Browse Items (464 total)

  • Collection: Lower Topanga

Jim Ganzer surfs at Topanga Beach

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From the book Life Lived by Jim Ganzer (Indoek, 2024).

Don MacVicar, bassist of surf rock band Blue Juice

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Don MacVicar, bassist of surf rock band Blue Juice, pours a glass of beer at Madame Wong's West in Santa Monica.

J. Murf, leader of surf rock band Blue Juice

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J. Murf, leader of surf rock band Blue Juice, smiles with Lori at Madame Wong's West in Santa Monica

Riding horses in Topanga Creek

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Bill Flaxman rides Moon (King Zimmerman's horse, which had been in the 1976 Olympics), his wife Geraldine rides Mare (Dean Skipworth's horse), and they are followed by their dog Spunky (and Judy's dog Melody), in the Rodeo Grounds, on their way home…

Dave Sanderson, Mayor of the Snake Pit

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Dave Sanderson, unofficial Mayor of the Snake Pit, at home, with a bougainvillea plant and two cats.

Robert Campbell and Pablo Capra, The Rodeo Grounds

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Robert Campbell (1951-2004) shows Pablo Capra his graphic novel On a Purple Spiral Floating in The Rodeo Grounds in 2002, the year they cofounded Brass Tacks Press. Capra celebrated the 20th anniversary in 2022 by publishing Robert Campbell:…

Renate and Ray Casser at home in The Rodeo Grounds

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Renate (1939-2022) and Ray Casser (b. 1934) were both from Westphalia, Germany. Ray, a gardener, moved to Topanga Canyon Lane in Lower Topanga in 1960. Renate, a nanny, married him a short time after. They moved to higher ground in The Rodeo Grounds…

Jim Ganzer's collectible trading card

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Jim Ganzer is one of surfing’s original “Big Daddies.” With his penchant for art, Jim worked in the States with stars like Mickey Dora and Lance Carson designing logos, and added his art direction to the legendary surfing magazine “Surf Guide.” His…

Surfers Ed Fearon, Don James, and Jack Quigg

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Surfers Ed Fearon, Don James, and Jack Quigg took this photo in front of their Topanga Beach house on the day that Pearl Harbor was attacked, December 7, 1941. They knew they were going to war.

Eduardo Camões painting, "Arch Rock, 1905," 2017?

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A man drives a horse wagon through Arch Rock in 1905, in this painting accessed from the internet in 2017.

State Parks's Lower Topanga "Battle Plan" cartoon

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A political cartoon shows State Parks's "Battle Plan" to evict the Lower Topanga community. Rangers in camouflage target the Malibu Feed Bin and say, "To subdue Malibu—first you 'take out' their landmarks!"

Jerry, Alice (mother), Larry, and Nancy Anderson

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Jerry, Alice (mother), Larry, and Nancy Anderson at Topanga Beach.

Gun-toting Mary West picnics with her daughters

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Gun-toting Mary West picnics with her daughters on Topanga Beach. The caption says, "Mary A. West with Elizabeth West in front and Frances West in rear. That rifle being held by Mrs. West was given to me in Lordsburg, N.M. about 1894 by the assistant…

Topanga Beach Auto Court

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Topanga Beach Auto Court, with James Talmadge's Deusenberg. James was the son of Buster Keaton and lived on Tuna Beach.

Farm plays on a porch at Topanga Beach, 1/4

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Farm plays on a porch at Topanga Beach. The band played the soundtrack for the surf film "The Innermost Limits of Pure Fun" (1970). From the book Life Lived by Jim Ganzer (Indoek, 2024).

Farm plays on a porch at Topanga Beach., 2/4

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Farm plays on a porch at Topanga Beach. The band played the soundtrack for the surf film "The Innermost Limits of Pure Fun" (1970).From the book Life Lived by Jim Ganzer (Indoek, 2024).

Farm plays on a porch at Topanga Beach, 3/4

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Farm plays on a porch at Topanga Beach. The band played the soundtrack for the surf film "The Innermost Limits of Pure Fun" (1970).From the book Life Lived by Jim Ganzer (Indoek, 2024).

Farm plays on a porch at Topanga Beach, 4/4

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Farm plays on a porch at Topanga Beach. The band played the soundtrack for the surf film "The Innermost Limits of Pure Fun" (1970).From the book Life Lived by Jim Ganzer (Indoek, 2024).

Bonnie Vincent rides a horse by the Yellow House

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Bonnie Vincent rides a horse with daughter Amber by the Yellow House at Topanga Beach. Surfboards lean against the porch.From the book Life Lived by Jim Ganzer (Indoek, 2024).

Victoria Anderson sunbathes at Topanga Beach

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From the book Life Lived by Jim Ganzer (Indoek, 2024).

Joe Pleshe lived across the creek near Brookside

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From the book Life Lived by Jim Ganzer (Indoek, 2024).

The dining room at Jim Ganzer's Topanga Beach house

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From the book Life Lived by Jim Ganzer (Indoek, 2024).

Jan-Michael Vincent, Ronne Troup, and Jim Ganzer

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Jan-Michael Vincent, Ronne Troup, and Jim Ganzer in Ganzer's Topanga Beach house.From the book Life Lived by Jim Ganzer (Indoek, 2024).

Robbie Dick in his surfboard shaping room

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From the book Life Lived by Jim Ganzer (Indoek, 2024).

Jan-Michael Vincent wears a military hat at Topanga Beach

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From the book Life Lived by Jim Ganzer (Indoek, 2024).

Jim Ganzer waxes his surfboard at Topanga Beach

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From the book Life Lived by Jim Ganzer (Indoek, 2024).

Jan-Michael Vincent rides a horse at Topanga Beach

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From the book Life Lived by Jim Ganzer (Indoek, 2024).

Big money encroaches on Topanga, Jody Roberts, 1992

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Artist Jody Roberts drew this comic map for the "Messenger" newspaper, showing "Big Bucks Estates" and "Big Development" encroaching on Topanga.

Dave Sykes poses with his redwood "Topanga" surfboard

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Dave Sykes poses with his redwood "Topanga" surfboard.

Surf pioneer Joe Quigg said:
"[Dave] Sykes was the best surfer I had seen at that time because he lived there [at Topanga Beach] and surfed all day, every day. He could just glide and…

Dave Sykes surfs at Topanga Beach

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Dave Sykes surfs a balsa-redwood surfboard at Topanga Beach.

Surf pioneer Joe Quigg said:
"[Dave] Sykes was the best surfer I had seen at that time because he lived there [at Topanga Beach] and surfed all day, every day. He could just glide and…

Jim Talmadge stands beside a "Topanga" surfboard at Malibu

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Surfer Jim Talmadge at Malibu's Surfrider Beach stands beside a redwood surfboard that has the word "Topanga" written on it. Jim was the son of actor Buster Keaton. The board probably belonged to Dave Sykes.

Jerry Cibilich sculpture, "Crystal Radio Antenna," 1991

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Jerry Lee Cibilich (1957-2011) worked as a California lifeguard in the summer, and studied art in Italy in the winter under famous artists like Marco Gastini and Mario Merz. The ocean, found its way into his work through the use of salt, waves of all…

West Topanga Beach Road, 18622 to 18722

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West Topanga Beach Road was a private driveway serving the homes 18622 to 18722.

Dorothy Lilley walks daughter Sue on W. Topanga Beach Rd.

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Dorothy Lilley walks daughter Sue on the family car on W. Topanga Beach Rd.

Evan “Gramps” Harrison (glasses) and friend with surf mat

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Evan “Gramps” Harrison (glasses) stands with a friend holding a surf mat. Surfboards lean on a beach house in the background.

Brownie Scout Troop 1667, led by Kay Saltman (Queen K.)

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Brownie Scout Troop 1667, led by Kay Saltman (Queen K.), at Topanga Beach.

Woody Woodward's Skateboarding Hall of Fame T-shirt

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Woody Woodward skates on a T-shirt created by Logan Earth Ski to commemorate his induction into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame in 2013.

Rock riprap along Topanga Creek, near PCH

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Boulders were placed as rock riprap along the right bank of Topanga Creek, 600 feet upstream from Pacific Coast Highway.

Marinos' Seafood Restaurant

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Marinos' Seafood Restaurant on Pacific Coast Highway, where The Reel Inn is today, was run by Greek fishermen. The Raft and The Reel Inn were later built on this spot.

Norton Wisdom's art studio in the Snake Pit

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A painting and sculptures decorate Norton Wisdom's art studio in the Snake Pit.

A 1930 map marks Lower Topanga as a future park

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A 1930 map ("Diagram of Beach Frontage") marks Lower Topanga as the site of a future park, and the Santa Monica / Venice coastline as a future harbor.

Las Tunas Isle Motel stained-glass window

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Las Tunas Isle Motel stained-glass window shows underwater scene with fish, seaweed, and a mermaid.

Las Tunas Isle Motel bathroom wall and ceiling

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Las Tunas Isle Motel bathroom wall and ceiling have a tropical-plant decor, with green palm leaves painted around a lamp.

Las Tunas Isle Motel bamboo wall

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Las Tunas Isle Motel arundo bamboo wall in the former Tiki Room.

Las Tunas Isle Motel check-in window and doorbell

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Las Tunas Isle Motel check-in window, doorbell, and arundo bamboo walls

Las Tunas Isle Motel room doorbells

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Las Tunas Isle Motel room doorbells and arundo bamboo decor at front door.

Las Tunas Isle Motel arched entrance

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Las Tunas Isle Motel arched entrance doorway with arundo bamboo decor and doorbells.

La Esperanza house's address plaque, Las Tunas Beach

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La Esperanza house's address plaque, Las Tunas Beach, reads "18862 Malibu." The house's name means, "The Hope," and formerly belonged to actors Greta Garbo, June Havoc, Fred MacMurray, and screenwriter Frank Pierson.

John Larronde's Hawaiian surfboard, carved from wood

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John Larronde's Hawaiian surfboard, carved from wood, was one of the first to be used at Topanga Beach.

A non-native tree is sprayed with blue herbicide Roundup

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A non-native arundo tree is sprayed with the blue herbicide Roundup by State Parks in the lower Topanga Creek bed. The health impacts of the glyphosate-based Roundup, as well as its effects on the environment, have been at the center of substantial…

Non-natives plants are sprayed with blue herbicide Roundup

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A non-native arundo patch is sprayed with the blue herbicide Roundup by State Parks in the lower Topanga Creek bed. The health impacts of the glyphosate-based Roundup, as well as its effects on the environment, have been at the center of substantial…

Non-native arundo is sprayed with blue herbicide Roundup

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A non-native arundo stalk is sprayed with the blue herbicide Roundup by State Parks in the lower Topanga Creek bed. The health impacts of the glyphosate-based Roundup, as well as its effects on the environment, have been at the center of substantial…

Potter's Topanga Trading Post

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Potter's Topanga Trading Post on the west side of Pacific Coast Highway and Topanga Canyon Blvd., where the Malibu Feed Bin is today, in Lower Topanga.

Geological map of Topanga Beach shows fault lines, 1973

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Preliminary geologic map of the unincorporated part of the Topanga quadrangle, Los Angeles Country, California.

Geological map of Topanga Beach shows fault lines, 1964

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Preliminary geologic map of the unincorporated part of the Topanga quadrangle, Los Angeles Country, California.

Lower Topanga panorama, 1920s

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Lower Topanga panorama shows Topanga Beach, a bathhouse, Shady Lane, Topanga Lane, and the Rodeo Grounds.

Robbie Dick shapes a surfboard with Glen Kennedy

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Robbie Dick shapes a surfboard with Glen Kennedy in the Wilken factory on 22nd St. in Santa Monica. Glenn, a Wilken team rider, was working on a knee board when Robbie and Rich Wilken found him using the wrong tools. Robbie humorously went overboard…

Aerial view of entrance to Topanga Canyon, 2022

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Aerial view of entrance to Topanga Canyon shows Oasis Imports, the Malibu Feed Bin, and 7-Eleven gas station.

Broken pilings from a 19th-century bridge near the lagoon

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Broken pilings from a 19th-century bridge protrude from the Topanga Creek bed near the lagoon.

Topanga Bombers reunion T-shirt, 1991

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Topanga Bomber Jim Fitzpatrick commissioned skateboard artist Sean Cliver to design this reunion T-shirt in 1991. It was printed at Powell-Peralta Skateboards.

Fitzpatrick asked Cliver to modify the logo of the Santa Cruz Surfers Union by adding a…