Inside Naples: 17 Facts About Long Beach’s Island Neighborhood

By Monique Garcia

Photos by Izzy Juarez and courtesy of Stanley Poe 

Original Vision:  The founder of Naples, Arthur M. Parsons, dreamed of creating a getaway vacation spot where people could relax away from the big city. His dream was so clear that he was able to look at the marshes and wasteland at the time and sketch out his vision on the back of an envelope. In 1906, the resulting sketch was so detailed that it was reproduced in watercolors and formed the basis for the project. Seeing the sketch, I have to wonder if Arthur M. Parson had a supernatural gift to see into the future. It included the canals, a park, and something not unsimilar to the fountain that stands there today.

Naples Today:  Naples has grown into one of the more unique and picturesque neighborhoods in Long Beach. The canals are used for all methods of recreation, the parks in Naples still host many annual community events, and La Bella Fontana Di Napoli still stands to bring a hint of the Old World that Parsons envisioned. So whether you live in Naples or enjoy visiting to stroll along the canals, it’s nice to take a step back and appreciate the community that grew from marshes and wasteland.

1

Naples was originally going to be named Venice but was beaten to the punch by Abbot Kinney up the coast. Instead, Parsons put up a “name-the-neighborhood” contest in an ad where the name Naples won. Apparently, no one seemed to care that the Italian city it was named after had no canals, the selling point at the time.

2

The Alamitos Bay was used as a port as early as 1868. At the time, Rancho Los Alamitos raised sheep and cattle so ships would anchor off shore and take hides and tallow. Naples was just a marsh that was completely underwater come high tide.

3

In 1906, the only way for tourists to reach Naples was from a pier by boat and gondolas. People would take picnic lunches after visiting the Pike nearby and be given tours in the hope that they would fall in love with Naples and buy a plot of land.

4

The first homes were styled in Revival Mediterranean and California Spanish. Considering at the time the more traditional style of Victorian homes were popular in Los Angeles, many people thought it was too risqué. Arthur M. Parsons thought it suited his dreamland perfectly.

5

In 1909, one of LA's wealthiest investors, Miss Almira Hershey, decided to build a grand hotel she named The Hotel Napoli. It was an enormous and lavish neo-Romanesque structure that many were excited to see open. But for reasons unknown, Miss Hershey refused to open or sell the hotel for almost 25 years. It was only after her investment exceeded $3,000,000 that she decided to sell and the hotel opened its doors for the first time in 1929!

6

Can you guess how much a home in Naples would have cost 100 years ago? An ad printed in Naples Illustrated News on June 1925 advertised homes for $2000.00. 

Today, the average price can be about $2-3 million.

7

Naples was heavily affected by the 1933 earthquake. It caused severe failures of the wall systems, causing sand to collapse back into the canals, resulting in an unsafe shoreline and inaccessibility to boaters and residents.

8

From 1904 to 1950, the neighborhood was served by the Pacific Electric, which allowed residents and visitors to get from Naples to Los Angeles in 40 minutes. 

9

To this day, the Naples Island Garden Club is highly acclaimed. It was started by friends in the community with impressive gardens in 1973. Now, the club shares horticulture advice, gives out scholarships, and actively works to beautify the Naples community.

10

The Naples Pancake Breakfast is legendary. It originally started as a fundraiser in 1949 for Christmas festivities and grew into something more. It is now a morning marked by music, dancing, art, and of course, pancakes for the community.

11

The first Christmas Boat Parade was a humble parade of small boats loaded with carolers and led by Santa. Over the years, the tradition has grown and today the parade is just one feature that marks the commitment of Naples residents to spread holiday cheer. Anyone who lives in Long Beach has likely seen and appreciated the spectacle of lights, as well as the extravagantly decorated houses that turn the entire island into a winter holiday wonderland.

12

Did you know that the Easter Bunny regularly visits Naples Island? Every year, you can help hunt for easter eggs by the La Bella Fontana Di Napoli.

13

Nothing helps kick off the summer more than concerts in the park. The NIA (Naples Improvement 

Association) hosts a series of free concerts that take place at The Colonnade overlooking Naples Bay. 

14

Naples' scenic neighborhood has been used in many film and television productions including: “Dexter,” “CSI: Miami,” “Major Crimes,” “Jane the Virgin,” “Baywatch,” and “Veronica Mars.” If you're familiar with any of these shows, you can probably guess which sunny paradise they are trying to recreate.

15

The Naples Elementary School students once published a 129-page cookbook of their favorite appetizers, soups and salads, main dishes, side dishes, and desserts with over 90 recipes.

16

Not only is Naples a beautiful community, it is a safety-conscious one as well. In the event of a large-scale incident, such as a massive earthquake or tsunami, Naples has its own emergency plan and team of volunteers dedicated to emergency preparedness and disaster management on Naples Island.

17

In 1932, the Olympic rowing competition took place in Marine Stadium. Despite many rumors, the venue was not created solely for the Olympics, only completed in time for its use.

VISITING NAPLES

If you truly want to experience the beauty of Naples Island, there's only one way to do it… by visiting the canals! Whether you choose a romantic gondola ride with Gondola Getaway, rent from LB Waterbikes, or explore with Kayaks On The Water, each option offers a memorable way to enjoy the Naples canals. 

Arthur M. Parsons used gondola rides to Naples Island to inspire people to see what he saw, a unique and beautiful community. 

To honor his vision, taking a canal ride is the perfect way to immerse yourself in the very heart of this remarkable neighborhood.

To book your experience on the water, visit Gondola Getaway, gondolagetawayinc.com; LB Waterbikes, lbwaterbikes.com; or Kayaks On The Water, kayakrentals.net. 

To learn more about Naples community events, visit naplesislands.org.

A special thank you to Naples, The City of Red Tiled Roofs by Stanley Poe. An amazing book with a detailed history of Naples. Check it out at your local library.