Fred E. Basten Main St. to Malibu, Yesterday & Today, Graphics Press, Santa Monica, CA, 1980
Introduction:
"In 1975, Santa Monica celebrated its 100th anniversary. The year-long centennial celebration . . . touched the residents . . . and activated a deep interest in the . . . development of the entire Bay area.
"If the centennial's great success proved one thing it was that the people of Santa Monica Bay . . . truly cared about their unique surroundings. Their home was more than just the idyllic place to live.
" . . .
"There was a wide appreciation of Santa Monica Bay: The First 100 Years.
" . . . [yet] "many historical sights and scenes were overlooked."
Photograph. and caption. Bronze Bust of Santa Monica's John P. Jones, standing near the mid-point of the Third St. Mall. Part of Jones gift to the city were Palisades Park and Lincoln Park. pp. 6 and 7
Photograph and caption. Santa Monica's oldest masonry building was erected in October, 1875 as a tavern by William Rapp. Known as Rapp's Saloon it served as the town hall from May, 1887, to January, 1899. 1438 Second St., p. 8
Photograph and caption. Southern Pacific excursion trains pull into the Santa Monica depot, 1892, just north of the small hotel (cheapest and best meals) at the corner of Railroad and Ocean Avenues, which would become the Santa Monica Hotel before 1900. p. 19
Photographs and caption. The new Santa Monica Hotel, ca. 1898, which competed with the beachfront Arcadia Hotel, just to the west, and the Hotel Ross (Groceries and Delicacies: Dining Room: Cheapest & Best Place in Town, Meals). pp. 20 and 21.
Photograph and caption. The 1898 Ocean Avenue Streetcar Line traveled south along the present Neilson Way and Pacific Street to Venice, Playa del Rey and more distant South Bay communities. p. 23
Photograph and caption. Ocean Park's Main Street, looking north from Pier Avenue, 1901. Metropole Hotel and The (?)ammel, across the street. p. 29
Photographs and caption. Historic residence of Roy Jones, son of Santa Monica's founder was moved from its original site in the 1000 block of Ocean Av. to the corner of Main St. andd Ocean Park Blvd. in March 1977. The Victorian-style home was fully restored for official opening in October, 1980, as Heritage Square Museum. One photo show the Jones home as it appeared at the turn of the century. pp. 30 and 31.
Photograph and caption. Tea gardens, cafes, curio shops, even real estate offices on Pier Av. in Ocean Park, 1905. Dales Bros. Groceries; Manuel-Lopez, Habana Cigar 5c; Casino; Restaurant; Sunset Tel and Telegraph, Pay Station; Japanese Tea Gardens and Art Curio Rooms, entrance on the Pier, Ice cream with Japan, Crackers? Japanese Wafers 10c; Ocean Park Improvement Co., Beach Lots; Cooky's ? Grill Room?; Across Pier or the Pier, Capacity 100, Entrance from Pier on a three story building., 1905 p. 32
Photograph and caption. Santa Monica Third St. and Utah (Broadway) second floor, Steere's Opera House. p. 35
Photograph and caption. "The mosque-like Ocean Park Bathhouse. 1910. Casino Cafe, p. 36
Photographs and caption: "Ocean Front Walk, looking south toward Fraser's Pier, 1910."
"Fraser's Million Dollar Pier, taken from the roof of the nearby Ocean Park Bath House, 1910. Angelotti's Hungarian Orchestra was appearing in the huge over-the-water auditorium (left) while, at the pier entrance, the Starland Theater featured vaudeville." The Breakers Cafe is immediately to the north of the Starland Theater on the Pier. p. 37
Photographs and caption: "Souvenir menu presented to "Race Drivers, Friends of the Newspapers and Race Officials" of the 1915 Venice Grand Prix. the luncheon was held at the Ship Cafe on the Venice Pier, a short distance from the beachfront road, Speedway, named after the once-annual event. Venice, Cal. Grand Prix Free For All 300 miles Wed. March 17 St. Patricks Day. Ship Cafe: Lobster cocktail, Ripe Olives, Celery en Branche; Coney Island Clam Chowder; Baked Chicken; Halibut Colbert; Risolle Potatoes; Combination Fish Salad; Plum Pudding, Hard Sauce; Cheese and Crackers; Cafe Noir.
Santa Monica, too, had its road races as seen in this 1912 shot taken near the Ocean Av. grandstands. Many great drivers of the day, including Barney Oldfield and Ralph de Palma, took part in the pre-World War competition. p. 41
Photograph and caption. The old Ocean Park Fire House . . . still stands at the corner of Rose Av. and Main St. p. 46
Photograph of 1920 advertisement. Hotel Cadillac; B.F. & M.S. Green, Props.; B.F. Green, Mgr.; Ocean Front at Dudley; Venice, California, Phone 63165 {Six stories} "Unobstructed View of the Pacific and [ ] Wonderful Sunsets" p.48
Photograph and caption. Ocean Park Beach, early 1920s. "Sunny days drew large crowds . . . At night the throngs moved indoors to dance in the cavernous ballrooms along the beach fronts and on the piers." King George Hotel. Roof Garden Cafe. p. 56
Photographs and captions. Egyptian Ballroom, Ocean Park. {Note the classic lines}
1924 advertisement: Dance at the Rendezvous Ball Room Crystal Beach Foot of Strand St. p. 57
Photograph and caption: Ornate interior of the La Monica Ballroom on the Santa Monica Pier, 1924. With a capacity for 10, 000 persons, it is said to have been the world's largest dance arena of its kind." p. 58
Photograph and caption: Don Clark and his La Monica Orchestra Dancing Every Night in the Year Evenings at 7:30-Usual Matinees 2:30 Loge Seat Reservations-Phone 24965 Santa Monica Pier At Colorado Av." p. 59
Photograph and caption: Proposed Santa Monica breakwater, 1926 . . . despite the Great Depression a bond issue was passed to build a breakwater opposite the end of the Municipal Pier. The first attempt was a disaster and the tied concrete caisons, set into sandbars, broke away with the heavy currents. In 1933, construction on a 2,000-foot rock breakwater was begun. Again, heavy seas won out, ripping away the upper portion so that today only a portion is visible at high tide. The remaining breakwater's only benefit, over the years, has been to change the natural sand-carrying currents in the area, thus greatly widening the beach." p. 60
On page 61 there is a map of the proposed 1926 plan that indicates Central Av. instead of Ocean Park Blvd.
Photograph and caption: Santa Monica College, formally established as a junior college in 1929, was originally housed in a few upstairs rooms of the high school at Seventh and Michigan Av. In 1945, the city's adult education program, the old Santa Monica Technical School and the junior college were merged and, eight years later, these divisions were eliminated alllowing the college to function administratively as a unified institution . . ." p. 66
Photograph and caption. Looking south from the Santa Monica Pier, ca. 1930, the La Monica Ballroom, the Grand Hotel?, the Breakers?, the Del Mar Club. p. 69
Photograph and caption. 1929 Santa Monica's roller coaster and The Whip on the Newcomb (Loof) Pier along with the Loof Hippdrome, with a difficult to identify cafeteria sign facing the land and parking sites. p. 70
Photographs and caption. Hippodrome without the domes on top of the towers. "In its 50-plus years of operation, the pier's famous merry-go-round has been seen in many films (here, on the set of The Sting, 1973).
The carousel features 46 handmade horses imported from Germany and the oldest organ in the country, built in 1900 by the Wurlitzer Company." P. 71
Photograph and caption. "Santa Monica's Main Street city hall opened in 1938 on property acquired from the Southern Pacific Railway Company. The new facility, with its spacious Art Deco-tiled lobby, replaced the older quarters then located at the northwest corner of Fourth St. and Santa Monica Blvd." p. 74
Photograph and caption. "Headquarters for Associated Telephone Company (now General Telephone at 155 Marine St.-now Barnard Way, just west of Neilson Way, in Ocean Park. Used today as a switching station, the building's appearance, with its filled in windows and main entry, has changed considerably since the early 1930's. At that time, Bank of Ocean Park had the corner location." p. 74
Photographs and captions. "Searchlights and anti-aircraft guns comb the sky for unseen enemy over Bay area on February 25, 1942. Photo, snapped during a wartime blackout, clearly shows blobs of light made by exploding shells." p. 78
"Marker commemorating the 400th anniversary of the founding of Santa Monica Bay by Juan Cabrillo on October 8, 1542, stands in Palisades Park at the foot of California Av." p. 78
Photograph and Caption: Plaque in Palisades Park at the terminal end of "the Main Street of America," Route 66 (Santa Monica Blvd.)" "Will Rogers Highway, Dedicated 1952 to Will Rogers Humorist-World Traveler-Good Neighbor. The Main Street of America Highway 66 was the first road he traveled in a career that led him straight to the hearts of his countrymen." p. 82
Photograph and caption. "The new Venice Pier, at the foot of Washington Blvd. was officially dedicated on February 27, 1965. The old pier, off Windward Av., was removed in 1946." p. 87
Photographs and caption. "Damaged, abandoned P.O.P. amusement pier and faded storefronts along Ocean Front Walk, 1974, are reminders of another era when crowds jammed the once popular fun zone. The area was cleared several years later, providing an uninterrupted sweep of the beach." p. 94
Photograph and caption. "Construction on the original central section of Santa Monica's County Building, on the grassy slope adjacent to City Hall, began in 1950. Shortly, after, the north wing was added. In 1964, the larger south wing was dedicated." p. 96
Photograph and caption. "Santa Monic Civic Auditorium, home of the Academy Awards presentation during the 1960s, is today one of the Southland's most active spots for concerts and exhibitions." p. 103
Photographs and caption. "Starting in the 1970s, Ocean Park's Main Street experienced a renaissance, spurred by a contemporary spirit and an influx of new buisness. Adding to the existing creative climate were an array of distinctive antique and specialty shops, art galleries and uniquely themed restaurants." Pictured is Merlin McFly's at Hill and Main; Main St. U.S.A., Advertiques Country Store Old Toys; Paper Palace, Swell Shoes, pp. 104 and 105
Photographs and caption. "A new expression in decorative arts was born in the Venice-Ocean Park area of the 1960s. Over the next decade, wall murals of the beachfront communities began receiving deserved attention. Here, there varied and prime examples." Venice Fine Arts Squad's Windward Ave.; Rose Mural; Venice Pavilion? pp. 114, 115
Photograph and caption. "Santa Monica Place, dramatic new three-level shopping mall covering two city blocks, consists of over 150 shops, services and restaurants, two major department stores, park-like courts and pedestrian walkways with fountains, pools and plantings of trees, shrubs and flowers. The huge center opened in late 1980." p. 118