Tag Archives: Santa Monica
The Vitagraph Motion Picture Company, 2nd St, Santa Monica, 1912
The Vitagraph Company was one of the biggest motion picture studios in the early era of American film. Originally founded in Brooklyn, NY in 1897, they established another studio on 2nd Street in Santa Monica in 1911. This photo was … Continue reading
Colorized postcard of the pier at Santa Monica, the year it opened in 1909
It took 16 months of construction, but when the Santa Monica pier opened in 1909 it was a big deal. Thousands of people swarmed onto the 1,600-foot-long concrete pier to enjoy a festive day of band concerts, swimming races and … Continue reading
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Tagged Beaches, Color photo, Santa Monica, Santa Monica pier
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Panorama photo of the Moorish-style bathhouse and Ocean Park Beach, Santa Monica, California, circa 1905
Click on the above photo to get a larger view. This panorama photo was taken (I’m guessing) from the Santa Monica pier looking south toward the stretch of Ocean Park Beach where the Moorish-style bathhouse opened in 1905. By all … Continue reading
A Thompson gravity switchback railway in front of the Arcadia Hotel, Santa Monica, 1890
Before the monstrous death-defying roller-coasters at Six Flags Magic Mountain, there was the Thompson Switchback Gravity Railroad. Mr. Thompson built first one was built at Coney Island in 1884. This one was outside the luxurious-for-the-time Arcadia Hotel in Santa Monica … Continue reading
The Pacific Coast Highway, possibly Santa Monica beach, California, circa 1930s
I could find no information about the date or exactly location of this photo of the Pacific Coast Highway section of Highway 1 that stretches from Santa Monica through Malibu to Oxnard. What it does look like are the palisades … Continue reading
Santa Monica Beach, California, 1887
This photo is one of the earliest shots of Los Angeles I’ve come across. This is Santa Monica beach in 1887. I’m pretty sure these dozen or so people had their entire beach to themselves, which for this modern-day Angeleno … Continue reading
3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, 1965
It’s hard (read: almost impossible) to picture how 3rd Street in Santa Monica must have looked before it became a busy and popular pedestrian promenade in 1965. But this 1910 photo gives us some idea of what it must have … Continue reading
View of Ocean Park Beach in Santa Monica crowded with bathers, circa 1920
In this shot we can see Ocean Park Beach in Santa Monica crowded with bathers, circa 1920s. Given the fashions of the time and the weather of Los Angeles, I’m sure all these people were very glad to be at … Continue reading
The California Incline, Santa Monica beach, California, 1916
The steep road that ramps from Ocean Avenue to the Pacific Coast Highway at the bottom of the cliffs along Santa Monica beach is known at the California Incline. It opened in 1896 and has been a boon to Angelean … Continue reading
Three beach clubs along Santa Monica beach – Breakers Beach Club, Edgewater Beach Club, Del Mar Beach Club, circa late 20s/early 30s
The idea of belonging to a beach club seems so civilized, doesn’t it? Convenient parking, somewhere nice to change in and out of your swimsuit, cool shade if the sun got too hot, comfortable lounges, perhaps a mid-afternoon gin-and-tonic (or … Continue reading