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Arcadia Publishing, Published 2001. Paperback, 128 pp.; 24 cm; Images of America series; second printing (first printed 2001, reprinted 2003); illustrated throughout with over 200 black-and-white photographs, maps and period advertisements.
In Very Good condition. Glossy sepia-toned pictorial wraps with mild shelf wear to edges and corners. Binding tight. Pages clean and unmarked. [From back cover] In the late 1800s, as surrounding areas grew at a steady pace, Manhattan Beach remained a tranquil, sparely populated area, inhabited only by those willing to challenge its sand dunes. Captured here in over 200 vintage images is the development, expansion, and transitions of this stretch of land called Manhattan Beach and the indelible impressions made by its earliest settlers. Originally the land on which today's city of Manhattan Beach is situated was a broad series of sand dunes stretching from Playa del Rey to Redondo Beach. With the arrival of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad in 1888, and the Pacific Electric in 1903, more sightseers and homebuyers were discovering the South Bay. Pictured here is the development of the area, from plank-covered paths, to dirt roads, to the street paving of today; early photographs of downtown development including the first City Hall; local businesses and industries such as Ercole's Cafe and State Bank; and the most vital aspect of any American town: the residents, with names like Cambell, Freeman, Ward, and Merrill. Includes a 1955 photograph of the first finishers of the Catalina to Manhattan Beach Paddleboard Race, among them Gregg Noll and Rickie Grigg. Dennis served as mayor of Manhattan Beach (1986-87), founded the Manhattan Beach Heritage Conservancy and wrote nine books on the city's history. Contents: Acknowledgments; Introduction; Over the Sand; Early Development; Shifting Sand; Rapid Growth; End of an Era; Preserving Character