El Morro Trailer Park

Original oil painting of the former El Morro Trailer Park on the current grounds of Crystal Cove State Park. The artwork is also available as archival quality canvas giclée prints in a variety of sizes listed below.

	Description & Size		Price		Purchase
	191G0810 Open Edition Giclée Print on Canvas, 8 x 10 inches 8.00" x 10.00" Id: 859		$49.00
	191G1216 Limited Edition Giclée Print on Canvas, 12 x 16 inches, Total Edition: 95 Prints 12.00" x 16.00" Id: 860		$115.00
	191G1824 Limited Edition Giclée Print on Canvas, 18 x 24 inches, Total Edition: 95 Prints 18.00" x 24.00" Id: 861		$265.00

El Morro was closed on March 2, 2006 ending a long and colorful history of the trailer park.

El Morro timeline

1920s: Campground opened on Irvine Company land.

Late ' 50s to early ' 60s: Seventy-three mobile homes were located on the beach.

1968: Work began on the blufftop mobile-home terrace.

1979: The state bought the 3,000 acres of oceanfront, including El Morro and Crystal Cove, from the Irvine Co. for $32.6 million. A 20-year lease was signed with residents, who agreed to waive relocation assistance.

1982: Crystal Cove State Park general plan was approved by the state Parks and Recreation Commission which included campground, picnic sites, parking and creek restoration.

1999: State and residents agreed to a five-year lease extension. Residents again waived relocation assistance.

2000: Voters approved Proposition 12, providing $2.1 billion for state parks.

2002: Residents sued state, challenging the park environmental impact report.

2003: Residents proposed a 30-year lease extension that would double their rents, provide affordable housing and donate money to state-park restoration and a local environmental group. Plan is rejected. Judge rules the environmental impact report is sufficient. Residents appeal.

2004: 4th District Court of Appeal rejected appeal. California Coastal Commission unanimously votes to allow removal of 287 mobile homes and OKs state plans for the conversion.

2005: Residents settled final lawsuit with the state and agreed to move out and pay $650,000 in legal fees.

Feb. 25-26: About 75 trailers are vandalized and heaps of trash are left behind during the final weekend the mobile-home park is open. State suggests some former residents responsible.

March 1: Residents spend final day at El Morro.

May 31: El Morro Community Association and El Morro Village Inc. agreed to pay state $60,000 for damaged trailers and debris left.

Aug. 7: The remaining trailers are removed from the beach.

Source: Orange County Register