Manhattan Beach and UCLA: A History of Connections and Contrasts
Los Angeles is a vibrant and sprawling city, known for its diverse attractions, from world-famous amusement parks to cultural landmarks like The Broad, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and The Getty Center. The city's exciting food scene, with its curbside cafes, food trucks, and diverse culinary offerings, also draws many visitors. Among the many destinations in the Los Angeles area, Manhattan Beach stands out as a unique coastal city with a rich history, intertwined in unexpected ways with the story of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Manhattan Beach: A Coastal Haven
Since 1912, Manhattan Beach has been a popular destination for Angelenos. This serene beachside town offers opportunities for swimming, tanning, and surfing, complemented by a thriving business district along Manhattan Beach Boulevard. Manhattan Beach has a unique vibe, a mix of laidback and upscale, where one can enjoy simple sunsets, dine in upscale eateries, and shop at boutique stores. It is also known as the "Beach Volleyball Capital of the World," with volleyball nets and action on the sand year-round.
Visitors can enjoy chic shopping and delicious dishes at the shops and restaurants that line Manhattan Beach Boulevard. Local breweries and gastropubs offer unique culinary experiences. Some of the top spots for fine dining include Fishing with Dynamite, Nick’s, Manhattan Beach Post, and The Strand House, while more casual options include Simmzy’s, Rock’N Fish, and The Rockefeller gastropub.
The Manhattan Beach Pier, located at the end of Manhattan Beach Boulevard, is a lively spot with street performers, photographers, and artists entertaining tourists, especially during the summer. The Roundhouse Aquarium, located at the end of the pier, offers educational exhibits about marine life in the Pacific Ocean.
For those seeking athletic pursuits, Sand Dune Park offers steep slopes for an intense workout. Professional athletes have used these dunes to train and build endurance. Reservations are required to use the sand dunes, but the rest of the park is free to enjoy.
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Manhattan Beach itself is the primary draw, with over 3 miles of pristine beachfront space for tanning, swimming, and boogie boarding. The beach, once known for its large sand dunes, had its sand shipped as far as Hawaii. Besides swimming and tanning, visitors can enjoy beach volleyball or stroll the boardwalk for people-watching. The city also features a compact botanic garden with flowers native to Manhattan Beach and Southern California, maintained by a non-profit organization dedicated to earth-friendly gardening techniques.
UCLA's Origins and Growth
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) traces its origins back to the late 19th century, when it began as a teachers' college. In March 1881, the California State Legislature authorized the creation of a southern branch of the California State Normal School in downtown Los Angeles to train teachers for Southern California's growing population. The Los Angeles branch of the California State Normal School opened its doors on August 29, 1882.
In 1914, the teaching college moved to a new campus on Vermont Avenue. In 1917, UC Regent Edward Augustus Dickson and Ernest Carroll Moore, Director of the Normal School, began lobbying the State Legislature to make the school the second University of California campus, after UC Berkeley. On May 23, 1919, Governor William D. Stephens signed a bill into law to establish the Southern Branch of the University of California.
Under UC President William Wallace Campbell, enrollment at the Southern Branch expanded rapidly, and by the mid-1920s, the institution outgrew its Vermont Avenue location. A new campus was established in Westwood, and the first undergraduate classes were held there in 1929.
Bruce's Beach: A Stain on Manhattan Beach History
While Manhattan Beach is now known for its idyllic coastal charm, its history includes a dark chapter involving racial injustice. In 1912, Willa and Charles Bruce, an African American couple, purchased property along the Strand in Manhattan Beach and created Bruce’s Lodge, a seaside resort for the Black community. This was a haven for Black beachgoers, who were often excluded from other coastal areas due to racial discrimination.
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As Bruce’s Lodge gained popularity, white residents reacted with hostility and racism. The Ku Klux Klan reportedly committed acts of arson, and fake parking signs were posted to deter Black visitors. In 1924, the Manhattan Beach City Council voted to condemn the Bruce’s resort site and surrounding land through eminent domain, ostensibly to build a park. However, the true motivation was racially driven, with the intention of ending the successful Black business and preventing other African Americans from settling in Manhattan Beach.
The Bruce family and other Black families sued, but in 1929, the court validated the City of Manhattan Beach’s claim to the property. The Bruce family moved out of Manhattan Beach in 1927, and the City demolished the resort. No park was built for decades, and the land sat empty.
Finally, in 1956, the City of Manhattan Beach built a park on the land behind the former Bruce’s Beach resort. In 2007, the park was renamed Bruce’s Beach, largely due to the efforts of Mitch Ward, Manhattan Beach’s first Black councilmember and mayor.
In 1995, Los Angeles County acquired the land that was originally owned by Charles and Willa Bruce. Efforts have been made to rectify the historic injustice, including returning the ownership of the land to the descendants of Charles and Willa Bruce.
Connections and Proximity
While Manhattan Beach and UCLA may seem like separate entities, they are geographically connected and share a history within the larger context of Los Angeles. Manhattan Beach is located southwest of UCLA, making it a relatively short drive from the university campus. This proximity allows UCLA students and faculty to easily access the beaches and attractions of Manhattan Beach.
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Westwood Village, located near UCLA, offers shopping and dining options and holds a prominent place in film history. Santa Monica, another premier beach city in Los Angeles, is also easily accessible from UCLA. Downtown Los Angeles, with its business, commercial, and entertainment scene, is another important destination within reach of the university.
UCLA During Wartime
The December 7, 1941 airstrike on Pearl Harbor immediately put the UCLA campus on a wartime basis. Faculty adjusted the curriculum and academic schedule to assist students entering military service. A student defense committee, later called the Student War Board, was organized to coordinate emergency services. UCLA became responsible for Project 36 of the Manhattan Project, that of purchasing and inspecting equipment for the scientists at Los Alamos. In conjunction with these projects, the UCLA College of Engineering was established in 1943.
By the end of the war on Tuesday, August 15, 1945, a service banner in Kerckhoff Hall held 5,702 stars, of which 151 were gold for the Bruins who lost their lives. Veteran students on the G.I. Bill began to arrive at UCLA, and an Office of Veteran's Affairs was created to help ease the transition from military life to academic existence.
Post-War Expansion and Development
The end of the war led to a building boom on the UCLA campus. A deep arroyo was filled in to create additional usable land, upon which Schoenberg Hall, the Architecture building, Bunche Hall, and the Murphy Sculpture Garden were eventually built. The UCLA Medical and Law Schools were established in 1946 and 1947, respectively, and the department of Theater Arts was also established in 1947.
During the anti-Communist Red Scare in the late 1940s, the UC system became suspected of harboring un-American activities. In 1951, the Regents transferred day-to-day leadership responsibilities for the Berkeley and Los Angeles campuses to chancellors, marking a significant step in UCLA's development as a co-equal institution with UC Berkeley.
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