Ever wonder why this stretch of sand is sometimes called RAT Beach? Actually Torrance County Beach is also known as RAT Beach. RAT stands for Right After Torrance or Redondo and Torrance Beach.
Torrance County Beach is a beautiful spot. It has soft sand and extends about 3/4 of a mile. It begins after the first steep ramp down to the beach. It ends at the rocky area of Malaga Cove Beach.
This beach is located in an unincorporated part of Los Angeles County. It sits along the southern Santa Monica Bay. Torrance County Beach is next to the city of Torrance and Palos Verdes Estates.
Torrance County Beach is popular for surfing. People also enjoy windsurfing here. Diving and spear fishing are common activities. A large kelp forest sits just off the coast. This forest is great for diving and spear fishing.
There are many convenient features at Torrance County Beach. You will find over 300 parking spaces. Restrooms are available for visitors. A concession stand offers refreshments. Showers are available to rinse off after swimming. A bike path runs along the beach. Beach wheelchairs are provided for accessibility. Volleyball nets are set up for games.
Torrance County Beach has a rich history. The area was originally part of the Rancho San Pedro. The Spanish land grant was issued to Juan Jose Dominguez in 1784.
In 1911, Jared Sidney Torrance bought land from the Dominguez Estate Company. He paid $976850 for 2791 acres. Torrance also purchased 730 acres from Susana Dominguez del Amo. He paid $350 per acre for this land.
Torrance and other investors hired Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. He was a landscape architect. Olmsted designed a new planned community. The development was planned as an industrial town. It would have housing for 500 people. The community was named Torrance. It was founded in October 1912.
Torrance became a city in May 1921. By then, it had grown to about 1800 residents. The discovery of oil drove the development and growth of Torrance. The first oil well was dug in December 1921. The population increased from 1800 in 1921 to 2750 in 1922. Oil derricks soon dotted the city.
By 1925, Torrance had 582 producing oil wells. By the early 1950s, 615 wells were operating. However, production had decreased dramatically by the late 1950s. The wells produced an average of five barrels a day. This was much less than the 900 barrels the first well produced in 1921. By the early 1960s, all the wooden oil derricks were gone.
Fortunately, Torrance overcame the decline of the oil industry. It continued to grow thanks to the aerospace and related industries.
Torrance County Beach has been widely popular. It was even used in a 1960s Batman TV series episode. From 1931 to 1958, Torrance County Beach was home to the Hollywood Riviera Beach Club. When the building burned down mysteriously, the beach was nicknamed Burn Out Beach.
In 1959, an access path was built. Restrooms and a snack shack were also constructed on the southern end of the beach.
Torrance County Beach underwent a huge makeover in 2002. The old snack shack was torn down. A new, modern concession stand was built. Ramps and stairs were upgraded to improve beach access. The parking lots were repaved. A new restroom and shower facility were added. Torrance County Beach is part of a bluff restoration project. Ice plants are being replaced with native plants.
So next time you are at Torrance County Beach, remember its history. It goes all the way back to the Rancho San Pedro. Think about the oil boom and the Batman TV show. Enjoy the modern amenities that make this beach a great place to visit.