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THE CALIFORNIA HISTORY PROJECT - Facebook
CHECK OUT Art Aratin's P.O.P. group at FACEBOOK
THE UNDERGROUND
WEB SITE OF P.O.P.
CHECK OUT THIS GREAT VIDEO OF NANCY SINATRA AT P.O.P.
SEE GREAT IMAGES OF P.O.P. IN 1972
OK P.O.P. FREAKS & GEEKS
LETS HAVE SOME FUN !!!
PACIFIC OCEAN PARK "POP" 1958-1967 Santa Monica, CA.
28 ACRES OF FUN & MAGIC
ONE'S FIRST STOP ON THEIR WAY TO HEAVEN
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| (Parkinglot in Lower Right is still used today.) |
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| NEPTUNE'S COURTYARD & MUNI AUDITORIUM (Forground) |
HERE IS A WOW !
HOME MOVIE OF POP 1960
| NEPTUNE'S COURTYARD |
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| (Gorillasdontblog) |
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| NEPTUNE'S COURTYARD |
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| 1973 VIEW (Then closed) |
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| Christopher Merritt |
| 2ND VIEW |
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| LOOKING WEST OUT AT POP |
GREAT VIEWS OF P.O.P. AT FLICKR (Click Here)
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| The first CITYWALK? Hmmm |
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| AWAITING SHORT FILM |
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| WHICH SHALL BE SHOWN HERE |
THE BEGINING:
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| OCEAN PARK & LICK PIERS 1923 |
Pacific Ocean Park began as the Pickering/Lick Piers in 1919 to be destroyed by fire in 1924 and
rebuilt in 1926. The only structure that was not destroyed was the Ocean Park Municipal Auditorium built in 1923 which in
1958 was transformed into the USS Nautilus exhibit and
the Westinghouse Enchanted Forest.
In 1958 CBS & LA Terf Club (Santa Anita) purchased the Ocean Park Pier. After several yaers
of operatioon POP closed in 1967 due to costs of maintaining equipment along with insurance. POP sat vacant where
it was ravaged by several fires in the early 1970's and was demolished after a
major fire in 1974. It was finally demolished in early 1975.
As a small boy growing up in the Culver City/Mar Vista area of Los Angeles, California, I enjoyed
visiting POP. Having moved to the San Fernando Valley in August 1974 memories faded but I still remember going down under
water with my father in the Diving Bell along with walking under an archway near the Dome Theatre to the midway of the pier.
However most of my memories of POP were from the 1970's after the park had closed. YES! I did sneak in to look at what remained.
Also having memories of standing with my parants looking over what remained after the Aragon Ballroom
had burned. What most of my memories are is of the front
entrance and Neptune's Courtyard along with the international promenade. Family
members do have
memories of dancing at the Aragon to Welk's music.
The below link shows many views of POP that most faded memories reveal over time. Lots of hard work
went into the rest In Peace POP web site.
But Hey! the parkinglot is still there
which can handel plenty of todays vehicles such as SUV's.
After learning about what a wonderful place POP was, you will understand why they call it Pacific
Park up at the Santa Monica Pier. Hmmm?
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| OCEAN PARK PIER 1946 |
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| THE DIVINGBELLS THE ATTRACTION MY FATHER TOOK ME ON. |
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| THE FUN FOREST (Background) |
| View: WEST WALL OF BULIDING HOUSING (Neptune) |
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| THE FUN FOREST WALK THROUGH |
| View: Looking East |
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| THE FUN FOREST IN 1975 SHORTLY BEFORE IT WAS DEMOLISHED. |
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| NIGHT VIEW OF SPACE WHEEL |
AT THIS WEB SITE THERE ARE RELATED LINKS, YOU WILL SEE A SHORT FILM, AND RIDE A ROLLER
COASTER. SO CHECK IT OUT!
:)
CHECK THIS WEB SITE OUT TO SEE THE TRIBUTE TO LAST
DAYS OF POP (1975).
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| IN 1957 OCEAN PARK PIER IS TRANSFORMED INTO P.O.P. |
Such as the park's buildings an attractions, I have styled this web site in a
sea green white art modern look of the 1950s to provide the feel of the ocean it'self. You will see this style in photos
of such attractions as the Sea Tub Adventure along with Neptune's courtyard.
| View: Looking South |
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| PHOTO TAKEN IN 1964 SANTA MONICA PIER (Forground) PACIFIC OCEAN PARK (Background) |
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| LOOKING NORTH - SANTA MONICA PIER (Background) |
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| THE OCEAN PARK DEVELOPEMENT PROJECT (Late 1960s) |
*****1924 FIRE*****
| 1924 FIRE DESTROYED THE OCEAN PARK PIER |
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| OCEAN PARK MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (Bottom Left) |
| 1924 FIRE (View: Looking North) |
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| MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM & ROLLERCOASTER (At Top) |
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A friend has told of several stories that during prohibition that below the coastal
piers there were several liquor operations located in areas under the piers that kept a supply of spirits for those who
enjoyed themselves in gambling ships off
the california shore.
During prohibition Canadian liquor was smuggled into Venice by the mobster Tony Cornero.
Inmid to late 1930s those would take water-taxi from Ocean Park, Venice, and Santa Monica
piers to gambling ships such as the
SS Tango & SS Rex which were
anchored 3.1 miles of shore.
State Attorney General Earl Warren shut these coastal liquor and gambling operations
down in what became known as
The Battle For Santa Monica Bay.
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| LA MOBSTER TONY CONERO's GAMBLING SHIP SS REX (1939) |
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| TONY CONERO |
| FROM CARY GRANT MOVIE "GAMBLING SHIP" (1933) |
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| THE PALACE CASINO |
| NOT CONFIRMED |
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| SS TANGO (Cornero's other gambling ship.) |
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| RE BUILDING THE PIER 1924-25. (Muni. Aud. Foreground) |
VIEW A SHORT FILM ABOUT
(ENTER: PACIFIC OCEAN PARK)
Check out this web site from time-to-time because new photos and information
is added as it becomes available. Also any information or stories you may have, please submit them.
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| LOOKING SOUTH AT FRONT ENTRANCE |
NEW INFORMATION & PHOTOS ALWAYS WELCOME
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| NEPTUNE'S COURTYARD 1960 |
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| VIEW FROM INSIDE OF NEPTUNE'S COURTYARD 1960 |
Just as a special note: You will notice there are scenes from TV shows Twilight Zone,
Get Smart, and The Fugitive. There are images of late actors
David Janson and Don Adams who have become
part of P.O.P.'s history it is to them this
small dedication is noted.
| EVENING VIEW LOOKING NORTH |
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| NEPTUNE'S COURTYARD (Front Entrance) |
| NEPTUNE'S COURTYARD ENTRANCE |
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| AS REFERED TO BY SOME AT THE "VEGAS FRONT" |
| View: Looking South West |
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| VISITORS WALKING THROUGH NEPTUNE'S COURTYARD |
| Early to Mid 1970's |
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| (View: Looking South along the promenade.) |
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| Looking North from promenade. |
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| LOOKING SOUTH AT THE INTERNATIONAL PROMENADE. THE DOME THEATRE IS IN BACKGROUND. |
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| JACK'S CAFE ALONG BOARDWALK |
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| SMALL FOOD STANDS |
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| OCEAN PARK BOARDWALK & DOME THEATRE |
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| (No explination of what this is a photo of.) |
| THE FOX! DOME THEATRE |
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| View; INSIDE OF DOME THEATRE |
| DOME THEATRE ENTRANCE |
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| MABY 1960s-70s |
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| ROTTENBURG, GERMANY? OR OCEAN PARK, CALIFORNIA? |
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| (Looking East) PIER MIDWAY |
| FROM THE SAME SPOT AS ABOVE |
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| LOOKING WEST AT PIER MIDWAY |
| View: Looking South West along pier midway. |
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| THE JUNGLE RIDE |
| View: Looking East Pier Midway |
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| TV's "GET SMART" |
| 2ND VIEW |
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| TV's "GET SMART" |
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| LOOKING NORTH AT THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS FROM NEPTUNE'S COURTYARD. |
| EVENING LIGHTS OF POP |
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| View: LOOKING NORTH AT SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS. |
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| LOOKING EAST: NOTE SANTA MONICA AIRPORT IN BACKGROUND. |
| THE CLOWN EMMITT KELLY |
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| YOUR HOST TO POP |
| THE OCEAN PARK MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM 1923. |
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| THE FRONT FACADE OF THIS BUILDING WAS TRANSFORMED INTO NEPTUNE'S COURTYARD (C-Below) |
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| WALKWAY THROUGH NEPTUNE'S COURTYARD. |
| View: Looking South |
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| NORTH WALL OF OCEAN PARK MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM |
| Rear View: OCEAN PARK MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM |
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| TV's "THE FUGITIVE" (West Wall OPM) SANTA MONICA MOUTAINS (Background) |
| SEA CIRCUS AT LEFT |
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| TV's "THE FUGITIVE" |
| COCA-COLA's NEPTUNE's KINDOM |
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| KING NEPTUNE. THIS ATTRACTION WAS SIMULAR TO THE ATLANTIS CASINO UNDER WATER EXHIBIT. |
| CONCEPT ONLY |
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| THE ENTRANCE TO THE UNDERWATER EXHIBIT OF NEPTUNE'S KINDOM |
One would enter the park through Coca-Cola's Neptune's Kingdom by first
taking an elevator to the underwater world. Water fill up through a glass pipe in the center of the elevator giving one the
illusion of being under water.
Exiting from the elevator visitors would sea the large sea tank which
had to parts giving the illusion that both sharks and other fish were swimming together.
After viewing the tank one would walk into the underwater world of King
Neptune along the bottom of the sea this was simular to the underwater room of the Small World ride at Disneyland such as
motorized sea creatures along with hanging seaweed.
Visitors would the see King Neptune upon his throne.
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| VIEW FROM NEPTUNES COURTYARD TO ENTRANCE OF WESTINGHOUSE EXHIBIT. |
| LOOKING WEST AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE |
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| WESTINGHOUSE ENCHANTED FOREST |
Built in the early 1920's the Ocean Park Municipal Auditorium became
part of P.O.P. which housed the Westinghouse Enchanted Forest & U.S.S. Nautilus exhibit featuring a 150ft model of
the atomic reactor section from the famous atomic submarine.
Westinghouse's Enchanted Forest featured a fully completed modular home
of the future along with a room full of modern day electronic appliances. The modular home was put together by
machines as part of
the exhibit.
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| LOOKIN EAST FROM WESTINGHOUSE ENCHANTED FOREST ENTRANCE. |
| DECKS & ATOMIC REACTOR WALK-THROUGH |
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| CONCEPT ONLY OF THE USS NAUTILUS EXHIBIT |
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| NEPTUNE'S KINGDOM (Awaiting actual photos) |
| View: Looking East |
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| WEST WALL OF WESTINGHOUSE'S ENCHANTED FOREST EXHIBIT. |
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| POP'S PARKINGLOT (View Loooking South) |
As kids a friends husband stole money from his mother, went into the park with friends
even though his parants did not want him to go until they could be with them. This tells how much those loved P.O.P.
Boy did he get a spanking!
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| 2ND VIEW FROM PARKINGLOT (Entrance in Backgroun) |
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| 1925 VIEW WHEN IT WAS KNOWN AS LICK & OCEAN PARK PIERS. ARAGON BALLROOM IN BACKGROUND. |
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| LAWERENCE WELK PERFORMED AT THE ARAGON IN 1950's-60's |
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| ARAGON BALLROOM (Late 1950s) |
| 1925-26 BON TON BALLROOM a/k/a (Later) ARAGON |
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| BALLROOM (Forground). ROLLER COASTER (Background). BALLROOM DESTROYED BY FIRE IN 1970. |
| KTLA (5) TELEVISION (Los Angeles-Ocean Park) |
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| WELK & HIS BIG BAND |
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| WELK'S SHOW WAS SEEN WEEKLY ON KTLA-5 FROM THE ARAGON BALLROOM. |
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| THE EGYPTIAN BALLROOM |
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| EGYPTIAN BALL ROOM 1930's |
Bill Warren and his
"Rambling Rodgers"
Family friend Bill Warren of Van Nuys, California had a big band that played the Egyptian
Ballroom in the late 1930's. He had brought his band out here to the west coast from St. Louis, MO. Big Band vocalist Jinney
Simms started her career with him.
In WWII Bill served in the Airforce along with working in Ronald Regan's war training
films unit. Many times Bill enjoyed telling us about playing basket ball with Regan & that even then Regan was always
talking politics.
Bill later went on to work for CBS Studios in Hollywood at the time it was owned by
Bing Crosby. Later Bill worked a radio advertising firm located at Hollywood Boulevard & Highland Avenue. In later years
he was very active in his church work.
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| INSIDE OF EGYPTIAN BALLROOM |
| View: WEST WALL OF EGYPTIAN BALLROOM |
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| WHICH BECAME THE GALLEON RACE ATTRACTION TVs "THE FUGITIVE" |
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| ROOF OF EGYPTIAN BALLROOM (Lower Right) PIER MIDWAY (Background) |
| WIDE VIEW |
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| WEST WALL OF EGYPTIAN BALLROOM TV's "THE FUGITIVE" |
IN 1959 THE LENNON SISTERS PERFORMED INFRONT OF THE MAHI MAHI FOR THE
LAWRENCE WELK SHOW. LATER IN 1966 JANET LENNON & HER HUSBAND RENTED AN APARTMENT AT OUR MAR-VISTA APARTMENT BUILDING.
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| BUILT 1925 AT THE HIGH BOY ROLLER COASTER |
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| RE NAMED THE SEA SERPENT IN 1958 FOR POP |
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| THE SEA SERPENT ROLLER COASTER |
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| TRIP ABOARD SPACESHIP TO MARS |
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| ONECE ON MARS ONE WOULD BE GREETED BY CREATURES |
| THE FLIGHT TO MARS ATTRACTION |
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| FEATURED ON LAWRENCE WELK'S MUSIC PROGRAM KTLA (5) |
| ONCE THE DOME THEATRE BUT IN 1958 BECAME |
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| THE MAGIC CARPET RIDE (View looking South from midway) |
| View: Looking South FROM PIER MIDWAY |
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| MAGIC CARPET RIDE QUES |
| QUE OF THE MAGIC CARPET RIDE |
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| TV's "GET SMART" |
| THE MAGIC CARPET RIDE |
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| TAKING A FLIGHT OVER CITIES AROUND THE WORLD |
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| MERRY-GO-ROUND ALONG MIDWAY OF PIER. |
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| View: Looking South |
| (View: Looking South) |
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| 1975 VIEW SHORTLY BEFORE IT WAS DEMOLISHED |
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| INSIDE VIEW 1975 |
| View: Looking North East |
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| SEA TUB ADVENTURE ALONG PIER MIDWAY |
| THE SEA TUB ADVENTURE POP'S TUNNEL OF LOVE. |
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| TV's "GET SMART" |
| View: Looking West SEA TUBE RIDE QUE (Right) |
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| PIER MIDWAY TV's "THE FUGITIVE" |
| 2ND VIEW (Lighthouse & Spacewheel Left) |
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| TV's "THE FUGITIVE" |
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| PACIFIC OCEAN PARK PIER MIDWAY |
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| PIRATE OF FLYING DUTCHMAN RIDE |
| 2ND VIEW |
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| THE FLYING DUTCHMAN RIDE |
| 3RD VIEW |
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| TV's "GET SMART" (Note: Actor On Roller Coaster Track) |
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| 1975 View of FLYING DUTCHMAN RIDE |
| THE SEA SERPENT ROLLER COASTER |
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| UNION OIL OCEAN HIGHWAY (Forground) |
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| ROLLER COASTER ALONG MIDWAY OF PIER. (Mid 1930s) |
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| THE SPACE WHEEL |
| View: Looking North |
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| THE SEA SHELL ATTRACTION WITH SEA SERPENT ROLLER COASTER (Background) |
| GREAT PHOTO OF THE |
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| SEA SHELLS THRILL RIDE |
| View: Looking North |
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| PIER MIDWAY |
| View: Looking North |
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| POP (Forground) SANTA MONICA PIER & MOUNTAINS (Background) |
| WHO'S FAULT IS IT ANYWAY? (Private Joke) |
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| THE AHUNA THRILL RIDE |
| WHERE DOES THIS GO? I DON'T KNOW |
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| BUT IT WAS THERE, SO IT'S HERE. A BEACH BUM TOLD ME A HOLLYWOOD RUMOR THAT THIS WAS A SET. |
| (View: Looking South) |
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| THE SEA CIRCUS |
| 2ND VIEW |
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| SEA CIRCUS STANDS |
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| GREAT QUALITY PHOTO OF ACT IN SEA CIRCUS. |
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| THE OCEAN SKYWAY |
| VEHICLES ALONG THE OCEAN SKYWAY |
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| ARE ON THEIR WAY TO MYSTRY ISLAND, OCEAN HIGHWAY (Forground) |
| THE MR. DOLPHIN RIDE a/k/a THE MAHI MAHI |
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| SOUTH SEA VILLAGE (Forground) |
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| ENTRANCE TO THE MAHI MAHI |
| 2ND VIEW |
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| BASE OF THE MAHI MAHI TV's "THE FUGITIVE" |
| View: Looking Up |
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| TOP OF MAHI MAHI |
| (View: Looking North) |
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| THE NEW ENGLAND STYLE BUILDINGS OF FISHERMAN'S COVE |
| View: Looking South |
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| ZOO FROM FISHERMAN'S COVE EATING AREA. |
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| FISHERMAN's COVE |
| View: Looking North West |
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| PIER MIDWAY |
| 2ND VIEW |
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| PIER MIDWAY TV's "GET SMART" |
| View: Looking North West |
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| PIER MIDWAY & MYSTRY ISLAND (Background) |
| THE SOUTH SEA VILLAGE |
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| MYSTRY ISLAND & OCEAN SKYWAY (Background) |
| (View: Looking West) |
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| SOUTH SEA VILLAGE ENTRANCE |
| View: Looking North West |
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| ENTRANCE TO THE SUBMARINE RIDE TV's "GET SMART" |
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| SOUTH SEA VILLAGE SHOPS w/OCEAN SKYWAY (Background) |
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| THE MYSTRY ISLAND JUNGLE TRAIN RIDE |
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| MYSTRY ISLAND WATERFALL |
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| BEGINING OF QUE FOR MYSTRY ISLAND |
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| LOOKING SOUTH WEST FROM POP PARKINGLOT AT MYSTRY ISLAND (1966 or 67) |
What caused POP to go away? Society had changed, the 60s came, Disneyland,
Knotts. The cost of insurance along with maintaining the attractions in the salt air, and the city of Santa Monica it'self
by the way it had redirected traffic for the eventual
Ocean Park developement project.
| View: Looking South West |
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| 1971 FIRE AT PACIFIC OCEAN PARK |
| POP'S FRONT ENTRANCE (Neptune's Courtyard 1972) |
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| WHAT IS THIS PLACE? P.O.P.? WHY CAN'T I GO IN? LET ME IN LET ME SEE WHAT'S INSIDE ! ! ! |
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| THE BURNING OF MYSTRY ISLAND (1972-73) |
| View: Looking North at Santa Monica Moutains |
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| WHAT REMAINED OF POP IN 1974. (Santa Monica Pier in background). |
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| IN 1974 FIRE DESTROYED WHAT REMAINED OF PACIFIC OCEAN PARK. |
| VIEW: Looking North |
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| NEPTUNE'S COURTYARD ENTRANCE TO POP (1974) |
| FUN PALACE Mid 20's RENOVATED TO NEPTUNE 1958. |
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| PART OF NEPTUNE'S KINGDOM CAN BE SEEN THROUGH BROKEN WALL. |
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| THE WAY SO MANY OF US REMEMBER POP IN THE 1970's |
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| THE MR. DOLPHIN RIDE WITH THE EXIT OF MYSTRY ISLAND (Background) |
| 1963 TWILIGHT ZONE "In Praise of Pip" |
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| ACTOR JACK KLUGMAN SEARCHES FOR HIS SON PIP IN THE MIRROR MAZE (Midway-POP) |
| THE BUG-HOUSE |
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| ENTRANCE TO MIRROR MAZE |
IN THE 1972 FILM "THE OUTSIDE MAN" POP IS THE FEATURED BACKGROUND FOR A GREAT CHASE
SCENE. THE FILM STARS Roy Scheider, Ann Margret, Angie Dickenson, Georgia Engel, and Jean Louis Trintigant.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING POP'S HISTORY, PLEASE VISIT www.rippop.com
At this website is the most complete log of the last days of Pacific Ocean Park. Lots
of love, time, and effort went into their project of RIPPOP.
Also the book entitled,
VENICE OF AMERICA CONEY ISLAND OF THE PACIFIC by Jeffery Stanton again shows that lots
of hard work has gone into a book that presents the most complete collection of historical facts of California Coast Theme
Parks. (Los Angeles)
CLICK HERE TO ORDER THE STANTON BOOK
BOOK: THERE ONCE WAS A PLACE CALLED P.O.P.
Here is another great book by Dave Doherty which gives a very good complete review of the history of Pacific Ocean Park. Mr.
Doherty has a great website at http://www.rippop.com/main.htm
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| POP'S PARKINGLOT TODAY (Lower Right) |
CYBER POP!!! SOMEONE IS HAVING WAY TOO MUCH FUN WITH THEIR COMPUTER. CLICK HERE
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| THE CYBER POP Hmmmmm Looks prettygood to me. |
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| Pacific Ocean Park (Facebook) |
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| Pacific Ocean Park (Facebook) |
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| Pacific Ocean Park (Facebook) |
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| Pacific Ocean Park (Facebook) |
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| Pacific Ocean Park (Facebook) |
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| Pacific Ocean Park (Facebook) |
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| Pacific Ocean Park (Facebook) |
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THE CYCLONE RACER
ROLLER COASTER
1929-1968 Long Beach, California
This roller coaster was designed by the famous ride designer Harry Traver in 1929.
as a 7yr old I took one of the last rides on it with both my father and mother. Taking that long 90ft. drop at 49o at 50 mph
my father felt that he had just killed both his wife and child. I remember saying to my mom after some of those 3.6g turns,
"I'm glad there terring it down."
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| THE CYCLONE RACER (Mid 1930's) |
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| CYCLONE RACER (1950s-60s) |
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| CYCLONE RACER ROLLER COASTER LONG BEACH, CA. 1930-1968 |
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| THE VENICE AMUSEMENT PIER |
VENICE, CA. is comming !
to be continued...
Built in 1925 near San Diego, California is the Giant Dipper roller coaster. Get a
feel for what riding a classic roller coaster is all about by
clicking the below link.
THE GIANT DIPPER
OK KIDS TIME FOR HOMEWORK !
STUDY YOUR TEXTBOOKS !
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