@Sky Six Rainbow Pier, Not Bridge. Long Beach, it was a gathering place for debate of all kinds as per caption: The Spit and Argue Club. They held their gatherings on the small platform on the protected side of the lagoon. The breakwater was not yet installed, so the large waves would hit the end and sides of the semi circular pier on any swell. Our dad said the beach on the outsides did have breaking waves of size and consistency. So, the drive and gatherings had to be timed not to happen during big wave days. Think overhead waves crashing on the beach and semi-circular pier that allowed automobiles a fun, over the water, drive... Hello, That curved pier or road circling the inner area of the old Municipal Auditorium and the 1962 Sports Arena property once surrounded by the semi circular pier/roadway is now history. In its place is a developed harbor for commercial and pleasure boats in a marina. We have used our hot rods on the Rainbow Pier and many years later, have used the vast harbor waters for our sailing adventures. The long Breakwater Jetty was constructed to protect the Long Beach City shoreline from destruction and allow the harbor area to grow as a industrial area. By the time we were little kids playing in the sand at the base of the Rainbow Pier, East side, the breakwater was in place and there were NO waves of any size coming into the shoreline. One of our favorite beach locations was the white sand beach below the Villa Riviera Hotel next to the Rainbow Pier. (The Villa Riviera building is still standing today as a beacon in memory to old Long Beach City history...) Jnaki With the 2028 Olympics coming back to Los Angeles again, Long Beach will play an important part of possible venues, swimming, sailing, volleyball, rowing, etc. The new section of the present Belmont Shore Pier area is the redevelopment area. The old pier is in need of refurbishing and it is projected to be better in the long run to demolish it and replace it with the new design in time for the 2028 Olympics. Since the original Rainbow Pier location is now a developed harbor, the “possible” new design is going to replace the Belmont Pier that is in a refurbishing state. The pier location is about 2-3 miles South of the current Sports Arena. The possible double-decked design would create a swimming harbor within the new Rainbow Pier's arch and provide a lower-level fishing deck at the crest of the pier. conception artwork The City of Long Beach is in the planning stages of bringing back the curved “rainbow pier” design. The revitalized shoreline of the city with its new “skyrise” new hotels and off shore developments, along with a better connection of the end of the Long Beach Freeway to the city is in the works, too. It is Paris, France for this 2024 Summer Olympics and four years later, it is back to Los Angeles for 2028 games. The recent April car races took over most of the old Rainbow pier/Shoreline development area with part of the track and vast activities. But, the history will allow that event to continue to run, as the New Rainbow Pier will be built a few miles to the South. Note: This is an old post card of the old Rainbow Lagoon and Rainbow Pier. The calm area at the top is the Pacific Ocean. Direct Pacific Ocean with waves, currents and plenty of replacement sand flowing out of the Los Angeles River that emptied into the ocean on the right side of the pier a few blocks away. The huge breakwater was started in 1941 and finished in 1949. Prior to that, the Rainbow Pier was built in 1931 and torn down in 1966. “a more distinctive pier never adorned the Southern California shore. Unlike the many pleasure piers that stretched beyond the breakers only to dead-end above the ocean's swells, the Rainbow Pier in Long Beach extended more than a quarter-mile into the cold Pacific before arcing back to shore. The 3,800-foot-long structure resembled a giant horseshoe, or a rainbow -- hence its name.” “its shape was not all that made the Rainbow Pier unique. It was also among the first of its kind designed explicitly for the automobile. Built atop a granite breakwater, the pier's roadway could easily support the weight of a motorcar. And the fact that the road returned to shore eliminated the need for awkward turnarounds.” The two places where our dad would take the family for a motorboat ride in So Cal was the inside of the Rainbow Lagoon and the downtown MacArthur Park in Los Angeles. But for Long Beach, tideland oil money changed the way the city saw itself and proceeded to demolish the 15000 seat Municipal Auditorium and lagoon surrounding it for an oceanfront complex that stands there today. Note: Our high school graduating class of 1962 was the last class to have their ceremonies at the historic Municipal Auditorium, despite the new Sports Arena already structurally build next door. That facility opened in the fall of 1962... During the early 60s, hot rod + motorcycle shows, as well as music venues were performed in the auditorium. Then the new Sports Arena took over in 1962 and concerts, industry shows, vast hot rod/custom car/motorcycle shows had a home base. There were/are even Boat shows going on in the huge facility... YRMV
The excitement to be first into the Toronto Exhibition in August was a big deal. Thanks jeepsterhemi for a great photograph. Memories of the kids.
In the early 2000's I bought a new pair of Cooper Trendsetter tires for my '49 Chevy pickup and the were narrow whites. I believe that was the only way they came. Gary
The Jalopy Journal
