2017

Welcome to 2017. This Date in Seal Beach History will be a mix of recycled past posts with original posts for dates that the blog hasn’t covered yet. If you see material you’ve seen before, please be patient. I’ll be posting some new Seal Beach history and photos throughout the year. With luck, we’ll finish 2017 with a post for each date in Seal Beach history. Thanks. – mpd

May 26th in Seal Beach History

On this date in 1955, Marine Boat ran the following advertisement in the Long Beach Independent to attract customers interest in a low-cost command of their own live-aboard, sleep-aboard cruising craft powered Evinrude Big Twin outboard motor!

– Michael Dobkins

May 25th in Seal Beach History

On this date in 1939, you could enjoy entertainment by that well-known maestro, Raymond Jasper and His Five Counts of Rhythm while enjoying a 65 cent, 75 cent, or a one dollar dinner in Seal Beach’s very own happening night spot, Garden of Allah (and a lot happened there).

Garden of Allah was located at 800 Pacific Coast Highway. Over the years this same address has presented to discerning locals and coast highway commuters such fine establishments as Larry’s Goldfingers A-Go-Go, Surfer Girl A-Go-Go, Jack In The Box, and, for now at least, Fresh and Easy.

– Michael Dobkins

May 20th in Seal Beach History

On this date in 1939, Andy’s Fish Pond ran the following ad in the Santa Ana Register.

We know some of our readers have firsthand memories of Anaheim Landing before the Navy took over in 1944. Can any of them pinpoint which building in this 1939 aerial photograph was 2000 Coast Highway? (Click on any of these images for a larger view.)

1939 Seal Beach

Here’s a closer view of Anaheim Landing.

1939 Anaheim Landing Close Up

Our guess is that Andy’s Fish Pond was in one of these two buildings.

– Michael Dobkins

May 19th in Seal Beach History

On this date in 1916, Seal Beach the Lodge Cafe on Main Street ran this ad in the Santa Ana Register.

Adams, Beverly and West were a male comedy and singing trio active in 1916.  After some initial success in Chicago, they were booked on a western tour with stops in Portland, Salem, Oakland (where the Oakland Tribune took favorable note of the trio’s “Mr. Snippy’s Nightmare” by calling it “one of the greatest laughing sketches we have ever seen”), San Francisco, and obviously Seal Beach. They appear not to have stayed together past their brief 1916 season in the sun.

And that’s show biz, folks!

The Lodge Cafe’s dining room

A wildly inaccurate view of the Lodge Cafe’s Exterior at Central Avenue and Main Street.

 – Michael Dobkins

May 18th in Seal Beach History

On this date in 1974, Seal Beach threw a Fiesta on Main Street, complete with an artists and merchants sidewalk sale, a Lions Club Pancake Breakfast, a parade, strolling musicians, and a marimba band! 

 – Michael Dobkins

May 17th in Seal Beach History

On this date in 1924, the Santa Ana Register cited an unnamed report that claimed that the colony of 300 seals residing in Alamitos Bay were consuming “some twelve tons of fish a day” and would soon deplete the bay. Local fishermen reported that they were still catching “extra fine specimens” of “the finny tribe.” 

The article concluded with the observation that the seal colony, oblivious to the human dispute over fish supply, watched with wonder the construction of the Los Angeles Gas and Electric steam plant on the shore of the bay, “undisturbed by rumor or roar of machinery.”

– Michael Dobkins

May 16th in Seal Beach History

On this date in 1874, the Southern Californian reported that nine steamers had landed at Anaheim Landing so far in May.

– Michael Dobkins