May 2026
Dear Members, Friends, and Archivists,
Marina del Rey Historical Society celebrates a new gallery, new exhibits, and a new location. But we haven’t moved far. We continue in our same Building C at Fisherman’s Village, across and down the hall. The new space is larger and includes windows facing the Marina del Rey Harbor, whose history we are dedicated to gathering and preserving. Our thanks to Pacific Ocean Management’s property manager Jill Peterson and staffer Lalo Marquez for the new gallery’s design and installation. New additions to exhibit of Marina del Rey history exhibit are Native American artifacts, and a collection of framed Marina del Rey photographs generously donated by Tony Palermo of Tony P’s Dockside Grill.
The public is invited to join the celebration with a Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting at 1pm on Saturday, May 30th, and a Waterfront DJ from 1 to 5pm.
The celebration continues on Sunday, May 31st, with live music in the courtyard featuring the Ohio Plus Trio, from 2pm to 5pm. The afternoon outdoor music event launches the 2026 Summer Music Series at Fisherman’s Village. Admission is free, it’s family-friendly, and attendees are welcome to bring a chair.
Howard Wenger
President
Marina del Rey Historical Society
(424) 391-6976
History Preserved – History Remembered
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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
A new location, new gallery and new exhibits for Marina del Rey Historical Society
(May 2026) On Saturday, May 30th, Marina del Rey Historical Society invites the public to celebrate the Grand Opening of both its new location and all new gallery with a Ribbon Cutting at 1pm, and live Waterfront DJ from 1 to 5pm. The new location is across the...
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...
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
