Marina del Rey pre-harbor

MARINA DEL REY—This photo of Marina del Rey in 1956 comes courtesy of the Marina del Rey Historical Society. It shows an aerial view of what then mostly wetlands and is now Marina del Rey and its harbor. The dream for that harbor dates back to 1887 when a developer named M.L. Wicks sought to create a commercial harbor for the city of Los Angeles from the estuary and inlets of the village of Playa del Rey. His company went bankrupt before the dream could be realized. Despite periodic renewed interest from various governmental and private developers in creating a harbor, it wouldn’t be until 1949 that plans would be revived and seriously pursued.

Formal dedication of the Marina del Rey Harbor was held on April 10, 1965. Marina del Rey continues to evolve today, with projects constantly ongoing. One of the latest being the redevelopment of the Burton Chase Park Boathouse recreational facility.

Photo Courtesy of Marina del Rey Historical Society