How did Huntington Beach become Huntington Beach?
Beyond the Name
The "Identity Crisis": Before becoming Huntington Beach, the city went by several names, including Shell Beach, Smeltzer, Gospel Swamp, and Pacific City.
A High-Stakes Rebrand: In 1904, the town was renamed to honor oil tycoon Henry E. Huntington. Why? He agreed to extend his Pacific Electric Railway (the famous "Red Cars") to the village, putting it on the map as a major destination.
Free Land with Books? In its early days, an encyclopedia company gave away free plots of land in HB to anyone who bought a full set of books. The "lucky" buyers got a shock later when huge oil reserves were discovered under those very plots!