Ocean Beach Research Paper

Ocean Beach may be known for its stellar surfing and savory foods, but it is also known for its historic buildings and architecture. One notable building is the Kraft Building which was built in 1927 for medical purposes. It was owned by Fred Kraft and housed a drug store that contained a soda fountain downstairs. It was also occupied by the historic Seaside grill, which was claimed to have the best pies in town. Rumor also has it that Charles Lindbergh was a common patron here. He would sit and eat sandwiches before departing on his plane, the Spirit of St. Louis. There were also a couple of well-known hotels in Ocean Beach. The first is Hotel Plunge. “William Dougherty built the hotel in 1919 on the legendary site of the 1800’s shack of OB’s first …show more content…
Some of these athletes included Florence Chadwick who famously swam the English Channel, Faye Baird who was the first female surfer of San Diego, and various water ballet groups. In late 1919, Camp Holiday opened just across the street. The area contained bungalows that many visitors in OB would stay in. In 1927, residential apartments opened up. One late night in 1964, newlywed Joyce Swindle and her husband were shot on a walk close to the hotel. She is said to haunt the halls of these apartments, crying and searching for her husband. The apartments are still used today. “Some of Today’s residents say they keep the lights on in the old ballroom to “keep the ghost quiet.”” (Ocean Beach Tour Guide) Finally, there is Pearl Hotel. This hotel was the first to inhabit OB and was the only one for quite sometime. A few years after opening, the name was changed to the Newport Hotel and soon enough the hotel started to go downhill. In the 1970’s you could find the hotel occupied by Hell’s Angels, an infamous motorcycle group, and then subject to police raids in the 1980’s. Another historical building is the Strand Theatre. At this theatre, many people would come to view many silent films along