Ocean Park, California
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Ocean Park is a Santa Monica neighborhood of
Santa Monica Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...
in the Westside region of Los Angeles County, United States.


History

Developer
Abbot Kinney Abbot Kinney (November 16, 1850 in New Brunswick, New Jersey – November 4, 1920 in Santa Monica, California) was an American Real estate development, developer, conservation movement, conservationist, water supply expert and tree expert. Kinne ...
and Francis G. Ryan, of the firm Kinney & Ryan, acquired the deed to the coastal strip previously purchased by W. D. Vawter and named the area ''Ocean Park'' in May 1895. It became their first amusement park and residential project. A horse-racing track, pier, and golf course were built near the ''Ocean Park Casino''. Kinney convinced the
Santa Fe Railroad The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the largest Class 1 railroads in the United States between 1859 and 1996. The Santa Fe was a pioneer in intermodal freight transport; at variou ...
to extend its
Inglewood Inglewood may refer to: Places Australia *Inglewood, Queensland * Shire of Inglewood, Queensland, a former local government area *Inglewood, South Australia *Inglewood, Victoria *Inglewood, Western Australia Canada * Inglewood, Ontario *Inglewoo ...
line north to his resort. When his partner Francis Ryan died in October 1898, his widow's new husband, Thomas H. Dudley, sold their half interest to a group of men, Fraser, Gage and Merritt Jones. Kinney focused on developing the southern end of the property, which he made into Venice of America. The Ocean Park post office was opened in July 1889 and the Ocean Park Fire Company in February 1900. In March 1902, the Ocean Park bank was organized by Thomas H. Dudley, Kinney, Martin Dudley, and Plez James.


Ocean Park Branch Library

In December 1916, the commissioners of Santa Monica selected the site for the Ocean Park branch Carnegie library at 2601 Main Street. The library was funded by a $12,500 grant from the
Carnegie Corporation The Carnegie Corporation of New York is a philanthropic fund established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 to support education programs across the United States, and later the world. Since its founding, the Carnegie Corporation has endowed or othe ...
. The library was opened to the public on February 15, 1918. The library is one of the remaining pieces of the Carnegie legacy in Southern California. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the basement of the library was converted to a room for teens. It was also a place run by a temporary
United Service Organization The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...
(USO) during the war. The city Landmarks Commission designated it as a Santa Monica historic landmark on May 3, 1977. On March 27, 1943, the Aragon Ballroom opened for business. The Aragon Ballroom was on Lick Pier in the Ocean Park district. It was destroyed by fire on May 26, 1970.


See also

* Aragon Ballroom (Ocean Park) in Santa Monica) * Fraser's Million Dollar Pier *
List of City of Santa Monica Designated Historic Landmarks This is a List of City of Santa Monica Designated Historic Landmarks. Ordinance As the 1975 Santa Monica Centennial approached, the City Council created the Historical Site Committee, and adopted the Landmarks and Historic District Ordinance on ...
* History of Santa Monica


References


External links


Ocean Park Association

Santa Monica in Vintage Postcards
* l {{Authority control Cities in Los Angeles County, California Populated coastal places in California Seaside resorts in California Westside (Los Angeles County)