Rosemary Theatre: location #1

Ocean Front Promenade, north of Pier Ave. Ocean Park (Santa Monica), CA 90405
| map - approximate |

There were five different locations for the Rosemary, all within several blocks:

Rosemary #1: Ocean Front Promenade north of Pier Ave. - c.1910 - 1912 
Rosemary #2: Trolleyway between Kinney St. and Pier Ave. - 1912 - 1913
Rosemary #3: 6 Ocean Park Pier - 1913 - c.1919
Rosemary #4: 2946 Ocean Front Promenade - c.1919 - 1924
Rosemary #5: 3034 Ocean Front Promenade - 1924 - 1969

Opened: The first Rosemary Theatre opened c.1910 in the block north of Pier Ave. It was operated by the Raymond Amusement Co.

The assumption is that the theatre was on the east side of the Promenade. The west side of the block north of Pier was rather busy as it was occupied by the Casino right at Pier Ave., the Looff Hippodrome (a carousel) north of that, and then the Dragon Gorge Scenic Railroad. The Casino page has a number of images of this stretch of the Promenade but we seem to be lacking in views of the other side of the street.  

Closing: It was destroyed in the September 3, 1912 pier fire, which had started in the basement of the Casino building. The pier and much of the adjacent Ocean Park business district was a total loss. 

The Santa Monica Outlook of September 4, 1912 reported that "Northward from Pier avenue the destruction was complete and included...the Rosemary theater and apartment house..." A theatre farther north that was also destroyed was the Grand. It was at 2910 Ocean Front, on the west side of the Promenade.

In the 1912 Santa Monica city directory compiled by the Los Angeles City Directory Co. Raymond Amusement was listed as being at "Fraser Pier." There wasn't a listing for the Rosemary itself or the Rosemary Apartments. 

Rebuilding: The second Rosemary Theatre would be on Trolleyway (this stretch later renamed Neilson Ave.) north of Pier Ave. In the 1912 directory compiled by the Santa Monica Bay Directory Co. the Rosemary was listed as being on Trolleyway near Ashland. They wouldn't be there long. The third location would be in a new building out on the rebuilt Fraser Pier, opening in 1913.

Status: The Promenade no longer exists and Pier Avenue no longer goes through to the beach.

c.1911 - Looking south on the Promenade toward Pier Ave. Evidently we're a bit too far south to see the Rosemary. On the right it's the Casino and the Ocean Park Auditorium, both lost in the 1912 fire along with everything seen on the left. The card appears on the site Card Cow where they note that it has a January 1912 postmark.

1912 - A view looking south on the Promenade during the September 3 fire that destroyed the pier and business district. The flames appear to be coming from the Casino. This side of that it's the Looff Hippodrome (a carousel) and, nearest us, the entrance to the Dragon Gorge Scenic Railroad.

Thanks to Jeffrey Stanton for the photo from his extensive collection. It's one appearing with his fine article about Fraser's Million Dollar Pier, part of the terrific Venice History Site hosted on Westland.net. On his map of the Fraser "Million Dollar" Pier - 1912 the Casino appears as #5. 

1912 - Looking west on Pier Ave. toward the Ocean Front promenade during the fire. It's a photo from the Ernest Marquez collection appearing on the the Huntington Library website. Also see a view back a bit farther on Pier Ave. that's in the USC Digital Library collection.

1912 - A postcard view of the fire from the south that appears in the collection on the site Card Cow. That's the Ocean Park Bathhouse on the right. If you care to browse on the Card Cow site: Ocean Park | Venice | More cards of the area can be found on the Penny Postcards from California site: Santa Monica and Ocean Park | Venice |

2016 - Looking north to where the Rosemary's first location was on Ocean Front Promenade north of Pier Ave. Photo: Google Maps

More Information: So far there isn't anything more known about this first Rosemary location. See the listings at the bottom of the Theatres Along the Coast survey page for some Ocean Park history sources.

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