From "Oil City" to "Surf City"
A Forest of Steel: Long before the surf shops, the skyline was a "mechanical forest" of oil derricks. In the 1920s, the town was nicknamed "Oil City" because rigs literally rose directly from the sand.
The Original Father of Surf: While Duke Kahanamoku is a legend, the first surfing demonstration in HB was actually given by George Freeth in 1914—the same day the city’s concrete pier opened.
The Battle for the Title: Huntington Beach had a famous, years-long "surf-off" (a legal battle) with Santa Cruz over the trademark "Surf City USA". HB officially won the rights to the name in 2008.