Crystal Cove Cottages

Book excerpt: Tucked between the housing developments and golf courses of the Orange County coast lies a small settlement of rustic beach cottages seemingly frozen in time. ¿Crystal Cove Cottages¿ is the first history of this uniquely preserved beach spot that has lured travellers and campers since the 1920s. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places as "the last intact example of California beach vernacular architecture,¿ Crystal Cove is now a state park and its cottages are open to the public for overnight visits. From silent-film location to rum-runners' hideout, scenic setting for a vibrant landscape painting community to 1950s luau-party headquarters, Crystal Cove has all the while remained a bohemian yet family-friendly village. Ten sidebars on notable individual cottages highlight the cove's distinct and often amusing architectural evolution. Crystal Cove Cottages captures the nostalgic ambiance of seaside Americana.