San Pedro in Los Angeles in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
San Pedro Landmarks
Vincent Thomas Bridge
The Vincent Thomas Bridge is considered the Port of Los Angeles' official welcoming monument. It was built in 1963 to connect Terminal Island to San Pedro, replacing municipal ferry service.
Initially there were plans to construct a tunnel under the main channel. However, in 1957 engineers concluded that a four-lane bridge could be built at only a marginally higher cost than a two-lane tunnel.
• First major suspension bridge in Southern California.
• Fourth longest suspension bridge in Southern California.
• Only suspension bridge in the world to be supported solely by piles.
Vincent Thomas, the bridge's namesake, was the son of Croatian immigrants. Born in Mississippi, Thomas and his family relocated to San Pedro when he was 10 years old. He earned a law degree from Loyola University and, in 1940, became state assemblyman for the 68th District, which included San Pedro. Thomas worked to improve the lives of his constituents by fighting for improvements to the commercial fishing industry and by supporting programs for public recreation, education, and transportation.
USS Iowa
The USS Iowa is a relatively recent addition to the Port of Los Angeles; however, military presence in the Port is not. In 1919, when President Wilson ordered the transfer of 200 Navy ships to the Pacific, San Diego Bay was too shallow for the largest ships and the only option was Los Angeles. San Pedro, thus, became home to the U.S. Navy Battle Fleet from 1919-1940. By 1934, San Pedro was home to a total of 46 Navy vessels: 14 battleships, two aircraft carriers, 14 cruisers, and 16 support ships.
Before arriving at its current home, the USS Iowa had been used in World War II, the Korean War, and the Cold War-era. The USS Iowa was the lead ship of the last class of U.S. Navy battleships and was originally commissioned in 1943. The USS Iowa arrived in Los Angeles on July 4, 2012 and now houses the Battleship USS Iowa Museum.
Municipal Ferry Building
The Los Angeles Maritime Museum, located on 6th Street at the waterfront, is home to numerous art and historical exhibits, as well as handmade reconstructions of ships. However, before it was a museum this building housed the Municipal Ferry, which connected San Pedro to Terminal Island. Built in 1941 as a Work Progress Administration Project, the ferry was a quick means of crossing the main channel for thousands of port and shipyard workers prior to the construction of the Vincent Thomas Bridge.
The ferry building was designed by Los Angeles Harbor Department architect Derwood Lydell Irvin in the Streamlined Moderne Style. Though the exterior his been preserved, the interior was completely remodeled in order to house the Los Angeles Maritime Museum, which opened in December 1979.
Ports O’ Call Village
Ports O’ Call Village, located along the main channel of the Port of Los Angeles, was built in 1963 and contains an eclectic mixture of shops and restaurants inspired by international destinations all connected via cobblestone streets. Ports O’ Call historically contained popular food and entertainment destinations including the San Pedro Fish Market, the annual Lobster Festival, and Harbor Cruises. As part of the broader redevelopment of the Los Angeles waterfront, the Ports O’ Call complex is planned to be revitalized soon and will be renamed.
Timeline
1906: “Shoestring strip” annexed to the city of Los Angeles.
1915: Timm's Point Viaduct is built connecting Harbor Boulevard to Outer Harbor.
1919 - 1940: San Pedro becomes home to U.S. Navy Fleet.
1941: Municipal Ferry Building.
1943: USS Iowa commissioned.
1963: Vincent Thomas Bridge completed.
1975: Municipal Ferry Building is put on the Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments.
1996: Municipal Ferry Building added to the National Register of Historic Places.
2012: USS Iowa permanently docks at Port of Los Angeles.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Bridges & Viaducts • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1906.
Location. 33° 44.17′ N, 118° 16.817′ W. Marker is in Los Angeles, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in San Pedro. Marker is at the intersection of Beacon Street and 9th Street, on the left when traveling south on Beacon Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: San Pedro CA 90731, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. History of San Pedro Plaza Park (a few steps from this marker); San Pedro Post Office (within shouting distance of this marker); San Pedro Municipal Building (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); In Memory of Bloody Thursday (approx. 0.2 miles away); Anna Lee Fisher - Astronaut (approx. 0.2 miles away); Municipal Ferry Building (approx. 0.2 miles away); World War II Memorial: Propeller from Heavy Cruiser U.S.S. Canberra CA-70/CAG-2 (approx. 0.2 miles away); American Merchant Marine Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Los Angeles.
Regarding San Pedro Landmarks. To give the city its own harbor, Los Angeles annexed Wilmington and San Pedro and connected them to the southern Los Angeles city limit by a narrow strip of land that’s only half a mile wide and 16 miles long, called the “Shoestring strip”. This put the city in accordance with California law, which stipulated that land annexed by a city had to be connected physically to that city.
Ports O’ Call Village, built in 1963, was demolished in 2018 to make way for a major redevelopment. The new construction began in 2023.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 24, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 23, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 104 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on May 23, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.