Almanac note · History and culture
Costa Mesa's arts district grew out of lima bean fields
South Coast Plaza and the nearby arts district sit on a story that reaches back to the Segerstrom family's lima bean ranch.
Costa Mesa’s South Coast Plaza area can feel fully modern. There are big roads, major stores, office towers, theaters, restaurants, and the Segerstrom Center close by. The older layer is much more rural. This part of central Orange County was tied to the Segerstrom family’s lima bean ranch.
That contrast is the heart of the story. A place once surrounded by fields became one of the best-known shopping and arts areas in the state. South Coast Plaza opened in 1967. The same family story later connected to the arts district across Bristol Street.
It is easy to call that simple growth, but the change says a lot about Orange County. The county moved from farm land to freeways, suburbs, shopping centers, hotels, offices, and arts spaces in only a few generations. Costa Mesa carries that shift in a very visible way.
The lima bean piece keeps the story grounded. Without it, South Coast Plaza can feel like it appeared from nowhere. With it, the area reads more clearly. Farm success turned into land. Land turned into a regional center. That center helped give Orange County a stronger public arts identity of its own.
Where to see it
South Coast Plaza and the Segerstrom Center area around Bristol Street in Costa Mesa.
Official sources
Official source trail
Reviewed July 1, 2026
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Where it fits on the map
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