California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 92

Introduced by Assembly Member Hall

February 5, 2014

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 92—Relative to the Wilmington Marquee.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 92, as introduced, Hall. Wilmington Marquee.

This measure would request the Department of Transportation to issue an encroachment permit to enable the placement of a suitable monument, referred to as the Wilmington Marquee, at a specified location on State Highway Route 1 in the community of Wilmington in the City of Los Angeles, with design and placement of the monument to be consistent with the standards of the department and funding to be from nonstate funds.

Fiscal committee: yes.

WHEREAS, The Wilmington-Harbor City Community in the
City of Los Angeles includes the historic neighborhoods of
Wilmington and Harbor City; and

WHEREAS, Wilmington was an incorporated city prior to its
consolidation into the City of Los Angeles in 1909; and

WHEREAS, Wilmington-Harbor City is located on land that
once belonged to Rancho San Pedro, which was granted to Juan
Jose Dominguez in 1784, and Wilmington was once known as
New San Pedro; and

WHEREAS, William Sanford, John Downey, and Benjamin
Wilson purchased the land upon which Wilmington was later
developed from a descendent of the original owner, Manuel
Dominguez; and

WHEREAS, A wharf was developed at the foot of what is now
Avalon Boulevard by Phineas Banning, who arrived in California
in 1851 and contributed greatly toward Wilmington’s development;
and

WHEREAS, The wharf and associated warehouses were opened
in 1858 and functioned as a sheltered location at which to receive
cargo; and

WHEREAS, The name of the town of New San Pedro was
changed to Wilmington in 1863 to honor Mr. Banning’s hometown
of Wilmington, Delaware; and

WHEREAS, Harry Bridges Boulevard in Wilmington is named
after Australian longshoreman Harry Bridges, who eventually
became a union leader, established the International
Longshoreman’s and Warehousemen’s Union in 1937, and was
involved with what became known as the Big Strike that began in
San Francisco in 1934 and halted work at ports along the Pacific
Coast; and

WHEREAS, The Big Strike ended up being a victory for labor
unions and brought increased wages and improved working
conditions for the workers; and

WHEREAS, By the 1950s, Wilmington became known for its
influential labor unions, with local headquarters for the
International Longshoreman’s and Warehousemen’s Union and
the International Organization of Masters, Mates, and Pilots located
in the area; and

WHEREAS, It is desirable to recognize the history of the
community of Wilmington and its location through development
of the Wilmington Marquee, pursuant to the concept plans of
October 19, 2012, as they may be revised, which marquee would
be a monument stating “Welcome to Wilmington,” to be located
at 1345 West Pacific Coast Highway, on State Highway Route 1
near its intersection with State Highway Route 110; now therefore,
be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Department of Transportation is
hereby requested to issue an encroachment permit to an appropriate
party to enable the placement of a suitable monument pursuant to
the concept plans for the Wilmington Marquee at 1345 West Pacific
Coast Highway (State Highway Route 1) in the community of
Wilmington in the City of Los Angeles; and be it further

Resolved, That the design and placement of the monument shall
be consistent with the standards of the Department of
Transportation and funding of the monument shall be from nonstate
funds; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
of this resolution to the Director of Transportation and to the author
for appropriate distribution.