The Spanish missionaries arrived here in the early 1700's and
established farming communities. In the 1830's Mexico transferred
ownership of the land to private citizens. The area around Upper
Newport Bay was the subject of conflicting claims, but was
eventually awarded to Don Jose Andros Sepulveda. Sepulveda and other
ranchers prospered during the gold rush, selling beef to the miners.
When the mining boom collapsed, the cattle market did too. As a
result of this and the costs of defending Mexican land titles under
the new American government, most of the Mexican raiders were forced
to sell out. The Rancho San Joaquin surrounding Upper Newport Bay
was sold by Sepulveda to James Irvine and partners in 1864. Irvine
and his partners also purchased other surrounding property,
expanding their holdings to over 100,000 acres (150 square miles).
In 1876 Irvine bought out his partners.
In 1901 the Irvine Company acquired State tidelands at the north
end of the Bay. In the 1950's and 1960's the Irvine Company and the
County of Orange were planning an exchange of property in/around the
Bay that would have resulted in hotels and marinas being built along
its shoreline.
In 1969 a lawsuit was filed by the County Auditor, Fran and Frank
Robinson, and others to resolve the constitutional issues
surrounding the land swap. At about the same time the Friends of
Newport Bay was formed to press for public ownership of the entire
Upper Bay. As a result of the determined efforts of the
Robinsons and others, 572 acres was purchased from the Irvine
Company by the State and another 214 acres was transferred from the
County and Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve was created.
The Ecological Reserve was dedicated on April 11, 1975 with the
following words, "In the name of the people of the State of
California , so that this and future generations may continue to
have, to use and enjoy the priceless heritage of the wildlife
resources, the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve is hereby
dedicated.".
