The online version of Laguna Beach created for MTV by Makena Technologies (which is based in the real-world Laguna Beach) was given an Emmy award Monday. The “59th Annual Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards” were handed out by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas for the first time this year.

MTV won for “outstanding achievement in advanced media technology for creation of nontraditional programs or platforms” — try saying that five times fast — over the Walt Disney Internet Group for Disney.com DXD and R/GA for Nike +. MTV Networks’ said its win is the first major entertainment company to earn an Emmy for a virtual property.

There.com gained notoriety when MTV Networks hired Makena Technologies to build the virtual world as a hangout for fans of the network’s “Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County” TV show, debuting in September 2006. But anyone 14 and over can hang out, create their own avatar and type in commands like smile.

Michael K. Wilson, Makena’s CEO, decided to move to retire in Laguna Beach when he left eBay, where he was the 4th employee. Then a virtual world business he had invested in, called There, was on the verge of closing. He rescued it and kept it going with Makena. MTV approached him to build the Virtual Laguna Beach and later, The Hills. Read more about Michael in this profile, or watch a video about the virtual world here. For past news on There.com, click here.

MTV’s press release about the Emmy win includes that the virtual Laguna Beach led to many other MTV virtual creations, including Virtual Hills, Virtual Pimp My Ride, Virtual Real World, Virtual Newport Harbor, Virtual Kaya, the Virtual VMAs, Virtual Skatepark and Virtual Lower East Side. Click here to learn more about MTV’s virtual worlds.