40 and coasting

Half a century ago, the north end of Costa Mesa hardly stood out on the map, its most prominent image being the “Grown by Segerstrom” label on the sacks of lima beans that shipped out of the local farmland.

In 1967, South Coast Plaza opened under the guidance of cousins Henry and Hal Segerstrom.

It became not only the largest mall in California and the fourth-largest in the United States, but also the seed for the cultural community that grew around it.

Today, with South Coast Plaza, surrounded by luxury hotels and arts venues and earning more than $1 billion a year, the Daily Pilot looks back at its four decades changing the face of Costa Mesa.