Wilmington’s First Harbor, 1870

WILMINGTON—This photo, taken in 1870, shows Wilmington Harbor and it’s nearly unrecognizable compared to how it looks today. A train powered by Los Angeles and San Pedro Railroad can be seen, which was relatively new at the time – Phineas Banning had recently completed the first railroad to the harbor in 1869.

Today, Wilmington has seen much change. Most notably, there are plans to bring Wilmington Waterfront Promenade, a $75 million open space including green space, outdoor classrooms and other natural elements to give residents a respite from the now industrialized city.

Photo courtesy of waterandpower.org