South Bay History

History of the South Bay of Los Angeles Through 1900

BY BRUCE AND MAUREEN MEGOWAN   Native Indians While first described in 1542 by Portuguese Explorer Juan Cabrillo, for almost three centuries the Palos Verdes Peninsula remained undisturbed and the exclusive domain of the local Indians, whose artifacts are still being unearthed. The most recent Native Americans to live in Palos Verdes were members of …     Read More

Palos Verdes Secrets and Little Known Facts

The Palos Verdes Peninsula has a number of secrets and interesting facts that only those that have lived here for many years have learned. Here are a few of my favorites: 1. UCLA as well as Cal State Dominquez were both almost located in Rancho Palos Verdes: A section of 1,000 acres was originally …     Read More

History of Palos Verdes Estates

BY BRUCE AND MAUREEN MEGOWAN Palos Verdes Estates History tells a fascinating story as it was one of the first master planned communities in the United States. Early Farming at the turn of the Century In 1894, Harry Phillips Sr. built and occupied the first permanent residence on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, a small cottage …     Read More

History of Rancho Palos Verdes

BY BRUCE AND MAUREEN MEGOWAN Rancho Palos Verdes History has an amazing story to tell of a City founded to protect the natural beauty of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Frank Vanderlip Acquisition Early in 1913, George Bixby decided to sell approx. 16,000 acres of the Rancho de los Palos Verdes (retaining about 1,000 acres …     Read More

History of Rolling Hills Estates and Rolling Hills

BY BRUCE AND MAUREEN MEGOWAN   Both Rolling Hills and Rolling Hills Estates were part of the original Rancho San Pedro and the Rancho de los Palos Verdes (See the History of the South Bay for a discussion of the original Indian inhabitants of the Palos Verdes Peninsula and the original Spanish land grant Ranchos …     Read More

History of Manhattan Beach

BY BRUCE AND MAUREEN MEGOWAN In its earliest days, Manhattan Beach was part of the original Spanish land grant for “Rancho Sausal Redondo” (“Ranch of the Round Clump of Willows“) in 1822, a rancho with a land mass of nearly 25,000 acres which extended from the areas as far north of what is now Playa …     Read More

History of Hermosa Beach

BY BRUCE AND MAUREEN MEGOWAN   In its earliest days, Hermosa Beach was part of the original Spanish land grant for “Rancho Sausal Redondo” (“Ranch of the Round Clump of Willows“) in 1822, a rancho with a land mass of nearly 25,000 acres which extended from the areas as far north of what is now …     Read More

History of Redondo Beach

BY BRUCE AND MAUREEN MEGOWAN In 1854, a natural salt lake located between Pacific and Francesca Avenues,at the northern end ofRedondo Beach–just outside of Hermosa Beach, known as the “Old Salt Lake”. was sold to Henry Allenson and William Johnson. This sale  precipitated the establishment of Pacific Salt Works, which extracted and sold salt and …     Read More

History of El Segundo

BY BRUCE AND MAUREEN MEGOWAN Prior to El Segundo’s incorporation in 1917, this area was part of the original Spanish land grant for “Rancho Sausal Redondo” (“Ranch of the Round Clump of Willows“) in 1822, a rancho with a land mass of nearly 25,000 acres which extended from the areas as far north of what …     Read More

History of San Pedro

BY BRUCE AND MAUREEN MEGOWAN Portuguese explorer, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, while sailing under the flag of Spain, was the first European to set eyes upon the barren hills and plains of what was to be Rancho San Pedro. On October 8, 1542 he sailed into San Pedro Bay. There, he noticed several wild fires burning …     Read More

History of Torrance

BY BRUCE AND MAUREEN MEGOWAN Torrance was founded on May 31, 1911 by Jared Sidney Torrance and Associates by the purchase of 2,791 acres of land from the Dominguez Estate Company for $976,850. Susana Dominguez del Amo sold an additional 730 acres to Torrance for $350 per acre. This land was originally a small part …     Read More

History of Lomita

BY BRUCE AND MAUREEN MEGOWAN The earliest known inhabitants of the area now part of the City of Lomita were the Gabrielino Indians in a village they called Suangna, or “Place of the Rushes”, near what is now the intersection of 230th Street and Utility Way in Carson.  This land was originally a small part …     Read More

Seaview Landslide Information

The Portuguese Bend landslide has had an on-going impact on the Portuguese Bend area and the Seaview neighborhood of Rancho Palos Verdes, which is just south of the main landslide area. The areas which have had on-going restrictions on development, additions and remodeling has been given designations…     Read More