In this mural we’ve attempted to visualize Hermosa’s history from it’s inception in 1907 to the present. With it’s unique geography, it’s industry and it’s contribution to the area, Hermosa has stood out as a preferred destination for over 100 years.
We begin the mural on the left with the earliest records of the area used by the indigenous people. They watch from the shore to a waiting ship, That of Colonel Duncan a renowned seafarer and pirate who is one of the earliest settlers to the area. From this point the century begins at a quick pace, with the South Bay’s Red Line that made Hermosa (Then known as Shakespeare Beach) a popular stop along it’s route and settlers came in by droves.
Depicted in the foreground are an art-deco version of Hermosa’s first attraction and commodity, Carnations. Fed by Vetter’s Windmill (which now resides, refurbished by the efforts of local interests, in the plaza at Artesia and Pacific Coast Highway) The wings of which hold aloft names of some of Hermosa’s great contributors to it’s development.
Next depicted are scenes on the town’s more formative years, The marquee of the town theatre, the building which originally sat at the head of the pier, and the pier itself which became a haven for fishing and moonlight strolls.
In some ways this also gives way to the area which consists of Hermosa’s lost landmarks. The old pier and it’s head, the Strand Bathhouse and the Ocean Aquarium all lead up to the Famous Biltmore Hotel, all of which are attractions that Hermosa has lost in the previous decades.
Riding this crest into the center is the iconic image of Dewey Weber, One of the area’s premier surfers of the golden era. He gives way to the legacy of West Coast Jazz which was born and refined on the Pier Avenue at the Lighthouse, the club in which some of the greatest names in jazz had played, Including the house band Howard Rumsey and the Lighthouse Allstars, a rotating roster of Jazz luminaries.
We move next into the post-jazz era, the greatest time for surf culture and the time that John T. Hales created the city’s official seal. A mermaid, the perpetual coastal landmark, lounges as the jazz era gives way to the more modern Punk music movement which gives the city it’s more current reputation. Joined by the sports of beach volleyball and skateboarding, the punk movement in Hermosa took it from characteristic seaside town to a city of legend. Numerous musicians, artists, and athletes practiced and made homes in town, paving the way for nightly shows, events like the AVP, and the Fiesta De Los Artes.
We now find ourselves in the modern times, behind Hermosa’s city flower, depicting the root cause of the developments of the last 100 years, The thing that joins all the previous people to the history that has come before and after them. Hard work, industry, family, and a beautiful environment. Against the backdrop of the unchanging horizon, two children work hard at building a city of thier own in the same sand that millions have touched, unaware of their own place in history, unaware of the legacy their diligence will produce. Just happy to be among friends and finding value in their accomplishments. Each grain of sand is potential to them and the century has come full circle.
Additional notes: We made a point to use much of the city’s recorded history in this mural. many of the images come from the collection of the Hermosa Beach Historical Society, and this mural owes an incalculable debt to the women and men who have taken time to chronicle the happenings of this city. We are especially indebted to Chris Miller’s books on Hermosa Beach, and to the memories and stories which we’ve learned from the people who live here. If we have learned anything in the process of making this mural, it is certainly that Hermosa Beach has been a flash point for many of the most important eras of California Culture, and if these people hadn’t taken the time to remember and record these events, we would have had very little to work with.
