Huntington Beach, circa 1940

[Menlo SUPr]

I knew there was a bit of oil drilling going on, but wow!

http://framework.latimes.com/2011/12/04/capturing-history-as-it-was-made-los-angeles-times-celebrates-130th-anniversary/#/27

[Old School 213]

And it was still hard to find a good left there! Goofy footers always getting shafted by the man....

[TDoc]

Talk about tarballs...

[soulpaddler]

I take it hey didn't have a surfrider chapter back then.

[SoCalSupper]

And it was still hard to find a good left there! Goofy footers always getting shafted by the man....

Preach it!
thats a great old pic-looks like Daniel Fairfield got there!
I think they did have a surfrider chapter but it was sponsored by Chevron.

[SlatchJim]

I've done some environmental sampling along an oil pipe chase at the Goldenwest Oil Company facility in the past, and I assure you, there are plenty of operating wells in HB today.  Directional drilling and clever rig disguises have teamed up with ridiculous land prices and the desire to develop every ounce of coast from LA to TJ to give you your current coastal vistas.  Signal Hill in Long Beach had an even higher saturation.

http://www.priweb.org/ed/pgws/history/signal_hill/signal_hill.html

As a youngin', I used to kneeboard at a break called Oil Piers in Ventura County.  Man that place used to churn out some grinding barrels.  They've since removed the oil pier, and the sand has lost it's purchase.  Oh well... at least we can breath in LA most days now.

The pictures I love are of old Killer Dana...

[PonoBill]

Slow--I was just going to say the same thing--the pumps and drills are still there, just back a mile and lower profile. Or on "islands" out in the water. When I first moved to Belmont Shores in the '70s I was amazed by the lovely offshore "buildings". I thought they were apartments for rich folks, or casinos, or maybe where Dr. No had his laboratory.

[SlatchJim]

I've been to one of them when I was in college.  They're named after astronauts that died in the
early years of the space race Freeman, Grissom, White and Chaffee.  I can't remember how many individual wells those derricks service but it's a bunch.  The towers move... but only slightly faster than our congress does.

Bill, you need to let us zoners know when you're back down here in SoCal.  I'd love to buy you lunch and "talk (Old salty dog trivia) story."   I remember Hennessey's in Seal Beach having a nice menu and good grub.

[TDoc]

I worked on Signal Hill in the 80's (Belmont Shores too). Lived near Cherry & 7th...the windows had a constant dusting of soot from all the refinery action there...probably a 1/2 pack a day city (on a good day). Don't really miss it...aside from the sun...and the surfing...girls in bikinis...surfing PV...hmmm? Maybe I do miss it.