Palisades del Rey, California

Surfridge was developed in the 1920s and 1930s as "an isolated playground for the wealthy." In 1925 the developer held a contest to name the neighborhood and awarded the $1,000 prize to an Angeleno who submitted "Surfridge." The Los Angeles Times wrote that Surfridge was chosen "due to its brevity, euphony, ease of pronunciation ... but above all because it tells the story of this new wonder city." Salesmen pitched tents on the sand dunes and sold lots for $50 down and 36 monthly payments of $20. House exteriors could only be made of stucco, brick or stone; frame structures were prohibited. Development was slowed by the onset of the Great Depression, but in the early 1930s the wealthy began to buy lots to build large homes. By the 1950s, the area was completely filled in with houses and apartment complexes. ==Airport==

Mines Field, a small airport at that time, opened to the east of Surfridge in 1928. It became a popular location for residents to see air shows. Until 2001, a single east-west street, Sandpiper Street, remained open to through traffic. ==Nature preserve==

The neighborhood is now enclosed by chain-link fences. Old residential streets are still visible through the fencing and from the air. In the 1980s Los Angeles International Airport proposed the construction of a golf course in the area. The California Coastal Commission rejected the plans in order to protect the El Segundo blue butterfly. California gnatcatchers are also found amidst the restored sand dunes and coastal sage scrub despite the noise. The only part of the neighborhood still accessible to the public is Vista Del Mar Park, a small park with a playground and picnic area on Vista Del Mar Boulevard. This park was part of the old neighborhood, and wasn't closed because as dedicated property the city of Los Angeles "doesn't destroy parks". the park turned 35 years old. Vista Del Mar Park is maintained by the City of Los Angeles. ==External links==