Laguna Airfield
Probably nobody cares (I’ve tried to (straighten out) the Smithcliffs saga before), but the Nov. 11 article “Scaling Smithcliffs” is not entirely correct.
The full name of the original owner/builder was Caroline Wilhelmina Dobbins, and the daughter for whom she added a summer home to the acreage was Florence May Lowe. There was no child named Wilhelmina.
Florence May’s daughter, Florence, later became known as “Pancho.” An early and noted aviatrix, Pancho did more than add a runway to her inherited property. Located just beyond the city limits at that time, the Laguna area once did have an active, private airfield.
JEANNE KUWALSKY
Laguna Beach
Jeanne Kuwalsky is Caroline Wilhelmina Dobbins’ great-granddaughter.
Sign up for The Wild
We’ll help you find the best places to hike, bike and run, as well as the perfect silent spots for meditation and yoga.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
