Summer's almost here, and it's time to head to the beach! The 1957 L.A. Examiner photo, above, reminds us why what's now Bolsa Chica State Beach was once called Tin Can Beach (or sometimes Beer Can Beach) by almost everyone. At that time, as much as 30 tons of cans, bottles, and other refuse were left on this stretch of sand each year. Today, it often ranks as one of Southern California's cleanest beaches. .
Longtime Newport Beach resident Mary Kramer Kryder has loaned a handful of 1953 Boy Scout Jamboree artifacts to the Old Courthouse Museum for their current exhibit: “Past Tents: The Way We Camped.” (Show ends June 5.) She describes her memories of the event:
.
“The bridge onto Balboa Island just below PCH was where many Scouts came. At this time, I lived on Balboa Island and was intrigued with the Jamboree, having been a Brownie, Girl Scout and Mariner. I decided to visit the camp. I baked cookies and took them to the Scouts in exchange for their Boy Scout badges . . .”
.
Heritage Hill Historical Park will hold their annual Rancho Days Fiesta, June 6, 11am-3pm. The park is located at 25151 Serrano Rd. in “Lake Forest.” Children’s activities include piñatas, rope tricks, making arrowheads, dipping candles, grinding corn, and churning and tasting homemade ice cream and butter.
.
Demonstrations and performances will include “traditional Native American music, Ballet Folklorico de San Juan Capistrano and a Native American hoop dancer. Listen to lively mariachi music, and the songs of Old California and early Mexico.” Weavers and blacksmiths will demonstrate their trades. There will also be an Acjachemen invocation ceremony. Docents in period attire will offer tours of the park's historical buildings.
.
“The bridge onto Balboa Island just below PCH was where many Scouts came. At this time, I lived on Balboa Island and was intrigued with the Jamboree, having been a Brownie, Girl Scout and Mariner. I decided to visit the camp. I baked cookies and took them to the Scouts in exchange for their Boy Scout badges . . .”
.
Heritage Hill Historical Park will hold their annual Rancho Days Fiesta, June 6, 11am-3pm. The park is located at 25151 Serrano Rd. in “Lake Forest.” Children’s activities include piñatas, rope tricks, making arrowheads, dipping candles, grinding corn, and churning and tasting homemade ice cream and butter.
.
Demonstrations and performances will include “traditional Native American music, Ballet Folklorico de San Juan Capistrano and a Native American hoop dancer. Listen to lively mariachi music, and the songs of Old California and early Mexico.” Weavers and blacksmiths will demonstrate their trades. There will also be an Acjachemen invocation ceremony. Docents in period attire will offer tours of the park's historical buildings.
I was in Troop 19 of Santa Ana, and attended the Jamboree. Unforgettable!
ReplyDeleteTin Can Beach is where my family first had a great night grunion hunting. This was the very early 60's or maybe 1959. The beach was just crowded with the fish and there were very few people. It was a marvelous sight to see and the ones we caught we dined on that next day.
ReplyDeleteI started surfing when I was in jr high just during the beach clean up along Bolsa Chica. My mom would drop me off at the foot of Warner and PCH and give strict instructions not to walk up the beach for uncrowded waves because I would cut myself and die of some horrible infection before she would be back at noon.
ReplyDeleteNaturally I didn't listen!
And they say only Mexicans litter...
ReplyDeleteWho's 'they'?
ReplyDeleteGustavo, were are you driving that comment at??
ReplyDeleteGustavo,
ReplyDeleteYou can clearly see by the photo that these newer cans had floated in from Mexico, and were washed up and deposited on 'our' near, almost pristine beaches. Because we know that it couldn't be homegrown litter, because we know that 'they' don't litter. It's not in them.
The remainder of vestiges of older cans, are obviously the results of littering long ago from 'those' during the time of the Spanish Occupation.
Certainly not by 'they'!
I'm so glad we cleared that up.
In the late thirties and early forties, I recall riding by this hilly beach that was totally tin can rust looking. Only way we could tell it was the beach, is because we saw the ocean behind it. I hadn't thought of that in years, but, looking up beaches to go to in summer, I came across this thought. Glad someone thought to take photos. I grew up in clean beaches a few miles north! WOW!! JB.
ReplyDelete