Santa Monica History Museum

10/16/2026

Marx Jewelers was located at 1333 Third Street. This interior view was take in 1936. Outside was a clock with their name on it.

Standing below the clock is Santa Monica mayor Edmond S. Gillette (left). The other gentleman is unidentified. It could be the owner of Marx Jewelers.

Bill Beebe Collection (3.2.186) 1936 - interior view
Parrott Family Collection (2008.84.192), 1938 - clock

10/15/2026

Who remembers full service gas stations? 🚘This station has services for both gas and oil. It was on the corner of Arizona and 2nd Street.

We zoomed in on one of the photos to see what they sold there. Check out Bug-a-boo Moth Crystals - similar to moth balls, made by Socony-Vacuum Oil Company, which later became Mobil. These products had the red Pegasus logo on it.

Bill Beebe Collection (3.2.4823, 3.2.4824), 1941

10/14/2026

It's Free! We open Thursday 2pm-5pm and Friday-Sunday 11am-5pm. This is a small lobby exhibition on the 100 years of Santa Monica Hospital. While you're here, also check out our main exhibition, Roots & Branches, it too is ending soon - Nov 1st.

10/14/2026

Who couldn't wait to get the Montgomery Ward catalog to circle the toys and clothes we wanted? Montgomery Ward was located at 1318-1320 3rd Street.

Montgomery Ward started off as a mail-order business and later became a department store. Sears became a competitor and a location opened up in Santa Monica in 1947, designed by the architect Rowland H. Crawford. Sears is City of Santa Monica Designated Historic Landmark #62.

Bill Beebe Collection (3.2.4123, 3.2.4124), 1945

10/13/2026

10/13/2026

Have you seen the totem pole in Palisades Park? It was carved and painted by Chilkat Tlingit Indians of Sitka, Alaska and donated to Santa Monica in 1926 by J. Walter Todd.

It is located at the Northern most end at Adelaide Drive and it depicts a raven, a fish, a bear and a wolf.

How it looked in 1960 and in August 2026. Come see more Then & Now in our museum or on our website.

Outlook Collection (1998.1.853), 1960




https://santamonicahistory.org/then-and-now

10/12/2026

Keep Our Streets Clean, One Piece at a Time! 🗑🚯 In 1948, Carole Wright demonstrates throwing trash into a city garbage bin. Trash boxes were recently installed at 10 major intersections that year by the Public Works Department as part of a city-wide clean-up drive.

Let's keep this effort going!

Bill Beebe Collection (3.2.6751), 1948

10/10/2026

Looking for something to do with your kids? We have a Hands on History activity Saturday October 17th. Check out the event details on our Facebook Events page.

https://www.facebook.com/events/922606690545764/

10/09/2026

Here in Southern California, fire prevention during hot weather is critical. We thank the fire department for being here.

Circa 1900, the Santa Monica Fire Department used horse-drawn fire trucks.

The Merritt Jones Hotel, located at 127 Marine Street in Ocean Park, advertises on the side of the building that it is "Absolutely Fire-Proof".

Santa Monica History Museum Collection (1987.1.3), c1925 - Merritt Jones Hotel, c1925
Santa Monica History Museum Collection (36.2.2425), c1900 - Horse-drawn fire truck