From mud flats to something more

Virginia E. Lopez

Mud Flats.

Dredge and fill yourself.

$45,000.

Tempting real estate offer, huh?

Back in 1904, oil millionaire, W.K. Parkinson must have seen

something in that offer that no one else did.

He accepted this offer from the Southern Pacific/Pacific Electric

Railroad.

Parkinson envisioned those “mud flats” as an island -- an island

capable of rivaling those of the Mediterranean area, from the red

tile roofs built around patios and stradas, to the familiar resort

city names of Barcelona, Genoa, Nice, Ithaca that were added to the

street signs.

Parkinson spent $250,000 to raise the flats nearly 11 feet to

create the “island” of Lido.

But despite it’s grandiose plan and beautiful sounding names, Lido

Isle remained stagnant in its growth until about 1935, when Paul A.

Palmer became general sales agent for the Griffith Co.

The Griffith Co. owned most of the island -- by then Parkinson had

gone bankrupt. The company gave Palmer the exclusive sales contract

to Lido Isle.

“Pappy” Palmer is credited for the growth of Lido. It was said he

could be seen busily trying to sell lots on the lonely sandpit. The

first houses were built in the 1930s.

In 1935, 45-square-foot lots were advertised at $1,195. You could build a home at about $2.75 a square foot.

The Griffith Co. was responsible for additions such as the

shopping center that included Vido Lido Plaza, Richard’s Market, the

Lido Theater and Vincent’s Drug Store.

During WWII a large tower on top of the Lido Clubhouse was manned

each night as locals watched out for enemy planes.

Fourteen-year resident Roger Osenbaugh said there have been

numerous famous residents come and go. Some he remembered were Joey

Bishop, Hoagy Carmichael, Tyrone Power, Don Drysdale, June Allison,

Jane Wyatt, Eleanor Parker and most recently, hockey star Sergei

Fedorov.

Osenbaugh related stories from friends Marion Pickens and Mel and

Annie Grau who told of the first mayor of Lido who would row across

the bay each day to take her children to the elementary school.

The community now has about 850 homes, but they cost a bit more

than $2.75 a square foot.