Dana Graham

History & Current Events Category

Portuguese Bend Estates?

Huh?  Portuguese Bend Estates?  I’m guessing you’ve never heard of it or, if you have, it’s not where you think it is.  When I first heard the name I assumed it must be what is now the Portuguese Bend Club or the area behind the gates at Narcissa Drive and PV Drive South.  At the same time that the better-known early housing developments were going in on the Hill – Grandview, Rocky Point, etc – there was also one being...Continue Reading!

July 2020 Newsletter

 Dear Neighbor: I’m sure real estate is all you’ve been thinking about the past few weeks, right?  No?  Well I have, and how to get houses sold given the [ahem] current situation.  This is when having been in this business 35 years helps.  While challenges and roadblocks periodically appear, they also have in the past, and knowing how to work around them for the people who need to sell in times like this is why my clients appreciate me.  I don’t...Continue Reading!

Articles I’ve Written on Palos Verdes History

Click on these links to view my recent articles on Palos Verdes history. Post-War Development in Palos Verdes:  Bygone Times at La Venta Inn:  Driving Around Palos Verdes in the 1920's and '30's: About Palos Verdes:    Continue Reading!

Things You Always Wondered About Palos Verdes

I wrote this in 2007, but to make it easier to find, I've moved it to the top of the heap: A lot of things have happened in Palos Verdes during my 77-year residency some of which, distressingly, are now ancient history. I see a lot of misinformation on websites by realtors attempting to portray themselves as Palos Verdes experts, but I am here to say that I witnessed most of the following myself and this is how it was.  I am...Continue Reading!

May 2016 Newsletter

May, 2016   Dear Neighbor: The real estate market continues to be quite active.  The value of your house has definitely increased since the first of the year.  I’ve got a couple of new listings that were scheduled to hit the market as I write this, but one of them, 2108 Via Visalia, PVE, sold before it came out.  Another, 28336 Lunada Ridge, RPV, I mentioned before as coming out soon, is also in escrow.  The ink is still wet on 27100 Sunnyridge...Continue Reading!

The History of Palos Verdes (straight from those of us who lived it)

Just out on You Tube is a fascinating history of Palos Verdes Estates as told by those of us who lived thru it.  You'll see many faces and places you recognize, including me.  Sorry, this link is down for some reason -- it's being investigated.      Continue Reading!

The Other Reasons Japan Lost the War

I gave this talk yesterday at Malaga Cove Historical Society and will give it again July 9 for Peninsula Seniors.  Hope to see you there.  Here is the link to it on YouTube: Continue Reading!

The History of Neighborhood Church

As one of the few living people from the early days, I am often asked to speak on the history of this Palos Verdes Estates landmark.  It helps that my parents were heavily involved in the Church from their arrival in 1947, including my arrival later that year. Here is the link to that speech, which will be airing on local Channel 33: http://youtu.be/6ihW8ti20roContinue Reading!

When Nice Doesn’t Get It

This was actually written Sept 15, 2012, but I had to back-date it. Thomas Jefferson, though over-rated in my humble opinion, is definitely one of the better Presidents in US history.  His foreign policy was, however, not the best.  If more people were taught or studied that history, we might avoid some of the problems we seem to continually run into.  I'm referring specifically to North Africa at the moment. Prior to the American Revolution, the Colonies' not inconsiderable merchant marine enjoyed...Continue Reading!

Light Rail in Palos Verdes

Say what?  No, this is not some new scheme to bring light rail to Palos Verdes.  Actually, it was in the original plan for the City.   Everyone is familiar with the Red Cars that ran from downtown LA to San Pedro up until the early 1950's (my father used to ride them to work and back), but Palos Verdes was once slated to have its own system.  Like some other of the original ideas, it ran afoul of the Great...Continue Reading!