Eli Hedley's Home, San Pedro, CA (other)

Name:Eli Hedley's Home
Type:other
Street:White Point/Royal Palms Park
City:San Pedro
State:CA
Zip:90732
country:USA
Phone:
Status:defunct

Description:
An earlier post from Bamboo Ben, grandson of Eli Hedley:

There's a little place at the very end of Western Ave., now a county park on the map called Whites Point. Go to the right of the playground and pay the dude $5 and proceed down the hill. Wait!!! Stop the Car!!! Take a look straight ahead. See the palm trees? Remember that view. Ok, drive slowly down the hill. Park your car at the bottom. Now, walk towards the palms. You will pass a couple of pilings, hmmmmm, they look like they might have had gates attached at one time. Beyond the public bathrooms you see some sort of marble floor. And, to the right, built inside the hill slope, you see a couple of fire places. Then you keep walking north. You come across some "very old foundation slabs" along the coast. Oh wait! Go back to the marble floor. Look for a plaque in the middle. Read it. Ok, now you know. Back to the "very old slabs." This is where the house was. An old spanish fort converted into a house and halfway built with "Driftwood." Beyond the fireplaces rests the grounds of the work sheds where history took place back in the 40's. This coastal land was home to Eli Hedley, Malcom Hedley and their 4 daughters, one being my Mom. As you have now learned, the plaque is dedicated to the Hedley family. You are at "The Cove."

Bamboo Ben

The Hedley sisters talk story and this is how it goes.
"The Cove was a spot for many to eventually discover. As children it was our "playground by the sea." Our family was known as "The Beachcombing Hedleys." It was a happy time for us all. Not easy, as I came to distaste "potato soup," which we ate often. As time passed, Mama and Daddy were the hosts with the toasts. Movie stars as famous as Cary Grant would moor their boats off the rock and come ashore for a luau to remember. Sailors of the sea, some known and some silent, would gather. Raymond Burr often came to call for a hand to a high school prom. He fancied Marilyn, the second daughter. Nothing would come to be, but a long lasting friendship amongst us all.

Planning and preparing for a "happening" was busy yet careless. The tables would be set with lovely cloth, flowers placed and food simmering. Mama was a relaxed hostess. Nothing was too big for her, nor too small. Mama loved entertaining no matter who came to call. The same amount of graciousness went out to every visitor.

The times at The Cove slipped away when my sisters and I were in upper high school. However, the love we hold for these shores has never died. This is our home, our childhood, our past. Fond memories and "happenings" are in our hearts today and forever. Thank you Mama and Daddy."

Ba Hedley

I need a beer,
Bamboo Ben

Also see Sabu's earlier photo tour in this thread:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=7667&forum=1&start=15

While we were in San Pedro this weekend, we had to take some time to check out The Cove, where the Hedley homestead once was. Sabu did a great photo tour of this spot last year.

It's a really lovely little spot. If you ever have a chance to go there, do -- it bring Bungy's stories to life, and being able to stand there imagining living there... it's really awe-inspiring.

Here are my pictures:
http://photo.humuhumu.com/v/thecove/

Wow! They've really cleaned the place up in recent years.

Oh! My Gosh! What a treat!! What a photographer! What memories poured out, while scrolling down!
Our home was just up the way from where the white canapy is et! It backed against the cliff, adn Ba's and my room was at the end. We had alower and upper apart! The upper part we dug into the cliff and made a little 10' X 5' cave and then we boarded it in. Daddy got some navy bunks and hung them by rope from the ceiling. We had a little ladder that we clombed up to get into out bunks. We had to bend over because the ceiling was only about 4' tall! We could swing our bunks back and forth, until the mattresses shot off the bunks and flew across the room, and we'd land in a heap!
I had the only window beside my bed, and it was a great big ships port hole that the dogs stukc their head in each nite before we went to bed!

The main gate was hand laid stone on each side, and the gates were heavy 2X6's stained dark and hand rubbed. One day I was riding my bike back from school and it was pouring down rain, I came down the hill, and the mud on th road slicked my wheels an dthe brakes gave out. Now, sometimes, we put a chain around the gate, and sometimes we didn't..So when I was going about umpteen miles an hour with no brakes I had about 2 sec to decide if I would take a chance that the chain was off and go straight into the big wooden gates and hope that they banged open for me.. or.. I could slide off the road into a bunch of MUD!
Well... I couldn't resist the challege so I went for it .. the chain WAS off, I hit those gates. They Flew open and banged agaist the rock fence and flew closed, allowing me just enough time to get through!
There was another gate just before you got to the Dance Floor, which was first made out of BAMBOO!! and then, a sturdier one was built out of the great long oars of the navy long boats. Ain't life fun???!!! Auntie B.
Thanks for those GREAT photos!

PS. Just past the ticket taker as you go down the road, you come to the first full view of the ocean. Each day, walking home from school, I would stop at that spot on the cliff, look out to sea, and recite, Mansfield's "Let me go down to the sea again, to the wonderful sea and sky!etc." I was so glad to get the cobwebs of school off of me!
All are invited to a "No host Pot Luck Finger Food Luau!" at Royal Plams on Aug 20th.. the family and frieds are gathering from noon on, and I would LOVE to meet you all!!! We'll be there til nearly closing.