June 2025
Dear Members, Friends, and Archivists,
If you would like to browse, search, or access a fifteen-year portion of digitized Argonaut volumes, you may need to do so in the coming weeks. The California Digital Newspaper Collection (CDNC), which has been creating a digital archive of The Argonaut, announced that it will likely cease operations if it cannot obtain funding by June 30th. You can access Argonaut issues ranging 2004 through September 2019 by visiting the CDNC’s website, https://cdnc.ucr.edu.
A separate 25-year portion of Argonaut issues ranging from its first issue, November 25, 1971 through December 1997 can be accessed by visiting newspapers.com . Access requires a six-month subscription, or a 7-day free trial.
A project initiated by the Marina del Rey Historical Society, Argonaut digitization has been underway thanks to a partnership between MDRHS, the California Digital Newspaper Archive (CDNC), with funding from ancestry.com. The CDNC is a project of the Center for Bibliographical Studies and Research (CBSR) at University of California, Riverside (UCR).
The Marina del Rey Historical Society is grateful for the outstanding efforts of Brian Geiger, director of the CBSR and CDNC, for his efforts to digitize The Argonaut.
Howard Wenger
President
Marina del Rey Historical Society
(424) 391-6976
History Preserved – History Remembered
____________________________________________________
HISTORY PRESERVED; HISTORY REMEMBERED!
This is our primary focus and if you have a passion for history and like conversing with others about preserving the Marina’s heritage, then we would love to have you join us.
We are seeking Volunteers and Local Archivists, also, if you are an Intern working toward being a Historical Steward and need hours towards your graduation, then here are some of the areas we could use your help and expertise…
Membership outreach
Archivist – Organization of our Archives.
Community Functions – Booth operations at local and major events.
Fundraising – Organize and assist at various fundraisers.
Grant Writer – Find and write for funding on local, state, and federal levels
Newsletter & Publicity – Provide content for web-site, newsletters, flyers and Social Media platforms for promotions and events.
Tech Support – Update and add content for our web-site and Social Media platforms.
Please leave your information below, or contact Howard at (424) 391-6976.
Howard Wenger
Marina del Rey Historical Society at Fisherman's Village
Willie Hjorth and Marina del Rey Historical Society Exhibit at ArtSea
NEWS – EVENTS – MORE
Marina del Rey History via ZOOM!
Marina del Rey Historical Society presented a MARINA DEL REY HISTORY ZOOM event with David Maury, January 13, 2021, hosted by Del Rey Yacht Club (parts 1 and 2): Part 1: https://youtu.be/_ndRdtg3YaU . Part 2: https://youtu.be/uBpKkjrM5bs
ABOUT MARINA DEL REY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Marina del Rey Historical Society (MdRHS) has been the community’s leading curator of Marina del Rey-related historical photos, slides, documents, newspaper and magazine articles, memorabilia and recorded oral histories. Since its inception in 2007, MdRHS has...
Why Preserve the History of Marina del Rey?
Despite failed attempts spanning decades, the vision of a developed harbor at Playa del Rey inlet persisted over many decades. What finally emerged in the early 1960‘s was worth the wait. With a staggering eight miles of crafted waterfront encompassing 400 acres of...
Christine Rohde
CHRISTINE ‘CRIS’ ROHDE passed away on September 7, losing her battle with cancer. A longtime Marina del Rey resident and community leader, Ms. Rohde served on the board of directors for Marina del Rey’s Holiday Boat Parade, Marina del Rey Historical Society, Santa...
Academic intern and researcher Anna Parmalee
This past Fall 2019, Marina del Rey Historical Society welcomed academic intern and researcher Anna Parmelee. Anna had been attending Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, completing her Master of Arts degree in Curatorial and Museum Studies with specific core focus...
MARINA DEL REY HISTORY SLIDE SHOWS FROM OUR COLLECTION:
Click on any image to launch a slide show with more information per image
Venice beach on the left, the future site of Playa Vista along Ballona Creek, and current Playa del Rey on the right
Marina del Rey
The name Marina del Rey first appears in a 1938 Feasibility Study
The name Marina del Rey
1964 Westways Magazine details the history of the area soon to be Marina del Rey
1964 Westways Magazine
More of the article from Westways Magazine January 1964
More from Westways
Overlay of a 1923 map of the future Marina del Rey
Overlay of a 1923 map
A hunter and his dogs huntng ducks in the 1880s Centinela Creek
1880s Centinela Creek
Venice Peninsula Oilfields in the 1930s. Flooded farmlands were tilled to promote drainage and grow crops.
Venice Peninsula Oilfields 1930s
1937 shot of Ballona Creek as an enclosed flood control channel
1937 shot of Ballona Creek
1938 The Venice Peninsula and future Marina del Rey
1938 The Venice Peninsula
December 11, 1957: Marina del Rey Dedication and Ground Breaking
1957: Marina del Rey Dedication and Ground Breaking
Marina del Rey begins with construction of the North and South Jetties
North and South Jetties
1959: Last views of the swamp prior to the harbor construction
1959: Last views of the swamp
1967 Seawall construction showing oil derricks on Venice Peninsula in the background.
1967: Seawall construction
Highway 1 still runs along the beachfront as the Main Channel is dredged. It will soon be routed around the harbor.
Highway 1
Dredging of the Main Channel & Basin A
Dredging of the Main Channel
Basins A, B, C & D Emerge
Basins A, B, C, & D
1961: Dredging of Basins D & E. Outlines of Basins F,G, & H in foreground.
1961: Dredging
Fuel dock is the first construction on Bora Bora Way.
Fuel dock
United States Coast Guard Station Marina del Rey under construction. Families drove on empty streets to get to the Pieces of Eight Restaurant where a “peg leg pirate” met you at the door.
USCG Station
1963: Fiji Way development
1963: Fiji Way
Villa del Mar Marina in 1963. Without the docks built out the boaters have the kind of room sailors wish they had today!
Villa del Mar Marina
“The Surge” in 1963 – Dinghy magazine story
1963 Dinghy magazine story
Pieces of Eight Restaurant (now Whiskey Red’s) Storm Damage from the 1963 Surge
Storm Damage
U. S. Army Corps of Engineers construct a scale model of Marina del Rey to study wave action after “The Surge”
Scale model of MdR
Temporary Baffles were build in the Marina in 1963 to protect the harbor from further storm damage. Businesses came back and boats went back in the water.
Temporary Baffles 1963
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter CG 82338 near the baffles
CG 82338
1963 Breakwater construction. Shows a great view of the actual wave action.
1963 Breakwater construction
The breakwater protection allowed the development of land “moles” and marinas to continue
The breakwater
1965 Map of Marina del Rey shows the Breakwater in place
1965 Map of Marina del Rey
Hughes Aircraft complex with the Pacific Electric Railway (the white arrow) running along a path that would be great to have today to mitigate traffic.
Hughes Aircraft
Just up the street from all the construction, the infamous Spruce Goose was build by Howard Hughes in 1944
Spruce Goose in 1944
Charlie Brown’s Restaurant (now Tony P’s) bordered by Admiralty Way in 1965
Charlie Brown’s Restaurant
1Congressman Roosevelt © attends the groundbreaking of Neptune Marina in 1965
Groundbreaking of Neptune Marina
California Yacht Club’s REAL Opening Day 1966
California Yacht Club
1969 Fisherman’s Village under construction. The frame of the Marina del Rey “lighthouse” protrudes into its space
1969 Fisherman’s Village
Warehouse Restaurant under construction even as CYC dinghys sit in the club’s mast up storage.
Warehouse Restaurant
Cyrano’s Restaurant under construction. The 2 story building down the street is South Coast Corinthian Yacht club. Its hungry sailors enjoyed the wafts of garlic dinners in the afternoons from Cyranos.
Cyrano’s Restaurant
Marina City Club’s first tower and footprint of two more. The walkway along the water leads to Mother’s Beach.
Marina City Club
MdR’s Mother’s Beach with volleyball nets, picnic and playground full of visitors
MdR’s Mother’s Beach
Ground breaking of Burton Chace Park, August 22, 1972. (from the left) Supervisor Burton Chace, Aubrey Austin, Art Will & Victor Adorian
Ground breaking – Burton Chace Park
Burton Chace Park under construction
Burton Chace Park
The Helmsman, donated to Burton Chace Park by the Helms Bakery. A beautiful wooden ship’s wheel is a favorite for climbing!
The Helmsman statue
Miss Marina del Rey & Court, 1967
Miss Marina del Rey & Court
Sally Field as the “Flying Nun”
Marina del Rey has always been a favorite background for Hollywood. Here is Sally Field as the “Flying Nun” shot in the Marina
Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra in Marina del Rey’s Main Channel shooting a 1966 movie Assault on a Queen
Jacques Cousteau
Oceanography’s favorite star, Jacques Cousteau, in Marina del Rey in 1965
The north-south commute along Highway 1 is diverted until this guy had an idea…
Commute along Highway 1 is Diverted
Marina’s “DooDah” Parade
Marina’s “DooDah” Parade
Tall Ships come into the Marina to celebrate special occasions. On this day, a very new Cal 20 sails by.
Tall Ships
The Holiday Boat Parade has been the second Saturday in December annually since 1963
The Holiday Boat Parade
Marina del Rey celebrated 50 years in April 2015 with three days of events
Marina del Rey celebrated 50 years
Special Events for the Marina’s 50th Birthday Celebration including a harbor tour sponsored by the Marina del Rey Historical Society
Special Events
Tall Ships provided harbor tours
Tall Ships
The brig Irving Johnson and Topsail Schooner Amazing Grace provided a mock battle thrilling all in the area
Irving Johnson & Amazing Grace
The Official Dedication Bronze
The Official Dedication Bronze
Today Marina del Rey is still the largest man-made recreational marina in the nation
Marina del Rey
Presented By: The Marina del Rey Historical Society
The Marina del Rey Historical Society
All photographs courtesy of the Marina del Rey Historical Society. All images are © MdRHS 2016
All photographs courtesy MdRHS
The work of the Society can continue only with your generosity. Please donate today:
MARINA DEL REY
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
