Historical Files Pier and Surfing
| Filename |
 File Description |
| 090518-13 321 KB | Huntington Beach Monument Memorializes Surfing Pioneer An article from the Orange County Register of February 4, 1989 describing a bronze bust at the Huntington Beach Pier in memory of Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, who was very instrumental in surfing and in the surfing culture of Huntington Beach. |
| 090518-9 309 KB | Huntington Beach Surf Museum Organizers Break Ground for a New Museum Downtown
An article from the Huntington Beach Independent of September 14, 1989 describing how a site on Olive St. will become the second temporary home of the Huntington Beach International Surf Museum. |
| 090518-37 505 KB | Surfing Museum Set to Reopen
An article from the Orange County Register of June 14, 1990 talking about the reopening of the International Surfing Museum at 411 Olive St. in Huntington Beach. This will be a temporary home until a new home is built under new Huntington Beach Pier. Also see 090518-9. |
| 070910-8 807 KB | Surf City? It’s Hanging on in Huntington Beach An article from 1991 discussing how the surfer scene in Huntington Beach is disappearing in favor of homogenized pink Mediterranean-style redevelopment. It talks about disappearing landmarks such as the famous pier, the Surf Theater, and the original Golden Bear restaurant. It talks about how the surf scene developed and the changes that have taken place. |
| 070904-3 232 KB | Finest Concrete Pier on Coast will be Dedicated Here June 20-21 A copy of the front page of the Huntington Beach News of May 22, 1914, with the above headline. The article does not seem to be included on the page. Also see 070904-4. |
| 070904-6 289 KB | South Coast Grand Celebration A copy of a newspaper advertisement promoting the celebration of the new Huntington Beach Concrete Pleasure Pier. Also see 070904-3 and 070904-4. |
| 070906-2 267 KB | Huntington Beach News A copy of a page from the Huntington Beach News of June 12, 1914, talking about the upcoming dedication of the new municipal pier, and providing detailed statistics regarding the pier. Also see 070904-3, 070904-4, and 070904-6. |
| 070910-9 725 KB | The City Has One of the Finest Concrete Piers in the World An copy of the front page from the June 12, 1914 issue of the Huntington Beach News describing the elaborate program that had been prepared for the dedication of the Huntington Beach Pier. Other articles of the page include ‘Commencement Exercises Will Be June 18’, ‘Princess Theater is Now a Popular Place’, and ‘Progressive Merchants Looking for Business’. Also see 070904-6 and 070906-3. |
| 070904-4 239 KB | Congratulation to the Pier Celebration Committee A copy of the front page of the Huntington Beach News of June 26, 1914, describing the celebration and entertainment for the dedication of the new Huntington Beach Pier. Also see 070904-3. |
| 070906-3 215 KB | Huntington Beach News – Municipal Pier A copy of an article from the Huntington Beach News of October 1914, talking about the new Huntington Beach municipal pier. Also see 070906-2. |
| 071022-2 293 KB | Huntington Beach Pier – Only Solid Concrete Pier in the U.S. A short article from the Encyclopedia of American Cities describing the history of the Huntington Beach Pier from its initial build in 1902 through the 1950s. |
| 071018-8 706 KB | Huntington Beach Pier An article (unknown source or date) talking about the history of the Huntington Beach Pier going back to first pier constructed in 1903, and the various forms it took through the years. The article also discusses the impact of the pier on the city, and the rise in surfing in the area. |
| 071022-4 98 KB | Did You Know – Pier History A short article (source unknown) from February 15, 1998 detailing the history of the Huntington Beach Pier, from 1904 through 1996. |
| 071029-5 1.2 MB | A Historical and Geographical survey of the Huntington Beach Municipal Pier and the Surrounding Beach Articles written in January 1975 describing the history of the Huntington Beach Pier from 1904 through 1967. It also contains engineering data regarding soundings that were taken along the length of the pier, and data regarding the movement of sand around the pilings. A bibliography is also provided, that might point to other information regarding the pier. |
| 090924-6 440 KB | Starting From Scratch . . . Can You Dig it? An article from the Los Angeles Times of November 14, 1978 talking about digging for Pismo clams at Huntington State Beach. It also talks about the legal stipulations regarding digging for clams, and also how to prepare and serve clams. |
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777 KB |
Good Old Pier Remains the Same An article from the Huntington Beach Independent of January 20, 1979 talking about the history of the Huntington Beach Pier, and its impact on the growth and development of the City of Huntington Beach. |
| 090518-12 744 KB | Queen of the Huntington Beach Pier An article from the Los Angeles Times of September 13, 1982 talking about Ella Christensen, who has been an avid promoter and advocate of Huntington Beach and especially the Huntington Beach Pier. |
| 071022-1 269 KB | Storm Pictures 1983 A short article describing that pictures from the storms of 1983 are available for sale from the Huntington Beach Public Information Office. It also has a picture of the damage to the end of the pier, and the End Café restaurant. There is also a short list of the modifications made to the pier from its inception in 1902, through the 1985 rebuild. |
| 071018-4 379 KB | Popular Pier Café Destroyed by 1983 Storms to Reopen An Article from the Los Angeles Times of September 20, 1985 describing how the End Café, a landmark Huntington Beach restaurant destroyed in 1983, was about to reopen. The restaurant is a key link in the city’s redevelopment efforts. Also see article 071018-1. |
| 071022-3 134 KB | Restoration of the Pier and Café Will Be Celebrated An article from the Los Angeles Times of September 16, 1985 describing the upcoming celebration of the reopening of the Huntington Beach Pier, after $900,000 in repairs were made to the pier, and an additional $400,000 spent to rebuild the End Café restaurant. |
| 071018-5 584 KB | Beach Town Pier is Back in Business An article from the Los Angeles Times of September 22, 1985 describing the restoration of the Huntington Beach Pier, after it was heavily damaged during the violent winter storms of 1983. The city spent $900,000 to repair the pier. The Seal Beach Pier and the San Clemente Pier were also either heavily damaged, or destroyed. |
| 071029-9 1 MB | Redevelopment Today For Tomorrow’s Huntington Beach A pamphlet from the October 1986 issue of ‘Here and Now’ containing several articles describing development efforts occurring or planned within Huntington Beach. A major article discusses the development of a hotel and pierside village in the downtown, municipal pier area. Another article discusses the possibility of a Cousteau Museum proposed to be built in Huntington Beach. |
| 091112-39 3.7 MB | Huntington Storms Haven't Brought End for The End Cafe A compilation of articles and pictures, primarily from 1988, talking about the January 1988 storm that destroyed 250 feet of the Huntington Beach Municipal Pier, and caused the closing of the pier. Several articles discuss the End Cafe that was toppled into the Pacific Ocean when the end of the pier collapsed. |
| 091112-7 427 KB | Surveyors Research Possible Rebuilding of Huntington Pier An article from the Orange County Register of April 25, 1988 describing surveying efforts to locate remnants of the 250 feet of the Huntington Beach Pier that broke off during a storm in January. The reason was to determine the effort required for the building of new pier in the same location. |
| 091112-29 211 KB | Huntington Beach Pier Gains Unlikely Ally: Dennis Brown An article from the Orange County Register from December 31, 1988 discussing Assembly Bill 153, introduced by Assemblyman Dennis Brown, R-Rossmoor to allocate an unspecified amount of money from the state's general fund to rebuild the landmark Huntington Beach Municipal Pier. It is believed to be the first appropriation measure that Assemblyman Brown has authored in his 11 years in the Legislature. |
| 091112-20 181 KB | End Cafe's Backers Exert Pier Pressure An article in the Orange County Register of January 29, 1989 describing how three former managers of the End Cafe have formed a citizens group to help the city of Huntington Beach shore up plans for the reconstruction of the pier. The volunteer group was named PIER (Persons Interested in Expediting Reconstruction). Also see article 091112-16. |
| 090501-13 299 KB | Pier Rates Historical Notability An article from the Huntington Beach Independent of February 9, 1989 describing how the Huntington Beach Pier was nominated to be declared a Historical Landmark. |
| 091112-30 323 KB | Rebuilding a Landmark – City Searches Far and Wide for Pier Fundraising An article from the Huntington Beach News of April 14 1989 talking about the various funding alternatives that city officials and private organizations are looking at for funding of the new Huntington Beach Municipal Pier. |
| 091112-12 99 KB | Huntington Beach Pier Gets Back to Basics An article from the Huntington Beach Independent of May 4, 1989 describing how the Huntington Beach City Council voted to build the new Huntington Beach Municipal Pier out of concrete after studies proved plastic-coated steel was not acceptable. |
| 091112-38 162 KB | Pier Financing Bill Dropped in Favor of 2 Wider Proposals An article from the Orange County Register of May 4, 1989 mentioning that Assemblyman Dennis Brown has shelved legislation that would have helped finance the $10.6 million cost of rebuilding the Huntington Beach Municipal Pier. Instead, Brown will support two bills designed to provide funding for pier restoration statewide. Also see article 091112-29. |
| 091112-33 402 KB | 1989 Marks end of an Era for Pier An article from the Huntington Beach Independent of May 11, 1989 talking about the life of John Gustafson, the owner of The End Cafe restaurant, that was washed into the Pacific Ocean when a 250-foot chunk of the Huntington Beach Pier collapsed during a January 1988 storm. There is also a second article talking about Ella Christensen, who owned three shops on the Pier: Neptune's Locker, The Captain's Galley, and the Tackle Box. |
| 091112-19 200 KB | Grassroots Groups raise Money to Help Rebuild Huntington Beach Pier An article from the Huntington Beach Independent of June 29, 1989 describing how different grassroots groups in Huntington Beach have donated almost $200,000 toward the rebuilding of the new Huntington Beach Municipal Pier. Also see article 091112-16. |
| 091112-36 133 KB | Senate-Approved Budget Includes $1.5 Million for Huntington Pier An article from the Orange County Register of June 30, 1989 discusses how the State budget, approved by the Senate, includes $1.5 million to rebuild the Huntington Beach Municipal Pier. Also see article 091112-32, where Governor Deukmejian cut the appropriation from the final signed budget. |
| 091112-17 125 KB | Huntington Beach OKs Design to Replace Pier An article from the Orange County Register of July 6, 1989 describing that the Huntington Beach City Council approved a design for the new Huntington Beach Municipal Pier with essentially the same dimensions as the landmark pier that it will replace. |
| 091112-32 161 KB | Governor Nixes Source of Funding for Pier Renovation An article from the Huntington Beach Independent of July 13, 1989 discussing how Governor Deukmejian cut $1.5million in state funds earmarked to rebuild the city landmark pier when he approved the state budget. The bill authorizing the funding had previously been approved by the State Legislature. |
| 091112-23 159 KB | Main-Pier Project City Downscales An article from the Huntington Beach Independent of July 18, 1989 discussing how the Huntington Beach City Council downscaled the $50 million Main-Pier Phase II Development Project that had drawn fire from downtown business owners and residents. |
| 091112-24 846 KB | No Pier Means No Customers An article from the Huntington Beach Independent of July 27, 1989 talking about the effect on downtown Huntington Beach businesses when the Huntington Beach Municipal Pier was closed to the public on July 12, 1988 due to severe storm damage. |
| 091112-40 196 KB | Larger Gateway Envisioned for Rebuilt Huntington Pier An article and diagrams from the Orange County Register of August 1 1989 talking about scrapping the city's proposed design for an entrance plaza to its soon-to-be rebuilt pier, and create a 4-acre gateway to the 75-year-old landmark pier. The effort was spearheaded by Ron Yeo of the pier design committee. |
| 091112-8 305 KB | Huntington Beach Debates Using Bond to Pay for Pier An article from the Orange County Register of August 3, 1989 describing how a $10 million public bond will be need to rebuild the Municipal Pier and surrounding projects. A fund-raising specialist will also be hired to help raise contributions to the pier's restoration fund. |
| 091112-31 303 KB | Brothers Team Up to Get Money For Pier by Paddling to Catalina An article from the Huntington Beach Independent of September 14, 1989 talking about how brothers Shawn an Beau McCraney will paddle 10' paddleboards on a 45 -mile round trip to Catalina as a fundraiser for the new Huntington Beach Municipal Pier. Brother Jeff will be alongside in a boat as a safety precaution. |
| 091112-6 197 KB | Huntington Beach OKs Proposal for Plaza at Rebuilt Pier An article from the Orange County Register of September 19 1989 mentioning that The Huntington Beach City Council approved a proposal for a 2.1 acre plaza to be built at the foot of the new municipal pier. The council also approved a private developer's proposal to build a $60 million commercial and residential project directly across the street from the new plaza. |
| 091112-10 188 KB | Federal Officials Remove Obstacle to Demolition of Huntington Beach Pier An article from the Orange County Register of December 30, 1989 describing how the city secured approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for Demolition of the city's 75-year-old pier. Approval was need, as the pier had been placed in the Federal Register of Historic Places. |
| 091112-34 373 KB | Huntington Beach Landmark's Friends Launch a Pierless Fund-Raising Effort An article from the Orange County Register of January 1, 1990 talking about the volunteer PIER group that has raised over $100,000 for the rebuilding of the Huntington Beach Municipal Pier. Also see article 091112-16. |
| 071018-7 354 KB | Same as Old Pier? Almost An article from the Orange County Register of April 19, 1990 describing how the Huntington Beach City Council voted to keep the design of the new pier as close as possible to the pier’s current appearance. There is also a second article (from the same newspaper of the same date) also addressing the question of the pier’s design. |
| 091112-15 172 KB | Huntington Beach Delays Pier Demolition An article from the Orange County Register of May 9 1990 mentioning that demolition of the storm-damaged Huntington Beach Pier would be delayed from August until October. The delay would allow surfers and beach-oriented shops to enjoy the benefits of the summer sunshine and surf before the 18-month rebuilding project begins. |
| 091112-11 425 KB | City Council Calls in the Cavalry for Pier fund Effort An article from the Huntington Beach Independent of May 10, 1990 talking about the Huntington Beach City Council voting to pay Robert B. Sharp Co. of Santa Ana, $250,000 to raise $2½ to $3½ million for a new city pier. Funds would be solicited from major donors throughout Southern California. |
| 091112-1 216 KB | Sport Fish Might Call Pier Home An article from the Orange County Register of May 10, 1990 mentioning that demolition of the 75-year-old Huntington Beach Pier will start on October 1, and the State Fish and Game officials are suggesting that the pilings and other ruble be added to an artificial reef about 3 miles off Bolsa Chica State Beach. |
| 091112-35 198 KB | Coastal Agency Donates $2 Million for Huntington Beach Pier Project An article from the Los Angeles Times of June 23, 1990 talking about how the California State Coastal Conservancy donated $2 million to help rebuild the Huntington Beach Municipal Pier. The article also discusses other funding efforts for the project. |
| 091112-4 846 KB | Pier Pleasure An article from the Los Angeles Times of July 16, 1990 talking about the six ocean piers in Orange County, and how each structure has a personality of its own. Seal Beach Pier, Huntington Beach Pier, Newport Beach Pier, Balboa Pier, Aliso Pier, and San Clemente Pier. |
| 091112-27 94 KB | Public Workshop – Pierside Restaurant Development A fact sheet from July 25, 1990 on the Pierside Restaurant Development project including project description, use of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR), and the schedule for review and processing of the draft EIR and related entitlements. |
| 091112-14 307 KB | Legal Snag Poses a New Threat to Huntington Beach Pier Plan An article from the Los Angeles Times of August 5, 1990 describing that the State Lands Commission warned Huntington Beach city officials that they cannot legally build more restaurants on the ocean side of Pacific Coast Highway. |
| 091112-22 232 KB | From Rubble to Reef An article from the Los Angeles Times of August 17, 1990 describing an offer of $67,000 by a sportfishing group to help create an artificial fishing reef using concrete rubble from the soon to be demolished Huntington Beach Municipal Pier. Also see articles 091112-1 and 091112-3. |
| 091112-9 164 KB | Huntington Beach Residents Seek Funds for Pier-to-Reef Project An article from the Orange County Register of August 17, 1990 describing how a fund-raising drive will be launched to raise $68,000 needed to turn chunks of the doomed, old municipal pier into a fishing reef. Also see articles 091112-1, 091112-2, and 091112-3. |
| 091112-2 153 KB | Huntington Chooses Pier Contractor An article from the Orange County Register of August 23, 1990 describing how the Huntington Beach City Council unanimously approved an $8.6 million bid from Riedel International Inc., of Portland, Oregon, for the construction of a new city pier. The council also agreed to use material from the demolished pier for an artificial reef to be built off Bolsa Chica State Beach. Also see article 09112-1. |
| 091112-16 241 KB | Volunteers Dedicated to Building Pier An article from the Huntington Beach Independent of September 20, 1990 describing how volunteers formed an organization dubbed PIER for Persons Interested in Expediting Reconstruction, raised $100.000 to help with the rebuilding of the new Huntington Beach Municipal Pier. |
| 091112-18 391 KB | Old Buildings Removed from Landmark Pier An Article from the Orange County Register of October 1990 describing the removal of three recreational buildings built in the 1930s from the Huntington Beach Municipal Pier in preparation for demolition of the 75-year-old landmark structure. |
| 091112-3 189 KB | Debris From Huntington Pier Unsuitable for Fishing Reef An article from the Orange County Register of December 19, 1990 describing how rubble from the continuing demolition of the 75-year-old Huntington Beach Pier is of such poor quality, that the state Department of Fish and Game has refused to accept it for an offshore sportfishing reef. Also see articles 091112-1 and 091112-2. |
| 071029-1 943 KB | Huntington Beach Pier Campaign A series of articles from the Huntington Beach Pier Campaign of January 1991, describing the rebuilding of the Huntington Beach Pier destroyed by storms in 1998. The major focus of the article is the funding of the new pier. |
| 071022-10 167 KB | Geometric Concepts Employed in Pier Plans for Huntington Beach An article from the Los Angeles Times of February 18, 1991 describing how the new Huntington Beach Pier, to be completed in 1992, employs geometric shapes in the design of the pier itself and some of the structures to be built on the pier. The article also contains a little of the history of the pier. |
| 091112-13 75 KB | Huntington Beach Pier Project Gets Boost from Ruling An article from the Orange County Register of April 8, 1991 talking about whether the site of the proposed $15 million Pierside Restaurants project is waterfront property, and would therefore require four-fifths of the City Council to approve its sale to the developer. |
| 071018-6 318 KB | Pier Plaza Plans Picked by Council An article in the Huntington Beach Independent of April 25, 1991 telling that James Adams’ classical design for the Huntington Beach Pier Plaza was chosen over Ron Yeo’s design for a ‘1930’s-WPA style of architecture’. |
| 071022-8 97 KB | Riding Waves Under Huntington Pier to be Safer An article from the Orange County Register of May 7, 1991discussing how the new Huntington Beach Pier, to be completed in 1992 will be safer for surfers shooting beneath the pier. The reduced number of pilings, along with increased spacing between the pilings, is the reason for the increased safety. |
| 071022-9 174 KB | Old Pier Held Many Fond Memories An article from the Huntington Beach Independent of May 30, 1991 by William Lobdell, who had been a lifeguard for four summers at the pier. The article contains some of the memories of Lobdell regarding the pier, that were known by only a small group of locals. |
| 071022-11 392 KB | Huntington Beach Pier Celebration An article, source and date unknown, describing the upcoming celebration and festivities for the opening of the new Huntington Beach Pier. The article contains the program of activities for Saturday and Sunday, June 20 and 21, 1992. |
| 071022-5 278 KB | An Undertaking Without Peer A series of 3 pictures from the Orange County Register of July 7, 1992 showing the tearing down of the Huntington Beach pier destroyed by storms in 1988, and the rebuilding of the pier in 1992. |
| 071029-3 488 KB | A High Tide of Civic Pride Surrounds Rebuilt Pier An article from the Los Angeles Times of July 12, 1992 describing the rebuilding of the Huntington Beach Pier replacing the one that was destroyed by storms in 1988. This is one of the more comprehensive articles relating to the building of the new pier. |
| 071025-1 920 KB | Landmark Pier to Come Alive Again An article from the Orange County Register of July 12, 1992 talking about the new Huntington Beach Pier that was built after the old one was destroyed by storms in 1998. The article contains several pictures and a drawing of the old vs. new piers. It also includes the program of activities for the opening celebration. |
| 071018-3 418 KB | Pier’s Opening Transforms Huntington An article from the Orange County Register of July 16, 1992 discussing how the opening of the new Huntington Beach Pier is helping to transform the city’s downtown area. New businesses are opening up, and many more people are now visiting the area. |
| 071018-1 520 KB | Huntington Pier Draws 500,000 on Opening Day An article from the Orange County Register of July 19, 1992 describing the Opening Day ceremony for the new Huntington Beach Pier. The old pier was closed in 1988 after a storm washed away 250 feet of the pier, including the End Café restaurant. Picture of the opening day crowd on the pier. |
| 071029-4 525 KB | Rebirth of a Landmark – The Huntington Beach Pier An article (source unknown) from August 1992, describing the history of the Huntington Beach Pier, from 1904 to the current version completed in July 1992. The article is divided into 3 sections; ‘The Challenge’ of building the pier, ‘The Solution’ adopted, and ‘The Results’. |
| 071018-2 348 KB | County’s Longest Pier – Huntington Beach Claims Honors An article from the Huntington Beach Independent of October 8, 1992 discussing how the new Huntington Beach Pier is now the longest pier in the County, exceeding the length of the Seal Beach Pier by 20 feet. The article also shows the other piers in the County and their lengths. |
| 071022-6 135 KB | Huntington Beach to Construct 3 Buildings on Pier An article from the Orange County Register of October 8, 1992 describing how the Huntington Beach City Council voted to use $1 million in bond money to pay for 3 new buildings on the reconstructed Huntington Beach Pier. The buildings will be a Ruby’s restaurant at the end of the pier to replace the destroyed End Café, a bait and tackle shop, and a snack shop. |
| 071029-10 3.7 MB | Huntington Beach Main-Pier Redevelopment Projects A series of Fact Sheets for several of the redevelopment projects taking place in the Main-Pier redevelopment area. Projects include; Villas Del Mar, Huntington Bayshore, Town Square, Pierside Pavilion & Huntington Pier Colony, Main-Pier Phase II, Main Promenade, Demonstration Block, Third Block West, Waterfront Hilton Hotel, The Waterfront, Huntington Beach Art Center, Celebration Plaza, Huntington Beach Municipal Pier, and the Post Office Rehabilitation. Photographs or drawings are provided for each project. |
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3.7 MB |
Huntington Beach Main-Pier Redevelopment Projects A series of Fact Sheets for several of the redevelopment projects taking place in the Main-Pier redevelopment area. Projects include; Villas Del Mar, Huntington Bayshore, Town Square, Pierside Pavilion & Huntington Pier Colony, Main-Pier Phase II, Main Promenade, Demonstration Block, Third Block West, Waterfront Hilton Hotel, The Waterfront, Huntington Beach Art Center, Celebration Plaza, Huntington Beach Municipal Pier, and the Post Office Rehabilitation. Photographs or drawings are provided for each project. |
| 091112-5 667 KB | Huntington Beach Downtown Redevelopment Plan A report (date unknown) put out by the City of Huntington Beach Redevelopment Office, talking about how the downtown redevelopment plan will be highly influenced by the proximity of the downtown area to the ocean and the tremendous natural resources, public facilities, and services that are available. |
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