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Changing Face of Southern California

On the Pike at Long Beach after quake

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On the Pike at Long Beach after quake

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Identifier	clloy_097
Title	On the Pike at Long Beach after quake
Creator	Unknown
Date Created	1933
Subject (Topic)	Earthquakes--California--Long Beach; Long Beach Earthquake, Calif., 1933; Earthquake damage--California--Long Beach;
Subject (Place)	Long Beach (Calif.); Pike, The (Long Beach, Calif. : Amusement park);
Type	image
Form/Genre	Postcards
Physical Description	1 postcard : b&w ; 9 x 14 cm.
Institution	Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University
Country of Creation	US
Copyright Status	public domain
Copyright Statement	http://library.lmu.edu/generalinformation/departments/digitallibraryprogram/copyrightandreproductionpolicy/
Language	eng
Description	Earthquake damage on the Pike. The facade of a building in the foreground has fallen away completely, and fallen bricks cover the street. On the right is a street lamp whose large central bulb has come off, and is on a bench in the foreground. Signs on the buildings, some of them hanging askew, advertise "Down's Wonder Soap and Cosmetics"Sadoc Master Tonic adds long life & health" and "Gift Souvenirs."
Historical Background	Before 1866, most of what is now Long Beach was part of two ranchos: Los Cerritos and Los Alamitos. By the 1880s portions of Rancho Los Cerritos were sold, subdivided and developed under the name of Willmore City by William Wilmore in 1882. By 1888, the population had voted to incorporate the city and rename it the City of Long Beach. By the early 20th century, Long Beach had become a popular seaside resort as well as a major shipping port. It was home to a boardwalk-style amusement known as the Pike, which included a roller coaster, bath house, and carousel. At 5:54pm on March 10, 1933, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck the Newport-Inglewood fault zone. Severe property damage occurred at Compton, Long Beach, and other areas, causing serious damage." Property damage was estimated at $40 million, and 115 people were killed. Damage to school buildings, which were among the structures most commonly and severely damaged by this earthquake, led to the State Legislature passing the Field Act, which regulates building-construction practices in California.
Additional Notes	Real photo postcard.
Source	Werner von Boltenstern Postcard Collection