Pop Culture
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Santa Monica Pier began as two neighboring piers: the utilitarian Municipal Pier, opened in 1909 to carry sewer pipes beyond the breakers, and the more festive Pleasure Pier, added in 1916 by Charles I. D. Looff and his son Arthur with rides, a funhouse, and the Looff Hippodrome. The pier flourished in the 1920s with the arrival of its still-operating 1922 carousel and the vast La Monica Ballroom, then survived decades of decline, failed demolition efforts in the 1960s and 1970s, and major storm damage in 1982–83 thanks to local preservation efforts. Reborn in 1996 with Pacific Park and its solar-powered Ferris wheel, the pier remains a lively attraction with rides, dining, an aquarium, and fishing, while also holding a special place in popular culture as a frequent film location, a video game landmark, and the widely recognized unofficial end of Route 66.
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Santa Monica, California · United States
