History of King Harbor

History of King Harbor

In September 1938, a bond issue was passed that called for construction of a 1,485-foot breakwater north of the Redondo Beach pleasure pier to construct a boat harbor with the assistance of the Works Progress Administration (WPA).

The proposed breakwater was begun in 1939 but only partially finished. The short breakwater changed the flow of the current along the shoreline resulting in extensive beach erosion and the destruction of shoreline homes. The north beach area suffered several seasons of heavy damage and residents called for the removal of the inadequate breakwater.

The onset of the Second World War resulted in a freeze on all federal funds except for high-priority projects for the War effort. Of course, Redondo €™s boat harbor did not fall into this category, so the completion of the breakwater would have to wait until peacetime. After World War II, construction began on an improved breakwater that used 100,000 tons of rock to protect the area from winter storms and this temporary breakwater was completed in 1947.

Another storm in 1953 again damaged the breakwater, city streets, and shoreline homes. A group of Redondo citizens appealed to Representative Cecil R. King (Democrat, 17th District) for help in developing a proper boat harbor, one that would lend itself well to recreational tourism. In 1956, the federal government authorized forty five million dollars, and work began on the marina that exists today, named King Harbor in honor of the congressman. The breakwater was completed in 1958. Harbor bonds totaling nine million dollars were approved in 1959 to finance the inner harbor construction project, and by 1963, the first boat slips were available in King Harbor The plan for the inner-harbor construction project included 1,450 boat slips, utilities, a swimming facility (today €™s Seaside Lagoon), and several parking lots. This investment was immediately followed by an additional fifteen million dollars contributed by the five original lessees. Due to high demand from the beginning, the boat slips were given first priority and many were occupied while other facilities were still under construction.

This provided an important source of revenue during the building of the harbor. King Harbor was dedicated in 1966. King Harbor €™s boating basins consist of four marinas, two yacht clubs, and a Hotel complex.

Unlike most marinas, including Marina Del Rey, which are fully contained within inland basins, King Harbor is situated completely seaward of the existing shoreline. This occasionally subjects King Harbor to severe weather and ocean conditions, the same problem that faced the original Port of Redondo Beach in 1887. After King Harbor was severely damaged by storms in the winters of 1962 and 1963, the Army Corps of Engineers made additional breakwater improvements in 1967 to increase protection and reduce the chance of future storm damage. Severe storms in 1980, 1983, and 1988 overtopped and damaged the breakwater again and the Army Corps of Engineers made repairs in 1992, and 1998.

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