The Street Seen: Crescent Bay Park
2000 Ocean Avenue Between Bay & Bicknell
CORRECTION
After further research if seems that Carl F. Schader did not donate the land for the park. We are working on a revision. Back soon.
Crescent Bay Park, established in 1911, is a 2 1/4 acre City of Santa Monica recreation park, located south of the Santa Monica Pier, west of Ocean Avenue between Bay & Bicknell.
The park has also been referred to at various times as - Seaside Park, Sunset Park, Southside Park and Crystal Beach Park.
The two grassy areas are separated by a steep slope, creating a bi-level park: (i) upper level with gazebo (band stand ?), benches and ocean view; and (ii) lower level with a pergola.
Most of the property for the park was donated to the City in 1910 by real estate developer Carl F. Schader. Schader purchased the former Arcadia Hotel beach front property immediately south of the Santa Monica pier. Here he intended to “remake Santa Monica” with his Vicente Terrace and Seaside Terrace subdivisions.
Schader, seeking to improve his development, donated the Crescent Bay Park property to the City with the conditions that it be forever a public park, and that the City construct a band stand, a public sun parlor (the pergola) and a concrete side walk.
Battery powered, electric tram service on Ocean Front Walk between Venice and Ocean Park began operation in 1916. By 1920, the trams ran between the Venice Pier (passing the Ocean Park Pier and the Crystal Pier) to the Santa Monica Pier.
Crescent Bay Park is part of the National Register of Historic Places listed Bay Street Beach Historic District - a public space which served as a primary seaside recreation and leisure site for African American Angelenos during the Jim Crow era.
