A Look at Palos Verdes Through the 1930 Federal Census: Part 2

Palos Verdes Leading to the Census

After the real estate rally in 1923, the northern part of Precinct 8 saw significant changes.  This seven year period, was regarded as “the most formative…[one] guarded by idealism, romance and thirst for profits.” Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. described the area in idyllic terms: “the latitude is that of Augusta, Georgia; the sun is that of Southern California; but the almost constant southwest breezes off the cool Pacific -  but little warmer here than the summer waters off the coast of Maine - give a mild and pleasant freshness in the air throughout the year, amazingly in contrast with the continental summer heats that begin a few miles inland and extend."

The early promotional materials by Palos Verdes Project marketed the magnificent home sites, opportunities and also a lifestyle.  To ensure quality construction and maintain character, the Palos Verdes Homes Association and Art Jury were established to guide architectural styles, minimum cost (based on lot size), color of walls, erections of fences and more.  They also enforced protective deed restrictions to ensure set out for each of the lots in subdivision. 

Zoning prior to building was a concept of city planner, Charles Cheney.  Areas for single family and multifamily residences, business centers, open space, etc. were laid out and fully expressed in Palos Verdes Estates.  A dark side of the protective restrictions was that they prohibited non-Caucasians (except domestics) from living within Palos Verdes Estates as property owners or renters.

Key members of the Palos Verdes Project themselves bought lots and settled in the community.  These included city planner Charles Cheney, landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., George Gibbs, James Dawson, and Farnham Martin, sales manager Donald Lawyer, Homes Association president Colonel J.C. Low, and building commissioner Brooks Snelgrove, home building Francis Schellenberg and architect Hammond Sadler to name a few.  

Early people associated with the Palos Verde Project also included General Manager Jay Lawyer, real estate agent Howard Towle, chief engineer Lawrence Hussey and others contributed to the establishment of the thriving social scene in the new community. 

The 1921 diorama of the master plan showed details of streets, parklands and town centers for the future community.  Within a few years, Precinct 8 saw a flurry of activity as the plan was implemented.  La Venta Inn, was built in 1923 and was the first building constructed by the Palos Verdes Project.  Originally intended as a “clubhouse” to entertain realtors and prospective buyers, it was reorganized as an inn in 1924, and became a community hub for social events.  The Palos Verdes Golf Club opened in 1924 as an amenity for residents with membership open to all lot holders.  The Palos Verdes Nursery in Lunada Bay was created in 1925 for lot owners to buy appropriate plants (native or climate-adapted) for landscaping their future residences. 

Malaga Cove Plaza, zoned as a commercial site, saw its first building, the Gardner Building, and was available for business by 1925.  Among its first businesses were a market and a drug store.  Malaga Cove School opened in its present location in April of 1926 with 35 students in grades one to eight, served by three teachers and a principal.  Three months later in July, the Palos Verdes Coast Road connecting Western Avenue (San Pedro) with Granvia La Costa (PV Drive West), was opened providing a significant connection between Redondo Beach to the north and San Pedro to the south and and an important marketing opportunity for real estates sales in Precinct 8. 

By 1927, 70 miles of roads had been graded and sub surfaced or paved.  The streets were dedicated to the County of Los Angeles who contracted with the Homes Association for maintenance. The distinctive PVE street signs were designed and in use.

Utilities were planned or in place and included water (the water company was owned by the P.V. Project), gas, electricity and telephone, supplied by the companies serving the surrounding areas.  Overhead power lines were confined to rear lot lines.

It was felt by the Palos Verdes Project principals that success in planning and execution for desired aesthetics depended on concentrating power in the hands of a stable and strong management (i.e., the Homes Association and the Art Jury).

The real estate rally in June 1923 was a successful event attracting over 5000 cars to enjoy the “festivities” which included free coffee and lunch, yacht racing, stunt flying, foot races and dancing.  While no lots were sold on that day, lot sales were brisk after that to 1928 with a number of beautiful homes built, several of which are still intact today. 

The economic pressures of the Great Depression (1929 through 1930’s) however had a significant impact on the developing community.  Of the three zoned commercial area in the subdivision, Malaga Cove Plaza, Lunada Bay Plaza and Valmonte Plaza, Malaga Cove was the only site that was developed.  Lot sales slowed significantly during this time, as did homebuilding and Palos Verdes Estates became a backwater, albeit a very beautiful one, far from downtown Los Angeles.