the hip-hop gangsta rap of the 1990s.
Bluff Park is a small, upscale neighborhood in Long Beach, California, United States. There is a bluff along much of the beach in Long Beach, and on one stretch, there is the narrow Bluff Park from which the neighborhood gets its name.
Belmont Shore is a neighborhood in Long Beach, California. It is home to many shops, restaurants, salons, and business offices.
The Los Alamitos Traffic Circle, informally known as the Long Beach Traffic Circle, is a roundabout at the intersection of Lakewood Boulevard, Pacific Coast Highway and Los Coyotes Diagonal in Long Beach, California. The intersection was originally constructed as a traffic circle in 1930 and reconstructed as a modern roundabout in 1993.
Edward Killingsworth FAIA (1917–2004) was an American architect. He is best known as a participant in Arts & Architecture's Case Study program in the mid-1950s. He designed and built Case Study House #25, "The Frank House," in Naples, California. He also designed numerous luxury hotels all over the world and a large part of the California State University, Long Beach campus. In the architecture world, his name is associated with Southern California Post-and-Beam Mid-Century Modern.
The Long Beach Public Library (LBPL) is an American public library system located in Long Beach, California.
Bluff Heights is a neighborhood and historic district in Long Beach, California, composed mainly of Craftsman bungalows constructed from approximately 1910 to 1923.
Alamitos Beach is a coastal neighborhood in the southern portion of the city of Long Beach, California. Although it was in unincorporated Los Angeles County when annexed by the City of Long Beach, it had been planned as its own community with a townsite.
Alamitos Heights is a neighborhood in the south-east portion of the city of Long Beach, California, United States.
Los Cerritos is a neighborhood with approximately 700 homes and 2,000 residents located within the Bixby Knolls neighborhood of Long Beach, California. Established in 1906, the Los Cerritos neighborhood has been used by the film industry of Hollywood with its historic, estate-sized homes. It was one of three finalists in the 2007 Neighborhood of the Year national competition.
Carroll Park is a neighborhood in the city of Long Beach, California.
Alamitos Bay is an inlet on the Pacific Ocean coast of southern California, United States, between the cities of Long Beach and Seal Beach, at the outlet of the San Gabriel River. It is near Los Angeles.
The Bixby family is an American family that was heavily involved in the development of California ranches and real estate in the 19th and 20th centuries. Through various companies, they controlled at one time or another large swathes of California real estate, much of it derived from Mexican land grants. Over several generations, their holdings included Rancho Los Cerritos and Rancho Los Alamitos, and parts of Rancho San Justo and Rancho Palos Verdes, totaling well over 100,000 acres. Parts of the towns of Long Beach, Bellflower, Paramount, Signal Hill, Lakewood, and Los Alamitos emerged from former Bixby-held lands. Within Long Beach, the neighborhoods Bixby Hill, Bixby Knolls, and Bixby Village are named after the family, as well as Bixby Park in the Alamitos Beach neighborhood.
Belmont Park is a neighborhood in the city of Long Beach, California.
Clarence Justin Smale, also known as C.J. Smale, was an American architect.
Park Estates is a neighborhood in Long Beach, California. It is adjacent to the Los Altos and Alamitos Heights neighborhoods, as well as Recreation Park and California State University, Long Beach.
Peninsula is a neighborhood in Long Beach, California. It separates Alamitos Bay from the Pacific Ocean. It is adjacent to Belmont Shore and across the water from Naples.