Palos Verdes Archives - Etan Does LA

#181: Malaga Cove Plaza (Palos Verdes)

November 22, 2023

Malaga Cove Plaza was the first commercial center built in the first subdivision of Palos Verdes. Though its buildings span decades and architects, it all hangs together thanks to a uniform Mediterranean vibe.

#177: Point Vicente Lighthouse (Palos Verdes)

October 23, 2023

Commerce

The old keepers of the 1926 Point Vicente Lighthouse used to tell of a ghostly woman that would move across the walkway garbed in a flowing white dress. Though the "Lady of the Light" hasn't been seen since someone applied a fresh coat of paint in 1955, and no keepers have minded the beacon since the early 1970s, the Point Vicente Lighthouse is still an important navigational aid for ships heading into the Ports of LA and Long Beach.

#158 & #159: Malaga Cove Plaza Library & Farnham Martin’s Park (Palos Verdes)

June 20, 2023

Architecture

The Malaga Cove Plaza Library was the first dedicated library on the Palos Verdes peninsula. Dating from 1930, it's the work of Myron Hunt, and reflects the Mediterranean revival style that Hunt and the Palos Verdes Art Jury planned for the entire peninsula. Adjoining the library since the very beginning is Farnham Martin's Park, a formally landscaped oasis designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. with a multi-tiered fountain as its focal point.

#136: Villa Francesca (Palos Verdes)

January 31, 2023

Architecture

This lovely Mediterranean revival compound in Rancho Palos Verdes was the longtime home of Harry E. Benedict, one of the peninsula's early developers. Though the Great Depression prevented the completion of a planned mansion, the gate lodge and farmstead still stand as fine examples of renowned architect Gordon Kaufmann's work.

#118: Wayfarers Chapel by Lloyd Wright (Palos Verdes)

September 25, 2022

Architecture

Lloyd Wright's shimmering cliffside masterpiece of redwood, glass and stone gets more impressive with each passing year, as nature swallows it up. But Wright almost didn't build it! The story of how the Wayfarers Chapel came to be is almost as amazing as the building itself. Almost.

#109: Mirlo Gate Lodge Tower (Palos Verdes)

July 31, 2022

Architecture

This medieval-style tower was built in 1925 to house the gatekeeper of upscale Palos Verdes Estates. The history of the Mirlo Gate Lodge Tower tells us a lot about the development of the Palos Verdes peninsula, and it's a fascinating case study for how architects can create a unified aesthetic when planning a city.