Dana Point (CA) (Images of America)

Book info: Dana Point (CA) (Images of America) (Paperback, 128 pages) – Arcadia Publishing, 2007. Language: English.

For two centuries before it was sculpted into a modern marina, the curve of the Pacific coast that is now Dana Point Harbor was a natural anchorage within Capistrano Bay for winddependent trading ships. Boston sailor Richard Henry Dana arrived on one and later described the site as "the only romantic spot in California" in his 1840 classic, Two Years Before the Mast. Situated halfway between San Diego and Los Angeles, Dana Point's rugged coves attracted mainly fishermen and surfers. Then in the 1920s, the marine terraces above the surf were carved into streets, but the community's development was stilled by the national financial crash of 1929. Now Dana Point has matured into a popular recreation and resort port, as well as a thriving residential city, while much of the natural beauty that inspired namesake Dana has been preserved. Editorial Reviews Review Title:Arcadia Author Earns Top State and National Awards
Date: November 2008

Doris I. Walker's Arcadia book - "Images of America: DANA POINT" - has been awarded first place as Best History Book in this year's national communications contest sponsored by the National Federation of Press Women. The coveted honor was presented at the professional group's annual conference in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
This book had already been accorded first place among the year's California history book entries by Southern California Media Professionals, an NFPW affiliate. First place winners from all state affiliates become the entries in the national contest.

The announcing judge called the winning book: "A lovely way to get a full history of Dana Point with ease and emotion, because of Ms. Walker's vivid portraits and pointed captions. Well done!"

A resident of this Southern California coastal city for more than four decades, the author
dedicated her book to the Dana Point Historical Society, which she co-founded 20 years ago. She is the author of 11 other books about her county, including its official centennial edition in 1989, and has served as an appointed Orange County historical commissioner since 1994.

The author-historian's current Arcadia work-in-progress is "Orange County, a Natural History." About the Author Awardwinning author Doris I. Walker has been a resident of Dana Point since 1963. Through photographs she has taken and collected through the years, Dana Point's acknowledged historian creates in this volume the definitive tour of her infinitely photogenic home port. An Orange County historical commissioner, Walker has penned a dozen books, including Home Port for Romance, a comprehensive history of the Capistrano Bay area, and Adventurer's Guide to Dana Point.