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"
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.
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.
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.
Historic Aerials
The 1980 image shows the condos finished, and new amusement area filled. In the meantime, Diamond Street has been truncated.
Historic Aerials
The only major difference between 1980 and 2004 is the redesign of the pier.
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.
USC Digital Library
Moving on 13 years we have
"People fishing off of the pier in Redondo Beach, 1937".
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.
Detail of picture in
USC Digital Library