SOUTH BAY DIGS | Digital Edition Online

26 DIGS.NET | 8.20.2021 In 1854, a natural salt lake located between Pacific and Francesca Avenues, at the northern end of Redondo Beach--just outside of Hermosa Beach, known as the "Old Salt Lake" was sold to Henry Allenson and William Johnson. This sale precipitated the establishment of Pacific Salt Works, which extracted and sold salt and operated through approx. 1908. When Don Miguel Dominquez died in 1882, he left the Rancho San Pedro to his six daughters. Three of his daughters, Susana, Guadalupe, and Maria de Los Reyes Dominguez, inherited portions of the estate, each including individual sections collectively known as the Ocean Tract. In 1890, Susana Dominquez married Gregorio Del Amo y Gonzalez. Del Amo Boulevard is named after this family. In 1889 this coastal tract of 433 acres was sold to the Redondo Beach Improvement Company, founded by Robert Thompson and John Ainsworth, for $12,000. They promoted, developed, and sold land that eventually became the nucleus of the city of Redondo Beach. On April 18, 1892, Redondo voters adopted city-hood by a vote of 177-10. The first City Hall was built in 1908 at Benita and Emerald Street. The name of the city is Spanish for "round," which either refers to the half-round street pattern of the original town site, or the adjacent "Rancho Sausal Redondo" ("Ranch of the Round Clump of Willows"), which was just north of the city. The City was becoming "The Place" for tourists. Railroads and steamships brought people by the thousands, not to mention freight loads of oil and lumber. At this time, Redondo was the first port of Los Angeles County. Steamers from the Pacific Steamship Company stopped at Redondo four times a week, at one of its three piers, as part of regular runs between San Francisco and San Diego. The Redondo Railway Company and the Santa Fe Railroad left Los Angeles daily for Redondo at regular intervals. Eventually the City was served by Henry Huntington's Big Red Electric Cars. Redondo's popularity began a slow decline when San Pedro Harbor started to take shape in 1899. By 1912, the Pacific Steamship Company stopped calling at Redondo altogether. Lumber schooners still used Pier No. 3 at Topaz Street until the railroad pulled out in 1926. Because of prohibition, the $250,000 Hotel Redondo closed its doors and in 1925 was sold for scrap lumber--the price was $300. Storms have been an ever-present danger to the City's piers. They have been washed out, then rebuilt, then washed out again. Redondo's first breakwater was built in 1939 and although the cost was more than $500,000, it provided only limited protection. Because of the way it was constructed, wave action and the normal movement of the beach sand was altered. Following every storm, sand accumulated north of the breakwater. Eventually the beach area between Diamond and Beryl Streets was obliterated. A raging storm in 1953 caused extensive damage not only to the breakwater, but to City streets and private property. Redondo's population boomed in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1890, the population was 668; in 1940 it was 13,092; and in 1965 it was 54,772. Today, Redondo citizens number a little over 63,000. The above is an excerpt from my book "Historic Tales of Palos Verdes and the South Bay". For more info see http://www.southbayhistory.com. S O U T H B A Y History Tidbits DRE#: 01368971 Maureen Megowan 310.541.6416 mdmegowan@gmail.com HISTORY OF REDONDO BEACH AUGUST 20, 2021 | ISSUE 260 TO OUR READERS South Bay DIGS welcomes your feedback and encourages reader response to our editorial features. Please send your letters to the Publisher at 722 1st Street, Unit D, Hermosa Beach, California, 90254 or via email to WDOW@southbaydigs.com. Please include your name and contact information. Letters may be published and we reserve the right to edit. ADVERTISING For inquiries, please contact Publisher Warren Dow at 310.373.0142. EDITORIAL For editorial inquiries, please email Editorial@SouthBayDIGS.com On The Cover I N S I D E SPANISH REVIVAL ZEN SPIRIT IN L.A. TROPICAL MINIMALISM LADY OF THE LAKEHOUSE FIND YOUR PLACE AUGUST 20, 2021 DIGS.NET I N S I D E S PA N I S H R E V I VA L | Z E N S P I R I T I N L . A . | L A DY O F T H E L A K E H O U S E Ranch Home on the A sun-splashed retreat celebrates modern ranch living and inspired views within gated Rolling Hills PRESENTED BY SUZANNE DYER OF BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES F E A T U R E O N P A G E X X PRESENTED BY SUZANNE DYER OF BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES LIST PRICE $7,499,000 FEATURED ON PAGE 66 722 1st Street, Unit D, Hermosa Beach, California, 90254 Office: 310.373.0142 South Bay Digs Magazine is published every other Friday by m3 Media, LLC. Reproduction in any form or by any means is strictly prohibited without the prior written consent from m3 Media LLC. 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