[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 23 (Wednesday, February 7, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E293]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HERMOSA BEACH TURNS 100

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JANE HARMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 7, 2007

  Ms. HARMAN. Madam Speaker, many congressional districts have fine 
beaches, but the town of Hermosa Beach in my district is the official 
birthplace of surfing in California.
  Originally purchased in 1900 by the Hermosa Beach Land and Water 
Company, the area consisted of little more than giant sand dunes and 
grain fields. It has since developed into a serene beach community with 
a population of over 18,000 residents, hundreds of shops, fine 
restaurants and a quiet, laid-back beach atmosphere.
  Hermosa Beach celebrates its centennial this year, and will observe 
this most important milestone with a series of events, including a 
ribbon cutting-ceremony for the newly expanded Museum of the Hermosa 
Beach Historical Society; a luncheon in honor of long-time Hermosa 
Beach residents; a car show displaying automobiles from each decade, 
and the on-going ``100 Acts of Beautification'' Project--chaired by 
Public Works Commissioner and former member of my staff Michael 
DiVirgilio.
  Hermosa Beach is the site of the Surfer's Walk of Fame, where the 
sport's pioneers and innovators are honored. I am a proud member of the 
Congressional Surfer Caucus and display my local ``Jane's'' surfboard 
in my Washington office. As the Beach Boys sang in 1963, ``Catch a wave 
and you're sitting on top of the world / Don't be afraid to try the 
greatest sport around.''
  Jazz music is also a key component of Hermosa Beach's culture. In the 
50's and 60's, the Lighthouse Cafe on Pier Avenue was the premier jazz 
club in the Los Angeles area. It attracted fans and performers from all 
over the world, including some of the foremost interpreters of the West 
Coast school of cool jazz like Chet Baker and Gerry Mulligan. The 
Hermosa Beach Jazz Walk is a living, breathing standing ovation to 
those legendary artists who enriched the region with their mellow 
sounds. This historic musical heritage is celebrated each year with the 
Annual Jazz Stroll Dedication and concert.
  But Hermosa Beach is much more than the sum of its remarkable parts, 
it is also home to many hardworking, talented and conscientious 
individuals and families. I am thinking of people like the kids from 
Hermosa Valley School--now college age!--who joined me in Manhattan 
shortly after 9/11 to present a memorial quilt at the New York 
Firefighters Museum, or civic leaders like retiring Mayor Sam Edgerton, 
Councilmember and former Mayor J.R. Revitzsky, the police and 
firefighters, and so many others whose thoughtful planning and vision 
have allowed the city to flourish year after year.
  It is an honor for me to represent this remarkable coastal community, 
and a privilege to celebrate 100 years of Hermosa Beach history.

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