|
E-mail questions,
comments, and suggestions to |
|
|
THE BUZZ THIS MONTH!
September marks our eleventh edition of the Torrance Centennial eNewsletter! Kicking of the month is a Centennial Celebration MusicConcert at First United Methodist Church-- an afternoon of choral and instrumental music on September 9th at 2:30 p.m., with reception to follow in El Prado Park
ON SEPTEMBER 16TH will be the long awaited and no doubt an exciting event, the Hometown Parade | Time Capsule and Centennial Plaza Dedication at El Prado Park.
The Plaza has been partially funded by you, our community with the purchases of the Commemorative Centennial Bricks. We're sure you'll be there for the Parade at noon and Ceremony at 2:00 p.m.  to join your neighbors. Both the residential and business community will come together to celebrate our Centennial in a fantastic event. During the event, many of our wonderful downtown restaurants will be open for business with specials just for you. To see the parade route, click here.
 The Western Museum of Flight will host an Open House on September
15th. The Museum offers an inside look at completed and in-progress aircraft restoration projects. The collection includes numerous Warbirds, aircraft and target drones, piston and jet aircraft engines, aircraft components, aircraft ejection seats, World War II instruments, aircrew accessories, and an extensive model aircraft collection.
On September 19th the South Bay Cities Genealogical Society presents "Who Do You Think You Are?" The Society is Looking Back with the Post Family, Honoring the Present with the Scotto's, and Moving Forward with Michael Shafer.
Finally, Moonlight Magic on Madrona Marsh: A Fundraising Celebration on the Preserve in the Moonlight, is on September 29th. The event includes dinner, music, auctions, dancing, and laughter.
Although the deadline to purchase a Commemorative Personalized Brick has passed to be installed before the dedication, you can still be part of the Centennial Plaza and El Prado Park. Purchase today and your Brick will be installed with the more than 800 following the dedication this month. Your support will offset the actual cost of construction and you will be forever a part of Torrance history.
JARED SIDNEY TORRANCE AWARD OF MERIT
Established in 1984 and given by the City Council to citizens who have continuously served the community through a lifetime of leadership and dedication. Click To See List as a (PDF)>>
And don't forget, now is your chance to enter the weekly Where's Jared Photo Location Contest?  Each Monday, by 9 a.m. a new photo will be posted here. All you will need to do is figure out where the picture was taken, and then sends an email to Centennial@TorranceCA.Gov with your best guess. We will accept responses until Sunday, at 5 p.m. Winner(s) will be notified via email no later than Monday at noon. For contest rules, click here. Prizes include your choice of a Centennial T-Shirt, a Women's Visor, or (2) Tote Bags. There's still time to enter this week!
 Closing out, we've got Centennial programs on-demand produced by our very own CitiCABLE.
 September features: Tour of Old Historic Homes - The Ashurst House, The Stone House, The Kelsey House, Torrance Flower & Tree, Employee Variety Show - The Centennial Edition, and the Hometown Parade | Time Capsule and Centennial Plaza Dedication at El Prado Park, and much more! See the debut of each new program on Thursday's at 7 p.m. You can go to TorranceCentennial.Org/ or TorranceCA.Gov/CableTV/23738.htm.
Donna Duperron
Editor-in-Chief
|
Celebrate the past, present, and future of Torrance by coming to the Downtown Torrance Centennial Parade! Parade will begin at Noon on Post Ave. south of Cravens.
Continue the Celebration!
Following the Parade at 2 p.m. will be the Time Capsule Ceremony and Dedication of the NEW Centennial Plaza at El Prado Park! Join us for this historical event!
|
|
EVERYONE LOVES A PARADE!
Submitted by Sue Herbers, Torrance City Clerk & Torrance Centennial Committee with special thanks to Michael George, Torrance Reference Librarian
Torrance has always had an affinity for parades, fiestas, rodeo days and celebrations for almost anything.
One of the first events was the entry of Torrance in the precursor of the Tournament of Roses when the Wanda Stacowitz, daughter of a Torrance blacksmith rode in the 1914 Pasadena Parade.
On March 29, 1929 a full page ad in the Torrance Herald invited the public to a "spectacular torchlight parade" with everyone invited to bring automobiles to Cravens to see the "GOLD SWITCH" as the city was to be flooded by lights connected by Mrs. Jared Sidney Torrance. A street dance followed.
In 1954 the Torrance Mounted Posse who had been riding in area parades had its debut riding color for the Clyde Beatty Circus down Post Avenue.
From 1938 to the 1950s the annual Factory Frolic brought people together for old-fashioned fun with the entire community involved with some part of it. The September 26, 1940 Torrance Herald printed an eight page official souvenir edition for the Third Annual Factory Frolic that highlighted parades, exhibits, sports, barbecue, concession and nightly dances for the three day event. The details can be found when you look up the date under the Historic Resources and Directories.
Holidays were great times to have parades as well. Christmas brought a little bit of the North Pole to downtown Torrance where there was a hot line to the elves for special orders, courtesy of the downtown merchants. The Torrance recreation department also sponsored an Easter Baby parade, the first of its kind!
On August 11, 1956 the parade was from downtown Torrance to the new City Hall and Civic Center at the corner of MapleAvenue and Torrance Boulevard. A water festival, rodeo, and dedication of a War Memorial presented to the city by the Junior Chamber of Commerce were part of the events at the end of the parade.
A large, and by reports, very chilly parade was held to commemorate the award of All America City to Torrance in January 1957. The Torrance Area Youth Band** participated as well as each of Torrance schools with an official representative pupil in the parade from each one of the then 20 schools.
In 1960 Mayor Albert Isen and the Torrance Chamber of Commerce organized a parade for those who served in the National Guard. Over the years it has become one of the only continuous parades recognizing the members of all of our Armed Forces held in May of each year. Click to view Armed Forces Day Past Grand Marshals.
Join us this year to cheer on the alumni of the Torrance Area Youth Band as they march in the Torrance Centennial Parade on Sunday, September 16.
 Check out Leadership Torrance's Our Torrance Photos Grand Prize Winner in the People Category Jim Murphy Parade Photo Year 1949 or 1950
"I was about 4 or 5 when we were in this Torrance parade. Torrance Factory Frolics Parade going east on Cravens at El Prado."- Jim Murphy
|
|
WHAT SEEMS LIKE A LONG TIME AGO!
From the September 26, 1940
Torrance Herald
During the past week 76 more boys and girls enrolled in Torrance schools, according to survey of enrollment figures made at the five institutions yesterday. The total number of children now attending schools here is 2,201 as compared with 2,125 who enrolled on the first day of the new term, Sept. 16. Torrance high school gained 20 for a total of 847, the elementary school took in 38 more for 816, Fern street gained 13 for 303, Walteria added ix for 111 and the Perry school in North Torrance lost one.
TORRANCE CENTENNIAL TIME CAPSULE
AUGUST 2012
The Centennial Committee asked for ideas and suggestions. People, places, events, photos and documents were found to represent the past and present of the City of Torrance and were chosen to go in the Time Capsule to be buried on Sunday, September 16, 2012.
Come join your friends and neighbors for the Torrance Centennial Parade stepping off at 12:00 noon and stay for the dedication of the Torrance Centennial Plaza at 2:00 p.m. at
El Prado Park in Downtown Torrance.
Some copies of what was placed in the capsule may be found in the City - online at the City of Torrance website, the Torrance Historical Society Museum, future exhibits in and around the City. You can still share your history for the future viewing - contact or visit the Torrance Historical Society to see how. Read More (PDF)>>
|
We are very excited to offer you new information each month on activities and events related to the rich history of our great City of Torrance.
Each edition will feature not only little known factoids about Torrance, but what's happening next in the year-long activities planned to celebrate the first 100 years.
Finally, I want to encourage you, your family, friends and neighbors to join us in our year-long celebration. This is a once-in-a-life-time opportunity. To learn more about the Torrance Centennial celebration, visit our website at www.TorranceCentennial.Org where you can discover our events and activities as well as purchase Centennial merchandise.
|
|
