Hank Ridder shaped Long Beach through bold risk and civic grit
Hank Ridder arrived in Long Beach in 1952 and transformed a pessimistic city with oil wealth challenges into a hub of culture and growth. He championed hospitals, art, theater, and shoreline plans, pushing government cooperation and enduring newspaper influence. His legacy endures beyond his 1960s era.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Hank Ridder
Long Beach
St. Mary's
Queen Mary
West Beach
Hach
Letters to the Editor voices on politics and education
A collection of letters to the editor includes Rita Murphy from Seal Beach challenging outside intervention in Northern Ireland, Gustatis of Lakewood praising English bosses, Bill Bledsoe of Long Beach attacking Carl Wallace’s integrity, and AnaheIm resident Velma Barber rebutting a local sex education editorial. The page reflects local reaction, civic concerns, and schooling debates.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Nixon
Northern Ireland
Southern Ireland
Los Angeles
England
Long Beach
Lakewood
Gustatis
Anaheim
Velma Barber
Folster
Winnte
Housing needs and priorities under the Nixon plan
Washington editors argue the Nixon Administration must set housing priorities to meet a projected 26 million new units and 46 billion dollars in mortgage money by 1975. The piece stresses urgent reform of local building policies to enable large scale housing construction in the coming decade.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington
Instant housing: a new mass produced home era begins
A broad revision of labor practices in building and a new mass production approach spark an instant housing industry. Government budgets, off site fabrication, and portable factories promise quick, affordable homes, with unions and major firms backing rapid prefab construction despite land and material costs.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Nixon
Mars
National Carpenters Union
New York
Auto Workers Union
Walter Reuther
Books in Brief: The Arab People and Saints in Marching Out
In a compact shelf review two titles are noted. Sir John Glubb’s A Short History of the Arab People profiles Bedouin origins and a sweeping empire from the Atlantic to China. Charles Merrill Smith’s When the Saints Go Marching Out mocks holy figures while exploring their credentials.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Sir John Glubb
Stein and Day
Arabia
Atlantic
China
John Glubb
Saints
Charles Merrill Smith
Doubleday
Charles. Merrill Smith
Sidewalk Senate Names and Payday Trades in Street Interview
Frances Altwiler and Judy Wyatt discuss money belts, shopping, and leisure as locals from Bixby Knolls share payday pains. John Hall notes irregular pay while Don Kirkland and Greg Halstead reveal frugality and nickel crunches. Residents joke about weekly money gaps and needed tips.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
John Hall
California Leads New Crime War
The president’s advisers pushed a “New Federalism” label for crime programs, but Nixon reportedly rejected the tag as unfamiliar to the public. The piece notes fears labels affect public perception during the Law Enforcement era.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
California
Nixon
Federalism in action under LEAA grants across states
The article praises the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration for swiftly distributing 18 million dollars for planning and approving state projects. California leads with a 24 volume plan, while other states pursue programs in juvenile delinquency, police training, and communications. Direct federal grants reach fourteen cities including Detroit, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Chicago, plus academic fellowships for police studies. The piece notes potential waste but frames the effort as federalism enabling states to manage their own choices and mistakes.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Department of Justice
LISAA
Congress
Law Enforcement Assistance Administration
Vederal Giantsan-Aid
Charles H. Rogovin
LEAA
California
American Samoa
Alabama
Iowa
Idaho
Maine
Ohio
Arizona
Minnesota
Nebraska
Texas
Nevada
Colorado
Alaska
Rhode Island
Georgia
Detroit
Dallas
Los Angeles
Chicago
Quotes on power and politics from notable figures
Excerpts feature McGeorge Bundy James Rouse and George Kennan offering sharp views. Bundy criticizes Washington influence while Rouse touts a $2 billion city near Baltimore. Kennan notes the fading unity of the Communist bloc.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Washington
McGeorge Bundy
The
Ford Foundation
James Rouse
Baltimore
George Kennan
U.S
Soviet Union
Yugoslavia
Also Mentioned on This Page
Hank
Seal Beach
Rita Murphy
Joé Maldonado
Carl Wallace
Wallace
Bill Bledsoe
Independent, Press-Telegram
Richard Wilson
George Romney
Romney
Morgan Guaranty Trust Co
Morgan
Akron
Austin
Tex
Assn
Milllion
Harry
Frances Altwiler
Judy Wyatt
Don Kirkland
Bixby Knolls
William Phillips
Greg Halstead
Jerry Spangler
James Skilpatrick
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!