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George Herms points to his head at 1972's "Tap City Circus"

Beginning in 1965, whenever he was short on funds (or, “tapped out”), George Herms held Tap City Circuses at his home in Topanga Canyon, which were sort of like raffles, with artworks as prizes. The event recurred about every 18 months, and each one…

George Herms stands barefoot by a motorcycle in Topanga

George Melcher ranch

George Melcher and his second wife Marguerite Douphner Melcher are flanked by Betty and Ken Douphner to the left and Helen Cheney, Callan Cheney, and young Gary Cheney to the right.

George Trafton does a handstand while skateboarding

George Trafton, 15, does a handstand while skating for the Hobie / Vita-Pakt Super Surfer skateboard team.

George Trafton drinks a Coke on W. Topanga Beach Rd.

Surfer George Trafton drinks a Coca-Cola soda on W. Topanga Beach Rd.

George Trafton holds his Skateboarding Hall of Fame trophy

George Trafton holds his award trophy at the 2025 Skateboarding Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Vans Headquarters in Costa Mesa, CA. He wears a lei.

George was a member of the Makaha skateboard team and the Hobie / Vita-Pakt Super Surfer…

George Trafton in the 2nd issue of "Skateboarder" magazine

George Trafton hangs heels on a wave at Topanga Beach, and on a Hobie skateboard on Woody Woodward's paddle-tennis court at Topanga Beach. The photos appeared in the article "Surfer/Skateboarder," published in the second issue of "Skateboarder"…

George Trafton jumps over a bar, Davey Hilton limbos under

George Trafton, 15, jumps over a bar and Davey Hilton, 12, limbos under it while skating before an audience for the Hobie / Vita-Pakt Super Surfer skateboard team.

George Trafton looks into his truck camper

Surfer George Trafton looks through the open door of his truck camper by Topanga Beach houses.

George Trafton rides a wave in Blue Cheer ad "Cheer Up!"

George Trafton rides a wave in "Cheer Up!" ad for Blue Cheer surfboards, 3112 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90403.

George Trafton sits in front of Topanga Beach houses

Surfer George Trafton wears trunks in front of a palm tree, arundo, and Topanga Beach houses. A woman in a bikini walks by.

George Trafton skates for Makaha and Hobie / Vita-Pakt

George Trafton skates for the Makaha and the Hobie / Vita-Pakt Super Surfer skateboard teams. He appeared in the article "Surfer/Skateboarder," published in the second issue of "Skateboarder" magazine (1965), where he is shown hanging heels on a…

George Trafton takes a high line on a big wave

Surfer George Trafton takes a high line on a big wave at Topanga Beach.

George Trafton, J. Murf, and Minty play as Blue Juice

George Trafton (guitar), J. Murf (vocals, guitar), and Minty (saxophone) perform shirtless in the surf-rock band Blue Juice at the Roman Inn in Santa Monica.

George Trafton, Shane McMahon, and Rodger Horsey

Surfers George Trafton, Shane McMahon, and Rodger Horsey stand by the ice machine at George's Market, across from Topanga Beach

George Trafton, Shane McMahon, Paul Lovas, Johnny Nation

Surfers George Trafton, Shane McMahon, Paul Lovas, and Johnny Nation sit on driftwood in front of The Yellow House. Paul is the author of "Topanga Beach Experience: 1960s-70s" (Brass Tacks Press, 2011). The lights on the balcony were used for surfing…

George Van Noy dries his Greebe and Moommy sweatshirt

Adventuring for waves, Topanga Beach surfers Bill Cleary and George Van Noy found a point break at Maspalomas, Canary Islands. They were the first to surf the break, and lived in a shack they built from bamboo and palm fronds. George designed the…

George Wood stands in his house Thornwood

Folk musician George Wood stands in the living room of his house Thornwood (named after his wife Katie's maiden name, Thornley, and Wood), at 3427 Topanga Canyon Blvd. in Brookside.

George's Market ad, c. 1972

George's Market ad says, "Groceries that are fresh and at reasonable prices always." 456-9521. 18713 PCH.

Geraldine & Bill Flaxman ride horses up Topanga Creek, 1/2

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

Geraldine & Bill Flaxman ride horses up Topanga Creek, 2/2

Geraldine Flaxman rides Mare (Dean Skipworth's horse) and her husband Bill rides Moon (King Zimmerman's horse, which had been in the 1976 Olympics) at Brookside, up Topanga Creek.

Geraldine Flaxman and her son Adam lie in hammock

Geraldine Flaxman and her son Adam lie in hammock in their yard at Brookside.

Gerry Gallant, Baretta, and Jim Dudman flood in Snake Pit

Gerry Gallant, Robert "Baretta" Overby, Jim Dudman, and an unknown neighbor drink Michelob beer after using shovels to protect The Snake Pit during a flood. Baretta wears a hat from Caesars Palace. Behind them is Norton Wisdom's truck camper.

Gerry Haigh and Skip Oliphant

Gerry Haigh and Skip Oliphant met on a peace march in San Francisco. They married in 1967.

Gidget sells flowers from her Edible Peddler

Gidget sells flowers from her Edible Peddler trailer to Leslie and Kristen Carlson.

Gidget sells strawberries at her Edible Peddler trailer (1/2)

Gidget sells strawberries at her Edible Peddler trailer with Cynthia Aylesworth, in front of the Topanga Home Grown boxcar.

Gidget sells strawberries at her Edible Peddler trailer (2/2)

Gidget sells strawberries at her Edible Peddler trailer with Cynthia Aylesworth.

Gidget, Cecil, Prince, and Emmareighn Zapata at Hillbillyhip

Gidget at her Hillbillyhip vintage-clothing store with husband Cecil Zapata and their children Prince and Emmareighn.

Gil Kaufman crouches by a cut-up tree in The Snake Pit

Heathens biker Gil Kaufman crouches with a beer by a cut-up tree in The Snake Pit.

Gil Kaufman's motorcycle is parked in The Snake Pit

Gil Kaufman's motorcycle is parked in front of his house and a Volkswagen Beetle car in The Snake Pit.

Giles Douglas carries a surfboard on Topanga Beach

Giles carries a surfboard on Topanga Beach. A dog follows behind.

Giles Douglas sits on the railing of a Topanga Beach house

Ginger Snips appears in a California Cooler commercial

Ginger Snips Salon & Spa, across from Topanga Beach, appears as the fictitious, 1964, Malibu, hamburger restaurant "Louie's" in a still from a TV commercial for California Cooler (the first wine cooler). The interior was filmed at The Reel Inn.

Ginger Snips Salon & Spa ad, 1979

Ginger Snips Salon & Spa specialized in hair cuts, hair coloring, French braiding, permanent waving for men and women. It was located across from Topanga Beach at 18763 PCH. Malibu.

Ginger Snips Salon & Spa, Menu of Services, c. 2001

Ginger Snips Salon & Spa. "A Magical Oasis." 18803 Pacific Coast Highway. Malibu, CA 90265. (310) 455-2460. Menu of Services. Body. Hair.

Ginny Haynes hugs Cuba Gooding Jr. at Wylie's

Ginny Haynes hugs actor Cuba Gooding Jr. at Wylie's Bait & Tackle at 18757 PCH.

Ginny Haynes leans on the refrigerator at Wylie's bait shop

Ginny Haynes leans on the refrigerator at Wylie's Bait & Tackle at 18757 PCH. Around her are a net, reels, lures, fishing poles, and a beach chair.

Ginny Haynes smiles at the counter of Wylie's Bait Shop

Ginny Haynes smiles at the counter of Wylie's Bait & Tackle (18757 PCH), across from Topanga Beach. Above her are fishing poles.

Ginny Haynes talks with a customer at Wylie's Bait & Tackle

Ginny Haynes talks with a customer at Wylie's Bait & Tackle (18757 PCH). The store is full of gear like fishing poles, and oddities like coconuts sculpted into monkey's heads.

Ginny Haynes's house at 3991 Old Malibu Road is gone

Giant yucca trees grow behind Ginny Haynes's former house at 3991 Old Malibu Road. Only stone walls remain after the eviction of the Lower Topanga community by State Parks. A wetsuit lies in the street. The house previously belonged to Ginny's…

Girls use shovels to restore plants in The Rodeo Grounds

Girls use shovels while participating in native plant restoration in The Rodeo Grounds.

Girls walk by Norton Wisdom's car in the Snake Pit

Girls walk by Norton Wisdom's Volkswagen Karmann Ghia car in the Snake Pit. In the background is the Topanga Ranch Motel.

Girls walk in The Rodeo Grounds after a flood

Moonstar Greene (center) and friends walk in The Rodeo Grounds after a flood. A white bench and a car are stuck in the mud.

Girls write, "Be wild, be free!" on a wall at Topanga Beach

Girls graffiti in chalk, "Be wild, be free!" on a wall at Topanga Beach.

Glassy waves break by trees and bushes on Topanga Beach

Glassy waves break by trees and bushes on an overcast day at Topanga Beach.

Gold rings by Cy and Vera Wood

Gold rings by Cy and Vera Wood (CYVRA) depict a mask, a horse, and an Indian.

Golden sunlight illuminates the clouds at Topanga Beach

A surfer casts a long shadow as he walks to the Topanga Beach point. Golden sunlight illuminates the clouds in the sky.

Gordon Butcher painting, "Topanga Threads"

"Topanga Threads" painted by Gordon Butcher. This used clothing store in the Pine Tree Circle was owned by J. R. Ball.

Graffiti memorializes Thomas Dube at Topanga Beach

Thomas Dube (1951-2022) is memorialized in the Topanga Beach parking lot by a shrine of flowers, a candle, and graffiti on a bench that says, "Love and Memory, Tom Dube, 4-22-02." A homeless surfer, he died from a heart attack in his van at Zeros on…

Graffiti says, "Topanga," on a beach house foundation

Graffiti says, "Topanga," on a ruined concrete wall, the foundation of a demolished Topanga Beach house, near the intersection of Topanga Canyon Blvd. and PCH.

Graffiti says, "Topanga," on a ruined Topanga Beach wall

Graffiti says, "Topanga," on a ruined concrete wall from the 1923 Topanga Lagoon bridge. In the background are the Topanga Beach lifeguard tower and a beach access mat.

Graffiti says, "Topangry Locals," at Topanga Beach

Graffiti says, "Topangry Locals," on a lamppost in the Topanga Beach parking lot.

Grand Marshall Will Geer at Topanga Days

Grand Marshall Will Geer presides at Topanga Days. Penny Peterson is next to him in a blue dress.

In the background are Jan Moore in a blue shirt, and Michelle Christensen with blond hair under the "Topanga Days" sign.

In the foreground is…

Grandmother Oak Tree in Topanga State Park

Grant Rohloff carries Thea Armand across Topanga Creek

Grant Rohloff holds onto a rope and carries Thea Armand across Topanga Creek after the Rodeo Grounds bridge washed out in a flood. This is a still from a home movie by Scott Dittrich.

Grant Rohloff edits a surf film in The Rodeo Grounds

Surf filmmaker Grant Rohloff works on an editing machine at his house at 3719 Rodeo Grounds. On the wall are his photos of big waves in Hawaii.

Grant Rohloff hugs two half-naked women

Surf filmmaker Grant Rohloff hugs two half-naked women, Paris (raising a pipe) and Deborah, in front of Dr. Schweiger’s house and John Clemens's garden at Topanga Beach.

Grant Rohloff's Topanga Lane house floods

Grant Rohloff stands on the damaged deck of his Topanga Lane house as Topanga Creek floods.

Graph of Topanga rainfall data in inches, 1928-2009

Grass grows over an abandoned Jacuzzi at Brookside

Grass grows over an abandoned Jacuzzi at Brookside after the eviction of the Lower Topanga community by State Parks. The dirty water is brown and full of debris.

Gray family: Russ, Mae, Bonnie, Carole, Don, and June

Russ Gray (with nose to the grindstone) and his wife Mae with Bonnie, Carole, Don, and June.

Great Horned Owl fledgling bird

Greebe and Moommy surf club mascots

The mascots of the Greebe and Moommy surf club at Topanga Beach were a brass grebe's head and Bob Feigel's dog Moommy.

Greebe and Moommy Topanga Beach Surf Club sweatshirt

Before the Topanga Bombers, there was the Greebe and Moommy Surf Club, created by David H. Stern in 1962.

Members included Wes Armand, Bill Cleary, John Clemens, Alden Doseburg, Bob Feigel, Jim Fitzpatrick Sr., Jim Fitzpatrick Jr., Mike Gaughan,…

Greek fisherman John Foundoukos with a lobster on his leg

Greek fishermen at Topanga Beach

Greek fishermen at Topanga Beach.

1. Captain Spere Aneme [Speero Anegone] and partner Mike Leonadas [Mike Leonis] take a boat to their lobster traps.
2. Captain Spere throws back a baby lobster.
3. Captain Spere measures a lobster to see if…

Greenleaf Family House

Photograph of Greenleaf house - picture taken 1946 by Mary Greenleaf Myers

Greenleaf Family Outing

Photograph of Mable Greenleaf Robison, her mother Lucy Greenleaf, son Charles Robison, husband Will Robison, father Charles Greenleaf

Greenleaf Family Picnic

Photograph of Greenleaf Family picnic; Dolores Trujillo on horse

Greenleaf Family Portrait

Greenleaf Family Portrait Photo

Greg and Danny Morris

Greg and Danny Morris donate their playhouse to the Community House for a tool shed

Greg Jackson looks over the fence of a Topanga Beach house

Surfer Greg Jackson, shirtless, looks over the fence of a Topanga Beach house. His girlfriend Mary Richardson stands beside him.

Group Photo of 8 People

Black and white photograph of (from left to right) Polito Trujillo, unidentified, Francisco Trujillo, Dolores Trujillo, Aleja Trujillo Perkins, Jack Perkins, Manuela Trujillo

Guido Lamell leads the Topanga Philharmonic

Guido Lamell leads the Topanga Philharmonic in the annual benefit concert for the Topanga Cooperative Preschool.

Guitar-shaped swimming pool of The Malibooz

The guitar-shaped swimming pool on Entrada Rd. was built by John Zambetti. His surf band, The Malibooz, filmed the music video for their song “Hot Summer Nights" around the pool... one of the first videos aired on MTV.

Gun-toting Mary West picnics with her daughters

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…

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