Laguna’s first men of business

In 1876 William H. Brooks became a homesteader in Laguna Beach. He

was also the first postmaster. In 1893 he built the Brooks Hotel,

which included a grocery store, barbershop and a post office.

Less than 60 days after the hotel was erected, the new building

burned down. It was where the Isch Building stands today. Indians

were suspected of the fire as told by the son, Ralph, who was born in

Laguna in 1896 and [was as of 1976] living in Oregon.

LAGUNA’S BUSINESSMEN

OF THE 1890s

Alonzo Nathanial Brooks -- farmer and real estate agent.

William H. Brooks -- stage driver, blacksmith and farmer

Ferdinand Farman -- stage driver and farmer.

Oscar Farman -- farmer

Harvey Hemenway -- head of the school board and farmer. (The man

who jumped the slave ship.)

John Nicholas Isch -- postmaster and grocer.

Fred Trefran -- stage driver.

Oscar Warling -- farmer and fisherman.

Joseph Yoch -- postmaster and hotel manager.

* This BIT OF HISTORY comes from “The First 100 years in Laguna

Beach 1876-1976” by Merle and Mabel Ramsey. The Coastline Pilot

thanks the Laguna Beach Historical Society for this information and

obtaining permission from the Ramsey family to publish.