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Tag: 1953

  • April 14th in Seal Beach History

    On this date in 1953, Seal Beach citizens voted to ban gambling in the city by a narrow margin. The votes against gambling tallied at 848 against 811 for legalizing gambling.

    The city had previously voted 761 to 661 in October 1952 to scrap an ordinance that allowed the Airport Club, a poker and bingo establishment to operate. The April 14th election had been initiated and funded by Airport Club owner William Robertson to prevent the club from closing on May 20.

    Airport Club

    This would not be William Robertson’s final attempt to keep the Airport Club from closing permanently. The Long Beach Independent estimated that the around-the-clock 24/7 gambling club was racking in a million dollars in revenues annually, a cash flow anyone would be reluctant to see go away forever. Many colorful strategies were concocted to revive the Airport Club, but local anti-gambling forces ultimately prevailed in keeping gambling dead in Seal Beach.

    The Airport Club remained closed until Robertson revived the location as a teen dancing club in the sixties, The Marina Palace. 

    – Michael Dobkins

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  • Scofflaws Beware

    Seal Beach Images

    Seal Beach Police Department  1950-1954

    It’s been far too long since we’ve posted anything from local historian Stan Berry.  One of Stan’s specialties is researching and preserving Seal Beach Police Department heritage, including these four group shots of the department assembled outside the old police station on Central Avenue.

    1950-52 – Back row (left to right): Special Officer Fred Lochamy, Officer Gayler, Night Desk Sergeant Charles Irvine, Sergeant Paul Curtis
    Front Row (left to right): Chief Lee Howard, Captain James Marousek, Officer Ray Harbour, Matron Grace Irvine, Officer Harold Walker
     
    1950 – (left to right): Ray Harbour, Chief Lee Howard, H. Van Zandt, Fred Lochamy, Sergeant Paul Curtis
     
    1953 – Back row (left to right): Fred Lochamy, William Dowdy, Charles Irvine, Ray Harbour, Farris Van Zandt, George Marshall, Grace Irvine (clerk)
    Front Row (left to right): Chief Lee Howard, Captain Marousek, Sergeant Paul Curtis, John Demarest, Officers William Holeman and Harold Walker not in picture
     
    1954 – Back row (left to right): Chief Lee Howard, Captain James Marousek, Officer Ray Harbour, Harold Walker, William Holeman, Thomas Terry, George Marshall
    Front Row (left to right): Sergeant Paul Curtis, John Demarest, Grace Irvine (clerk & matron), William Dowdy, Fred Lochamy.   Farris Van Zandt (on vacation and not in picture).

     

     

    Stan writes, “As a result of my research it is believed that Captain James Marousek and Chief Lee Howard had been with the department longer than any of the others depicted in these four photographs.  Captain Marousek started with the department in 1928 or 1929 and retired in 1958.  Chief Howard started with the department in 1932 and retired in 1959.”

    As always, Stan, thank you for your hard work and generosity.

    – Michael Dobkins

    Have you enjoyed this and other This Date in Seal Beach History posts?

    If so, please consider making a small donation of a dollar or more to help defray the online subscriptions and other research costs that make this blog possible.

    Donations can be made securely with most major credit cards directly through PayPal. Just click on paypal.me/MichaelDobkins to go to PayPal. Thank you.