Take a Visual Tour of 20th-Century California With These Vintage Summer Road Trip Photos


Ocean ParkOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State ArchivesOcean ParkOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State Archives1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph CollectionOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State Archives1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph CollectionOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State ArchivesMexicoOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State ArchivesCalifornia State ArchivesOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State ArchivesPromenadeOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State ArchivesSan DiegoOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State ArchivesCalifornia State ArchivesOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State ArchivesIndian over 100 years oldOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State ArchivesCalifornia State ArchivesOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State ArchivesOlvera StreetOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State ArchivesMay 18Ocean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State ArchivesCalifornia State ArchivesOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State ArchivesLinard HotelOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State Archives1920; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph CollectionOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State Archives1920; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph CollectionOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State ArchivesSan DiegoOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State ArchivesCalifornia State ArchivesOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State ArchivesTorry [sic] PinesOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State Archives1905; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph CollectionOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State Archives1905; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph CollectionOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State ArchivesSan Diego ExpositionOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State ArchivesCalifornia State ArchivesOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State ArchivesMission San DiegoOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State ArchivesCalifornia State ArchivesOcean Park, Los Angeles, 1935; Credit: William M. McCarthy Photograph Collection, California State Archives

Journey through Southern California's past in these vintage photos from California State Archive's latest online exhibition, California Memoirs. The photos follow the epic adventures of native Californians William and Grace McCarthy as they took a prototypical road trip around the state in the early 20th century. The McCarthy collection features more than 3,000 photos, which have been acquired by the State Archives, but the photos presented here reflect the couple's Southern California stops in Santa Monica, Palm Springs and San Diego. For more photos, check out the entire collection here.

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