Collection: Bolsa Chica Gun Club Collection

When of group of powerful, influential Business people founded the Bolsa Chica Gun Club in 1899, it changed the local landscape forever. Literally. The well-heeled hunters sealed off inlets that led to the ocean to help create a freshwater environment to aid their hunting and fishing. In the early 1900s, the local farmers squared off against the millionaires in an epic fight of right against might. The hunters prevailed.

The gun club, for better and worse, remains one of the most significant establishments in the history not just of Huntington Beach, but also southern California. Maps that were drawn up at the turn-of-the-century featured a unique, proprietary logo for the club. There are a variety of versions of it from that time, but this is our favorite. Originally included on a 1907 map of the area, today at the interpretive center run by the Bolsa Chica Conservancy, you can see the original document which includes a 1907 watermark. We are proud to present the original artwork as part of a special collection that commemorates the famed Bolsa Chica Gun club. The rare, never before shared photo features a group of members from that same 1907-time period.