Our rural past — farming in Torrance

Posted on November 15, 2008 by lmharnisch
Torrance1
 By Russ Parsons

You would hardly know it today, when South Bay towns like Torrance and Gardena
seem composed of little but suburbs and strip malls, but it wasn’t so
long ago that this broad, flat plain included some of the choicest
agricultural land in California.

Beginning
in the 1880s (even before if you count the cattle-running ranchos) and
continuing until as recently as the 1950s, there were thriving farms
producing strawberries, beans, sugar beets and dairy cattle, among many
others.

Torrance author Judith Gerber beautifully captures this history in
her new book "Farming in Torrance and the South Bay," part of the
wildly popular "Images of America" series run by Arcadia Publishing.

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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times
This entry was posted in Animals, books, Food and Drink, Real Estate. Bookmark the permalink.

2 Responses to Our rural past — farming in Torrance

  1. Steven's avatar Steven says:
    November 15, 2008 at 5:50 am

    Love your blog! I grew up in Manhattan Beach during the 40′ and 50’s and as a 7 year old, I had a paying job; feeding the neighbors pig for 25 cents a week. That was the same year that our second grade class took a field trip to the small commercial dairy in Manhattan Beach. I have a feeling that the city fathers have ordinances in place now that would prohibit dairies and hogs…

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  2. Sam Flowers's avatar Sam Flowers says:
    November 15, 2008 at 9:45 am

    Arcadia Pub. has produced these books for many museums, authors and organizations. They are great, I have several on subjects that interest me and am always looking for others. A great service to historical interested people.

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