A Look Back -- Jerry Person
Jerry Person
Downtown Main Street has been the scene of many unusual street events
over its 98 years.
It has witnessed a US president riding down its sunlit ribbon of gold
and there was that jolly ol’ elf in his red suit riding in the town’s
Christmas parade.
But the biggest and strangest event of all happened in 1937.
Can you picture 300 cars in line driving down Main Street and each one
towing a trailer.
I’m not talking about those trailers you haul your aunt Maudie’s
refrigerator to the junkyard in, but a full house trailer that contains
everything you need -- bed, kitchen, bath, etc.
In 1937 the city was home to the first ever Pacific Coast Tourist
Trailer Convention and Merchants Industrial Exposition and Outing Show.
This huge 10-day affair began earlier that year when Chamber of Commerce
secretary William Gallienne sent out 5,000 invitations to house trailer
owners to bring their trailers here.
The event would be spread from May 28 to June 6, 1937.
As the big day neared, people from all parts of the nation began
driving into town towing their home on wheels.
The first to arrive was Mrs. W.J. Anderson from Washington
D.C.followed by trailers from Arizona, Ohio, New Jersey, Minnesota,
Florida, North Dakota and every other state in the union.
A Laguna Beach newspaper editor had toured the nation and he brought
his house trailer here from the Grand Canyon.
Downtown merchants Jack Robertson and Eve Druxman planned a fashion
show for the trailerites.
A 35-piece symphony orchestra was secured to play during the crowning
of the “Queen of the Trailerites” ceremony held at Memorial Hall. Day one
(May 28) began with the registration of the trailers at the chamber’s
office on 5th Street and Ocean Avenue. This was followed by a night
baseball game between the Huntington Beach Oilers and the Joliet Street
Orange at the city’s baseball field at Huntington and Joliet. There were
swimming and diving contests at the city plunge next to the pier and a
golf tournament at the Huntington Beach Golf Course.
Day two (May 29) began with a huge afternoon parade of house trailers
beginning at First Street and Pacific Coast Highway, from there it wound
its way up First Street to Orange Avenue and then Main Street. From there
the parade headed south on Main Street back to Pacific Coast Highway
where it turned west toward Sixth Street and up Orange Avenue and back to
First Street, ending up back where it began.
Leading this parade was Mayor Willis Warner followed by Chamber of
Commerce President Marcus M. McCallen, followed with a police and fire
escort, civic organizations, floats, bands, drum corps and, of course,
the long line of house trailers.
That evening there was a band concert on Main Street followed by
street dancing to the music of Jimmy Jeffries and his Hill Billy Band.
Day three (May 30) began with a golf tournament after church services.
Band director John Peterson led the Huntington Beach Municipal Band in a
concert at the beach grandstands and the day ended with evening campfire
events at the Sea Breeze Trailer Village and at the Municipal Trailer
Park.
Day four (Memorial Day) saw a big patriotic parade along Main Street
complete with Civil War and Spanish American War veterans, brass bands,
city officials, Sea Scouts and lots of young schoolchildren to bring
applause from the onlookers. The Municipal Band played patriotic airs to
bring a tear to the eye and a lump in your throat.
There were the usual long-winded speeches and an exhibit of life
saving at the city plunge given by Chief Lifeguard Bud Higgins.
Day five (June 1) Scott’s Theatre on Fifth Street was the scene of a
welcoming address by Mayor Warner.
During the welcoming ceremony, Edwin Murphy, vice president of the
American Trailer Assn. likened Huntington Beach when he stated that
“Sarasota Florida rolls in wealth from tourist trade and Huntington Beach
with its marvelous natural facilities, can become the Sarasota of the
west.”
If I had been there I would of stood up and told him that Sarasota
couldn’t come close to what Huntington Beach has here.
On the last day there were kayak races, band concerts and every type
of ocean sport events. When these ended and the event came to a close,
many trailerites remained here to enjoy our beaches and the rest headed
for home. Huntington Beach then settled down to relax until the next
event. We thought the latest surf contests were big, but this first ever
trailer convention of long ago makes those surf contests rather tame.
* JERRY PERSON is a local historian and longtime Huntington Beach
resident. If you have ideas for future columns, write him at P.O. Box
7182, Huntington Beach, CA 92615.
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