In the early part of this century, the Port bustled with longshore gangs unloading millions of board feet of lumber for local construction projects. Thousands of commercial fishermen and workers in a dozen canneries were involved in catching and processing tuna. More than 20,000 ship builders were working in four yards on various cargo and tanker vessels. Busy and colorful commercial areas sprang up adjacent to the Port to accommodate these workers as well as the ship crews that would be in port of up to 10 days at a time.
The Port today may seem almost serene by comparison, yet it is part of the largest container complex in the United States, handling 3000 vessel arrivals a year, some of which transport as many as 5,000 cargo containers each voyage. A gateway for international commerce and an economic engine for the region, the Port supports one out of every 24 jobs in Southern California.
With that rich history, there is no shortage of things to see and learn about in San Pedro and the Port. In fact, there were so many point of interest I did not get to see all of them including Cabrillo Museum, Fisherman’s Wharf, and some of the historic buildings downtown.
My tour started at Point Fermin Park. Point Fermin Park consists of 37 landscaped acres of tree-shaded lawns, sheltered pergolas, colorful gardens and a promenade along the edge of the palisade. The vantage point atop the rugged bluffs affords a breathtaking view of the coast toward Santa Catalina Island. You may even be able to spot playful dolphin and harbor seals from the cliffs. There are picnic areas, a playground and a small amphitheater. Two trails west of the area lead to the beach and tide pools below.
This scenic park is the southernmost point in Los Angeles. The area was given it's name by the British explorer George Vancouver, who visited here in 1793 and decided to thank Father Fermin Francisco de Lasuen for his hospitality at the mission in Carmel. Point Fermin Park is one of the few places on the peninsula where Monarch butterflies spend their winters. This lovely park provides spectacular views of the coast and Channel Islands and is a perfect site for picnics or a leisurely stroll. To the left of the park entrance is colorful Walker's Cafe which is frequently used as a movie location. Among the tall palms you will spot the Point Fermin Lighthouse.
Built in 1874 with lumber from California redwoods and a Fresnel Lens brought around Cape Horn by sailing ships. For its time, this Victorian lighthouse was a palatial structure, crowned with a cupola fitted with a 2,100-candlepower light. Miss Mary L. Smith, the first, lighthouse keeper, lived with her sister, but they gave up the lonely occupation because there were no other settlers nearer than Wilmington. In the 1880's, when Captain George Shaw was keeper, the lighthouse was the scene of many parties.
In 1898, a petroleum vapor incandescent lamp was installed; then, in 1925, a new 6,600 candlepower electric light which projected a beam 22 miles out to sea. Because it did not have a fog-signalling apparatus, it was a one-keeper station until 1941 when all coastal lights were extinguished as protection against enemy attacks. The lens lantern and gallery were replaced by an ugly lookout shack which remained for the next thirty years.
After the war, the light remained off, and radar and direction finders took over sentry and signaling duties. The structure fell into disuse and disrepair until a new lantern and gallery were built by volunteers, restoring it to its original charm just in time for a centennial celebration in 1974. Today, Point Fermin Lighthouse is one of San Pedro's most recognized landmarks and was used for the San Pedro Centennial logo. As the residence of the park superintendent, it is not open to the public.
This graceful Victorian-style building surrounded by colorful flower gardens, is one to the oldest lighthouses on the west coast. It was built in 1874 and served as an aid to safe passage between the Channel Islands and into the harbor for nearly one hundred years. The land for the lighthouse was donated by Jose Diego Sepulveda.
Lighthouse Tours are held every day, Tuesday through Sunday at 1:00 p.m. , 2:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m. Closed on Mondays.
A short walk across the street took me to Angel’s Gate Park which contained several jewels. The first was the Korean Friendship Bell.
This massive and intricately-decorated bell and pavilion was donated in 1976 to the people of Los Angeles by the people of the Republic of Korea to celebrate the bicentennial of the U.S. independence, honor veterans of the Korean War, and to consolidate traditional friendship between the two countries. The bell is patterned after the Bronze Bell of King Songdok, which was cast in 771 A.D. and is still on view in South Korea today.
The bell was cast in Korea and shipped to the United States. Weighing 17 tons, with a height of twelve feet and a diameter of 7-1/2 feet, the bell is made of copper and tin, with gold, nickel, lead and phosphorous added for tone quality. When it was built, it cost the Korean people $500,000. Four pairs of figures, each pair consisting of the Goddess of Liberty holding a torch, and a Korean spirit , are engraved in relief on the body of the bell. Each of the Korean spirits holds up a different symbol: a symbolic design of the Korean flag; a branch of the rose of Sharon, Korea's national flower; a branch of laurel, symbol of victory; and a dove of peace. The bell has no clapper but is struck from the outside with a wooden log.
The bell is set in a pagoda-like stone structure which was constructed on the site by thirty craftsmen flown in from Korea. It took them ten months and costs $569,680. The pavilion is supported by twelve columns representing the twelve designs of the Oriental zodiac. Animals stand guard at the base of each column.
Resting peacefully on the knoll overlooking the sea gate from which U.S. troops sailed into the Pacific, the bell site affords an unsurpassed view of the Los Angeles harbor, the Catalina Channel and the sea terraces of San Pedro hill. The bell is rung only four times each year: the Fourth of July, August 15 (Korean Independence Day) and New Year's Eve, and every September to coincide with bell ringings around the country to celebrate Constitutuon week.
A short walk in the park took me to the Marine Mammal Care of Fr. MacArthur. This "hospital" for the sick and injured seals and sea lions provides public viewing of their rehabilitation. There are frequently as many as 40-50 animals being cared for at a given time. The Center also features exhibits and educational information on marine mammals. They are open 365 days a year, from 8 AM to 4 PM. Admission free Next to this is also the Sea Bird Care Unit for sick and injured sea birds. Also in this same vicinity is the Fort MacArthur Military Museum.
The Fort MacArthur Military Museum was originally a military fort from 1916-1945, this was the Upper Reservation of the Fort, and operation post for defense of the harbor against enemy attack from the sea. The site housed four batteries, each secured under 12 feet of concrete, and with walls from 16-30 feet thick. Each battery housed a giant 14 inch seacoast gun, called a disappearing rifle, capable of firing 14 miles. The guns could be loaded and pre-sighted safely from behind their 20-foot thick parapets, then raised up, fired and retracted back into the loading positions in less than 20 seconds. The museum features photos, drawings, exhibits and memorabilia of Fort MacArthur and Los Angeles Harbor defenses from 1920 through World War II. Open Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5PM. Donation. Phone 310-548-2631.
After Visiting the Fort MacArthur Military Museum I then went to the present day fully functioning Fr. MacArthur. This area was the center of the early shipping activity in the harbor. In 1796, Father Lasuen built an adobe shelter here, where the present post engineers building now stands. During the Mexican-American War (1845-47), Commodore Robert Stockton used the area for storage of ordnance and supplies for his march on Los Angeles. Later the site of a customs warehouse until 1880, it was commissioned as a military reservation in 1888, in order to protect the port and to halt encroachments by railroads and local government, and developed for military purposes shortly before World War I. It is named in honor of Lt. Gen. Arthur MacArthur, father of Douglas MacArthur, who later commanded American forces in the Pacific during World war II. At present, Fort MacArthur serves as a residential community for personnel of the Air Force Space Division Based at El Segundo. Not open to the public. Located on Pacific Avenue, between 22nd and 36th Streets, San Pedro
The next stop on my tour was the interesting cemetery and church, both the first in the city! The town's cemetery was created in 1883, when August Timms deeded three acres of land to the newly-incorporated City of San Pedro. He paid $1 to reserve the central burial plot for himself, and died that same year. Many local pioneers are buried in this old cemetery, with burial records dating back to 1879 (prior to Timms' deed). With the growth of San Pedro and the creation of Green Hills Memorial Park in 1948, the San Pedro Cemetery, which had been acquired by the City of Los Angeles as part of its consolidation of San Pedro in 1909, was turned over to the Department of Recreation and Parks. Its name was changed to Harbor View Memorial Park, although the harbor cannot be viewed from any part of the little cemetery.
The Church had a colorful history. It was contstructed originally in 1883 on Beacon Street's fashionable Nob Hill, between 2nd and 3rd Streets, overlooking the then-infant port, this is the oldest church in San Pedro. For twenty years, the church's steeple was a landmark and a beacon for those on land or sea. The Carpenter's Gothic style church features hand-hewed pews and an alter. Its lectern is upheld by an intricately-carved wooden angel. All are of redwood.
By the turn of the century, San Pedro's population began to shift to the south. In 1904, the building was moved to the Vinegar Hill section at 10th and Mesa Streets. During the move, the church lost its steeple, which was replaced with a belfry. The little church served its parishioners for another fifty years, until with capacity was deemed too small. New quarters were built for the parish, and the old wooden building stood empty and was in danger of demolition. A group of citizens of various faiths banded together to find a new site for the church, and in 1956 it was moved to its present site, deconsecrated and rededicated as a memorial chapel.
San Pedro's first church has found its home in the town's cemetery, amid many of its original citizens who are at their final resting place. It stands today as a monument both to San Pedro's founders and to those who have sought to preserve its history.
I then drove down to the old historical district which has been revitalized and has numerous quaint shops and cafes. A few blocks further and I arrived at the actual port district. My first stop was the Los Angeles Maritime Museum and Marine Merchants Memorial Sculpture. This striking memorial, the first national memorial to merchant seamen in the United States, was commissioned by a group of local seamen to honor merchant marine veterans from all wars. At the height of World War II, there were 215,000 merchant mariners, including many teenage boys too young to enlist in the military, and men classified as 4-F, yet caught up in the patriotic fervor that swept the country after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. According to official statistics, more than 6,795 civilian merchant seamen lost their lives in World War II for a causality rate of 1:32 (the highest casualty rate of any service); 600 were taken prisoner; and more than 650 of their ships were sunk. Unofficial statistics cite 8,651 merchant mariners killed at sea, 11,000 wounded, 1,100 died from their wounds ashore, 604 taken prisoner and 60 died in prison camps.
The bronze statue depicts two merchant seamen climbing a Jacob's ladder after making a rescue at sea. The designer of the statue was the Wilmington, CA sculptor, Jasper D'Ambrosi. His creation of the original design was finished and accepted in early 1986. However, D'Ambrosi died August 1 of the same year before starting the final clay model. The enlargement was done by his sons, Marc and Michael as a tribute to their father. The Jacobs ladder was cast at the family foundry, Arizona Bronze, in Tempe, AZ in 1987. Although the land for the memorial was donated by the City virtually all of the $700,000 for the project came from private donors.
A bronze plaque on the memorial states, "The United States Merchant Marine has faithfully served our country in times of war and peace hauling cargo to every corner of the world. This Memorial is dedicated to those brave men and women of all races, creeds and colors who answered that call to serve."
The Maritime Museum was built in 1941, this Public Works Administration (WPA) "Streamlined Moderne" building was the base for an auto ferry which crossed the channel at regular intervals from San Pedro to a sister building on Terminal Island. It served navy personnel, fishing industry employees, and people who wished to avoid the long circuitous route through Wilmington and Industrial Long Beach. With the completion of the Vincent Thomas Bridge in 1963, ferry operations ceased, and the building became an overflow office for the Harbor Department.
Saved from deterioration by historically-minded citizens, the building has been beautifully restored, and now houses the largest maritime museum in California. This 75,000 square foot facility features more than 700 ship and boat models, a variety of navigational equipment and an operating amateur radio station. Exhibits include Native American artifacts relating to the sea, ship figureheads, maritime arts and crafts and an 18-foot scale model of the Titanic. Historical exhibits of the whaling industry, tall ships, commercial shipping, the Navy, the Merchant Marine and recreational sailing.
Visitors can views an old fishing boat and a tugboat while watching ships in the harbor, or participate in classes on such topics as small boat handling, scrimshaw, celestial navigation, and ship model building. Open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 AM to 5 PM. Tours by appointment. $1 donation.
I then continued down the port to Ports O Call. This authentic New England-style seaside village encompasses 15 acres of shops, restaurants and attractions. A meandering promenade of cobblestone streets connects the specialty shops. The shops feature items and gifts from around the world. Free admission and parking.
Ports O' Call is the departure point for narrated Harbor Cruises. You will be enthralled with all there is to see and learn about WORLDPORT LA, the largest working port in the nation. To get a bird's eye view of the harbor, consider a Helicopter Tour.
From January through March, take a Whale Watching Cruise, see California gray whales on their 6,000-mile migration from Alaska through the Catalina Channel to the waters of Baja to bear their young. On their return trip, the calves can frequently be seen swimming at their mothers' sides. San Pedro is the closest point on the Southern California coast from which to view these beautiful creatures.
Sport fishing and barge fishing boats leave daily from Ports O' Call, with rental equipment, bait, tackle and fishing licenses available.
At the end of Ports O Call, I could see the breakwater separating the harbor from the ocean which is the longest breakwater in the world and contains the Angels Gate Lighthouse. This historic lighthouse has marked the entrance to the port since 1913. The breakwater is 9,250 feet long and contains nearly three million tons of rock, brought over from Santa Catalina Island. Designed differently than any other California lighthouse, Angel's Gate is situated on a forty-foot concrete square. Built to withstand rough seas, the framework is structural steel, with steel plates to the second floor. The lighthouse is so well-constructed that, after a five-day storm in 1939 sent violent seas smashing into the building, the 73-foot Romanesque tower leaned slightly toward shore, but still stood defiantly, as it does to this day. The lighthouse was automated in 1973, thus eliminating the need for keepers.
The two note blast of its foghorn every thirty seconds is a familiar sound to local residents. Mariners entering Angel's Gate are guided by the lighthouse's rotating green light. Whenever a deep sea vessel arrives on her maiden voyage in Los Angeles Harbor, the master is presented with a plaque etched with the likeness of the light, an official greeting from the City of Los Angeles, and the lighthouse that watches over the entrance to her harbor.
My final stop was the Vincent Thomas Bridge. I remember as a child how exciting it was to cross this bridge. Though my dad tried to avoid it because back then it was a toll bridge. Completed in 1963, "San Pedro's Golden Gate" was the first bridge of its kind to be constructed on pilings. Construction required 92,000 tons of Portland cement, 13,000 tons of lightweight concrete, 14,100 tons of steel and 1,270 tons of suspension cable. It is designed to withstand winds of 90 miles per hour, double that required by code. The overall length of the bridge is 6,050 feet, with a main suspension span of 1,500 feet and 500-foot spans on either side. The towers are 365 feet high. Named for one of San Pedro's "own," an orphan from the streets and wharves who went on to become a State Assemblyman, it was The Hon. Vincent Thomas who cut the ribbon at the dedication ceremony.
The dramatic green bridge has been designated as the official landmark welcoming visitors to Los Angeles.
At the base of the bridge are boats to Catalina Island and also the SS Lane Victory. Come aboard this 10,000 ton, fully operational World War II cargo ship, restored and operated the all volunteer crew of the U.S. Merchant Marine Veterans of WWII. It is dedicated as a living memorial to the civilian merchant marine and the Naval Armed Guard lost at sea.
Summer day cruises off Catalina Island that support the ship, are offered 6 times a year. Start with a continental breakfast, live music, a great catered buffet lunch and exciting aerial attack, all part of the day, Tour the engine room, 'man' the big guns, browse our two great museums as we steam the blue pacific. These cruises recall the adventures of the Lane Victorys' service in World War II, Korea and Viet Nam
Open daily at the dock, visitors can go from the bridge, to the engine room and through to the cargo holds. Not wheelchair-accessible, No sandals or high heels. Open for self-guided tours from 9:00a.m. - 4:00p.m. Guided tours by reservation. Group rates available for tours. Donation: $3.00 per adult, $1.00 per
It was a long day with a lot of territory to cover and a lot of history to garner. But in the end, I really did come away from this day learning a lot about San Pedro, the History of the Port, and a deeper appreciation for the history and culture found in this port city
