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Tag: Seal Beach

  • August 19th in Seal Beach History

    On this date in 1956, The Los Angeles Times reported on the recent expansion of Seal Beach’s borders.

    Seal Beach had increased from a one square mile beachside city to nine times that size by annexing some private property and what was then known as the Naval Ammunition and Net Depot. The annexation had been completed weeks earlier, and Seal Beach had a certificate from Secretary of State to prove it. This also meant that if the tri-city area of Midway City, Barber City, and Westminster incorporated as one city, Seal Beach’s extension three miles east would result in Bolsa Chica Road becoming the new border between the two cities.

    The expansion was not without opposition. According to City Engineer Hal Marron, “private property-owning interests” objected to the expansion and had won a writ of mandate in Superior Court. The city’s appeal against the writ was pending.

    And that’s where matters stood on August 19th, 1956. So much unsettled, and yet there was enough optimism to stage a photo op with models Bernice Hugn and Marilyn Brechtel installing a new city limits sign at Westminster Avenue and Bolsa Chica Road.

    Aug_19_1956_City_Limits_expansion_photoLater, Midway City decided to remain unincorporated, but Barber City folded into Westminster. And that court appeal? Sixty years later, Bolsa Chica Road is the eastern border of the city, so Seal Beach must have prevailed.

    – Michael Dobkins

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  • August 18th in Seal Beach History

    On this date in 1957, The Los Angeles Times did a short profile on the recently completed renovations of the Girl Scout club house at 257 Seventh Street.

    The project was launched with a presentation at J. H. McGaugh School by Mrs. Connell and Mrs. Ralph Latta of the Girl Scouts ways and means committee the previous winter. The gist of the presentation was that the original clubhouse from 1946 had become inadequate to meet the needs of the 175 Girl Scouts currently using the property.

    The renovation was a community effort started in February that collected more than $4000 through a door-to-door fundraising campaign and more than 900 hours of volunteer time from parents and Seal Beach citizens. Frank Curtis directed the construction which expanded the clubhouse to 1060 square feet.

    The site is still active today after more than seven decades of serving the community and helping girls discover and develop themselves.

    You can find out more about today’s Girl Scouts of Orange County by clicking here.

    Screenshot 2016-08-18 17.06.58– Michael Dobkins

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    This Date in Seal Beach History also has an online store hosted at Cafepress where you can order shirts, tote bags, stationery, and other gift items imprinted with vintage Seal Beach images. Visit the online store by clicking here.

  • August 17th in Seal Beach History

     On this date in 1969, this ad in the Long Beach Independent touting the wonders of Seal Beach’s latest real estate tract, the exotically named “Suburbia.” Later this tract would become better known as “Bridgeport.”

    Aug_17_1969_Suburbia_Ad– Michael Dobkins

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  • August 16th in Seal Beach History

     On this date in 1963, Village Bazaar ran this ad in the Long Beach Independent.

    Village Bazaar was a women’s fashion store that operated by Marie Rogers at 137 ½ Main Steet (although BankAmericard ads listed it as 139 Main Street). 

    Aug_16_1963_Village_Bazaar_ad

    – Michael Dobkins

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  • August 15th in Seal Beach History

    On this date in 1949, the Seal Beach City Council passed what was described by the Los Angeles Times as “an ironclad anti-gambling ordinance.” 

    There was already a city ordinance against gambling on the books, but the new ordinance was designed to close loopholes in the previous ordinance. This followed a failed city initiative to allow poker rooms in Seal Beach that was voted down by Seal Beach voters in July 1949. 

    The city council meeting was packed with a charged crowd as Mayor Frank Shufelt, councilmen F. O. Brostrom, Albert R. Leonard, Emil F. Jacobsen, and Oliver L. Bowers voted unanimously to adopt the new ordinance. Richard Steyling, chairman of the Seal Beach Civic Improvement Association, the organization sponsoring the ordinance, told the Long Beach Independent that the new ordinance would ban virtually every type of game of chance from Seal Beach.

    Well, that settles that.

    Aug_15_1949_gambling_ban_headline

    Of course, nothing was settled. The battle between gambling interests and anti-gambling forces would continue in Seal Beach well into the next decade.

    – Michael Dobkins

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  • August 14th in Seal Beach History

     On this date in 1975, Rix Rack Sportswear placed a Back-To-School ad ran in the Long Beach Independent.

    Rix Rack reminded readers that “It’s time to get ready for the school days ahead… From the foxiest, funkiest fashion… to all the wild groovy accessories.”  Use your BankAmericard or Master Charge!

    Rix Rack was a clothing store chain that operated during the sixties and the seventies with several locations in Southern California, including one at 12447 Seal Beach Boulevard in the Rossmoor Center.

    – Michael Dobkins

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    This Date in Seal Beach History also has an online store hosted at Cafepress where you can order shirts, tote bags, stationery, and other gift items imprinted with vintage Seal Beach images. Visit the online store by clicking here.

     

  • August 12th in Seal Beach History

     On this date in 1977, The Great Antique Five and Dime Store ran this ad in the Long Beach Independent. Aug_12_1977_The_Great_Antique_Five_and_Dime_Store_adToday the only gold you can find at 142 Main Street is the color of the pizza crusts at A Slice of New York Pizza.

    – Michael Dobkins

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    This Date in Seal Beach History also has an online store hosted at Cafepress where you can order shirts, tote bags, stationery, and other gift items imprinted with vintage Seal Beach images. Visit the online store by clicking here.

  • August 11th in Seal Beach History

     On this date in 1963, the following ad ran in the Long Beach Independent for Rossmoor Leisure World.

    August_11_1963_Leisure_World_Full_Page_Ad

    – Michael Dobkins

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    This Date in Seal Beach History also has an online store hosted at Cafepress where you can order shirts, tote bags, stationery, and other gift items imprinted with vintage Seal Beach images. Visit the online store by clicking here.

     

  • August 10th in Seal Beach History

     On this date in 1944, a car crash fatality at Main Street and Bolsa Avenue in Seal Beach occurred, according to the Long Beach Independent. An unnamed reporter wrote the next day that “Claud Roland, 23, of the San Diego naval base, was killed at 7:27 last night.”

    12-17-1936 aerial shot of Main Street as it turns into Bolsa Avenue right after crossing PCH

    Roland had been turning on to Bolsa Avenue from Main Street when his tire blew. The car flipped over and skidded almost 30 feet, throwing passengers USMC Sergeant James Johnson of the Corona Navy Hospital and Mrs. June Blackman of Fullerton from the car. Blackman and Johnson suffered some bruises and lacerations, and pedestrians Edward Booker and Joe Jackman, both of the Naval Weapons Depot, couldn’t avoid being hit by the car, but were only slightly injured. The injured were taken to the Long Beach Naval Hospital, according to Seal Beach Police Sergeant Charles Irvine.

    Police Chief Lee Howard, Captain James Morousek, and Sergeant Jack Whittington rushed to the accident scene and struggled to remove Roland from the overturned car wreckage, only to discover his head had been crushed and young Claud Roland was dead.

    A 5/23/1931 aerial shot showing how Bolsa Avenue curved into Main Street at PCH and how Main Street continue up into the farmland on Landing Hill.

    – Michael Dobkins

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    This Date in Seal Beach History also has an online store hosted at Cafepress where you can order shirts, tote bags, stationery, and other gift items imprinted with vintage Seal Beach images. Visit the online store by clicking here.

     

  • August 9th in Seal Beach History

    On this date in 1919, the following ads ran in the Santa Ana Register.

    Aug_9_1918_Hotel_Tourist_Ad__amp__Seal_Beach_Garage_adNot very glamorous or novel, but if your automobile ever breaks down in Seal Beach during 1919, you’ll know where to take it for repairs and where to stay if you’re forced to wait a few days for back-ordered parts to arrive.

    Main Street Seal Beach in 1917. The hotel is the last building on the right before the Lodge Cafe. Like many local brick buildings, it collapsed in 1933 during the Long Beach earthquake.

    – Michael Dobkins

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    This Date in Seal Beach History also has an online store hosted at Cafepress where you can order shirts, tote bags, stationery, and other gift items imprinted with vintage Seal Beach images. Visit the online store by clicking here.