These days, the boardwalk from Venice Beach and Ocean Park (the beach directly south of Santa Monica) is a tumultuous carnival of barking street performers, hipster tarot card readers, henna tattooists, angry bible thumpers, dubious marijuana dispensaries, and barely-clad roller-bladers. But back when this photo was taken in (I’m guessing) the first decade of the 20^th century, the locals were dressed from head to toe as they took in the fresh sea air. We can also see the large homes that lined the beaches back then, and even some open land. That vacant lot on the right would be worth millions now.

What that stretch Venice Beach looks like now. From the shadows, I’d say that the Google Streetview machine was there first thing in the morning, before the boisterous crowds and hawkers started appearing.