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NEWSLETTER ARTICLES Memories of the Queen Anne and Redondo Beach By Maggie Tephany On January 14, 1989, Historical Society Members, Sandra Dyan and Maggie Tephany interviewed one of Redondo’s long-time residents, Mrs. Adele Santo. Mrs. Santo’s first home in after moving to America was the Queen Anne cottage that was relocated to Heritage Court shortly after this original article was written. This story was featured in the Redondo Beach Historical Society’s Winter-1989 Newsletter and was written by Maggie Tephany. With the recent restoration of the Queen Anne, it seemed like the appropriate time to re-print the story of the home and the memories of one of its early inhabitants. Get the full story ... Preservation Commission Considers Additional Historic Districts By Michael J. Gibson Redondo Beach has over eighty individual historic landmarks, each of which offers a unique insight into the "Redondo that once was." To get a real sense of what life was like in our town eighty or ninety years ago, nothing compares to a visit to one of our historic neighborhoods. Strolling along a city block of largely intact historic homes, you will find yourself immersed in a streetscape that, with a little imagination, allows you to travel back in time as effectively as if you'd stepped into a time machine. Preserving this experience, and the neighborhoods that make it possible, is the goal of Redondo's historic district designation program. Get the full story ... Historic Styles in Our Town By Kathy McLoed In our ever-changing, fast-paced world, we sometimes miss, even yearn, for those things most precious to us; like a favorite camping spot when we were kids, a song that reminds us of our first date, the feeling of getting behind the wheel of our first car. Or perhaps a special place that represents "the good 'ol days" ... a place that has stood the test of time....a place that makes us feel safe, secure and "at home" just by its mere presence. Here, in the architecturally-eclectic neighborhoods of Redondo, these sometimes hidden gems not only reflect an era gone by but also represent a resurgence and newly-found appreciation for historical architecture. Get the full story ... The Fox Theater By Kathy McLeod Whether you are an avid cinema buff, an historian of fine architecture, grew up in the Depression era or the fun-filled 50s; or were lucky enough to experience the South Bay’s “surfin’ 60s”, Redondo’s Fox Theater was not only an integral part of our City’s history but perhaps a part of your own personal history as well. The Fox Theater - you can’t help but pause, reflect and smile when you think of this grand old dame. Get the full story ... Lodges, Clubs Offer Ways to Be Involved By Deborah Jackson Redondo Beach residents have a long history of active lodge and philanthropic organization involvement. Locals have joined the Masons, Elks, and Eagles, among others. Get the full story ... Linda Aust: Our Treasure By Deborah Jackson I know you’ve seen her….she’s everywhere! Linda Aust, Treasurer of the Redondo Beach Historical Society, has her hand in everything to do with Redondo history. Get the full story ... PAST ARTICLES Vincent Park, The Oldest Park in Redondo Beach By Kathy McLeod In Redondo Beach, lies a small, uniquely-designed park that is steeped in our city’s rich history. The park’s “one-of-a-kind design” eventually shaped the surrounding streets and blocks of the city and is a beautiful example of historic park design. Get the full story ... San Pedro Road Trip By John Reilly Have you ever felt you needed to get away from it all but didn’t have more than a day to spare? Recently, a friend and I wanted to get away, if only for an afternoon. We pointed the car south in search of something interesting and out of the ordinary. We found it in a place not too far away, San Pedro. Get the full story ... TIKE KARAVAS: At The Museum By John Reilly Constantine “Tike” Karavas welcomes visitors to the Redondo Beach Historical Museum, gives tours on request, and shares his deep knowledge of local history, often adding a bit of fun sports trivia. Those who visit the Museum leave with a new-found appreciation of the beautiful and historic seaside town of Redondo Beach. Get the full story ... Bungalow Courts: Designed For California Living By Dennis Sullivan Around 1909, a new concept in temporary dwellings started an architectural style that continues to this day, the bungalow court. The new style of these courts ranged from Spanish Colonial Revival to Swiss Chalet. They all shared the basic design of cottages arranged around a courtyard. Builders found that they could keep the California garden setting so popular with bungalow homebuilders while reducing land costs by using the court plan. Get the full story ... Red Cars: All That’s Old Is New Again By Wayne Knutson It is the rare Redondoan indeed who, trapped in a seemingly endless “Sigalert” traffic jam on the freeway, has not longed for an alternative to these bumper-to-bumper automotive nightmares. If he or she is a Southern Californian of longstanding, fifty-years-old at a minimum, their thoughts may well turn to the legendary “Red Cars” of the Pacific Electric Railway. These electrified interurbans dominated local transportation for nearly half a century, and many can wax lyrical about the low cost, speed; fifty minutes from Redondo to downtown Los Angeles; and, perhaps most amazingly, the geographic reach of these trains. From the Redondo train station, located where the Redondo Beach Elks Club now stands, one could travel as far east as Redlands, north to the San Fernando Valley or south to Newport Beach and never have to turn a wheel, stomp a break or inhale the exhaust fumes of an idling diesel. Get the full story ... Preservation Gets a Boost, Landmark Owners Get a Break By Dennis Sullivan The Mills Act legislation allows cities and counties to contract with landmark property owners as an incentive toward historical preservation and, when necessary, to restore and rehabilitate their property to conform to the rules and regulations of various state and federal agencies. Get the full story ... Redondo Beach Teams Up with the State, County and Homeowners to Save Landmarks and Taxes Reducing property taxes for any property owner in Redondo Beach seems at odds with the normal revenue raising mission of city goverment. But, that is just what the city has done by offering the Mills Act Tax Plan to the city’s landmark property owners. The city’s Planning Department runs the program and recently Teresa Gianos, associate planner, answered some questions for our newsletter. Get the full story ... Where Did The “Old Heart” of Redondo Beach Go? By Wayne Knutson Skirmishes over the creation of a new commercial and residential hub for Redondo Beach--the "Heart of the City" plan--filled local newspapers during 2002, but this battle was by no means unique in the history of the city. Some 38 years previous, the city council and a group of concerned citizens waged an eerily similar contest over a proposal for "urban renewal," and it was the council's victory, and the eventual destruction of the old downtown, that helped set the stage for the most recent political struggle. Get the full story ... Researching Your Home's Past By Dennis Sullivan When was your house built? When did the garage get added? Who was the first owner? You're sure it's a bungalow but is it California or Craftsman? Being the owner of an historic home presents a great opportunity to dig into the past. Most of us buy our historic home without any detail knowledge of its history. At some point, we become curious and start looking for information that will build a better understanding of our house and its part in Redondo Beach's past. Get the full story ... Fire Insurance Maps Provide City Snapshots Fire insurance maps are detailed city plans, usually at scales of 50 or 100 feet to an inch. They show individual building "footprints," complete with construction details. Get the full story ... The Colorful Story of Malibu Tile By Ellan Allen Malibu Potteries was just one of several local tile companies that put California on the map in the 1920s. Redondo Beach students examined this rich art through a unique educational program. Get the full story ... ARCHIVED ARTICLES |