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Rancho Palos Verdes

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Rancho Palos Verdes (2)

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Rancho Palos Verdes - Rancho Palos Verdes

Marineland of the Pacific Est. 1954
Just down the road from the Pt. Vicente Lighthouse is the old entrance to Marineland of the Pacific. The 108 acre aquatic park was opened in August 1954 on Long Point. The publishing company, Harcourt Brace and Jovanovich (who owned Sea World at the time) bought it in January 1987and promised to keep it open as an aquatic theme park. However, they went back on their promise and closed it the following month stating it was not cost effective to keep in operation (not to mention that coastal land on the Palos Verdes Peninsula is probably was and still is the most valuable real estate in the country). The sea animals were shipped out to Sea Worlds in San Diego and other aquatic parks and aquariums. The parking lot is still intact. A fence surrounds some of the old structures and trespassing is forbidden. The old pedestrian entrance gate and flag poles are still there. The are awaits development. The sign at 7200 Palos Verdes Drive South, Rancho Palos Verdes used to have a life sized statue of a pilot whale that stood just under the white arc. John R. Kielbasa

7200 Palos Verdes Drive South, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275 Map

Point Vicente Lighthouse Est. 1926
It was built in 1926 by the US Lighthouse Service. Point Vicente was named in 1792 by English explorer George Vancouver in honor of his friend Father Vicente Santa Maria of Mission San Buenaventura. The priest accompanied Vancouver on one of his expeditions along the West Coast. The light house had a steam powered fog horn that could be heard for miles. In 1934 a radio station joined the lighthouse and foghorn. The lighthouse had civilian keepers until the US Coast Guard took over operations in 1939. During World War II, the 1,000 watt bulb with its 20 mile visibility was replaced with a scant 25 watt light and blackout curtains to minimize the chance of an enemy attack on lighthouse. After W.W.II, sightings at the lighthouse of a mysterious lady in a white flowing gown began emerging among the locals. The popular story was that the woman was in search of her love who was lost at sea. When she realized that he was not going to return she took her own life by jumping fro the lighthouse or from the nearby cliff. Of course, there is no known record of a woman committing suicide on the property. The ghostly apparitions were likely caused by an unusual reflection of the light as it rotated. In 1971, the lighthouse and foghorn operations were automated. In 1981, the radio station was decommissioned. The Coast Guard still staffs the lighthouse and it is open the second Saturday of each month (except March) from 10AM to 3PM. John R. Kielbasa

31500 Palos Verdes Drive West, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275 Map
310 541-0334

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