The City of Culver City Bicycle and Pedestrian Initiative hosted a fun event on May 15 in conjunction with the Culver City Historical Society (whose assistance we gratefully acknowledge). The Tour de Culver city was a guided walking tour of downtown Culver City highlighting the city’s rich history after its founding in 1913 on the site of existing ranches, including real estate development, interesting architecture, and, of course, Culver City’s connection to the movie and television industry as “The Heart of Screenland”.
The more than 40 participants had a wonderful opportunity to hear about the city’s history from knowledgeable guides, many of whom have interesting personal connections to the city too. Being on foot also provided a great way to get a close look at the city’s architecture, public art, and historical plaques (some marked by the Culver City Historical Society, and some by the National Register).
Downtown Culver City is an important area for the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan since it has been identified as an area of high pedestrian demand, so it’s a key area to consider for pedestrian improvements in the area itself, and as a destination in the city.
The photo below shows tour participants in the landmark Culver Hotel, a landmark building built in 1924 as a six-story “skyscraper” by Culver City’s founder Harry Culver. The hotel has a colorful past with many connections to show business.
You can see more photos of Tour de Culver City here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30824624@N04/sets/72157624077266932/
Culver City’s Historian, Julie Lugo Cerra, has put together a brochure with a self-guided walking tour of the city. This is available as a .pdf file here:
http://www.culvercity.org/~/media/Files/Culture/DowntownWalkingTour%20pdf.ashx