The Street Seen: Ocean Park Steam Laundry
2655 - 2667 Main Street @ Hill
Experienced laundry owners from Pomona, the Lorbeer Brothers build the Ocean Park Steam Laundry at Main & Hill in 1905. They continue to operate the laundry until 1932, when the laundry becomes bankrupt. The building is then used for retail stores, a community center, and a ceramics facility. It is demolished in 1973.
In 1905, the Lorbeer1 family of Pomona buys the old Ocean Park Laundry2 at Main & Hill. The Lorbeer Brothers3 already operate the Pomona Steam Laundry, the Ontario Laundry, and the San Bernardino Steam Laundry. Next to the existing 1-story wood frame old Ocean Park Laundry building, they build a $10,000, 2-story brick laundry building.4
As the Lorbeer Brothers are making these changes in Ocean Park, Alf Morris persuades the Lorbeer Brothers to also buy his Santa Monica Steam Laundry at 7th & Colorado.5 O.W Lorbeer, L.A Lorbeer, J.B. Lorbeer, S.E. Abbott,6 and Ernest Vieweger7 as directors form the New Venice Steam Laundry Company, with capital stock of $40,000, as a holding company for the two Santa Monica businesses.8
In 1905, J.B. Lorbeer9 moves to Ocean Park10 to oversee the operations of the New Venice Steam Laundry Company.11 While the new Main & Hill building is being constructed, to keep up with the rush of business, some of the laundry is sent to Pomona. The new Ocean Park Steam Laundry opens in January 1906. By 1914, the Lorbeer Santa Monica laundries employ 100 in summer, and 60 in winter.12
The Lorbeers acquire the property on 2nd St behind the Main & Hill laundry.13 After 1909 but before 1916, the laundry expands to 2nd St. In 1911, the Lorbeer Brothers sell their laundry plants in Pomona, Ontario, and San Bernardino.14 In 1914, they close the Colorado & 7th Santa Monica plant (with plans to open a dry cleaning operation there).
In 1923, laundry Ocean Park neighbors, upset about smoke from the laundry (from burning oil), petition the City Council to close the Main & Hill laundry. In 1925, a 5,000-gallon tank of hot water crashes through the roof when rotten timbers collapse - significantly damaging the rear (2nd St) of the laundry. In 1927, J.B. Lorbeer announces plans for a new Centinela & Pico laundry - “a model of efficiency of operation and beauty of design” with Francis D. Rutherford as architect.
In 1932,15 during the Great Depression, Santa Monica Steam Laundry becomes bankrupt.16 J.B. Lorbeer dies at his Ocean Park home in 1933.
The laundry building is then used for retail stores, a Sears Roebuck & Co. appliance repair depot, a jewish community center, and a ceramics manufacturing facility. Until 1973, when the building is demolished.
Today the site is occupied by the New Orleans Building (1979).
The Lorbeer family (brothers Charles Augustus Lorbeer and John Gottlob Lorbeer) is among the early settlers of Pomona. J.G. Lorbeer marries Emma M. Wickes and they have six sons and two daughters. After farming in Iowa, J.G. Lorbeer retires to Pomona. J.G. Lorbeer’s son, Olney Wickes Lorbeer (1862–1913), comes to Pomona in 1884 and in 1890, acquires the Pomona Steam Laundry from his cousin Charles Irving Lorbeer (1859–1916). J.G. Lorbeer’s son, Lewis Alfred Lorbeer (1867–1937), has a Pomona feed & fuel business, which in 1895 he sells and joins his brother, O.W. Lorbeer, in the laundry business. J.G. Lorbeer’s son, James Birney Lorbeer (1873 – 1933), comes to Pomona in 1898 and joins his two brothers’ laundry business.
In 1902, Rix Jordan, D.M. Young, LeRoy A. Baker, L.M. Garrett, and W.D. Neal incorporate the old Ocean Park Laundry Company with capital of $10,000. Jordan, Young, and Baker, principal stockholders, move from Los Angeles to Ocean Park to run the business. The newly built 1-story wood frame old Ocean Park Laundry opens at Main & Hill in 1903. The laundry becomes bankrupt in 1904, and its assets sold at a sheriff’s sale.
The three sons of J.G. Lorbeer, incorporate as Lorbeer Brothers in 1905 with O.W. Lorbeer (president), L.A. Lorbeer (vice-president), and J.B. Lorbeer (secretary, treasurer).
From at least 1910 to 1927, the Main & Hill laundry building contains the 5-unit Waverly Apartments (at 2661 Main St). The tenants are laundry workers. From 1910 to 1913, May Ratcliff (1881 - 1973), who is the laundry business office manager, along with two of her sisters, are Waverly residents. Ratcliff learns the laundry business and later becomes the long-term owner/manager of the Domestic Hand Laundry at 14th & Broadway.
Alf Morris’ Santa Monica Steam Laundry at 7th & Colorado has 100 employees. The Lorbeer Brothers buy the 3 lots and laundry equipment from Morris for $20,000. They plan to enlarge the 7th & Colorado plant and add new equipment.
Sylvanus Earl Abbott (1881 – 1914). Born in KS, Abbott comes with his family to Pomona. In 1905, he moves to Ocean Park to be assistant plant manager at the Lorbeer steam laundry. In 1906, Abbott is severely burned by the explosion of an oil burner at the Main & Hill laundry. In the same year, he marries Mary Jessamine Gillette (1882 – 1977). Abbott dies in 1914 (aged 32).
Ernest Frederick Vieweger (1880 – 1917). Born in CA, in 1900 Vieweger is the manager of the Pomona Steam Laundry. In 1905, he moves to Ocean Park to be vice president and assistant manager at the Main & Hill laundry. In 1906, he marries Pherol Edna Bradley (1888–1975) at the First Baptist Church on Main St - S. Earl Abbott is best man. In 1917, while driving laundry employee Ms. Emily Roy home, Vieweger’s automobile is crushed between two streetcars at Jefferson and Figueroa in Los Angeles. Vieweger dies (aged 37).
New Venice Steam Laundry Company holds the Ocean Park Steam Laundry (Main & Hill) and the Santa Monica Steam Laundry (7th & Colorado). The Lorbeer Brothers do business in Santa Monica as Lorbeer Brothers Steam Laundry, Ocean Park Steam Laundry, Bay City Steam Laundry, Venice Steam Laundry, and Santa Monica Steam Laundry. After they close the 7th & Colorado plant in 1914, they only use the name Santa Monica Steam Laundry.
James Birney Lorbeer (1873 – 1933). Born in Iowa, home-schooled J.B. Lorbeer wins a scholarship to Wheaton College. From 1892 to 1898, he attends college in Chicago. In 1898, he joins his brothers in their laundry business in Pomona. In 1905, he marries Wheaton College classmate Adeline Barker Churchill (1877–1971). J.B. Lorbeer moves to Ocean Park in 1905 to oversee New Venice Steam Laundry. He is a member of the Santa Monica Board of Education, a charter member Santa Monica Kiwanis Club, and a prominent supporter of the Methodist church. Dies at his residence on Bay St (aged 59).
J.B. Lorbeer’s residence at 527 Bay St is demolished in 1976 to make way for the Delfina Hotel.
Several Lorbeer relatives work at the Ocean Park laundry. J.B. Lorbeer’s brother-in-law, Amos Churchill Jr (1888–1960), an assistant manager at the laundry, lives with him on Bay St.
In 1914, Santa Monica Steam Laundry has 75 employees, Imperial Laundry (SM) 35, Nonpareil Laundry (SM) 25, Leader Laundry (V) 25, and Beach Laundry Service (V) 35.
The Lorbeers acquire lots 50 to 54 (Block Q, Santa Monica Commercial Co.) on Main St in 1905, and lots 22 to 26 on 2nd St in 1906.
Before the laundry is expanded, laundry employees occupy the existing housing on 2nd St. In 1912, laundry engineer Frank Driggers (1888 – 1951) lives at 2662 2nd St. Engineer George M. Pruitt (1861 - 1912) lives there from 1913 to 1915.
After selling their laundry interests in 1911, the Lorbeers buy commercial orange groves in Pomona. O.W. Lorbeer dies in 1913 (aged 51).
In 1932, the Santa Monica School Board divides the laundering of bath towels between two local laundries – Santa Monica Steam Laundry and Domestic Hand Laundry. The local laundries bid is 1.25 cents per towel compared with the 1 cent bid by Los Angeles laundries.
In 1928, the six laundries in Santa Monica and Venice are: Bay Cities Laundry (V), Beach Laundry Service (V), Crescent Soft Water Laundry (SM), Domestic Hand Laundry (SM), Pacific Soft Water Laundry (SM), and Santa Monica Steam Laundry (SM). By 1936, there are four - Santa Monica Steam Laundry closes in 1932, and Beach Laundry Service closes in 1933.
