The Santa Monica Pier, which for many travelers serves as the symbolic end of Route 66, is marking the 100th anniversary of when construction on it began.
The Long Beach (Calif.) Press-Telegram published an interesting history about the pier, including these nuggets:
- It was originally built to help carry raw sewage out into the ocean.
- The pier was a beneficiary in the 1980s of the efforts of a historical preservation group, which kept it from being torn down.
- The new Ferris wheel being built on the pier will have more features, but use 25 percent less electricity.
- Santa Monica Pier now sees more than 4 million visitors a year.
The Pier Restoration Group is looking for fond memories from people who have visited there. You can can e-mail them to yourstories@santamonicapier.org