Nine Random Facts About Lomita

PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY AND NARBONNE AVENUE - A couple miles west off The Harbor Freeway going westbound along P.C.H. you find yourself driving across a city tucked between the city of Los Angeles' Harbor City (or is it Harbor Gateway), The South Bay and The Palos Verdes Peninsula called, Lomita.


The train depot at The Lomita Railroad Museum. Has this train depot always been in Lomita? Read more to find out. Used under a GNU Free Documentation License.

Like many places across Southern California at first glance Lomita may seem like your typical Southern California suburb, but, like many places throughout Southern California, Lomita, this city of a little over 20,000 residents, has some interesting history and unique connections to some famous people.

If you woke up today thinking, "One day I would really like to know more about Lomita," well, your day has finally arrived, because it is with great pleasure to present you with nine interesting facts about Lomita, otherwise known as, "The Friendly City."

1 - Where Does The Name Come From?

The name itself, Lomita, derives from Spanish, meaning, little hills. Now, just who first officially named the area Lomita is up for debate, and makes for great debates at the Lomita Historical Society. According to Lomita resident and Lomita Historical Society member Brian C. Keith, 

One source claims Lomita was named by the early promoters of the district as they surveyed it from a hillside in Rancho Palos Verdes. Another source claims that "Lomita del Toro", or "little hills of the bull," appears on an early surveyor's map of Rancho San Pedro, just a few miles east of the present day city, implying that Lomita inherited its name from the local fauna.

2 - Torrance Is Kind Of To Blame For Lomita Becoming A City

If there is blame to be assigned how and why Lomita became a city then much of that blame is on the hands of the big South Bay city, Torrance. Lomita originally spanned about seven square miles in unincorporated Los Angeles County, but as Torrance was growing they incorporated more and more of what was considered Lomita. After the end of World War II much of Southern California saw a housing building boom, and Torrance wanted more incorporated city for its growing city. In what remained of then unincorporated Lomita there were plans to build dense housing and high-rise apartments. Lomita's then current residents really did not like this idea, because most of them preferred the "small town" feel and many Lomita residents associated large apartments with the "swinging" lifestyle. After a couple set backs, and fending off Torrance eating up the remains of Lomita, and perhaps using the nearby "Lakewood Plan" as a template on how to become a successful city, on June 30, 1964, Lomita became an incorporated city.

3 - Little Lomita Was Once A Big Farming Town

A little bit before World War II during the 1930s the little town of Lomita was a major supplier of vegetables in the late 1920s and throughout much of the 1930s. At one point Lomita had the unofficial name of, "Celery Capital of the World." At the time most residents of Lomita worked in farming related industries.

4 - Narbonne Avenue Is Named After...

Narbonne Ave. and Narbonne High School in Lomita is named after, Nathaniel A. Narbonne. A sheep rancher who came south from Sacramento in 1852 after trying his luck in "Gold Rush country" Mr. Narbonne acquired about 3,500 acres in 1882 in what is mostly modern day Lomita. Lomita was just a small part of the of Rancho San Pedro, which was granted by the Spanish Empire to Juan Jose Dominguez by King Carlos III of Spain in 1784. The Spanish land-grants by 1860 were facing many problems, including drought, too much rain (both of those seem to be a reoccurring theme in California) and tax issues, among other problems. What were the rancheros problems became Mr. Narbonne's gain.

Available records show Mr. Narbonne did not have much luck in the mountains outside Sacramento striking gold, as was the case with many people hoping for quick riches in The Golden State, but Mr. Narbonne did have luck with sheep and wheat. Coming into Southern California Mr. Narbonne worked with and soon teamed up General Phineas Banning in Wilmington growing wheat and raising sheep on Santa Catalina Island (which is not really "26 miles across the sea" as the song sings, but that story is for another time). With fortunes made in wheat and sheep across the sea Mr. Narbonne bought the land in 1882 that would many decades later become the city of Lomita.

5 - What Does Lomita Have To Do With Japan?

Established as a sister city in October 1981, Lomita became a sister city to Takaishi, Osaka, Japan.

6 - The Gumm Sisters Performed At The Lomita Theater

Located on Narbonne Ave. near 243rd Street was The Lomita Theater, and in 1935 a vaudevillian named Frank A. Gumm rented out theater to showcase the talent of his daughters, Mary Jane, Dorothy Virginia, and Judy. Judy Gumm would soon change her name to, Judy Garland.

7 - From Old Glamorous Hollywood To Old School Punk Rock

Lomita is generally considered to be apart of the South Bay, and a lot of punk rock bands came out of The South Bay, probably the most notable was Black Flag. There was another famous famous punk rock band to come out of the South Bay, and one of those bands came out of Lomita, which was, The Descendants. Lead singer Milo Aukerman was from Lomita, and him and his band-mates spent many days, and many nights, at his Lomita house practicing. Lomita's Mr. Aukerman soon went to college, and earned his doctorate in biology from University of California at San Diego.

8 - There Is A Train Museum In Lomita

It has been there since 1967, but it seems like a good many people do not know that there is a train Museum in Lomita, The Lomita Railroad Museum. Yes, there are a couple train museums in Southern California, The Orange Empire Railway Museum in Perris, and Travel Town at Griffith Park in L.A., but what makes this museum unique is it is purely, "dedicated to the proud era of the steam engine," according to the museum. The colorful replica depot and piped in sounds of the old steam engines give it a Disneyland sort of feel, but there is much to learn and explore. Future museum expansion plans are in the works, which would also be home to the Lomita Historical Society.

At first glance the train depot at the museum may look like a nicely restored train station that once served Lomita, but, prior to the museum being built, there never was a train depot in Lomita. You would be forgiven for mistaking Lomita had its own restored train depot as there are several similar restored and kept up train depots around Southern California. What looks like the old Lomita train depot was really a replica of the Boston & Maine's Greenwood Station in Wakefield, Massachusetts, and that depot in Wakefield was built before the turn of the century. Museum founder Irene Lewis, whose husband Martin Lewis developed and invented Little Engines, which are those little trains you can ride at Griffith Park on Sundays, was looking for authenticity when developing the museum and spent some time and research to figure out just the right building for the museum.

You should go to the museum, and when you decide to visit The Lomita Railroad Museum do know that it is open Thursday through Sunday, 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

9 - The Lomita Railroad Museum Is Still Looking For "The E Ticket"

The Little Engines developed by Martin Lewis became a good, successful business for the Lewis family, and one person Mr. Lewis sold some of his Little Engines to was one big rail fan, Walt Disney. Mr. Lewis and his Little Engines found their way onto Mr. Disney's Holmby Hills backyard. The man behind the Mouse soon became good friends with the Lewis family. Mr. Lewis past away in 1949, but Irene Lewis kept the Little Engines business going. Being such good friends with the Lewis family Mr. Disney gave Ms. Lewis a ticket to the opening day of Disneyland on, July 17, 1955.

The Lomita Railroad Museum is still looking for that ticket. If you have any information please contact the museum.

Go Do This: Ride The Red Cars This Weekend

PERRIS - If there is one thing that lives in the imagine of any true Southern Californian who knows their history, it is Pacific Electric, or otherwise commonly known as the red cars.

Okay, maybe you are new here and not too sure what these red cars are, or you are a young Southern Californian and have trouble believing that we actually had one of the best public transportation systems in the World. Well, this weekend you can see the evidence yourself, and ride it!

This weekend, Saturday June, 14, and Sunday June, 15, The Orange Empire Railway Museum in Perris is having its Pacific Electric Weekend.

The museum's large fleet of Pacific Electric rail cars is very impressive, and now you can ride it.

An extra bonus if you happen to go Saturday, because that is also Rods and Rails Days.

According to the museum, 

The 15th Annual Rods and Rails sponsored by the City of Perris features cars from the 1920's through the 1970's. The event also features games and entertainment for the whole family, the 1800's Territorial Marshall reenactments, live music and contests and the annual Potato Festival sponsored by the Perris Valley Historical and Museum Association.

So you have old cars, the Pacific Electric and a Potato Festival, too. A POTATO FESTIVAL!

Oh, not only are the red cars there, but the yellow cars are are also at the museum (you do not know what those were, well, go to the museum this weekend and find out). In fact, according to the museum, they have the "West's largest collection of railway locomotives, passenger and freight cars, streetcars, interurban electric cars, buildings and other artifacts dating from the 1870's."

So, go to this, the Pacific Electric Weekend and The Orange Empire Railway Museum.

The museum is located at:

2201 s. "A" Street
Perris, California
92570

Yes, depending where you are at in Southern California, it is bit of drive, but it is totally worth it.

Now, here are some photographs when Pacific Electric ruled Southern California.


The Metro Red Line subway now rides underground here now, but here was the day when the big red car rode along Western Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood. No copyright infringement intended.


The red car slinking about in downtown Los Angeles at Hill Street and Venice Blvd. No copyright infringement intended.


Amid the Yellow Cabs and Greyhound buses this red car goes though the intersection of Sixth and L.A. Streets in Downtown L.A. No copyright infringement intended.


The Pacific Electric ran well outside L.A. and into Orange County, and out into the Inland Empire as seen in this photograph from Colton. No copyright infringement intended.


This photograph almost looks like it is from someplace that is not in L.A., but it is downtown L.A., and this photograph was taken shortly before the red cars would become one of many things that would not be here anymore. No copyright infringement intended.

Seven More Facts About Knott's Berry Farm, and Then Some

BUENA PARK - Since there was such a big response to the five facts about Knott's Berry Farm post here are some more interesting facts about the park in Buena Park that (another) Walt built.

Hopefully this will help bring about some interest in Knott's Berry Farm's history, which, quite frankly, tends to get overlooked and overshadowed by the big mouse in Anaheim. All the blame of course cannot be on the mouse who lives on Harbor Boulevard as Knott's Berry Farm's current owners, Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, have done more than a few things to erase the rich history Walter Knott and his family created.

For a lot of people who grew up in Southern California they have great memories of Knott's Berry Farm when it actually was a farm and free to get in, or exploring the jungle across the street, or perhaps dancing the night away at Studio K. 

While the Knotts' many of us grew up with has gone away we shall always have the memories. To maybe help with those memories here are seven interesting facts about the farm off La Palma Avenue and Beach Blvd. that you may or may not have known about.

1. Busy Beach Blvd. is still California State Route 39, but back in 1920 when the Knott family started their roadside stand the street they were on was known to many then simply as Highway 39. Walter Knott must have known that location is everything, because before Interstate 5 came into existence Highway 39 was the main artery between Los Angeles and Orange County.

2. One of the most beloved rides at Knott's Berry Farm that is no longer there, and has not been there for a very long time, is Knott's Bear-y Tales. Knott's Bear-y Tales was apart of the new Roaring 20s section that opened July 4, 1975, but Knott's Bear-y Tales was almost wiped out. An arsonist set fire to Bear-y Tales as it was under construction. The creators of the ride were able to recreate much of the ride designs in about six weeks, and all was well in Bear-y Tale land. The fire was believed to be the result of a nasty a union dispute. In 1987 Bear-y Tales was no more and became Kingdom of the Dinosaurs, and that ride closed in 2004. The former Bear-y Tales ride now stands empty. It remains unclear, at least publicly, if Cedar Fair will do anything with this empty building.

Some Bears and kids in front of the Roaring '20s fountain. Circa 1978. Photograph courtesy of the Orange County Archives.


Some Bears going on Knott's Bear-y Tales. Circa 1978. Photograph courtesy of the Orange County Archives.

3. Many people may remember Knott's Berry Farm used to have cable cars surrounding the parking lot. Did you know those were actual San Francisco cable cars that the Knott family bought from the San Francisco Municipal Railway (MUNI). The cable cars ran around Knotts' until 1979, and two of the cable cars were returned to MUNI, and two other cable cars were sent to The Orange Empire Railway Museum in Perris.

 
Cable Cars at Knott's Berry Farm. Circa 1960. Photograph courtesy of the Orange County Archives.


Cable Cars at Knott's Berry Farm. Circa 1959. Photograph courtesy of the Orange County Archives.

4. Now here is a not-so-fun fact that exemplifies the problems with Knott's Berry Farm's current owners. For decades visitors to Knotts' could see and feel the original berry stand Walter and Cordelia built that started it all. Well, in what is frankly an appalling decision, the stand was destroyed when Cedar Fair built the Silver Bullet roller coaster. (Why it was not moved to somewhere else in the park or even offered to a museum is unclear.) The original berry stand that started it all was not the only thing destroyed to make room for this roller coaster, the Inspiration Church was also a victim. Furthermore, also a victim of this "extreme" ride was the nighttime water light show as the lake has been totally drained.

Cordelia and Walter Knott in front of the stand that started it all. Date unknown. Photograph courtesy of the Orange County Archives.

5. One of the things that helped make Knott's Berry Farm a success was the boysenberry, be it boysenberry sauce, boysenberry jam or boysenberry punch. The boysenberry was created by Rudolph Boysen, and Mr. Boysen was the Anaheim City Park Superintendent from 1921 until 1950.

6. One of Knott's Berry Farm's most iconic rides that is still standing is the Timber Mountain Log Ride. The very first person to ride the Log Ride when it opened in 1969 was John Wayne. Of course when The Duke rode the ride it was not the Timber Mountain Log Ride, as it is known today, but was called the Calico Log Ride.  

7. Probably one of the most famous attractions at Knott's Berry Farm is Mrs. Knott's Fried Chicken Restaurant. This began in 1934, and Cordelia Knott was not too keen on the idea of making fried chicken and serving it on their family's fine China. However the Great Depression was underway and the Knott's roadside stand was not always doing a brisk business, and so Mrs. Knott began, rather reluctantly, making and serving fried chicken to help make ends meet. It seemed to work out for the Knott family.

The famous Chicken Dinner Restaurant. Circa 1955. Photograph courtesy of the Orange County Archives.  

Here are some things that are no longer apart of Knott's Berry Farm.


Middletons Train Supply House and Toy Museum at Knott's Berry Farm. Date unknown. Photograph courtesy of the Orange County Archives. 

The Cordelia K. out on the lake. The Cordelia K. is one piece of Knotts' that will never come back, because a few years back whoever Cedar Fair put in charged of moving the boat broke the Cordelia K. in half. 

The Cordelia K., taking a ride out in the lake. Date unknown. Photograph courtesy of the Orange County Archives.


The Cordelia K. out on the lake along with train ride in the background. Date unknown. Photograph courtesy of the Orange County Archives.