Raymond V. Darby began his public career with a successful run for an Inglewood City Council seat, winning election on April 12, 1927. The Kansas native had been born on a farm in Washington County on Dec. 11, 1896. After graduating from the University of Kansas, he served in the U.S. Navy during World WarContinue reading “Raymond V. Darby: A life of public service ends with a sudden, unusual death”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
How eucalyptus trees came to thrive in the South Bay and Harbor Area
Eucalyptus trees have proliferated in the South Bay and Harbor Area like few other plant species. The tall, leafy trees have long framed some of the South Bay’s most iconic stretches of roadway, including Torrance Boulevard between Crenshaw and Madrona Avenue, Plaza del Amo near Torrance High School and a long stretch of Palos VerdesContinue reading “How eucalyptus trees came to thrive in the South Bay and Harbor Area”
V-E Day observance in the South Bay more muted than big city celebrations
On vacation
The South Bay History blog is on vacation this week. It will return on February 3.
Torrance’s South High School comes to life in the late 1950s
The Torrance Unified School District had only just recently wriggled away from the giant Los Angeles Unified School District and become independent in 1947 when it was faced almost immediately with an exploding post-World War II population boom. This meant building schools, and then building more schools. In eight years starting in 1954, the cityContinue reading “Torrance’s South High School comes to life in the late 1950s”
Larry Carlton: A Grammy-winning musician’s South Bay roots
One of the most acclaimed guitarists of his era, Larry Eugene Carlton, was born in Torrance, California, on May 2, 1948. In addition to a lengthy, accomplished career as a jazz artist, Carlton played as a studio musician on dozens of records by Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt and Michael Jackson, to name justContinue reading “Larry Carlton: A Grammy-winning musician’s South Bay roots”
How Wiseburn became the little school district that could
The Wiseburn School District, which presently encompasses parts of western Hawthorne, Del Aire and eastern El Segundo, officially formed on March 5, 1896, after a group of area parents successfully petitioned the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to form their own district. Originally, the district also included parts of Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, LawndaleContinue reading “How Wiseburn became the little school district that could”
Los Verdes in Rancho Palos Verdes becomes one of the country’s best public golf courses
The announcement in December 1960 that Los Angeles County had purchased 172 acres of land overlooking Marineland from the Capitol Co. for $1.36 million for the purposes of building an 18-hole, championship-length golf course must have brightened the spirits of all Peninsula duffers. The land, located west of Hawthorne Boulevard between Crest Road and PalosContinue reading “Los Verdes in Rancho Palos Verdes becomes one of the country’s best public golf courses”
San Pedro keeps its Christmas boat parade tradition alive
When the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce and the Port of Los Angeles decided to co-sponsor the first Christmas boat parade in the main channel of Los Angeles Harbor in 1963, they were surprised when an estimated 75,000 people showed up to watch the holiday spectacle. The event, dubbed “Christmas Afloat,” had been inspired byContinue reading “San Pedro keeps its Christmas boat parade tradition alive”
Torrance’s hotel boom made up for lost time
Torrance has always had hotels, but it took awhile for the major players in the hotel industry to discover the city. Torrance’s first hotel most probably was the Murray Hotel at 1210 El Prado Avenue near Cabrillo Avenue. (At that time, El Prado connected to Cabrillo, which it no longer does.) Though dates as earlyContinue reading “Torrance’s hotel boom made up for lost time”
