L.A. Dreams and L.A. Realities

Just thought that this

http://www.myfoxla.com/dpp/news/local/Gang_Sweep_Arrests_20090521

is a poignant symbol of the changes of the times from 50 years ago when Hawaiian names were used on the mainland to conjure up paradisaical visions. But let's get not too nostalgic, even in the 50s and 60s, there was crime, violence, and discrimination.

And the use of the city name actually stems from an earlier period:

"In 1927 a trail followed Coyote Creek and travelers going north or south on horseback used it frequently. An enterprising businessman built a shack near what is now the corner of Norwalk Boulevard and Carson Street as a way-stop serving soda pop and sandwiches. It was a fruit stand type affair, just a bamboo frame covered with palm fronds, with two palm covered outhouses in the back. He called it Hawaiian Gardens.
Rumor has it that if you made a special request, your soft beverage could be hardened up a bit with a little homemade moonshine. Hawaiian Gardens farmers were punching up their punch with a little hooch. The prosperous little stand disappeared after the repeal of prohibition, but the name Hawaiian Gardens stayed."

Gosh darnit, what we might have here is the earliest use of a Polynesian named, bamboo and palm frond decorated cocktail bar in L.A. ! :)

It's been a bad area for quite a while now. We used to call it "Hawaiian Garbage" back in the Seventies.

Hawaiian Gardens needs to learn what "Aloha" is all about!

Awesome...Gangs suck. They RUIN SoCal.

On 2009-05-22 10:04, bigbrotiki wrote:

Gosh darnit, what we might have here is the earliest use of a Polynesian named, bamboo and palm frond decorated cocktail bar in L.A. ! :)

There must be a picture of it somewhere in a newspaper or library? I's love to fiqure out where it was exactly and get a now view.
Hawaaian Gardens has a casino with a Tiki theme . I once asked permission to photograph inside which isn't allowed. So I went outside to photograph their volcano in front. Three guards approached me and stopped me from taking pictures citing security reasons. Rough area I thought at the time. With the news yesterday it's no wonder.

I live a couple miles west of there, and Hawaiian Gardens has been bad for years. When you cross east under the 605 freeway, or come west over the river from Cypress in Orange County you immediately notice the difference.

This PDF on the City's website has a photo of the fruit stand hut on p. 15:

http://www.hgcity.org/History/HG%20History%202.pdf

Another one of those myth vs. reality So Cal things is the fact that that the Carson/Wilmington/West Long Beach area has probably the largest Pacific Islander population (particularly Samoan/Tongan/Cook) in the U.S. outside of the islands, but it is heavily gang-plagued. A Polynesian festival in Carson last year was cut short by a fight between Samoan and Tongan gang members which resulted in a death. The Sons of Samoa have been the most feared gang in Long Beach for years, because even though they are less in numbers than the gangs of other ethnic persuasions, they have a strong familial connection and stick together through thick and thin. Very few of them (in fact, I would wager none) sip Mai Tais or wear vintage Ui Maikai shirts. It is one of the ironies of the Puka Bar being located where it is, in the heart of the Sons of Samoa region.