Newland House Museum in Huntington Beach, California About 50 years after Mexico ceded what is now California to the United States, William T. and Mary Newland purchased 500 acreas of swampland, which is now part of Huntington Beach. The pioneering farm family bought the land for $50 an acre.  In 1898 they spent $1500 to build a home on the property.  They were the only inhabitant for miles and raised a family of 10 children on the farm.The Newland farm extended from what is now Magnolia Street to Beach Boulevard and from Atlanta Avenue to Yorktown Avenue.  The origional property contained part of the old Stanta Ana River which was known back then as Gospel Swamp.  They drained off the water and cleared the brush.  The fertile soil that they uncovered created a very productive farm.  Th... 05/12/2007