The Palisadian-Post presents an homage to Will Rogers’ column, “Will Rogers Says,” with a column by Palisadian Jimmy Dunne—on life in the “greatest town in America.”
‘Fun Facts to Know and Tell about the Palisades’
As a tribute to our town’s 100th anniversary, here are a few fun stories to dazzle your friends with at your next cocktail party:
A “Dry” Town
For many, many, decades, alcohol was banned in Pacific Palisades. Ah Wing Young’s House of Lee opened in 1950 (the only place on the north side of Sunset)—and it was the only restaurant in town with a liquor license.
Behind those infamous beads of the Wing Ding Room, many decades of Palisadians ended up under the table with their spectacular Mai Tai’s served in a glass the size of a bowling ball.
It was a watering hole and place to belong for Lee Marvin, Steve McQueen, Jerry Lewis, Anthony Quinn, Joan & Peter Graves, Anthony Hopkins, and many more snappy stars and celebs.
Eucalyptus Trees
A lover of life, Abbot Kinney is the Ms. Rumphius of the Palisades—bringing and planting the majestic trees that signature our town. Abbot was a distinguished scholar and world traveler (not so easy then.) Falling in love with the trees in .Australia—he thought our climate in the Palisades was just right.
He even created a 20-acre forestry research farm and laboratory in Rustic Canyon to test if they’d make terrific medicinal oils.
He’s a reminder that mortality comes in many shapes and sizes.
Palisades was the home of the first “Westerns”
Ever hear of Inceville? It was a great film studio making America’s first westerns—right here in the Palisades.
It was film director Thomas Ince’s dream, on 18,000 acres up the hill from what is now Sunset and PCH. He had elaborate movie sets made all through the Lower Marquez area and in (what is now) the Highlands.
Pretend streets were created, and they built cottages and mansion sets, mimicking the look of countries all around the world—including a Japanese village and make-believe streets on the hillsides of Switzerland.
He hired thousands of American Indians for big battle scenes, with a plethora of horses and cattle for his cutting-edge films.
Cowboy Tom lived large in a whopper home in what is now Lower Marquez Knolls (where Marquez Elementary School is today).
In 1916, right when things were really cooking, a fire wiped out his studio sets and bank accounts. The ruins of the movie sets became a ghost town—just like you’d find in an old, abandoned town.
Chautauqua
The name of our beloved street? I would have guessed it was an early local Indian tribe. Nope.
At the turn of the 20th century, Chautauqua was a movement across the country of tented religious, intellectual and creative gatherings: the biggest starting on New York’s Lake Chautauqua.
Palisades’ founder Charles Scott chose the hills of Temescal Canyon to create not only a spectacular Chautauqua campground, but to build a community for Methodists in this idyllic land tucked under the oaks and sycamores.
Many of the meeting halls, stores and cottages from the Assembly Camp days are still along the trail up Temescal Canyon. So many of America’s most notable intellects, singers, painters, musicians, and scientists treated big crowds of early Palisadians.
Chautauqua was the prequel to “Ted Talks”—creating an intellectual and creative hotspot right here in our hometown.
The “Jets and the Sharks”
Two ‘couldn’t-be-more-different’ groups sure went at it in the Palisades’ earliest days.
While the religious, non-drinking and non-gambling Methodists were setting up camp on the west side of the Palisades, the wild-n-crazy Uplifters were hooting it up over in Rustic Canyon.
To the disgust of the Methodist leaders, right in their own backyard, The Uplifters was a huge social fraternity of fun-loving, booze-guzzling, art-loving business and showbiz guys that rode around on their horses and let some steam off back in their basement bar and man-cave clubhouse (where Rustic Canyon Recreation Center is now).
The Prohibition? What Prohibition. They built get-away cabins with secret beer halls and bars behind push-button doors, polo fields, a swimming pool, a trapshooting range and lots more.
The name “Uplifters” signified “hoisting a cocktail.” Members included Harold Lloyd, Walt Disney, Daryl Zanuck, Hal Roach, Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, and L. Frank Baum (“Wizard of Oz”). Baum created the group’s name, wrote them a theme song, and produced lots of shows for his pals.
Summing it up
Here’s the real story. About the most important person in the town’s amazing history.
You.
You’re the juice in the town. You’re the life full of promise and wonder. You’re what creates tomorrow’s chapters.
Go toast to that tonight at dinner—and tell everybody how absolutely fabulous you are.
Because you are.
Jimmy Dunne is modern-day Renaissance Man; a hit songwriter (28 million hit records), screenwriter/ producer of hit television series, award-winning author, an entrepreneur—and a Palisadian “Citizen of the Year.” You can reach him at j@jimmydunne.com.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.