Marilyn Kalfus at the Register just posted an article about the need for historical preservation in Huntington Beach. (See if you recognize anyone.) There is talk of starting a non-profit preservation group in town -- Something akin to the Santa Ana Historical Preservation Society or the Old Towne Preservation Association in Orange. If you live or work in H.B. or care about the city's remaining historic resources and are interested in helping start such an organization, please send me an email..
Today's photo comes from the Orange County Archives. It shows H.B.'s iconic Golden Bear in 1986, just days before it was demolished to make way for a Subway sandwich shop and a frozen yogurt shop.
10 comments:
Saw a lot of great entertainment at the Golden Bear for many, many years. Nice to see a great picture of the place again.
Wonderful. So many shows, so many nights at the beach.
The increase in tax revenue for the city with retail replacing the parcel was worth the demolition.
Preservation is a mute point now.
It should have started 35 years ago.
Get over it.
I'd say Mr. Jose has a strange take on the subjest.
That is the problem, preservation has been "mute" in much of Orange County for the last 35 years.
Our best historical sites are worth preserving, just like our parks, and our libraries, and our concert halls. They are part of a solid community.
Of course, you could tear any of those places out and build something that would generate more "tax revenue" - but is that the end all and be all of our civic lives?
And who gave the city the right to dictate what happens to private property anyway?
A historian friend of mine is fond of quoting Princess Leia: "If money is all you love, then that's what you'll receive."
Hopes of increased tax revenue are no excuse to tear our the last few vestiges of a community's history.
Even if it were, I'm quite sure this parcel would be zoned for residential, not retail. It's smack in the middle of a quiet neighborhood. (Although you never know in H.B.,... They might want to put a big, loud, polluting, desalination plant there.)
Jose is right about the 35 year gap in preservation. We should have been paying attention. New developments are so terrible these days. Who knew how ugly and cramped the 21st century was really going to be ?
It seems that some want to preserve everything that is nostalgic to them, and others think that preservation should only be reserved for the few items of great value. Myself; I think it's somewhere in the middle. Although; I find it hard to understand why we should save a junky old building just because it was popular for a short time. Fine examples of architecture, major historical events and cultural icons seem like good qualifiers. A city's preserved culture define it's people, and vise versa. A community that tends to disregard it's heritage has little future and should be avoided.
I think its great to preserve buildings. they need to be saved. Im tired of seeing great buildings get torn down to make way for some lame "modern" looking establishment with hideous "natural" paint schemes and filled with more stupid food places that we can easily find a few blocks away. Im seriously getting disgusted with the expansion of CVS pharmacys in a small town of los alamitos alone, theres 3 within 1 mile!!! come on. i might have to get out of here before i turn into one.
Thanks for this - I just sent an email off to the Planning Commission, chiding them for pretty much being the developer's lackeys and approving anything they want to do.
I always looked forward to seeing a show at the Golden Bear, but never got to. They tore it down before I turned 21. It's hard to believe it's been that long.
I'd love to be a member of such a group and will send an email. Weirdly enough I found your blog through a cache description at Geocaching.com.
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