Southern California is a stunning destination that is packed with beauty and history. Whether you are born and raised in SoCal or you are simply visiting this slice of paradise on the West Coast, it's fun to discover all the amazing hidden gems that are tucked inside this part of the Golden State.
For example, this majestic casino located on Avalon Bay in Catalina Island is one of SoCal's most stunning pieces of architecture. With a circular structure that's surrounded by water on three sides, this beauty is worth a visit in person. Here's a closer look:
Although the name implies that it is a place for gambling, the Catalina Casino is actually named after the Italian word casino and translates to "a gathering place."
Comprised of a movie theater and a ballroom on the inside of the casino, the Catalina Casino is just as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside.
Spectacular to see during the daytime and dazzling to see at night, a trip to SoCal isn't complete without making a visit to the historic Catalina Casino.
What a beautiful place to discover in Southern California. Have you ever visited this piece of history in SoCal?
Looking for more gems in Southern California? You may also enjoy discovering these eight stunning destinations in SoCal that are too beautiful for words.
The Most Iconic View in Northern California Is Also a Stunning Slice of History
It's hard to argue that there's a more iconic Northern Californian view than that of the Golden Gate Bridge. But do you know the history of this landmark?
Spanning the one-mile strait between the Pacific Ocean and busy San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge is easily one of California’s most iconic landmarks, symbolizing the state’s innovative spirit and enduring beauty. Still, despite its ubiquity, many Californians aren’t familiar with the history of this famous structure.
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What can the Golden Gate Bridge tell us about our past?
For many years, the thought of bridging the stormy Golden Gate Strait seemed laughable. Up until the 20th century, San Francisco and present-day Marin County were connected through schools of private water taxis and, later, an official ferry service. Still, as the city grew, boat travel became an obstacle to break-neck regional development. Despite the prevailing belief that the waterway’s treacherous currents and blinding fog would make construction impossible, ambitious engineers were unable to resist the challenge. In 1916, a student named James Wilkins published his proposal in the San Francisco Bulletin.
Though many industry professionals dismissed his idea out of hand, San Francisco officials disseminated a public request for bids. One of the many responders was young Joseph Strauss, who'd made a name for himself by designing a hypothetical railroad bridge across the Bering Strait in his graduate thesis. Over the following decade, Strauss devoted himself to drumming up support for the project. He faced significant pushback, including from the U.S. Navy — who raised potential security concerns — and the Southern Pacific Railroad who owned the ferry fleets that a bridge would make redundant. It wasn't until 1924 that his efforts paid off and construction was approved.
Partial view of the red painted steel under construction of the San Francisco Golden Gate bridge at the northern end
The proposal was finalized through Strauss' collaborative efforts with other top engineers and architects, including luminaries like Leon Moisseiff, Irving Morrow, and Charles Alton Ellis. Despite this network of talent, Strauss positioned himself as the project's undisputed leader. While cynical, his media strategy was effective. Strauss was upheld as the man who gave San Francisco its iconic bridge. Though his team is now credited as responsible for the final design, they were largely erased from history.
Construction began in 1933, in the thick of the Great Depression. Despite the dire economic times, the project was not part of any federal work programs. Strauss may have stolen the spotlight from his collaborators but he headed the project, championing innovations like the movable safety netting that would save countless lives. Despite precautions, eleven men lost their lives building the Golden Gate Bridge. Tragically, ten of these workers were killed just three months before the bridge opened in 1937 when a scaffold plunged through the net into the water below.
Whether you're a local or just visiting San Francisco, we all recognize the Golden Gate Bridge as one of the state's most iconic landmarks and views. While it's beautiful regardless, I believe we can appreciate this breathtaking structure even more when we're made aware of its complicated history: the ingenuity, determination, steely ambition, and human cost that were required to build the world's most photographed bridge.
Driving through the remains of a lifeless ghost town is strange and almost surreal as we try to imagine the community and activity that once thrived among the now-silent streets and buildings. The stories behind these places surely add to the fascination we feel. One such locale in Southern California is the isolated town known as Desert Center, a hidden gem in the desolate Colorado Desert with a rich history.
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If you love creepy content, Only In Your State’s Vacant series – which partners with talented photographer Johnny Joo – explores a dozen other fascinating abandoned places just waiting to be discovered.
Editor’s Note: Due to the nature of abandoned destinations, many of the places featured in this series are off-limits to visitors or have actually been demolished. We do not condone trespassing and other illegal activity but rather encourage readers to enjoy learning about these fascinating destinations.
This abandoned town lies right along Interstate 10, between Phoenix, Arizona, and Los Angeles. The humble beginnings of Desert Center take us back to the early 1900s and an intrepid man named Stephen A. Ragsdale, who came to be affectionately known as “Desert Steve.” Wanting to create a community here in the vast and wild desert - truly the middle of nowhere - Desert Steve and his family began a harrowing journey in 1915. Starting with an adobe-style cafe and a small store, they laid the groundwork for a desert settlement.
Soon, a well was drilled to provide the town with a consistent source of water, and a service station was built, turning Desert Center into a vital stopover for travelers through the Colorado Desert. These same facilities drew actual settlers as well, and the tiny community began to grow. This growth exploded and the economy boomed with the discovery of gold in the nearby mountains during the 1930s and 40s.
With the bustling activity and a promising future, residents of Desert Center were more ambitious than ever, planting agricultural fields right here in the harsh desert environment. Between that and the development of a new iron mining town, Eagle Mountain, nearby, population increased and even more development took place. There were new schools, medical facilities, recreation centers, and roads connecting to the town. Desert Center seemed to be a symbol of hope, resilience, innovation, and prosperity. But, sadly, it wouldn’t last.
In 1983, the Eagle Mountain Mine was closed, jobs disappeared, and people began to leave in search of new opportunities. It didn’t take long for silence to settle on the little town of Desert Center. Today, the town’s buildings that once welcomed weary travelers and hopeful settlers sit abandoned, frozen in time against the backdrop of the tranquil desert.
It’s as if everything closed for the night and the town disappeared before the sun came up the next day. The cafe - which reportedly stayed open 24 hours a day because the keys had been lost - did finally close once and for all. Chairs, tables, and even cups and coffee pots seem to wait silently for customers to return.
A handful of residents and a lone post office are all that remains of a community that once thrived against all odds in this unforgiving landscape. Did you know about the town of Desert Center? Have you ever stopped to check it out on your way through the desert? Share your experience with us in the comments! The Southern California desert is actually home to several abandoned towns. Check another nearby ghost town with an interesting history - Bombay Beach.
Special thanks to Cleveland-based photographer Johnny Joo of Odd World Studio for the photos used in this article. To discover more creepy and abandoned places, check out his website, Architectural Afterlife.
