A Look Back -- Jerry Person

Huntington Beach resident Arline Howard stopped in to see me about an

event she is planning that she thought I would be most interested in.

She was excited about the rededication of the first oil well in

Huntington Beach. Howard said it is important that we remember that oil

shaped what Huntington Beach is today, and I agree with her.

This is one event that you should take your children to and be part of

history.

At 10:30 a.m. May 24 in Peninsula Park, near Summit Drive and

Goldenwest Street, this monumental happening will take place.

Black gold has been so important here that before I tell you more of

Howard’s event, I’ll do a little history of one of Huntington Beach’s

Black Gold Days events.

The city held parades commemorating the oil days until World War II.

It then fell silent for five years, until 1946 -- the silver anniversary

of the discovery of oil in Huntington Beach.

In 1946, the city planned a three-day celebration that ran from Aug.

31 through Sept. 2 and called it a “romance in oil.”

Generalissimo Bill Gallienne headed the event committee that included

the city’s famous Twins Convention.

To kick off the silver jubilee, the city had a boat decked out with

bathing beauties and entered it in Newport Beach’s “Pageantry Under the

Stars” boat parade in August 1946.

A queen was selected from a group of high school girls for the Black

Gold Days at the Pav-a-lon by the pier. The winner for queen was

17-year-old Huntington Beach High School student Joanne Staal. She was

crowned queen at a ball held in the Pav-a-lon.

Lifeguard Bud Higgins proposed a nighttime swim around the pier for

men, women and kids. Higgins had two large searchlights mounted at the

bluffs to illuminate the night swimmers.

At the Pav-a-lon patio, the city had Macco Construction Co. build a

replica of Standard Oil’s well A-1, the first oil well in Huntington

Beach.

Melvin Strong of the Black Gold committee was placed in charge of the

kiddie’s pet parade held at the pier.

Larry Ferris, owner of Ferris Greater Shows, set up several carnival

rides, which included a Ferris wheel, baby autos, tilt-a-whirl, octopus

and a fun house.

The second day of the celebration included an air show and a parachute

jump. A magic act by the “Man of Mystery,” Leo Irby, featured the $25,000

Trunk Mystery.

The Southern California Twins contest came next with 106 sets of twins

entered. First prize for the oldest twins went to Ellen Teeter and Helen

Dubois, who were 90 years old. At 2 months old, David and Stephen Maxey

took the prize for the youngest.

Booth and Bubbles Richey won the most alike award, and Marian and

Martha Neff won for the prettiest twins.

On the last day of the Black Gold Days, the city held a great parade

along Main Street that included horses, floats, marching bands and a

Pageant of Progress.

The jubilee ended with a huge fireworks display.

All of this was a salute to that black ooze that sprang from

Huntington’s ground.

But today we have a chance to relive history at the rededication of

that first oil well in Huntington Beach. The program will include

members of the city of Huntington Beach, the city’s Historic Resources

Board, the Huntington Beach Union High School, Miss Huntington Beach

Randi Galbraith and past oilmen who will rededicate the original site of

Huntington Beach’s first oil well.

Howard has put together a program that includes former mayor of

Huntington Beach Norma Brandel Gibbs, who will speak on behalf of past

mayors of the city. Bill Holman will act as master of ceremonies.

Businessman Bill Morris will give a talk on the oil production of today

in Huntington Beach. Supt. Susan Roper of the Huntington Beach Union High

School District will give a talk on the history of our high schools.

Pioneer oilman Frank Rohrig will talk about the early days of the oil

boom. Galbraith will cut the ribbon to dedicate this huge event.

SeaCliff School will have 20 third-graders on hand to sing

“Oil--Oil--Oil.”

Bring your kids and grandkids. And teachers, this is a great

opportunity to bring your class so they can be a part of Huntington Beach

history.

The Huntington Beach Art Center will have an exhibit of old photos of

the black gold days of Huntington Beach in its art center, 538 Main St.

The exhibit will run from from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday to May 25.

A reception and panel discussion, hosted by the city’s Historic

Resources Board, will feature three oil pioneers -- Orville Hanson,

Russell Paxson and Edwin Tinsley. These men will tell the story of their

lives in the oil fields.

I hope all of you will attend both earth-shattering events. And to

Howard who dreamed up this event, well done.

* 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.