Laguna Beach Local News
The Muses of Arch Beach
Ever felt the joy of writing something that transcends your normal stuff? It’s a sweet moment, isn’t it? Writers, caught by the beauty of their words, may credit one of the Greek muses. In Laguna, we have the muses of Arch Beach, which leads to a story from Laguna’s early days.
Canyon Acres was homesteaded by Harvey Hemenway who had two sisters, Sylvia and Elizabeth. Elizabeth married a Connecticut boy named Henry Goff whose three brothers, Frank, Hub and Leon (Lee) also came to Laguna.
Sylvia married a Spencer Brooks and they had four children before his death in Texas: Nate, Will, Oliver and Melissa (Lizzie). They came here too. Two of the Brooks married Clapps (Will to Annie Clapp, and Melissa to Will Clapp).