Marineland, III

The Wayfarers Chapel was not part of Marineland, but there are four pictures of this non-denominational glass church in the Marineland multi-fold folder.

I've been to this church at least twice.  Once I was there for a wedding although whose I can't for the life of me remember; the other (and first)  was when I "ditched" school, my senior year in high school.  I had forgotten all about that day until I saw these pictures.  My friends Michelle and Richard and I left at the lunch hour, and didn't return for our afternoon classes.  I can't remember why, but we ended up in Palos Verdes, overlooking Portuguese Bend, which is the last remaining undeveloped land on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.  Wayfarers Chapel must be nearby as we stopped and walked around its grounds.  As I recall, the area around the chapel was a lot more developed than the picture in the lower right would indicate.

Surprising that in a 12-picture fold out postcard from Marineland (one side clearly says "Greetings from Marineland of the Pacific"), seven of the pictures are not of Marineland.  A closer look at the address side shows the "smaller print":  "World Famous Marineland of the Pacific, California and the Beautiful Palos Verdes Peninsula".  [See first Marinland post, here.]  Well, there you go.  I wonder if this was a bit of a marketing tool for all of Palos Verdes?

Marineland, II

Two more cards from the multi-card Marineland postcard from yesterday, with views from Marineland and Palos Verdes looking north toward Wilmington and Redondo Beach.  I'm pretty sure it doesn't look like this any longer.

Marineland

Here's another blast from a So Cal past - Marineland. 

From the Marineland of the Pacific Historical Society website  (MOTPHS, as they refer to themselves):  In August, 1954, Marineland of the Pacific opened its doors to the public for the first time. Located at the tip of the beautiful Palos Verdes Peninsula in Los Angeles County, California, it was the largest oceanarium in the world. Five million dollars were invested in the project to make it the most unusual cultural, educational and entertainment center on the Pacific Coast.

I remember spending what seemed like an entire day here at least once, as a litte kid, and this fold out postcard conjures up some old feelings of excitement and wonder.  Check it out:

There appears to have been some controversy around its closure, although it was probably just out marketed by Sea World in San Diego (where the orcas ended up), Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm.

Balboa Island

It's summer in San Francisco, and the days are often cold and foggy. While I love living in Northern California, there are times I desperately miss the warm summers in Southern California. This postcard reminds me of Southern California summers on Balboa Island where I spent many hours riding bikes around the "little island" (there are three islands, one connected to the mainland, the other two connected to the "big island" with small bridges), walking along the sea wall looking into the houses at night (no one would consider closing their curtains), grabbing patches of sand to sun in at low tide, and jumping into the bay from a variety of docks, whether we had "official" permission or not. We visited the Ogdens, we rented houses at Easter vacation, we moved from one family's rental house to another as teenagers either staying for a few days or looking for parties, and I spent a lot of time at my friend Chris' house on the bayfront on the little island.

Balboa Island used to be an "everyman" sort of place: tiny houses for rent on a weekly or monthly basis, wet beach towels hanging from porches, Balboa Bars, and the best place to buy a summer bikini, tops and bottoms made to order separately. Now, like most places in or near the Pacific Ocean, it's a place for McMansions crowded on tiny lots, houses that sit empty much of the time, and big powerful boats screaming "Look at me!"

Not sure exactly when this postcard was printed, but judging from the beach chairs, this picture is probably from the 1960s.  My mom had a chair exactly like the ones on the left for years.