Signs of the electric red car line that ran through Seal Beach and Sunset Beach can be seen in the coveted greenbelts that have been preserved as neighborhood open space.
The Pacific Electric, also known as the Red Car system, was a privately owned mass transit system in Southern California consisting of electrically powered streetcars, light rail, and buses and was the largest electric railway system in the world in the 1920s. The Red Cars declined when the age of the freeways was ushered in. However, their glory days are remembered in the Red Car Museum on a portion of the greenbelt next to the Mary Wilson Library at 707 Electric Avenue and visible from the corner of Main Street.
The museum is housed in the red Pacific Electric tower Car No. 1734. It was built in 1925 and now serves as the museum headquarters. It was once a roving machine shop sent out to troubleshoot problems along the 40-mile Pacific Electric LA-Newport Line and operated for almost 50 years until 1950. The museum houses historical photos, documents and displays of Seal Beach’s past. It also has sea shells and Indian artifacts collected locally and a reference library of local history with detailed regional maps.
The Seal Beach Historical and Cultural Society invites the public to celebrate the 42nd anniversary of the Red Car Museum from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Aug. 24. There will be a dedication at 2 p.m. of the new museum bench donated by the historical society, with a ribbon cutting by Seal Beach Mayor Gary Miller, followed by cake and refreshments. There will also be five historical society member authors on hand performing book and DVD signings at 11 a.m.
They will also honor this year’s Historical Man and Woman of the year for the Seal Beach Historical Society, Bill Ward and Virginia Burrough. The Seal Beach Historical and Cultural Society is a non-profit organization, founded in 1971, headed by PresidentMarie Antos.
