Seal Beach

Seal Beach is located on the coast of northern Orange County encompassing 13.23 square miles. Seal Beach is the home of Leisure World, a gated senior citizen community of almost 9,000 residents. The 5,256- acre Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station, and the 920- acre Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, comprises 2/3 of the land within the 13.23 square- mile city.

Seal Beach was incorporated October 27, 1915 and the current City Charter was adopted in 1964. J.C. Ord, a Civil War veteran known as “the father of Seal Beach,” was the first resident of Seal Beach in 1901. The population in 1915 was 250 persons, including children. Bay City was renamed Seal Beach in 1916. California Seal Lions, commonly called Seals, were a regular part of the scene along the coast and a perfect name for the new town.

On January 16, 1916, it was reported in the newspaper, the POST, that Frank Burt, who had managed the concessions at the recent Panama Pacific Exposition just closing in San Francisco, was coming to Seal Beach. His purpose was to establish an amusement zone for Fun and Frolic in this small beach village. The Jewel City Amusement Company was formed and a new 1,865 feet long pier was constructed in early summer 1916. The original pier was built in 1906. The famous Seal Beach roller coaster must have been sensational because the screams from the down-swoops could be heard in Long Beach!

In 1944, the U.S. Navy purchased 5,000 acres of land and established the Naval Weapons and Net Depot. The Navy displaced everyone living in Anaheim Bay. Some of the old homes were moved to Old Town Seal Beach and many are still here today. In 1953, the Wildlife Refuge comes into existence.

Leisure World was built on 541 acres of the Hellman Ranch property in 1961 and was annexed in 1964. College Park East and West construction took place in 1964-1965. The Surfside Colony became apart of Seal Beach in 1969 and the population grew to 24,441 by 1970.

The Navy Weapons Station commissioned the USS Dewey in 2010, the most advanced destroyer to date.

The City of Seal Beach Nourishment project recently won the 2010 Best Restored Beach Award. Due to the City’s beautiful beaches and pleasant weather, Seal Beach attracts more than 2,000,000 visitors each year making recreation an important factor in the local economy in this otherwise residential community.