Santa Monica: A Must-See Destination for Southern California
Santa Monica has had several piers over the years, however the current Santa Monica Pier is actually two adjoining piers that long had separate owners. The long, narrow Municipal Pier opened on California Admissions Day September 9, 1909, primarily to carry sewer pipes beyond the breakers, and had no amenities. Charles Looff, a pioneer amusement entrepreneur began construction of a short, wide adjoining pier, the Pleasure Pier (AKA Newcomb Pier) in 1916. Loofs pier featured the landmark Hippodrome building, which has house a succession of vintage merry-go-rounds and Wurlitzer organs. Originally, it alos housed the Blue Streat Racer wooden roller coaster the the Whop and the Aeroscope thrill rides. Loof's Pleasure Pier was soon expanded to it current size of 270 feet by 1080 feet.
The Pier flourished and in 1924, the La Monica Ballroom opened to become the site of some of the earliest national radio and television broadcasts. It was a favorite dance site to a multitude of dancers who came nightly for the big band sound, including "Western Swing." By 1930, the effects of heavy use, severe storms and lack of interest took their toll and the Blue Streak roller coaster was torn down. The La Monica Ballroom suffered the same fate some 33 years later.
Following a succession of owners, the Looff Pleasure Pier was taken over by the city of Santa Monica in 1953 and then leased to a private operator. Twenty years later, the city council ordered the demolition of both deteriorating piers.
The residents of Santa Monica, outraged by this move, rallied behind a "Save Our Pier Forever" initiative in order to establish the Pier as a Los Angeles County Historical Landmark. In 1981, in response to the outcry, the city appointed the Pier Task Force (later named the Pier Restoration Corporation or PRC) to provide management and oversee restoration, including stripping the famed Looff Hippodrome building back to its original framework and reconstructing it piece by piece back to its original glory. Although two fierce storms halted work in 1983, washing away 100,000 square feet of the ocean end of the Pier, good news would soon follow as the Hippodrome and its carousel were designated a National Historic Landmark by the United States Government.
In 1988, a new concrete substructure was built, adding strength and stability to a pier that could now withstand violent storms. Over the years the crowds at the Santa Monica Pier have grown to 3 million visitors a year who now enjoy a world class amusement park (Pacific Park) and a variety of retail, food, restaurants and entertainment outlets, including the "Twilight Dance Series" that attracts of 10,000 people to our Thursday night summer concerts. The uniqueness and beauty of the Pier continues to attract photographers and film makers who desire to use it as the backdrop to their works. The finish line of famed Route 66, the Santa Monica Pier has a future that promises to be every bit as glowing as its past. The Santa Monica Pier is a must-see destination in Southern California.
The Santa Monica Public Library also has an extensive Santa Monica history index at www.smpl.org
Source: City of Santa Monica Web Site and Wikipedia.org
