The Beachcomber Cafe

It became a tradition for many families who had enjoyed the Cove since the 1920's to return to this favored place each summer. The Irvine Family had been generous with permission for the construction of the cottages that still line the beach today, virtually unchanged. In the late 1930's, as the cottage owners made improvements and lengthened their stay, the Irvine Family decided that those with cottages must make a choice. They were invited to either move their cottages elsewhere or to relinquish ownership and lease their cottages from The Irvine Company.  This short term leasing system actually served to preserve Crystal Cove in its original form since the leases specified that no dimensional changes could be made to the cottages. This single act ensured that the area appears much as it did in the 1920's with the exception of the absence of seasonal visitors who are no longer allowed to pitch tents on the beach.  In the mid-seventies, Martha Padve learned of the California State Parks’ interest in acquiring Crystal Cove. Mrs. Padve and her husband had been weekend residents of the Cove for nearly 20 years. Her interest in historic preservation in her home town of Pasadena led her to explore placing Crystal Cove on the National Register of Historic Places, thereby saving the cottages for future use. With the help and advice of another Cove resident, historian Christine Shirley, and of Elsa Burns, a preservationist from San Juan Capistrano, Mrs. Padve researched the early history of Crystal Cove and its resident community. She wrote a successful proposal adopted by members of the State Historical Commission, who recommended it for National Register status.