These are some of my favorite images of the Biltmore Hotel that used to reside in Hermosa Beach…
This is an old postcard showing the “Biltmore Hotel” in the 1940s
Photos and captions taken in 1941 by Leonard August Horstman, Sr.
by Roger Horstman
As detailed by the Hermosa Beach Historical Society
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Attached are four photos taken in 1941 by my dad, Leonard August Horstman, Sr., when he first came to California. He lived on the Strand in Hermosa Beach for about two years. His apartment was on Strand St. between the pier and the Biltmore Hotel.
The caption reads, “This was taken from the roof of our apt. house, looking north. The big building is the Biltmore Hotel, the largest building in Hermosa. The street is Strand Street — 1941″. He took pictures everywhere he went. From Gettysburg to Mt. Rushmore (unfinished) to California. He would send them back to his family in Iowa. The attached photos were no exception. He wrote on the back of each photo so his parents would know about them. These were brought back to California along with many others in 1956.
The caption reads, “In front of our apt. on Sunday 2 weeks ago. These larger pictures were taken by the fellows from Texas — 1941.” |
The caption reads, “Here is the pier which is 300 feet from our front door. The dark spots on the beach are sea weeds left from the tide during the night and the white spots are gulls. This trash is cleared away every day from the beach. — 1941″
The caption reads, “The main street of Hermosa Beach taken from the pier. — 1941.”
Short biography of Leonard August Horstman Sr.
by his son Roger Horstman
Leonard August Horstman Sr. left Iowa in about 1939. He first went to Pennsylvania. He worked on the Pennsylvania turnpike as a grader operator. He took pictures of the Pennsylvania turnpike under construction, Gettysburg and Shippensburg. He went to visit and take photos everywhere he went. He wrote on the back of each one and sent them back to his parents In Iowa. After Pennsylvania, he went back to Iowa and then on to South Dakota to see Mt. Rushmore which was unfinished at that time. He really wanted to move someplace where it was warm all year so he came to California. He ended up in Hermosa Beach. He rented an apartment in the Ramona Hotel on Strand St. next to the Biltmore Hotel. He worked for a sash and door mill for a short time but business was slow. Things were picking up at North American Aviation due to the war so he hired on with them. He started working in assembly and was soon promoted to lead and on to supervisor. He lived in Hermosa beach about a year when he met his future wife. They were married in 1942. They moved to Redondo Beach shortly thereafter. He retired from North American Aviation (Rockwell Int. Rocketdyne Div) after 34 years.
Hermosa Biltmore – gambling equipment seized 1951
750 gamblers were routed, and equipment seized as police raided the swanky Hermosa Beach Biltmore. Hermosa Beach Officer Bill Hart, displays crap table, chuck-a-luck setup, and chips and cards taken in the raid. Photo dated: May 26, 1951.
