Did you know there is a giant sand dune in Manhattan Beach?
I forget how I learned about it, but the dune is basically what it sounds like: a huge mound of sand.
Apparently, the entire area used to be all sand dunes, and mostly unpopulated.
About 100 years ago, people began building small cottages on the sand to spend summer days. The only way in was via trolley. No paved roads reached Manhattan Beach.
These were just simple cottages stuck in the sand.
Over time, the desire to build an actual town took hold. The problem was all the sand. It would blow all around the streets and buildings into huge drifts.
One solution was to plow the sand dunes flat. According to the Manhattan Beach Historical Society's website, they spent 2 years doing just that.
But there was still so much sand that a large portion of it was sent to Hawaii. They were building a new beach called Waikiki Beach, and it had no natural sand. So sand was shipped there to create the beach.
Eventually, every sand dune in Manhattan Beach was covered with houses and stores. All except one.
To remember the dunes, they created a park. For a long time, it was just used by locals, mostly kids playing on the big hill.
Then word got out that it was a great exercise spot. This was late 90s or so. People began traveling from all over to run (or more often walk) up and down the huge hill. It became overrun.
The locals became sick of their neighborhood being taken over by workout fanatics. And fans of the dune itself complained as well.
So they decided to close the dune entirely. It sat for a few years.
The decision finally came in on what to do:
- Dune is free for kids and seniors
- Anyone else has to fill out a form online
- If you're one of the first 10 people, you get a time slot.
- You then give $1 to a pair of parks workers, and you're off.
Pretty good compromise, though I'm sure some lament the absence of the dunes themselves.
