The Street Seen: Water (Early Years)
Ocean Park
This is the first in a series about water supply in Ocean Park. We begin with the early years in the period from about 1875 to 1900.
Water supply is essential for development - subdividers need water to sell the land. Often the subdividers are “land & water” companies. They don’t expect to make money on the water – they are selling the land, and the water part of the company is often separated off later. The water is for domestic, irrigation, and later for firefighting. In addition to the water, infrastructure (including pipes, reservoirs, and pumping stations) is needed.
Santa Monica Land & Water Company (1875)
Robert S. Baker and John Percival Jones found Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Land & Water Company. San Vicente Springs water is collected in two large open reservoirs (artificial lakes).
Lucas Ranch (1875)
Water is supplied to the Lucas Ranch by a windmill pumping artesian water to an elevated tank from a 90ft deep well on the Lucas mansion property.
Kinney & Ryan (1895)
Although within the 1886 corporate limits of Santa Monica, Ocean Park has not been supplied with water by the municipality. Kinney and Ryan pipe their own well water supply to their beach tract.
Ocean Park Water Company (1896)
The Vawters supply water to the Lucas Ranch properties in the hills east of Main St from wells at Highland & Ozone and pump to a 50,000-gallon tank at 4th & Marine.
Kinney & Dudley (1900)
Ryan dies in 1898 and Dudley becomes Kinney’s new partner. Kinney and Dudley Water Works and Pumping House is located on Main Street (near Ashland). Consists of two wells to 50 ft with a gasoline-powered pump to two 10,000-gallon tanks elevated 32 ft above Main St.
Fraser & Jones Water Co (1902)
In 1902, Dudley sells her half interest in the partnership to Fraser, Gage, and Merritt Jones. Fraser and Merritt Jones take over the Kinney & Dudley Water Works. The Fraser and Jones Water Co adds a 25,000-gallon tank at Ashland (formerly Joy) west of Neilson. In addition to their beach tract, the Fraser and Jones Water Co also serves the Central Beach tract and the Hollister & Wadsworth tract.
