Almost 100 years ago, one of the most iconic beaches in the country looked more industrial than picturesque.
Venice Beach in West Los Angeles used to be overrun with oil derricks just off its shores as beachgoers lounged and swam much like they do today. Smoke and steam covered the beach as the oil derricks ran without stop.
California has always been known for its oil industry, though it’s now much less talked about than modern-day Hollywood. In the early 20th century, the state was known as the country’s top oil producer.
Michael Mische, a management professor at USC and longtime industry consultant, told KTLA that oil’s history runs much deeper than tarnishing Venice Beach’s beach views.
“California is a state blessed with abundant natural resources, great weather, sunshine, terrific people, but the petroleum itself is millions of years old,” Mische told KTLA. “We know from historical documentation that Indigenous peoples used the tar for their vessels, for waterproofing, for commerce. Later, Spanish explorers used it to repair their ships.”
The Venice Beach of today couldn’t be more different. The tall palm trees and boardwalk border the beach with restaurants, bars and shopping easily accessible.
“It was surreal. There were sites in mid Los Angeles, Fairfax, Beverly Hills and South-Central L.A.,” Mische told KTLA. “Originally, the oil ports were in Ventura and Santa Monica Bay between modern-day Santa Monica and Malibu. Eventually everything shifted to Long Beach because that’s where the big fields were.”
Los Angeles, a historically blue city, has been known for its green policies no longer favoring oil. But the derricks, oil rigs and other oil and gas producers still contributes more than $300 billion annually to California’s economy and supports more than 500,000 jobs, according to the Western States Petroleum Association.
But nowadays, the sites are well-hidden. Including in Venice Beach, where they aren’t as visible as they once were.
“In Beverly Hills, for years people drove past Beverly Hills High School and saw what looked like a decorative clock tower. It was a concealed oil derrick,” he said. “We’ve made them more visually appealing, but they’re still operating.”
