Tag Archives: Long Beach
Panoramic photo facing north and east toward the oil-field-filled Signal Hill area of Long Beach, California, 1922
panoI recently posted a photo of an airfield at Wilshire and Fairfax in 1922 which showed large swaths of empty land. Contrasting with that photo, this panoramic facing north and east toward the oil-field-filled Signal Hill area of Long Beach … Continue reading
Hotel in Long Beach, California, 1887, a year before it burned down
I couldn’t find which hotel this was other than it was in Long Beach and that this photo was taken in 1887. Still, it gives us an idea of what the hotels back then looked like. This looks to be … Continue reading
Aerial shot of the Los Angeles river reaching the Long Beach foreshore with the Rainbow Pier jutting out into the Pacific, California, December 2, 1955
It’s amazing how being 12,000 feet in the air can change your perspective. This shot looks north across Long Beach, California on December 2, 1955. That wide channel on the left is the Los Angeles river. And that huge arc … Continue reading
Pacific Coast Club, 850 East Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, California, circa late 1930s
In 1923, the two main social clubs of Long Beach, California merged to form the Pacific Coast Club. In June 1925, construction was started on the club’s impressive, castle-like headquarters at 850 East Ocean Blvd, and on October 27th, 1926, … Continue reading
Panorama photo of oil derricks blanketing Long Beach, California, May, 1923
It amazes and shocks me to think that Southern California’s Long Beach ever looked like this. It was covered with so many oil wells that you can begin to think of counting them. (I bet somebody probably did, but they … Continue reading
Female inspectors check the center wings of C-47 transport planes at the Douglas Aircraft Co, Long Beach, California, October 1942
While recently researching women entering the workforce during World War II, I found this marvelous photo of female inspectors checking the center wings of C-47 transport planes. It was taken at the Douglas Aircraft Co, at 3855 Lakewood Boulevard in … Continue reading
Woolworth’s 5, 10, and 15 cent store damaged by the Long Beach earthquake, 201 W. 4th Street, Santa Ana, California, March 1933
At 5.55pm on March 10, 1933, a 6.5 magnitude earthquake hit Long Beach, shaking the bejesus out of the city and surrounding communities. (6.4 is a fairly big one; it was strong enough to be felt in Hollywood where movie … Continue reading
Hody’s restaurant at night, Pacific Coast Highway at Anaheim Rd and Clark Ave, Long Beach, California
I don’t have a date for this night shot of Hody’s restaurant on Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach, but in a way it doesn’t really matter. It has a mid-century timelessness about it, don’t you think? Hody’s was a … Continue reading
Pacific Electric Railway passenger car number 219 on the first day of service from Los Angeles to Long Beach, July 4th, 1902
The moment I saw this photo, a song started up in my head. “Clang, clang, clang went the trolley…” That song is, of course, from MGM’s “Meet Me in St. Louis” which is set in 1904. This photo was taken … Continue reading
Women motorists parked outside Hotel Virginia, Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, California, April 1916
I don’t know the reason for this photograph, but we’ve got four women motorists standing in front of their automobiles outside the Hotel Virginia on Ocean Blvd at Magnolia Ave in Long Beach. The hotel opened on April 1, 1908, … Continue reading