William T. Klusman won the silk top hat that would become his trademark in an election bet with Torrance Herald editor Grover Whyte in April 1932. He regularly wore it to City Council meetings, where he was a vocal gadfly from the 1920s into the 1940s. He was born in Oldendburg, Germany, in 1870, andContinue reading “William T. Klusman’s brief, uproarious stint as Torrance mayor ended in 1933”
Author Archives: Sam Gnerre
Mel Mermelstein challenges the Institute for Historical Review in Torrance
The Feb. 4, 2022, death of Holocaust survivor Mel Mermelstein at 95 brought an end to a life devoted to battling those who sought to deny or minimalize Hitler’s attempts to exterminate the Jewish race during his regime. Mermelstein made news during the 1980s for his legal battles with Willis Carto’s Institute for Historical ReviewContinue reading “Mel Mermelstein challenges the Institute for Historical Review in Torrance”
The meteoric rise, hard fall and eventual rebirth of boxing champ Mando Ramos
For a while during the late 1960s and early 1970s, two-time lightweight boxing champion Mando Ramos had the world at his feet. The hard-hitting fighter became a sensation in Los Angeles, celebrated by its sports media and entertainment celebrities alike, until it all came crashing down. He was born Armando Ramos in Long Beach onContinue reading “The meteoric rise, hard fall and eventual rebirth of boxing champ Mando Ramos”
Torrance Bakery carries on the tasty tradition of enticing treats in downtown Torrance
Bakeries have been a part of Torrance’s retail business culture since at least the early 1920s, when the first Torrance Bakery – no relation to the current one – opened at 1925 Carson St., just west of Cabrillo Ave. Meinzer’s Pie Shop near the intersection of Post and Sartori avenues offered pies and other bakedContinue reading “Torrance Bakery carries on the tasty tradition of enticing treats in downtown Torrance “
Masao Satow deserved to have a Los Angeles County Library branch named for him
The Masao W. Satow branch of the Los Angeles County Library stands on the same unincorporated parcel of county land that includes El Camino Village. The building occupies a narrow triangle at the northern end of the parcel, on Crenshaw Blvd. between the Hawthorne and Gardena city limits, though it’s most often associated with Gardena.Continue reading “Masao Satow deserved to have a Los Angeles County Library branch named for him”
A former Hermosa Beach nightspot becomes the Ocean Aquarium, Marineland’s precursor
The short-lived Ocean Aquarium at the foot of the Hermosa Beach pier arose in part from a building housing a nightclub that might have been somewhat less family friendly. The night spot, located just south of the old pier entrance building, later was refitted into part of the aquatic attraction. But it did a briskContinue reading “A former Hermosa Beach nightspot becomes the Ocean Aquarium, Marineland’s precursor”
Fifth Street School was the first school building in San Pedro
Despite its 1880s origin, Fifth Street School doesn’t qualify as the first school in San Pedro. Early settler Mary Sanford Lindskow was in charge of educating 19 students in her home at Fifth St. and Harbor Blvd. in the early 1880s. She was effectively the community’s first school principal as well as teacher. For aContinue reading “Fifth Street School was the first school building in San Pedro”
DeVere Baker’s ocean raft trips were meant to buttress religious beliefs
DeVere Baker was already 30 when the idea for his life’s work came to him. He decided to consolidate all his assets and put the money toward proving a basic tenet of his Mormon faith: that ancient peoples had migrated to North America from the Middle East. Born in Tremonton, Utah, on Dec. 14, 1915,Continue reading “DeVere Baker’s ocean raft trips were meant to buttress religious beliefs”
For a brief period, Dancing Waters brought punk rock’s best to San Pedro
The San Pedro nightclub Dancing Waters took its name from an indoor waterfall that was installed by its owner when he converted the former bowling alley into a night spot in 1969. The Streamline Moderne structure designed by architect William Durr at 1331 S. Pacific Ave. first opened in 1940 as the Pacific Bowling Center.Continue reading “For a brief period, Dancing Waters brought punk rock’s best to San Pedro”
Pumpjacks are remnants of South Bay’s oil boom
Grasshoppers, strippers, horsehead pumps, nodding donkeys, rocking horse pumps, dinosaur pumps, thirsty birds. Everyone seems to have a different pet nickname for the oil pumping devices still strewn about the Southern California landscape. The oil industry calls them pumpjacks. Pumpjacks help extract oil from below ground when the pressure in the well isn’t high enoughContinue reading “Pumpjacks are remnants of South Bay’s oil boom”
