Historical Photo: The Azalea San Francisco

A lumber schooner, the Azalea San Francisco, anchored at the Redondo Beach railroad and shipping wharf between 1904-1910. The weather-beaten wharf contains tracks used by small railcars to transport materials after being unloaded from the boats. At the center, tall wooden structures serve as a primitive crane device to lift cargo off boats and onto the railcars. A large rope is laid out across the left side of the wharf. With the sails down, the schooner is parked along the left side of the wharf. Its deck is loaded with lumber. Men on the schooner and the wharf are working hard to unload the lumber. A small rowboat is parked behind the schooner on the left. By 1890 the Hotel Redondo had opened, and Redondo Beach became a place for tourists, the railroads and steamships brought people along to the city, but they also brought the lumber and oil industry. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Redondo was the first port to open in Los Angeles County, according to the Redondo Beach website. San Pedro Harbor was developed in 1899, and by 1912 the Pacific Steamship Company stopped calling at Redondo. Still, lumber schooners like the Azalea San Francisco continued to use Pier No. 3 at Topaz Street until the railroad pulled out in 1926.