The Sunken City
The Sunken City is the site of a natural landslide that occurred in the Point Fermin area of the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles, beginning in 1929.
[3] Sunken City overlooks the Pacific Ocean and contains remnants of concrete foundations, curbs, sanitation systems, and piping from the once-inhabited neighborhood on the San Pedro cliff.
Advocates sought a legal opinion, hiring the Hermosa Beach law firm of Chatten-Brown & Carstens LLP.
[4] Illegal access is gained through a small hole in the fence that separates the public from the hiking trail that leads to the attraction.
[5] However, the area around Sunken City remains unsafe due to ongoing, albeit less severe, land movements compared to the initial 1929 landslide.
In Rancho Palos Verdes, an area approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) west along the coast from Sunken City beach, an estimated $500,000 per year is spent in repairs to stabilize land that is constantly moving and dropping off into the ocean.
Landslides tend to be more common in places where rocks are weak and slopes are steep, which is how most of the coastal areas in Southern California are structured.
[1] After the landslide disaster, geologists looked into the Fermin Point land structure and found very little record of geotechnical inspection or investigation.
There were no geologic or soil reports regarding instabilities within the site, which means that no proper research was done to determine whether it was safe to build a community on the grounds.
In addition, the Korean Friendship Bell, which was donated by Korea to the United States in 1976, is just north of Point Fermin Park.
[6] The first reports of damage occurred on January 2, 1929, when a water line broke underneath the Ocean View Inn hotel on Paseo Del Mar.
It was reported the crack took a semicircular route, from the east end of Point Fermin Park, across Paseo del Mar, through the center of the block south of Shepard Street and east of Carolina Street, then back toward the ocean bluff just west of Pacific Avenue; approximately ten houses were within the area bounded by the crack.
The plan was proposed by then-City Councilwoman Joan Milke Flores, however, the design for adding the gates to the fence was never implemented.
The petitioners asked for the opening of the beach during daylight hours and policing by night, adding lighting, cameras, and ticketing to maintain safety.
San Pedro's City Councilman Joe Buscaino has put forward a proposition for opening the area for the public to enjoy without the risk of being fined by the police.
However, the proposal would require the park officials to install a gate in the fence that would mechanically close and bar off the area at sunset.
In 1986, local residents filed complaints, reporting people sneaking into the restricted area and having loud parties after hours.
As the word about Sunken City spread, the beach began to gain a presence on social media and online websites.
The Facebook page has photos, information, maps, and videos of the beach shared by people enjoyed their experiences at Sunken City.
