A LOOK BACK:Life is good here in Huntington Beach

Optimism swept America as the 19th century gave way to the 20th century.

Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, created pictures that moved and spawned the electrical industry.

Other inventors, like the Wright brothers, would show that powered flight could be achieved and motorcars would someday replace the horse as transportation.

It was a time when Americans from one coast to the other believed that nothing was impossible.

This American dream continued to be felt here in Huntington Beach despite the stock market crash of 1929 and the great earthquake of 1933.

When Thanksgiving Day came around just several months after the quake, many of our residents had something to be thankful for. This week, we’ll see just how several of our citizens regarded Huntington Beach during the holidays and their belief in its future.

Pioneer real estate agent and city councilman Tom Talbert, for instance, said everything is right in Huntington Beach. We have the climate, the beach, the richest backcountry one could ask for, the greatest highway (Pacific Coast Highway) — in fact, nature has given us everything, and it is a great privilege to live here.

Legendary parade organizer and chamber of commerce secretary William Gallienne held the belief that the outstanding thing about Huntington Beach for which we should all be grateful is its wonderful spirit of cooperation. .

Realtor “Boxy” Huston, a staunch Democrat, was thankful for a Democratic administration and was looking forward to having a cheery holiday.

Huntington Beach Co. Manager J. Sherman Denny felt Huntington Beach was all right and city officials should play up the beach, the pier and good fishing.

Willis Osborn, who for many years was the local agent in town for Pacific Electric’s red car line, pointed out that few people realize the wonderful healing powers of the sun’s rays here in Huntington Beach and that the greatest asset is the beach. In time, oil will run out, but the beach will remain forever.

Meat market owner Oscar Milbrat said he knew he had found paradise when he came here and would never leave

Huntington Beach Postmaster Ed Huston was grateful for a a modern post office for the residents.

Cecil Oliver, owner of the Coffee Cup Café, wished that the jobless rate would drop and the unemployed would find work.

Druggist Vic Terry thought that Huntington Beach was better than Portland or he would not have come back here to stay.

Another druggist, A.J. Steverson, thought Huntington Beach had the best sunshine anywhere.

Southern Counties Gas Co. foreman R.G. Miller had lived all over Orange County and found Huntington Beach far superior in hospitality.

Jennie Hubbard, who owned Royal Cleaners, thought the people of Huntington Beach made the city special. Security National Bank’s H.F. Rampton echoed that sentiment.

Southern California Edison Manager A.W. Frost looked forward to prosperity and his company participating in the good times that were on the way.

Roy K. Smith was of the mind that because the charity list had so few families on it that it would be a bountiful Thanksgiving for most.

Drugstore owner Baylor Butcher boasted that the weather’s best during the holidays on the coast and that people sometimes forget it’s better than the climate further inland.

Men’s clothing store owner Jack Robertson simply thought everything was all right in the city and planned to stay in Huntington Beach a long time.

Local hardware store owner Anthony Tovatt swore by Huntington Beach and preferred business here than in any other city.

Leonard Obarr, of Obarr Drugs, felt the same way. He thought Huntington Beach couldn’t be beat and that it was the class of people who lived in a town that determined its quality.

But Cliff King summed it up best when he said everything’s right with Huntington Beach and it suits him exactly.

Well, Cliff, it suits me exactly, too, even if I can’t afford the real estate down here.

I hope these sentiments of the people who once lived and cared for their town will remind us of how wonderful Huntington Beach can be.

At this time of thanksgiving, let’s remember there are still some who have little to be grateful for, and let’s pray that peace will come to everyone.

Happy Thanksgiving, and let’s be proud that some of us can live in paradise, a.k.a. Huntington Beach.