Tag Archives: Beaches
The Looff Hippodrome housing the Looff’s carousel on the Santa Monica pier, Santa Monica, California, circa 1920
This rather marvelous edifice was called the Looff Hippodrome on the Santa Monica pier, photographed circa 1920. It was built in 1916 by Charles Looff to hold a Looff Carousel. (Looff was a German-born builder of hand-carved carousels and built … Continue reading
Pacific Electric’s streetcar #149 leaving Santa Monica en route to the Long Wharf, 1916
The Angelenos seen here riding Pacific Electric’s streetcar #149 look as though they’re out for Sunday excursion. The year was 1916 and they’re about to leave Santa Monica for a trip to the Long Wharf which, when it opened in … Continue reading
Looking south along Santa Monica Beach toward the pier, Los Angeles, 1929
It looks like living right on the beach was very popular even back as far as 1929, when this photo was taken from the top of the Santa Monica palisades looking south toward the pier where we can see the … Continue reading
Walking the shoreline of Newport Beach, California, circa 1890s
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I really don’t know how the Californians of the 1800s went to the beach dressed like this. I know it could have been winter and I know it was a more … Continue reading
St. Mark’s Hotel on the northeast corner of Windward and Ocean Avenues, Venice, California, 1905
Developer Abbot Kinney had a grand idea to build a seaside amusement complex. He called it Venice of America and, complete with canals, it opened in 1905. This photo of St Mark’s Hotel was taken that same year. That bunting … Continue reading
Angelenos relaxing in a covered pavilion at the Edgewater Beach Club, Santa Monica, California, 1926
In the 1920s, Santa Monica beach had several beach clubs lining the shore: the Breakers, Edgewater, Del Mar. This photo was taken in a pavilion at the Edgewater Beach Club, whose address was listed as “1855 Promenade” which doesn’t even … Continue reading
Pacific Electric Red Car heads south along Pacific Coast Highway near Huntington Beach, Los Angeles, August 24, 1946
Of all the streetcar rides you could take around Los Angeles, I would imagine this one might have been one of the more scenic routes. This is a Pacific Electric Red Car heading south parallel to the Pacific Coast Highway … Continue reading
Holiday crowds at Venice Beach, California, July 4th, 1926
It looks like it was a roast-toasty July 4th holiday in 1926, when this photo was taken at Venice Beach. If you didn’t get there early, you had little chance of finding a free patch of sand to park your … Continue reading
Looking north along a very crowded Ocean Park section of Santa Monica Beach, California, 1925
Between the more famous Santa Monica and Venice Beaches is a stretch of Los Angeles called Ocean Park. In this photo we’re looking north along a very, very crowded stretch of Ocean Park beach in 1925 during what I can … Continue reading
Looking north along Santa Monica Beach toward the Casa Del Mar Beach Club and Santa Monica Pier, 1920
The photographer of this 1920 photo was standing on Santa Monica Beach looking north. In the far distance we can see the Santa Monica pier. On the right are a couple of the large beach clubs that were popular back … Continue reading