Browse Items (1196 total)

"Boots Malone" film set at Topanga Post Office

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A scene from "Boots Malone" was filmed at the Topanga Post Office and General Store in Pine Tree Circle.

"Boots Malone" is a 1952 American film noir drama film directed by William Dieterle. It stars William Holden as a down-on-his-luck sports…

"Commons" by Jim and Sue Sullivan

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"Commons" by ceramicists Jim and Sue Sullivan is an intricate mosaic table.

"Elkhorn Camp" Building

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Black and white photograph of Elkhorn Camp c.1920

"Mose" Cheney inaugurates the first electrical pole

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Columbus Callan "Mose" Cheney turns symbolic shovel of dirt while children sing, commemorating the installation of the first electrical pole at junction of Old Topanga and Topanga Roads in 1928, which finally brought electricity to the Canyon.

"Open-Air Dance Hall" Building

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Black and white photograph of the open-air dance hall at Elkhorn Camp

"Save Topanga" protest sign

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A protester trying to save Summit Valley from the Canyon Oaks development.

"Solomon Meadows" by Nancy Swenson

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Painter Nancy Swenson Williams is part of a multigenerational activist family that has lived in Topanga since the late 1940s.

"Sybil" by Vera T. Wood (1998)

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"Sybil" by Vera T. Wood (1998), a painted tile.

"Thank you" sign for Firefighters

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"Thank you" sign for 1993 firefighters.

"Thank you" signs for the 1993 Firefighters

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In the aftermath of the 1993 fire, "thank you" signs popped up all over Topanga Canyon.

"The Boss" Ellen Mills

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Ellen Mills knew so much about Topanga that Post Office Postmaster Oscar Reynoso nicknamed her "The Boss."

"Wil Geer," a drawing by Bob DeWitt

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"Wil Geer," a drawing of the actor and Theatricum Botanicum founder by Bob DeWitt.

"Woody Guthrie," a drawing by Bob DeWitt

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"Woody Guthrie," a drawing of the folk musician in Topanga Canyon by Bob DeWitt.

Topanga Journal, September 30, 1954 issue

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Headline: "Malibu Citizens Committee Asks 10 Questions on Water District Annexation."

1980 Flood Topples House

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House in the 700 block of Topanga Canyon Boulevard is toppled from its foundation by the February 1980 flood.

6 cartoons lambasting the Water Committee

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6 cartoons lambasting the foibles of the Water Committee, in the Topanga Businessmen's Association pamphlet.

A beach house wrecked by a storm and big waves

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Just west of the Topanga Beach Lagoon, a house is wrecked by a storm and big waves.

A boulder fell on Topanga Canyon Blvd.

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A boulder fell on Topanga Canyon Blvd. after heavy rains on January 9, 2005. Pictures of this "rock star" appeared in the news around the world.

A bridge crosses the Topanga Lagoon

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A bridge crosses the Topanga Lagoon, near Cooper's Camp and De Long Cafe. Plans were afoot to replace the bridge, which happened in 1933. This photo comes from a 1930 report submitted to the Citizens' Committee on Parks, Playgrounds, and Beaches, by…

A cable car was used to measure Topanga Creek

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A cable car was used to gauge the water level of Topanga Creek at the bottom of the S-Turns.

A car and a horse at the Topanga Post Office

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A car and a horse at the Topanga Post Office and General Store

A Cheney family outing

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A Cheney family outing. George Cheney (right) used this 1910 Garford to carry passengers and mail to the Post Office.

A fire burns to Topanga Canyon Blvd.

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Firemen watch as a fire burns to Topanga Canyon Blvd. in Lower Topanga.

A flood engulfs a house in Lower Topanga

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The Topanga Creek flood engulfs a house and van in Brookside in Lower Topanga.

A hiking group walks down Topanga Canyon Blvd.

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A hiking group walks down Topanga Canyon Blvd. to the Time Tunnel.

A horse carriage pauses in front of Arch Rock

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A man stands beside a horse carriage, in front of Arch Rock

A horse wagon carries passengers across Topanga Creek

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A horse wagon carries passengers across Topanga Creek, while two women walk along the bank. The caption says, "Going up 'Topango' Canyon -- crossing a little stream is Emma and Jim on front seat, Mrs. H. Esther next, Mother S. sitting in back --…

A man in a suit and a woman in a dress stand beside a cave

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A man in a suit and a woman in a long dress stand beside a large rock with a shallow cave on Topanga Canyon Road in Lower Topanga.

A man watches a house that the flood carried away

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A man watches a house that the Topanga Creek flood had carried for half a mile in Lower Topanga Canyon.

A new coast road is built through Cooper's Camp

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A new coast road is built through Cooper's Camp, and over a Native American burial mound.

A Pawlowski family picnic by Topanga Creek

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A Pawlowski family picnic by Topanga Creek. Peter and Pauline, with his parents Pelagia and Julius.

A prison camp in Lower Topanga housed a chain gang

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A prison camp in Lower Topanga housed a chain gang while they built the Topanga Canyon Road.

"The great dormitory sits in the center of what will soon be a beautiful garden. The prisoners have already marked off the plot for flower…

A stagecoach raises dust in the S-Turns

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A stagecoach, drawn by six horses, raises dust on the dirt road through the S-Turns.

A swimming hole in Topanga Creek, near Camp Wildwood

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The Greenleaf family stands beside a natural swimming hole in Topanga Creek, north of Camp Wildwood.

A woman in a dress stands under Arch Rock

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A woman in a dress stands under Arch Rock. The retaining wall has been erased from the colorized version of this photo.

A yucca plant flowers in the snow on Sycamore Drive

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A yucca plant flowers in the snow on Sycamore Drive, overlooking George Williams's Topanga Hardware store on Old Topanga Canyon Rd. at center, and Firman Gray's house on the left.

Abalone Shell Arch

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Black and white photo of abalone shell arch and "wedding cake rock turned" circa 1920

Abalone Shell Arch 1985

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Color Photograph of Santa Maria Ranch "Abalone" arch and yard. "Old Santa Maria Ranch - Taconis"

Abalone Shell Arch 1985 with Donkey

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Color Photograph of Santa Marina Abalone Arch and yard (with donkey)
"Santa Maria Ranch - Taconis"
"Photo by Bob Wiley"
"1984"

Actor Will Geer

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Actor Will Geer moved to Topanga to escape the Hollywood blacklist. He supported himself by growing and selling vegetables and plants.

Actors read Ziff's Magazine at the Topanga Post Office

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Cowboy actors pose in an apparent advertisement for Ziff's Magazine (March 1925 issue) at the Topanga Post Office and General Store, at Pine Tree Circle. Ziff's Magazine was an irreverent joke book published in Chicago, IL from 1923-1926. The cover…

Actress Lindsey Wagner at Topanga Beach

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Lindsey Wagner starred in "The Bionic Woman," a TV show that aired from January 14, 1976, to May 13, 1978.

Adelaide Gibbon at her stone house

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William and Adelaide Gibbon built this stone house, which featured her wood carvings.

Adrian Santa Maria with Hunted Deer

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5"x9" photograph of Adrian (Teet) , age 12, with rifle and "1st deer"

Aerial photo of Lower Topanga, 1926

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Aerial photo of Lower Topanga, 1926, showing Cooper's Camp (motel) and the Rodeo Grounds.

Aerial photo of Lower Topanga, 1927

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Aerial photo of Lower Topanga, 1927, showing Cooper's Camp (motel) and the Rodeo Grounds.

Aerial photo of Lower Topanga, 1928

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Aerial photo of Lower Topanga, 1928, showing Cooper's Camp (motel) and the Rodeo Grounds.

Aerial photograph with close-ups, 1962

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Aerial photograph with close-ups of Fernwood, Pine Tree Circle, Trippet Ranch, and Hillside Drive.

Aerial Tanker Douses 1960 Fire

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The October 1960 fire on Hillside Drive was put down in record time. An aerial tanker is seen reflected against the smoke, dropping borate-fortified water.

Aerial view of the Topanga Center

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Aerial view of the Topanga Center, location of the Pine Tree Circle and the Post Office.

Aerial view of Topanga Beach

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Aerial view of Topanga Beach, from Las Tunas Beach to the Charthouse Restaurant, along Pacific Coast Highway.

Aerial view of Topanga Beach

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Aerial view of Topanga Beach, which is called "the probable future site of the finest Pacific coast estates."

Agnes Venneman

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Agnes Venneman reared eight children in Topanga.

Al Martinez stands on a bridge

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Al Martinez stands on a bridge crafted by wood carver Barry Lysaght.

Aldo Vidali

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In 1930, Aldo was born to an Italian family in Ixelles, Belgium. As a child he went to Italy and from there he began his life of traveling. His travels have taken him to almost every continent in the world. He has studied at the University of…

Alice Anderson and children play in the snow

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Alice Anderson and children play in the snow in the Winfield Road pasture. The children include Molly Anderson, Carol Haines, Lynn Haines, and Bruce Haines.

Alice Anderson skis in the Winfield Road pasture

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Alice Anderson skis in the Winfield Road pasture after The Big Snow. Children from left: Carol Haines, Lynn Haines (above), Molly Anderson, and Bruce Haines.

Alva Gustavus at his Little Brown Church in the Wildwood

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Retired Baptist Minister Alva Gustavus stands by his "Little Brown Church in the Wildwood" behind Horseshoe Bend Inn.

Alyn Ranson, Rosagua Trujillo, Eddie Gripp, and Pat Rasbury

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Alyn Ranson, Rosagua Trujillo (Rose Wiley), Eddie Gripp, and Pat Rasbury at Lee's Hitching Post in Fred Solomon's shopping center, a hangout for teenagers.

American Legion Honor Roll

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Honor Roll of men and women serving in armed forces is unveiled by the American Legion on Memorial Day 1944 at Pine Tree Circle

Ami Kirby, Kathy Hitchcock, and Hillevi Storer

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Topanga Cooperative Preschool leaders: President Ami Kirby, Kathy Hitchcock, and first long-term teacher Hillevi Storer.

An outdoor bed at Topangster Ranch

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Three dogs guard an outdoor bed ("Mountain Bed") at Topangster Ranch in Old Topanga Canyon.

Ann Stalcup with her student folk dancers

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Teacher Ann Stalcup with her student folk dancers. Topanga Elementary School came through for Ann when her house burned down in the 1993 fire.

Anne Lanaro with kids Perry and Laurie on Webb Trail

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Mrs. Lanaro with kids Perry and Laurie in front of their house on Webb Trail

Arch Rock drawing, 1894

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Arch Rock drawing, 1894. "The wonderful Arch Rock of Santa Monica."

Architect Bob Bates

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Bob Bates, "soft spoken and rock solid," left a mark on Topanga with his architecture and his leading role in the Topanga Association for a Scenic Community (TASC). He began his architecture career in 1963, and was known for his use of glass, stone,…

Architect Bob Bates with the tools of his trade

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Architect Bob Bates moved to Topanga in 1956 and opened an office here in 1963. He was a founder of the Topanga Association for a Scenic Community (TASC). There is "no front or back" to his houses. They "bring the outside in and vice versa," making…

Arlene Plotkin and Michelene (Mike) Kelly

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Arlene Plotkin and Michelene (Mike) Kelly were familiar faces in the office at Topanga Elementary School.

Arlis Wilhelim, Mary Hall, and the "GOP Smilemobile"

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Arlis Wilhelim and Mary Hall at the West Hills Republican Women's mobile headquarters, known as the "GOP Smilemobile."

Armand Olaf Riza, Las Tunas Beach

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Armand Olaf Riza, Las Tunas Beach resident, wears wetsuit and windsurfing gear. Behind him are a boat and his neighbor's house, La Esperanza.

Armand Olaf Riza's surfboards at Las Tunas Beach

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Armand Olaf Riza's surfboards, at his home on Las Tunas Beach, are covered by a banner that says, "Malibu Surf & Sail, 18904 Pacific Coast Highway." The better-looking boards are for windsurfing. The others have weathered yellow and brown.

Arson Fire of 1961

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On November 6, 1961, folks gather near Pine Tree Circle watching smoke from an arson fire curl in the distance.

Art Marshburn and family

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Art Marshburn, an Old Topanga Canyon leader involved in the water controversy, with his family in the 1950s.
From left back row: Robert, David, Arthur, Carol.
Front row: Jean, Tom.

Artist and political activist Rabyn Blake in her studio

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Artist and political activist Rabyn Blake makes ceramic sculptures in her studio. She lived with her husband Eli Sercarz on a Topanga Creek property. She was Chairperson of the Topanga Canyon Creekside Homeowners Association and helped defeat the LA…

Artist Barry Lysaght makes highly prized wood carvings

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Barry Lysaght makes highly prized wood carvings at his shop in the Turnout, a small row of businesses on Topanga Canyon Blvd. near Santa Maria Road. The Turnout was condemned after being damaged by mudslides during the rains of Winter/Spring 1998.

Artist Bob DeWitt

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Bob DeWitt was an artist and real estate agent who came to Topanga in 1941 with his wife Doi. He built a series of shacks on Topanga Canyon Blvd., where his family lived a free-spirited life. They all went barefoot and bathed each day in the ocean.…

Artist Megan Rice

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Artist Megan Rice made this papier-mâché horse as a prototype for two sculptures that were commissioned by LA County for the Topanga Library's children's section. She is also a painter and has written and illustrated several books. She is the…