Doors Open Peninsula 2023

Commemorative Brochures

The commemorative brochures will be available on Wednesday, June 14th. In the meantime, use this digital copy to start planning your day!

Brochures will be available at all Library locations.

Welcome to DOP 2023, the official site for Doors Open Peninsula 2023:

Celebrating 100 Years of History on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

June 17, 1923 Real Estate Rally in Malaga Cove Spearheaded by the Palos Verdes Library District (PVLD) and the Peninsula Friends of the Library (PFL) in conjunction with our Peninsula cities and organizations, DOP 2023 commemorates the 100th birthday of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. On June 17th, 1923 a real estate rally was held on the grounds of the Malaga Cove School (now the PVPUSD Administration Building) to entice people to purchase property here. The rally drew over 32,000 people from all over the southland and is basically what launched the modern development of the Peninsula!

Don't miss these Doors Open Peninsula related events!

Art Exhibition "The Palos Verdes Peninsula: Its Founding, Its Culture, and Its Beauty"

NOW AVAILBLE TO VIEW ONLINE

Thursday, June 22- Saturday, July 08, 2023
Malaga Cove Library Gallery Exhibit Area

This exhibition is part of the Doors Open Peninsula 2023 program celebrating 100 years of Palos Verdes Peninsula history. Produced by local artist Rick Humphrey, it tells the stories of individuals whose contributions made the Peninsula what it is today. The exhibition also features artwork from the Portuguese Bend Artist Colony.

Join us for an art reception on Saturday, June 24th from 2:00-4:00 pm in the Malaga Cove Gallery.

Your Story is the Peninsula's Story

Saturday, June 10, 2023
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Peninsula Center Library Community Room

Palos Verdes Library District invites you to participate in the kick-off event commemorating Doors Open Peninsula (DOP), the 100 year celebration of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Your Story is the Peninsula’s Story is a project of the Library’s Local History Center and is designed to preserve the unique history of the Peninsula. You are encouraged to share photos representing your life or your family's life on the Peninsula, whether very recently or from long ago.

Project staff will scan up to five photos on the spot, so you don't have to part with your originals. All scanned material becomes part of PVLD's digital archives and available at www.palosverdeshistory.org.

Registration is not required and you are welcome to drop in during the event.

How will the next 100 years of the Peninsula be remembered?

Event flyer

Scenes From Our Past

Friday, June 16 - Sunday July 30, 2023
Peninsula Center Library

"Scenes From Our Past" is a photography exhibit curated by the Palos Verdes Library District's Local History Center Archivist Monique Sugimoto and Local History Center volunteer, John Keller. The exhibit takes you on a tour of the west side of the Peninsula, starting from Malaga Cove going south through Rancho Palos Verdes. The exhibit provides snippets of the Peninsula's rich history, including its agricultural days, development in the 1920s, and its use for military sites. Through almost 100 years, these photos show the Peninsula's continuity and change.

Thanks to John Keller for meticulously finding the locations and rephotography of the Palos Verdes military sites.

Scan the QR code on the photo label to get the story behind the photo. Additional photographs of the Peninsula's history can be viewed online in the Local History Center's Digital Archive at https://www.palosverdeshistory.org/

Press

ATP: 50th Anniversary & Doors Open Peninsula Events

Doors Open Peninsula 2023 Event Flyer

Doors Open Peninsula PSA

Doors Open Peninsula 2023 Save the Date flyer

PV Magazine: PVLD Doors Open Peninsula: Celebrating 100 Years of Peninsula History

PV Magazine April 2023 Issue #35: 1923- A Milestone Year to Remember in the Development of the Palos Verdes Peninsula (pgs. 44-45)

RPVtv's History on the Hill with archivist Monique Sugimoto with special guest PVLD volunteer, Sue Tittle discuss Doors Open Peninsula

Newsletters

Doors Open Peninsula 2023 Newsletter #6 - 06/12/2023

Doors Open Peninsula 2023 Newsletter #5 - 06/05/2023

Doors Open Peninsula 2023 Newsletter #4 - 05/17/2023

Doors Open Peninsula 2023 Newsletter #3 - 05/04/2023

Doors Open Peninsula 2023 Newsletter #2 - 04/10/2023

Doors Open Peninsula 2023 Newsletter - 03/21/2023

Don't miss any DOP 2023 updates! Sign up for the newsletter here

Participating Sites and Partners

4th City Grove Plaque — 4th City Founders Plaque
*30359 Hawthorne Boulevard, RPV, 90275*

Stop by the plaque and grove of trees planted to honor Gordon Curtis, Dorothy Le Conte and Fred Hesse Jr. for their contributions regarding the incorporation of RPV, September 7, 1973. This was RPV's first park and was transferred from LA County in 1973. First called Rancho Palos Verdes Park, it was renamed in 1995 to honor Robert E. Ryan, a 20-year council member and instrumental in incorporating Rancho Palos Verdes. Views from this park are superior with a tot lot, playground, picnic areas with barbecues, grassy fields and a baseball diamond.

Battery Barnes WWII Bunker
30940 Hawthorne Boulevard, RPV, 90275
Site is a short walk on an unpaved trail located past City Hall buildings.

Battery Barnes (also referred to as Battery 240) is a fixed artillery site located just west of the Rancho Palos Verdes City Hall buildings. Formerly part of the Point Vicente Military Reservation, it is now owned by the U.S. Coast Guard. The Battery once housed 6" guns that had a range of 15 miles and targeted enemy ships. These weapons were phased out for anti-aircraft weapons. Though the inside of the bunker is not accessible, the exterior doors and mounts are still visible.

Site included in Alta Vicente Reserve hike conducted by Los Serenos docents starting at 9:00 am. See losserenos.org/pdfs/CurrentHikeFlyer.pdf

Beautify Lunada Bay
*520 Paseo Lunado, PVE, 90274*

Visitors will take in the breathtaking views, and observe birds and butterflies on this short walk around two acres of newly vegetated oceanfront native habitat. A community driven project of the Lunada Bay Homeowners Association in partnership with the City of PVE and the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy, The Beautify Lunada Bay Pilot is an example of restoring a neglected parkland area with attractive, locally native, drought tolerant plantings. Comfortable walking paths and informal boulder seating make the area accessible all year round.

Information and hand-outs about Native plants, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy, the California Native Plant Society and the Lunada Bay Homeowners Association will be available.

Cabrillo Museum — Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
3720 Stephen M White Dr., San Pedro, 90731
Parking is $1 an hour (Debit or credit card payment only.)

Cabrillo Beach Aquarium was founded in 1935 in response to beach-goers' questions about local sea life. From its modest beginnings as an enthusiastically displayed collection of shells to today's Frank Gehry-designed center for teaching and research, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium serves as an essential resource for conservation, environmental and marine science education. Located on the edge of one of the largest and busiest ports in the world, the Aquarium and its Cabrillo Beach surroundings represent several seashore habitats, making it a unique and diverse opportunity to experience the urban and ocean relationship. Visitors can view Exploration Center and Aquatic Nursery and view short film. Call site for touch tank, grunion hatching and feeding presentation schedule.

Chadwick School Plaque
26800 S. Academy Drive, PVP, 90274
No parking on residential streets. (Also available by foot through Chadwick Canyon. Park at RHE City Hall. Two miles round trip.)

Founded in 1935 by Margaret Chadwick and Commander Joseph Chadwick in San Pedro, the school moved to Palos Verdes in 1938 for pre-primary to senior high school. The school welcomed local students and for those boarding. Frank Vanderlip donated the 35 acres overlooking the harbor and ocean to promote the creation of a country school where the environment and tranquil pace would foster. It was the first high school on the Peninsula and operated the first co-educational dormitories on the West Coast

Chowigna Village Plaque — Chowigna Indian Village Plaque
*375 Vía Almar, PVE, 90274*

The bluff above Malaga Cove is a large and important archaeological site. For a period of perhaps 8,000 years, the Tongva set up camps among the shores of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Four levels of Native American occupancy have been discovered with each characterized by tools, implements and weapons. The plaque honors the Tongva who made their home on these cliffs.

Crenshaw Tunnel — Crenshaw Horse Tunnel
Short walk from Rolling Hills Estates City Hall or Right of Weber Equestrian Parking lot.
26401 Crenshaw Boulevard., RHE, 90274

Before roads and residences, horse trails criss-crossed the Peninsula. To accommodate horse traffic, there is a tunnel under Crenshaw, one of the busiest roads in the City, for horses to safely cross the street. With dedicated horse and pedestrian trails, this tunnel represents the unique characteristics of this equestrian-focused city. A similar tunnel is located under Hawthorne. Take a look at the "Horse Crossing" buttons at the crosswalks.

The Farmery Plaque
*Located in gravel lot at intersection of Rolling Hills Road and Lariat Lane, RHE, 90274.*

A plaque commemorates the first family home on the Palos Verdes Peninsula built by Harry Phillips. Phillips was hired as a ranch foreman in 1894 by George Bixby. His contributions were significant. He was responsible for overseeing the majority of land on the peninsula, developing the herd of cattle into more than 2000 head, and instituting farming operations. He built his cottage near where the Rolling Hills Estates City Hall now stands. A few years later, he built a larger home called The Farmery where the family lived until the early 1920s. Phillips planted the grove of eucalyptus in Palos Verdes Estates as a windbreak.

First Japanese Farmhouse at Founders Park
1 Trump National Drive, RPV, 90275
Dawn to dusk.
Limited parking in lot. Street parking available on Trump Drive. Marker located halfway down the paved path on the right when looking toward the ocean.

Site of the first Japanese-American farmhouse built by Kumekicki Ishibashi who came to the Peninsula ca 1906. Ishibashi is said to have introduced "dry farming" techniques on the Peninsula. During World War II, the Ishibashi lease was broken and the family was sent to the Poston Internment Camp. The family was one of the few original farming families that returned to the Peninsula to continue farming.

Olmsted Plaque — Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. House Plaque
2101 Rosita Place, PVE, 90274
Parking available at St. Francis Episcopal
Church. Short walk to the plaque. Exterior only. Structure is a private residence.

Starting in 1913, Frederick Olmsted Jr. worked in Palos Verdes for more than twenty years. As Director of Design for the Palos Verdes Project, he lived in Palos Verdes Estates from 1922 to 1931. Olmsted worked on layouts for the whole community including roads, parks, parkways, civic centers, school sites, and other infrastructure throughout the Peninsula. His work on the Peninsula's first subdivision, now the City of Palos Verdes Estates included the Malaga Cove Library, Malaga Cove School, La Venta Inn and a number of residences. Olmsted's work with the Palos Verdes Project made Palos Verdes one of the nation's first planned communities and contributed to the landscapes that define Palos Verdes today.

Gardner Building Plaque
*68 Malaga Cove Plaza, PVE, 90274*

The Gardner Building, also referred to as "Casa Primera" was the first commercial building and was built in 1925. The building served an important part of the community, once housing the Palos Verdes Homes Association, Art Jury, grocery store, drug store, school and library. The Spanish Renaissance style building was designed by architects Weber, Staunton and Spaulding.

The Center overlooks the lovely 51-acre George F Canyon with a 1.6 mile trail that winds through shaded riparian woodland and coastal sage scrub habitat and is the site of a rare mainland exposure of the Peninsula's Catalina schist bedrock. Inside the Center, which opened in the 1990s, visitors can interact with exhibits to learn about the plants, animals, insects, geology and Peninsula natural history. The Center, owned by the City of Rolling Hills Estates and operated by the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy, will be upgraded with a beautiful new structure over the next few years.

Harden Gatehouse Plaque
5500 Palos Verdes Dr. South, RPV, 90275
No parking. Structure is a private residence.

The plaque is located on the left hand side of the gate. Frank A. Vanderlip, Sr's sister Ruth and brother-in-law Edward Harden built the Gatehouse, as it stands today, in 1926. They hired architect Gordon Kaufmann and the Olmsted Brothers designed the landscaping. The Tuscan designed villa was never built due to the 1929 Stock Market crash. The area has always been a showplace with well-known celebrities leasing the Gatehouse since its inception.

Hatano Farm current — Hatano Farm
30940 Hawthorne Boulevard, RPV, 90275
Parking at City Hall. Site located past helipad.

Hatano Farm was designated a California Point of Historical Interest in 2023 and shows the rich Japanese American farming tradition of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. It is an example of the postwar movement and settlement of Japanese Americans, and one of the few remaining flower farms in Los Angeles County. Established in 1953, Hatano Farm continued the longstanding tradition of Japanese American flower farming on the Peninsula. Meet with architectural historian Sian Winship and learn of the significance of the Peninsula's most recent historical site.

The General Store Building was designed by renowned architect Paul R. Williams in 1939. Now home to Kelly's Korner sandwich shop, the wood board and red-roof building has served as a grocery store, post office, clothing and feed store, town hall and clubhouse for community activities. An addition was added in 1957 and is now the New Horizons Child Development Center. Jim Kelly opened Kelly's Korner in 1984 and the family has operated the popular sandwich shop since. Visitors can grab a bite to eat and walk around the exterior of the historically designated site. No access to the building interior.

La Venta Inn was constructed in 1923 by architect Walter Davis as a real estate clubhouse for the Palos Verdes Project. For one hundred years it's had a colorful history as an Inn, a private home, and world-renowned event venue. Today, it continues to be a beacon of history and celebration on the Hill, hosting weddings, private events, and community experiences. Ceremony lawn accessible by stairs only.

Los Angeles County Fire Department Palos Verdes Estates Fire Station 2 — Los Angeles County Fire Department
Palos Verdes Estates Fire Station 2
*340 Palos Verdes Drive West, PVE, 90274*

The City of Palos Verdes Estates has contracted with Los Angeles County for fire suppression, enforcement of the Fire Code, and paramedic services since 1986. The County also provides emergency ambulance service. Prior to 1986, the City had its own fire services. Located at City Hall, the Department has 15 personnel. Visitors will get a tour of the Fire Station and see an antique fire truck.

The Los Angeles Maritime Museum is located in San Pedro, in the historic 1941 Municipal Ferry Terminal building. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places, and has been operating as a museum since 1980. Learn about the history of Los Angeles harbor through interactive exhibits, and enjoy views of the busy main channel from the back patio!

Lunada Bay Plaza was one of the original planned business districts of the Palos Verdes Project. It was to be the largest of the business districts and included a theater, post office, community building and a variety of stores. The Bay was to have a yacht harbor and seaside pool. While these plans didn't materialize, the Plaza is still the hub of the community with summer concerts and festivals throughout the year.

Malaga Cove Library
2400 Via Campesina, PVE, 90274
Limited parking in the lot off Via Pinale. Street parking available. No elevators.

Opening as the Palos Verdes Public Library & Art Gallery on June 3, 1930, the Mediterranean Revival architectural style building was designed by architect Myron Hunt. The garden outside the Gallery is an original Frederick Law Olmsted garden. A multiyear renovation project to bring back original lighting and interiors was completed in 2017. Visitors can tour the building including the vault, Gallery, tower room and see the original dumbwaiter.

Malaga Cove Plaza District — Malaga Cove Plaza Historic District
Malaga Cove Plaza, Palos Verdes Drive West between Via Tejon and Via Corta, PVE, 90274
Plaza parking limited.
Street parking around Plaza available.

The District is the most recent historically designated site in the City of Palos Verdes Estates. One of the original town centers for the first subdivision planned for the Peninsula, the Mediterranean Revival style Plaza was mostly developed between 1925-1964 with buildings by architect Walter Swindle Davis, Sumner Spaulding, Carrington Lewis and open space by Olmsted Brothers. The Gardner Building anchoring the west side of the Plaza was the first commercial building in the subdivision. Visitors will learn about the District's history including Neptune Fountain.

Malaga Cove School opened in 1926 with 35 students and was the first grammar school on the Peninsula. Designed by prominent Los Angeles architectural firm Allison & Allison, the building received the Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects for the most notable school architecture in Southern California for the years 1925-26. The site became the District Offices in 2010. The Tower once housed the local historical society. Visitors will be able to tour the Tower and auditorium, now used for Board meetings. There is a poster exhibit.

Designed by architect Thomas J. Russell, the Miraleste Library and its wall of windows takes full advantage of its prime location with spectacular views of the community and Long Beach Harbor. Originally a "station" library at Miraleste Elementary School in the early 1950s, it has served as a vital community hub with a wide range of resources and programs at this location since 1970. Visitors will be able to tour the building with panoramic harbor views, participate in a collective art project and community puzzle, and view a beautiful drought tolerant year-round humming bird and pollinator garden.

Map of Miraleste (Miraleste Plaza) — Miraleste Plaza
*19 Miraleste Plaza, RPV, 90275*

Miraleste Plaza dates back to 1924 and is located in the heart of the beautiful scenic and natural landscape community of Miraleste in Rancho Palos Verdes. The historic centennial rally we celebrate today is of great importance to our community as Miraleste was one of the original six residential planned communities of the Palos Verdes Project. We remain today under the covenants of the Palos Verdes Homes Association & Art Jury. Our community encompasses 300 acres with 377 homes which boast the charm of red tile clay roofs, nature trails and panoramic views of the harbor, city and coastline. Visitors will learn about the history of our community, the creation of the Miraleste Parks District, view photos of our early days and enjoy the natural beauty of our surroundings.

Mueller House Museum Living Room — Muller House Museum
1542 S. Beacon Street, San Pedro, 90731
Limited lot parking.
Street parking available. Photography of building interior not allowed.

The Muller House Museum is owned and operated by the San Pedro Bay Historical Society. It was the home of William A. Muller, a pioneer shipbuilder in the Los Angeles Harbor. Built in 1899, the exterior features Colonial Revival embellishments, echoed inside through Muller's own skilled woodworking. The furnishings reflect the early 20th century, and some pieces are original to the Muller family. The Historical Society acquired the house in 1985, and after careful restoration opened it to the public in 1990. Visitors will have a docent-led tour of the house and learn about the Muller family and San Pedro history. Tours last about 40 minutes. Second floor accessible by
stairs only.

The Neighborhood Church occupies the former mansion of a Los Angeles department store owner, John Joseph Haggarty. Completed in 1928, it was designed as an Italian Renaissance villa by Armand Monaco with 15,000 sq. ft. of living area and 32 rooms. It was landscaped by the Olmsted Brothers. Haggarty owned the home only 5 years and sold it in 1933 due to financial problems. After several owners, The Neighborhood Church purchased the property for $60,000 in 1950. Visitors will have docent led tours of the building with spectacular views of the Santa Monica Bay.

Nike Missile Entrance — Nike Missile Silo #55 Silo
*30940 Hawthorne Boulevard, RPV, 90275.*

The former Point Vicente Military Reservation, now the City Hall site for RPV, once housed the administration and launch facilities for the Nike Ajax and Nike Hercules anti-aircraft missiles in the 1950s and 1960s. This inconspicuous facility was one of 16 placed in strategic locations around Southern California to defend Los Angeles in the event of a military attack during the Cold War era. Built in 1956, it was decommissioned in 1974. Not normally open to visitors, on June 17 visitors can tour one of the two silos located here which has remained relatively unchanged since it was decommissioned.

Palos Verdes Art Center (DOP 2023) — Palos Verdes Art Center
5504 Crestridge Road, RPV, 90275
Limited parking in lot.
Parking available on Crenshaw and Crestridge.

Palos Verdes Art Center / Beverly G. Alpay Center for Arts Education is a nonprofit community visual arts school and gallery ready to inspire individuals to create, appreciate and celebrate art. Founded on May 11, 1931 as the Palos Verdes Community Arts Association, the Art Center is one of the oldest visual art nonprofit organizations in Los Angeles County. PVAC's exhibition, education and outreach programs have grown to make the visual arts available, accessible and affordable. Visitors will view engaging new work by art students from Southern California colleges and universities showcased in Palos Verdes Art Center's Alpay Scholarship Exhibition, Now Trending.

PV Beach & Athletic Club — Palos Verdes Beach & Athletic Club
389 Paseo del Mar, PVE, 90274
No wheelchair accessibility.

The Club, originally called Palos Verdes Bathhouse and Beach Club, was designed by noted architect Kirtland Cutter and opened in 1930 as part of the Palos Verdes Project. In 1939, the newly incorporated City of Palos Verdes Estates assumed ownership from the Palos Verdes Homes Association where it has remained one of the city's amenities. After years of damage and disrepair in the 1970s and 1980s, the Club was rescued from demolition and restored by a group of dedicated residents, reopening it in 1993. Visitors can tour the 5-story clubhouse, competition size 6 lane pool, children's pool and fitness center that have been a part of the community since 1930. Roessler Point lookout provides an amazing view of the facility.

Palos Verdes College 1947 — Palos Verdes College Ruins
38 Crest Rd West, RH, 90274
Limited parking. Building remnants fenced off and visible from fence line near entrance.

Palos Verdes College was a private, two-year, co-ed, liberal arts college which opened in 1947 on the grounds of a former Army Air Force complex of barracks. The site was temporary pending the construction of a large permanent campus on and promised and later gifted by the Vanderlip family. The campus buildings were grouped, moved, and altered under the supervision of Los Angeles architect Harwell Hamilton Harris. Landscaping was planned by Hammond Sadler, a member of the Olmsted Brothers Landscape Architects firm, which was part of the original Palos Verdes Project team.

Early attendees included the Hormel family, dancer/actress Leslie Caron, and Elizabeth Taylor's older brother Howard. The Korean War (1950-1953) had a major effect on the College with enrollment dropping, causing a major financial drain which ultimately led to the College's closure in 1955. The Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District eventually purchased the property for one of its school sites. Remnants of the old campus and barracks are visible from the fence at the entrance of the property.

PVE Police Department — Palos Verdes Estates Police Department
340 Palos Verdes Drive West, PVE, 90274
Photography not allowed in Communications/Dispatch Center.

The City of Palos Verdes Estates is the only Peninsula city with its own Police Department (PVPD). Police service began in 1924 when there were only a few homes under construction. In 1929, there were only three officers. Today the PVEPD has 22 sworn officers and a number of support staff and dedicated volunteers to protect and provide vital services to the community. Visitors can tour the building, see the jail, shooting range, the PD's classic Car 54, ATV's, motorcycles and patrol vehicles, and get to know members of the Police Department.

Palos Verdes Estates Tennis Club
*3033 Via Campesina, PVE, 90274*

The Palos Verdes Tennis Club (PVTC) is a private tennis and pickleball club, with 11 lighted tennis courts, 8 lighted pickleball courts, a full-service pro shop, a locker room with showers, and a clubhouse. PVTC has a vibrant junior tennis academy for members and non-members, offering group and private lessons for pickleball and tennis,jr. camps, Junior Team Tennis, and special events. PVTC opened in 1963 with five courts and a small pro shop. Three additional courts were added in 1965 and in December of that year over 300 Peninsula children attended the first free tennis clinic under the direction of Jack Weber. Four additional courts were added in the 1970s. The clubhouse was dedicated and presented to the city in 1970. This July marks the 60th anniversary of the club. Visitors can take a self guided tour. Regular hours are Monday-Sunday 7:30 am-10:00 pm.

Palos Verdes Golf Club opened on November 15, 1924. The golf course was designed and built by the renowned team of William P. "Billy" Bell and George C. Thomas, a classic example of the "Golden Age" of golf course design. The Spanish-style clubhouse was designed by Clarence E. Howard with original landscaping by Olmsted Brothers. In recent years, restoration and design improvements have been overseen by golf course architect Todd Ekenrode.

Completed in 1961, Palos Verdes High School was the first public high school on the Peninsula. Designed by Richard Neutra and Robert Alexander with local architect Carrington Lewis, the plant includes a mix of Mid-Century modern and traditional gabled tile roofs and stucco walls. Neutra enthusiasts will recognize the classic "spider leg" metal supports on the canopies. Visitors are welcome to walk about the grounds.

The Palos Verdes Homes Association and Art Jury were established in June 1923, to ensure homeowners that the neighborhoods in Palos Verdes Estates and Miraleste can never be spoiled. It has been guiding property owners to bring about architectural integrity and building aesthetics while enhancing the wonderful natural beauty of the property, as laid out by our founders.

Originally called the Riding Academy, the Palos Verdes Stables were established in 1925 and were one of the community amenities started by the Palos Verdes Project. The Stables have a long history of comprehensive equestrian programs catering to every discipline of riding and any experience level. Trail program links to trails in PVE.

The original 32,000 sq. ft Peninsula Center Library was designed by pioneers in "green" design, A. Quincy Jones and Frederick E. Emmons in 1967. In 1995, architects Zimmer, Gunsul, Fransca (ZGF) renovated and expanded the space, nearly doubling its size. Visitors can see the original architectural models for both design phases, public art integral to the Library redesign and exhibits on loan from the PV Historical Society.

Peninsula Heritage School Campus
*26944 Rolling Hills Road, RHE, 90274*

Founded in 1961, Peninsula Heritage School purchased its current location at the corner of Palos Verdes Drive North and Rolling Hills Road in 1976. The school continues to provide a high-quality education to Kindergarten through 8th Graders with small class sizes infused with a character qualities program. The school's ranch-style buildings are constructed with exteriors of white "board and batten" design. This campus originally served as a school for children in the City of Rolling Hills, as a PVPUSD elementary school (until 1958), and as the City Hall for Rolling Hills Estates (until 1974). One of the school's buildings is the original "Boy Scout House." The campus is included in the City of Rolling Hills Estates' historic landmark overlay designation zone. Tours of this campus, historical image displays, and program brochures will be available.

Peter Weber Equestrian Center
26401 Crenshaw Boulevard., RHE, 90274
Limited parking. Parking available at City
Hall a short walk from the Center. Dirt
footing. Strollers OK. Petting zoo by
appointment only. $50 per ½ hour.

Established in the 1960s as a municipal stables on land donated by Rolling Hills Estates resident William Pearson, the Center was built on portions of the Palos Verdes landfill. Renamed in 2005 in honor of Peter Weber, a former mayor in the City, the Center specializes in boarding care, provides riding lessons and trail rides, and even has a petting zoo. The Center has access to 90 miles of beautifully manicured trails. Off the beaten path, visitors can walk around the site and learn about Rolling Hills Estates premiere equestrian center.

The Point Fermin Lighthouse was built in 1874 to light the entrance to the growing Los Angeles Harbor. The building was restored and listed on the National Register in anticipation of its 100th birthday in 1974. In 2002, the lighthouse opened to the public for the first time. Thousands have climbed the tower and walked in the footsteps of the lighthouse keepers. The Point Fermin Lighthouse is a facility of Recreation and Parks, City of Los Angeles.

Point Vicente Interpretive Center
*31501 Palos Verdes Drive West, RPV, 90275*

This 26-acre site was formerly used by the United States Army as a rifle range for target practice. Known as Nike Site LA-55-Point Vicente Rifle Range, it was used for training primarily during the Cold War era and was officially deactivated in 1974. The Interpretive Center opened in 1984 and expanded in 2006. Exhibits highlight the history of the Peninsula and its adjacent waters and features exhibits such as a sea cave, the Point Vicente Lighthouse Fresnel Lens and a life-size baby gray whale model. Visitors can experience the Peninsula's unique geology, fossils, early artifacts, and a kaleidoscope of cultures, including the Tongva Indians, Japanese farmers, Spanish ranchers, offshore Portuguese whalers and early visionaries.

Join Coast Guard Auxiliary docents for self-guided walking tours of the Point Vicente Lighthouse grounds, one of the most photographed lighthouses in the world. Built in 1926 and operated by the U.S. Coast Guard, the Lighthouse has been in continuous use helping ships navigate to and from the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. It still flashes twice every 20 seconds and is a critical aid to navigation even in an electronic navigation and GPS world. Walk the grounds and view the Display Center in the building that originally housed the foghorn. Guests may learn about all 11 of the Coast Guard's missions, not just Aids to Navigation and Lighthouses. Walking tour, information brochures, and lighthouse stamp available.

Portuguese Whaling Station — Portuguese Bend Whaling Station Plaque
4100 Palos Verdes Dr. South, RPV, 90275
Limited parking.

The cove at Portuguese Point was used as a whaling station actively from 1860 to 1885. It was one of the many such whaling stations along the California coast. Three of the original structures, the try-pots and crumbling furnaces remained until 1928. Also known as Smugglers' Cove, smugglers used this area as a hideaway and trading location. The area is now home to the Portuguese Bend Beach Club.

Rancho Palos Verdes City Hall Site buildings — Rancho Palos Verdes City Hall
*30940 Hawthorne Boulevard, RPV, 90275*

The Rancho Palos Verdes City Hall site was known as "tract 8" of the former Pt. Vicente Military Reservation which was established in 1942. In the 1950s, the complex became part of Los Angeles Area Defense (LADA) Nike Battery #55, a system of defenses that used radar, missile launchers, guidance systems and computers to protect the area. The City moved into the complex in 1975 and the 71 acre site was formerly dedicated to the City in 1979. While slightly remodeled in 1988, the buildings and site are largely the same as when used by the military. Visitors will be able to tour the building and learn about its history.

Rolling Hills Estates City Hall
*4045 Palos Verdes North, RHE, 90274*

Designed by architect Corwin Eberting, construction on the post & beam building, featuring walls of glass and Palos Verdes stone started in 1973. The building was dedicated in June the following year. The building features panel carved doors designed by mid-century artist Evelyn Ackerman. From incorporation in 1957 to the completion of the municipal buildings, the City of Rolling Hills Estates used space on the grounds on what is now the Peninsula Heritage School to conduct its business. The white picket fencing is distinctive to the City. Visitors will be able to tour the building and learn about its history.

Rolling Hills Gatehouse Plaque
On Portuguese Bend Rd near Palos Verdes
Dr. North., RH.
Limited parking at City Hall. Additional parking available RH Community Association.

The plaque is located on the right just before the Rolling Hills gate. This unique city consists of three square miles of country estates with entry through four guarded gates. The area was originally developed and marketed as "dude" ranches with single story ranch-style homes. The Gatehouse with two Canary Palms - which still exist today - on each side was built in 1935.

Salvation Army Site ca. 1975 — The Salvation Army College for Officer Training & USA Western Territorial Headquarters
*30840 Hawthorne Boulevard, RPV, 90725*

The Salvation Army's 45-acre Crestmont facility was built in 1960 and was originally the campus of Marymount College, a private Catholic university. The original buildings on the campus were designed by Welton Beckett and Associates, who were the architects of the famous Capitol Records building. The property was acquired by The Salvation Army in 1976. It is home to The Salvation Army's College for Officer Training (Seminary), an accredited two-year college, and is the headquarters of The Salvation Army in the Western United States (the USA Western Territory). Guided tours of site and history of College.

South Coast Botanic Gardens — South Coast Botanic Garden
*26300 Crenshaw Boulevard, PV Peninsula, 90274*

South Coast Botanic Garden is one of the first botanic gardens in the world to be built on a sanitary landfill. The 87-acre lush oasis was used first as an open pit mine in the 1930s then a trash dump in the 1950s. From its visionary founder Francis Young, the Garden is now home to more than 2500 species of plants and provides unique exhibits and programming for all ages. Guests can enjoy Washed Ashore - Art to Save the Sea featuring 16 large-scale sculptures made from ocean waste (available until September) and the annual butterfly exhibit, SOAR - Tropical Butterflies.

St. Francis Episcopal Church
*2200 Via Rosa, PVE, 90275*

Architect Walter Swindell Davis, who had designed the La Venta Inn, designed the new chapel. The Chapel was completed and dedicated in July, 1952. The Chapel, according to the architect, "was designed after the churches found in the little hill towns surrounding Assisi, with Gothic arches framing the choir, sanctuary and altar". The stained glass windows were gifted as memorials and all the wooden pews were fully subscribed as gifts in one afternoon.

Talking Clock
Promenade on the Peninsula,
550 Deep Valley Drive, RHE, 90274
Located near the intersection of Silver Spur and Norris Center Dr.

From the outside it may look like there is no door, but behind the Talking Flower Clock there is a whole vault room housing the clock's mechanism. Visitors will learn about the first Flower Talking Clock in the U.S. which was created and donated in 1987 by resident Michel Medawar. The heart of the clock is a Patek Philippe time base designed specifically for the talking clock invention and borne out of a collaboration between Medawar and the electronic division of Patek Philippe in the early 1960s. The clock announces the time on the hour. And at noon, the clock plays "The Star Spangled Banner." Visitors can visit the vault room housing the clock's mechanism and learn its history from the creator.

Terranea Resort aerial view — Terranea Resort
*100 Terranea Way, RPV, 90725*

Since its opening in 2009, Terranea Resort has welcomed guests and the local community to celebrate the natural beauty and rich history of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Honoring the legacies that shaped this scenic, coastal enclave, Terranea pays homage through a variety of ways, including the Marineland and Catalina Ballrooms, Sea Hunt-inspired Nelson's, and luxurious Vanderlip Suite. Woven seamlessly through the resort's 102 acres are endless opportunities to discover the lively surrounding habitat, including native flora and fauna, local wildlife, and the majestic sightings of whales and dolphins. Featuring award-winning dining, adventures on sea and land, oceanfront golf, and endless amounts of tranquility at The Spa – Terranea is truly a luxury resort like no other. Visitors can explore the location with an oceanfront hike or scenic walk, and learn more about its history, including the many memories of Marineland.

Tongva Monument at Abalone Cove Park
*5970 Palos Verdes Drive South, RPV, 90275*

Designed in collaboration with the Gabrieleño/Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians this monument was dedicated by the City of RPV October 2021. The monument honors the Indigenous people of Los Angeles at a site where the Tongva people once fished for abalone. Designed by Santa Fe New Mexico artist and sculptor, Geri Jimenez Gould, the plaque depicts a Tongva village with a young family, and fishermen preparing the daily catch, with Catalina Island visible in the background.

Tom Steers, local resident and champion of the project, involved active tribe leaders and elders in the design process to ensure historical and cultural accuracy, including Chief Anthony Morales, the late Tribal Council Elder Julia Bogany, Ms.Gould, and Jesus Gutierrez, who are both Tongva-descendant elders.

Villa Francesca Plaque
At the intersection of Peppertree Dr. and Palos Verdes Drive South, RPV, 90275.
No parking.

This site was originally the estate of Harry Benedict, an associate of Frank A. Vanderlip, Sr. and a major contributor to the development of the Palos Verdes Project and Palos Verdes. He served as a Director and President of Palos Verdes Corporation until 1954. Designed by Gordon B. Kaufman, the gatehouse and farmstead were completed in 1930. The name Villa Francesca honors Mrs. Frances Homberg Benedict, Harry's first wife. Palos Verdes Historical Society designated it as a dedicated historical site in 1987.

Wayfarer's Chapel — Wayfarers Chapel
*5755 Palos Verdes Drive South, RPV, 90275*

When the Chapel was completed in 1951 it stood alone like a precious jewel on a deserted dusty knoll overlooking the blue Pacific. Today, what you are looking at is a "tree chapel." Chapel architect Lloyd Wright had been inspired by the cathedral-like majesty of the redwood trees in northern California. The redwood trees that surround Wayfarers Chapel are forming living walls and roof to a natural sanctuary encased in glass with views of the surrounding forest and nearby Pacific Ocean. These are typical traits of Organic Architecture, which aims at using nature as the framework and regards the space inside as sacred. Lloyd Wright's design of Wayfarers Chapel is the perfect combination of nature and architectural genius and is one of the foremost examples of organic architecture.

White Point Nature Education Center and Preserve
*1600 W. Paseo Del Mar, San Pedro, 90731*

Located on a beautifully restored 102-acre nature preserve, visitors can enjoy historical structures as well as scenic trails through restored natural lands. This educational facility is surrounded by a native plant demonstration garden where family activities and special events are presented to the public. It is housed in a repurposed Cold War missile assembly building and includes multi-media exhibits that move visitors through the timeline of White Point's cultural and natural history from the Pleistocene age to the present. The Preserve is owned by the City of LA and managed by the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy. Guided hikes around the Preserve's restored coastal sage habitat and military history sites starts at 10:30am.

Peninsula Timeline

Take a look at this snapshot by the decades of events on the Peninsula over the years. As part of our DOP celebration we'll be adding more events and content to the Timeline.