Architectural rendering of proposed improvements to Playa del Rey lagoon, ca.1905

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Title Architectural rendering of proposed improvements to Playa del Rey lagoon, ca.1905

Description Photograph of an architectural rendering of proposed improvements to Playa del Rey lagoon, ca.1905. Surrounding the lagoon is a park-like environment decorated with trees, fountains, walkways and courtyards. Inclined bleachers encircle the lagoon's waterline allowing people a spectacle view of the many water activities that go on within the lagoon (i.e. boating, sailing or kayaking). Three Chinese-style pavilions (two of them with pagoda-style towers) are built over the mouth of the lagoon. Pier-like bridges support several pavilions while allowing water to enter or exit the lagoon. Toriis decorate the pier's walkway can be seen in the lagoon at the end of supporting platforms.; "The Playa del Rey area, located about two miles south of Kinney's Venice of America resort, was once, centuries ago, the mouth of the Los Angles River. But after the river shifted course to begin emptying in Los Alamitos Bay in Long Beach, it left behind a sleepy lagoon more than two miles wide and one fifth of a mile wide with a trickle of fresh water flowing to sea along La Ballona Creek. Nearly 100 lots were sold for prices ranging from $500 to $1500 at a July 16th auction and more were sold in August and September. With the completion of the Sherman and Clark owned Los Angeles Pacific electric trolley line, the 'Short Line,' to Los Angeles on October 19, 1902, hundreds began visiting the new resort. A pavilion and small hotel were eventually built in Oriental craftsman rather than Venetian style, around the lagoon in 1904, but few investors actually built on their lots. While Playa del Rey was considered a modest success in attracting day tourists, it proved to be Abbot Kinney's inspiration and served as an example of a resort that wasn't large enough in scope to attract investors or excite the public. The company built an impressive three-story, $100,000 pavilion with restaurant and dining rooms, bowling alleys and dance floor. Sherman and Clark's Los Angeles Pacific Railway Company built the $200,000 Hotel Del Rey with fifty guests rooms. A boat-racing course was laid out and a grandstand and boathouse erected on shore. A bridge spanned the lagoon's ocean entrance and a 1200-foot long fishing pier was built nearby." -- unknown author. Additional information: despite the facts stated in the quoted text, the Los Angeles River shifted its course thousands of years ago (between the Pleistocene and Holocene era), not hundreds.

Publisher University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Date Created 1905

Subject Boats and boating (lcsh), Harbors (lcsh), Lakes (adlf), Los Angeles County -- Playa Del Rey (file heading), Resorts (lcsh)

Tags oai:digitallibrary.usc.edu:chs,OAI-PMH Harvest

Place California (states), Los Angeles (city or populated place), Los Angeles (counties), Playa del Rey Lagoon (city or populated place), USA (countries)

Temporal Subject 1905

Type images

Format 2 photographs : photonegative, photoprint, b&w ; 12 x 26 cm., 8 x 26 cm. (aacr2), art (aat), negatives (photographic) (aat), photographs (aat)

Source California Historical Society (contributing entity), California Historical Society Collection, 1860-1960 (collection), Title Insurance and Trust, and C.C. Pierce Photography Collection, 1860-1960 (subcollection)

Repository Email specol@lib.usc.edu

Repository Name USC Libraries Special Collections

Repository Location Doheny Memorial Library, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0189

Rights Public Domain. Please credit both “University of Southern California. Libraries” and “California Historical Society” as the source. Digitally reproduced by the USC Digital Library.

Copyright Public Domain. Please credit both “University of Southern California. Libraries” and “California Historical Society” as the source. Digitally reproduced by the USC Digital Library.

Access Conditions Send requests to address or e-mail given

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/chs-m2028

Identifier 5089 (accession number), CHS-5089 (call number), CHS-5089 (filename), chs-m265 (legacy collection record id), chs-c65-2968 (legacy record id), chs-m2028 (legacy record id), USC-1-1-1-2088 (legacy record id), 1-56- (microfiche number), USC (project)

IIIF ID [Document.IIIFV3ID]

DM Record ID 2968

Unique identifier UC117224

Legacy Identifier CHS-5089.tiff

Type Image

Internet Media Type image/tiff

Resolution 22.0 in × 10.2 in at 300dpi
55.8 cm × 26.1 cm at 300dpi

Inherited Values

Title Title Insurance and Trust and C.C. Pierce Photography Collection 1860-1960

Description The nearly 15,000 unique photographs of this collection contain the work of C.C. Pierce which cover the Los Angeles region city, street and architectural views, California Missions, Southwestern Native Americans, and turn-of-century Nevada, Arizona, and California. Pierce, active from 1886 to 1940, was one of the leading photographers of his day and amassed a collection of 15,000 images, including his own and those bought and copied from his contemporaries, George Wharton James and Charles Puck. The James collection contains over 2,000 images of portraits, customs, ceremonies, arts, and games of various groups of Southwestern Native Americans.

Date Created 1860/1960

Linked assets

Title Insurance and Trust and C.C. Pierce Photography Collection 1860-1960

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