Preparations Begin for the City's Centennial Anniversary

Back in 1912, little more than 600 people made up the population of Manhattan Beach. In the winter, most of the houses lay empty. The sewage system consisted of clay pipes and cesspools in every street. The pier, which would later be washed away by a storm, was made of wood. Red car train tracks serving four stops ran alongside a short sandy beach, dotted with wooden shacks. The landscape was bare and the community small, but on December 7th, Manhattan Beach became a city of its own.

Nearly a century later, Manhattan Beach City Council is preparing to celebrate the city's 100th birthday. A committee of 10 residents will be chosen to lead the festivities by contributing ideas, organizing events and fostering community participation. Acceptance of applications for the Centennial Celebration Committee is ongoing and can be found on the city's website.

Jan Dennis, a historian and former Manhattan Beach mayor who has written six books on the history of the city, has submitted her name for one of the positions.

"A community's history is not only their roots but their legacy," said Dennis, who served on the organizing committee for the city's 75th anniversary. "Everyone should be very proud to see the accomplishments of the city and what we've achieved in the last 100 years."

The Semisesquicentennial (whew!) celebration back in the late 80s included the largest community picnic in the city's history as well as the largest parade, ice cream socials, architectural tours, and a formal dance in December to honor the official incorporation of Manhattan Beach. Events could be similar for the Centennial anniversary, says Dennis, with a few additions. Dennis says she would like to see senior citizens more involved, perhaps sharing their memories of Manhattan Beach in the form of personal memoirs.

But planning a year-long party is a lot of work – and time is running out. Preparations for the city's 75th birthday took two and a half years, and the Centennial Committee will have a tighter timeline by almost a year. Dennis says she approached the city council in June to remind them that arrangements needed to get underway.

"None of us are going to be here for the next 100th anniversary, so we had better do it right," said Dennis.

In addition to time issues, the committee will also have to deal with a smaller budget. The city is dealing with a $2.5 million budget deficit for 2010, and little hope for better financial times ahead. More community organizations are going to need to chip in to keep the party going, says Dennis.

"It's very important to know your city's history," said Dennis. "It's fun. History is a wonderful eye-opener and sometimes disappointment. To me, it's well worth knowing and learning from it."