On Friday, April 21st, the California State Historical Resources Commission voted to recommend the nomination of Long Beach's site of the 1938 National Surfing and Paddleboard Championships as a California Point of Historical Interest. The Nomination was recently sent to the Director of State Parks for final action.
We would like to give a big thanks Sea of Clouds for their efforts to submit the nomination and to move it forward.
Check out this article published in the Press Telegram about the designation. It features quotes from Michael Blum of Sea of Clouds and Long Beach Chapter member Bryce Leisy.
ABOUT EARLY SURFING IN LONG BEACH
From hosting celebrated Hawaiian surfer and Olympic swimmer Duke Kahanamoku to hosting one of SoCal's first surfing contests, Long Beach holds an important place in early California surfing. The long, gentle waves and pristine coastal areas were an idyll within a growing region -- the “Waikiki of the West Coast”.
Long Beach's site of the 1938 National Surfing and Paddleboard Championships, between the former Rainbow Pier and The Pike amusement zone, was Los Angeles County’s first surfing and paddleboard competition billed as a national event. The event was backed by the city, a successful visitor attraction drawing over 50,000 spectators, and a notable contest for Southern California's pre-war surfers and paddleboarders.
EFFECTS OF A DESIGNATION
A listing preserves visitor access, current uses of the property, emergency services access, underlying property ownership, lessee rights, and nearby private property rights. A listing does not affect area master planning
The project is a designation only. It does not involve construction and does not disturb any historic, archaeological, or cultural resources.
