“Arbramar” is a misspelling of Arbamar, an old Methodist assembly ground in Huntington Beach. The Epworth League, an association of Methodists between the ages of 18 and 35, had met there for many years before the camp was dubbed “Arbamar” in 1918. The name was a play on the Latin or Spanish for “tree” (arbor/árbol) and “sea” (mar), pertaining to the camp’s woodsy environs and ocean views. In 1921, the Methodists, desiring more space for their assemblies, moved the camp up to Temescal Canyon and purchased all the land around it. They dubbed this land Pacific Palisades and ditched the Arbamar name for the trendy Chautauqua brand. Arbramar Avenue was christened in 1926; I guess some Epworth League alumnus had forgotten how to spell “Arbamar”.
Find it on the map:
