:previous:


Another reference is here.


There are many more.

(The seventy-three page preview of "Lindbergh: A Biography" details some of Charles' and his mother's adventures in Redondo, his dislike of school and getting caught playing hooky. Very entertaining.)


That's the "Plunge". I'm still looking for the name of the architect:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-J...90726%2BAM.jpg
my redondo

"In 1909, [Henry Huntington] opened the Plunge, advertised as the “largest indoor salt water plunge in the world”. It had three heated pools, steam and Turkish baths, and more than 1,000 dressing rooms. The complex could hold 2,000 bathers at a time. For 30 years, the Plunge was a major West Coast attraction."
-redondo historical society

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a...93544%2BAM.jpg
"The Plunge, looking north. Four-stories and Moorish in style, it housed three pools heated by Pacific Light and Power's steam plant (originally built to generate electricity for the Red Cars). A tower, two diving boards, and a trapeze were features of the large main pool. It was located on the beach, between the ends of the Horseshoe Pier, where a parking structure stands today."
by-gone landmarks

remember this?

Wilshire Federal Savings, 3500 Wilshire Blvd.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800...540/8UXdg3.png
eBay


below: Is this the same house? The house in the aerial looks like it has two gables facing Wilshire instead of one.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...673/ELDyBW.jpg
usc

:previous: The building at lower right with the giant "P" on top is the Piccadilly Apartments.

"Piccadilly Apartments 1928 by architect Milton M. Friedmann / 682 Irolo / Los Angeles Normandie Style."
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:previous:


I'm glad you asked that question, ER. The house you've circled is 3520 Wilshire, which was once at the SW corner of Irolo (moved there from Oxford Avenue)... until Irolo was rerouted to align with Normandie going north....

In your aerial, 3500 is across from the Wilshire Christian Church tower and slightly west.


The story of 3520 is here: http://wilshireboulevardhouses.blogs...e-see-our.html

After yesterday's excursion to Redondo Beach, I kept looking for pictures. Some of the ones I found have been seen here before, but I think this one's new to the thread. On the left is the distinctive sign for the El Ja Arms, which confirms the location I guessed at. I'm curious about the tracks in the center - they go through the barriers and split just after the small sign. Was this line only open for special occasions?

"Redondo Beach looking east along the Pike, an amusement area for tourists, ca.1924"

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...e.jpg~original
USC Digital Library

Due to the major changes that have taken place in the street layout of Redondo Beach, I was having trouble working out some of the locations of the vintage photographs. The 1952 aerial image at Historic Aerials helps enormously. You could originally cross the street from the El Ja Arms to the beach amusements. I don't know if all the east/west street names are correct for the period - I used the current names of the streets which now terminate on the east side of S Catalina Avenue.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...2.jpg~original
Historic Aerials

Unlike Long Beach where land was reclaimed, here it was dug away. By 1963, the street on the right of the 1924 photo (above) had gone.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...3.jpg~original
Historic Aerials

I showed the new condo development yesterday, but big changes were also happening around the pier by 1972. The El Ja Arms is no more, and two of the east/west streets have been truncated.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...2.jpg~original
Historic Aerials

The 1980 image shows the condos finished, and new amusement area filled. In the meantime, Diamond Street has been truncated.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...0.jpg~original
Historic Aerials

The only major difference between 1980 and 2004 is the redesign of the pier.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...4.jpg~original
Historic Aerials

OK, now we know the layout, here are a few more images from the area. The first is "Pacific Avenue looking south in Redondo Beach, showing the American Bank Building, ca.1924". The bank just makes it onto the bottom of the 1952 and 1963 aerial shots above. In the background is the Redondo Beach Hotel.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...k.jpg~original
USC Digital Library

Moving on 13 years we have "People fishing off of the pier in Redondo Beach, 1937".

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...g.jpg~original
USC Digital Library

I'll finish with this detail shot from a photoset called "Redondo Breakwater completed (small yacht harbor), 1958". The curved El Ja Arms is near the left, and the American Bank Building is just right of the approach to the pier on the right.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...r.jpg~original
Detail of picture in USC Digital Library

Here's a larger version of that view of The Plunge.

"Exterior view of the bathhouse at Redondo Beach, ca.1910"

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...e.jpg~original
USC Digital Library

:previous: Thanks for the explanation GW. I stared at that aerial for quite some time last night trying to figure it out.

posted by HossC
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...661/4GaAJV.jpg


Here's a night view of the Redondo Beach bathhouse.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...673/zbdyOm.jpg
old file / probably from eBay
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Redondo Beach, 1900.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...537/RZAA3F.jpg
Ron Felsing

I'm not 100% sure which direction we're looking. Hoss?
_

Amazing that Seeley's is still in business! My parents bought furniture there. Walked by it many times in the 50's - 60's on our way to the movie theaters farther up Brand Blvd; we lived in Atwater (Village). Across the street (across Brand, also on the corner of San Fernando Rd.), was Allen Gwynn Chevrolet, which was housed in an ornate tile-faced showroom. GSV shows that building is now a parking lot for what looks like a strip mall.

Just up San Fernando Rd. from this intersection, is the much filmed and classic Glendale train station. Going the other direction (south), we frequented Conrad's Restaurant. That building still looks to be there.....sorry, don't know how to post a GSV.

Andys

I've decided to go through some of my old files for Redondo Beach photographs & postcards.

Here's what I've found so far.

I really like this one.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...538/kUjQpc.jpg
eBay




And this is my favorite.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...673/eftEkr.jpg
old file / eBay I think

:previous: Is that a sea serpent on the beach? ;)

And what's the large building in the distance? There appear to be two smokestacks...is it a ship? power plant?

also, I wonder what they're processing in the upper right (where all the smoke is). Sugar Beets?




below: Redondo City Hall.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...911/rXgiV3.jpg
eBay

I'm not sure if this is still standing. -I need to do some googling.
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And more recent.


1950?
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...538/c67rdF.jpg
eBay




1960s?
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...673/IrCzGN.jpg
eBay




and I just found this.

Storm damage, Redondo Beach (sorry, no date)

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...537/uex8qZ.jpg
old file
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Redondo Beach power plant
 

That's the power plant. It's still there.

More info here

Removal of the power plant was voted down.

USC has a couple of images showing storm damage in 1953. The breakwater was rebuilt a few years later.


--------------


Looking at the slope on the right, I'd say we're looking north from roughly the spot as this picture posted yesterday by Tourmaline. In 1900, the Redondo Beach Hotel would have been off to the left, probably a little behind the photographer.

ER, in the color picture you've captioned "1950?", the red-and-white station wagon is a 1955 Dodge, so it's '55 or later.

I believe it's actually a Ford. '55 or '56.

Redondo Beach
 

Here's a cheerful advert from Redondo's early days:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-U...15838%2BAM.jpg
la herald 3 july 1891

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/673/mBXy1P.jpg

Redondo Beach 1910.

a bit larger
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...537/j3zDDU.jpg

:previous: that's the Garland Block at extreme left. (above the trolley) I believe the auditorium is in the middle, with the bathhouse due south.
The sign on the stand-alone building on the right says "Bowling & Pool".




below: a lovely close-up of the Auditorium.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/538/458TeE.jpg

:previous: Rutter's Place, "Beach Stones cut and polished."
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two boys in a boat / novelty photo, Redondo Calif. 1908.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...540/UAxMA6.jpg
old file of mine / ebay

Redondo Beach storm damage
 

This image looks very similar to a few of the big storm of December 27-28, 1940 which I saw on lapl's site. The big storm of 1915 is also well documented at lapl.

I've seen the Tudoresque building between the Plunge/Bathhouse and the Auditorium labeled "Casino". The Auditorium is also sometimes referred to as "the Pavilion".

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-C...13218%2BPM.jpg
ebay

The reverse view:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Q...32627%2BPM.jpg
redondobeachhistoricalsociety

In this undated view of the Tudor-style building, it is now the Capitol Theater:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-K...03552%2BAM.jpg
easy reader news

My daily Julius Shulman post is a little late today because the Getty site was down for maintenance all day yesterday, and only came back online a couple of hours ago.

This is "Job 1052: Bank of America (Los Angeles, Calif.),1951", and shows the Bank of America at 7155 Santa Monica Boulevard. That's Formosa Avenue on the left.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...1.jpg~original

Here's the view looking east. Lonnie Hull's auto shop was at 7215 Santa Monica Boulevard.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...2.jpg~original

To the east of the bank was the Faith Plating Co at 7141 Santa Monica Boulevard.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...3.jpg~original

This close-up shows the USS Portsmouth painted on the side of the bank.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...4.jpg~original

All from Getty Research Institute

A few months ago the bank location was an empty lot (below). The latest GSV image shows the beginnings on a new building.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...5.jpg~original
GSV

If only we'd visited a few years ago - the old bank building was still standing in October 2011.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...6.jpg~original
GSV

Also still standing in 2011 was the Faith Plating Co. I think it's the same building with an extra floor added at the left.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...7.jpg~original
GSV

Finally, behind all the trees is the building from the second Shulman photo.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...8.jpg~original
GSV

Redondo Beach City Hall
 

Redondo City Hall was built at 301 Emerald Street in 1908. It also housed the library. That area seems to have been redeveloped with new housing. (No wonder some older residents have started ruefully referring to their town as "ReCondo Beach".)

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-q...21612%2BPM.jpg
pinterest