Rancho Palos Verdes in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Portuguese Bend Whaling Station

By Michael Kindig, September 25, 2010

1. Portuguese Bend Whaling Station Marker

Inscription. On the slopes below and west of this plaque stood the quarters of Portuguese whalemen who put out through the surf in boats under oars and sail to harpoon passing gray whales to be towed ashore where the blubber was stripped and "tried out" in large black iron try-pots to produce valuable whale oil for lamps and lubricants. Active from 1860 to 1885, this station began its decline with the advent of fossil oil; however, three of the original structures, the try-pots and crumbling furnaces remained until about 1928. This site is registered as California Historical Landmark #381.

Erected 1983. (Marker Number 381.)

Location. 33° 44.087′ N, 118° 21.273′ W. Marker is in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, in Los Angeles County. Marker is on Palos Verdes Drive South near Yacht Harbor Drive. Touch for map. Marker is located at the entrance to the Portuguese Bend Club. Marker is in this post office area: Rancho Palos Verdes CA 90275, United States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Site of the First Japanese American Farm on the Palos Verdes Peninsula (approx. half a mile away); Villa Francesca (approx. 0.9 miles away); Portuguese Bend

By Michael Kindig, September 25, 2010

2. Portuguese Bend Whaling Station Marker

(approx. 1.6 miles away); Santa Catalina Island (approx. 1.6 miles away); Palos Verdes Peninsula Habitat (approx. 1.6 miles away); Point Vicente Lighthouse (approx. 3.3 miles away); Edward A. DeVore, Jr. (approx. 3.6 miles away); Brian "Cody" Prosser (approx. 3.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Regarding Portuguese Bend Whaling Station. The whaling industry is said to have been started by Captain Clark in 1864. Captain Frank Anderson, a Portuguese, tried 2,166 barrels of whale oil at this station from 1874 to 1877. The station was aboandoned because of a lack of fuel rather than vessels. SOURCE: California Historical Landmarks, California State Parks

Categories. • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels •

By Michael Kindig, September 25, 2010

3. Portuguese Bend Whaling Station Marker

Portuguese Bend Club image. Click for full size.

By Michael Kindig, September 25, 2010

4. Portuguese Bend Club

Portuguese Bend image. Click for full size.

By Michael Kindig

5. Portuguese Bend

By Michael Kindig

6. Portuguese Bend

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. This page originally submitted on December 27, 2011, by Michael Kindig of Long Beach, California. This page has been viewed 763 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 28, 2011, by Michael Kindig of Long Beach, California. 5, 6. submitted on December 29, 2011, by Michael Kindig of Long Beach, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.