Redondo Beach became Southern California’s premier ocean resort destination in the 1890s. The Hotel Redondo with its 225 luxurious rooms, the world’s largest salt-water plunge, its bathhouse, casino and auditorium brought record crowds to the city. A roller coaster was added in May 1913 that added more excitement to the area. Big time gambling came to Redondo Beach in the 1930s.
The gambling ship “Rex” operated three miles off shore and the Red Car brought in the crowds from 1905 to 1940. It took visitors less than an hour to get from Los Angeles to Redondo Beach in those days.
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Carol Libby and Karen Hou
Carol Libby & Karen Hou
Arcadia Historical Society