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Pike Personnel People who worked or owned a business at The Pike A number of years ago an article appeared in Westways magazine about Al Brown.  I did not save the issue, so I am not sure of the date.  I had been a seven-year old boy from Germany in 1929 when I first met Al.  My wife and I called and visited him at the Lite-a-Line site soon after the article appeared.  He was very gracious and showed us a small room literally packed with post cards and other paraphernalia about the Pike.  We spent about an hour looking at the material and could have spent all day - time permitting.  I have often wondered where all that historically valuable material ended up.  Do you know?  Does Richard Olson, who wrote on your site about Al's son, Leonard, know?  It certainly deserved to be preserved by a responsible keeper of Long Beach Pike history.     My parents and I were new arrivals from Germany sailing through the Panama Canal and landing in San Pedro Harbor in June 1929.  My mother's uncle, Fred Winkmann, who sponsored us, owned a souvenir shop directly across from the original merry-go-round site (see above photo showing my mother, her uncle and me in front of the shop.)  We all lived in the back of the store.  Al Brown and other Looff employees allowed me to ride free as long as I wanted during lulls in ridership.  My biggest joy came when I snagged the gold ring.  Photo top right shows my father (Jean J. Vogel,) my mother (Elsie F. Vogel) and me (Hans W. Vogel) at age 7 in front of the original site of the merry-go-round in 1929.   I have many more fond memories of Long Beach and the Pike in particular.  Another Al who more or less adopted this little German boy was a life guard - Al Chin.  Al was a Walt Disney artist who worked as a life guard in the Bath House Plunge and on the beach in front of the Plunge during the summer months.  He allowed me to enter the Bath House free when he was on duty.  The first time he let me in I went to the deep end where the 10 ft. diving platform was located (see attachment PlungePhoto.jpg and jumped in without knowing how to swim.  Nobody saw me struggling to get out.  Finally, I grabbed the water overflow rim and pulled myself up.  I never made that mistake again nor did I tell my parents or Al about it.   I graduated from Long Beach Polytechnic High School in February 1940.  After serving in the U.S. Army for 37 months (in Europe under General George S. Patton for one and one-half years,) I graduated from USC under the GI Bill of rights in 1947.  My wife, Barbara (Bobbie) nee Bogart, graduated from Poly in June 1940.  We were married in the Normandy Wedding Manor at the corner of Linden Avenue and Ocean Blvd ( it has since been torn down) in September 1942.  Hans W. Vogel North Tustin, CA hvogel@alumni.usc.edu Posted 12.17.09 *    *    * Let's start with the picture you printed in the Press Telegram on Monday Sept. 20, 2003 and then we will take a short trip down my history of the Pike, also known as "Walk of a Thousand Lights." The Penny Arcade was owned by Norris, the Sea Food Restaurant was owned my father Murray Cohen, called the MC cafe and the next restaurant where the shrimp sign is located was called The Corral, also owned by father.  My family came to California in the spring of 1942 from New York and the first business my father had on the Pike was a Photo Gallery where they took pictures of everyone and everything behind stand up billboards to send back home to their families.  I remember my mother taking pictures with the sailors and giving them two copies, one for their own and the other one to send back home.  After this business my father leased a restaurant directly across from the Cyclone racer.  This restaurant was called Joe-Joes.  I helped my father in the restaurant peel potatoes so he could make French fries.  When I was finished he let me watch the Punch and Judy show that was on the East side of the Cyclone racer.  If I found any money under the Cyclone racer which was directly one the beach, I would go on the rides. My favorite ride was the Merry Go-Around.  I would ride it and if I could reach out far enough for a ring and be lucky enough to grab a GOLD ring I could ride the Merry Go-Around another turn by just turning in the Gold Ring. There was a pier next to the Cyclone racer on the West side called the Silver Spray pier.  This was torn down and then the Nu- Pike was built.  Next to the Double Ferris Wheel was a candy store called Mcgruders salt water taffy which was made on the spot.  I ate so much of that salt water taffy that some times I couldn't even eat dinner.  Do you remember the end of the war.  Well, I do.  I was helping my father in his new restaurant, called the MC cafe in the City block of Pike Street when the WW2 ended and all the Sailors reached into their top pocket of their uniform and threw all their change in the air.  I ran out side my dads restaurant, and being only 6 years I grabbed all the money I could find on the ground.  I got kicked, stomped, pushed, but I did get a lot of money for the RIDES.  In 1948 my father opened another restaurant at the other end of the Pike next to a Bar called The Hollywood on the Pike.  He called this Restaurant The Barbecue house. On Saturday or Sunday all of us kids rode the Red car down to the Pike and went swimming in the Plunge and if we had any money to see a movie we went to The Strand Theater. After I graduated from High School, Polytechnic and Long Beach City College I worked in this restaurant for ten years, 1960-1970.  I had a lot of friends on the pike and got friendly with all the police that worked the Pike Beat.  This was their breaking in area.  I left the pike in 1970 and went to work in San Pedro at the Dicarlo baking company.  My father sold the first two restaurants and he continued to work the Barbecue house restaurant until he retired in 1976.  There are so many wonderful memories in my life that I have for the pike, I wouldn't trade them for anything.  I time gone by, but era not forgotten.  Thank you for my youth, Charles Cohen, Seal Beach, Cal. My name is Tim Edwards, and my brother is Ted Edwards Jr.  We also have two sisters.  Our dad, Ted Edwards, was one of the head mechanics at The Pike from the mid-1960's until he died in 1974.  We were able to run around The Pike like we owned the place and had a large extended family with the other workers.  We are looking for anyone who knew our dad and if there are any photos they might have of him.  I was 6 years old when he died and have no photos of him.  Our mom was Jane Edwards so someone might know him from her.  Any help that you can give us would be appreciated.  The Pike and the people we grew up with there are a big part of our lives. Thanks, Tim Edwards CALFIRE02@yahoo.com LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ON A MAN NAMED: NATE MILLER OWNER OF THE CARNIVAL RIDES AT THE LONG BEACH PIKE. HE ALSO PROVIDED THE RIDES AT THE 1939-1940 GGIE ON TREASURE ISLAND, SAN FRANCISCO, CA. Robert Bohjanen email: rabbohjanen@hotmail.com "Lee's Barbeque, one of the best fast food outlets at the Pike.  My Grandfather worked there as Number 2 cook and then became Number 1.  Mr. Lee and Mr. Marfleet (who I believe was part owner) were extremely nice people.  When they split company, my Grandfather went with Mr. Marfleet to start a restaurant at the foot of Signal Hill called Marfleets, of which my Grandfather was head chef. In the background of the photo is the Cyclone Racer. My Grandfather is about 7th or 8th from the right of the photo. I also have a few tokens from the Pike and a ring from the carousel. As a sidelight, my Grandfather knew George Macgruder very well; they used to go fishing at Redondo Beach Pier and even go out on the old Sacramento River Ferry anchored offshore. Hope this helps you, if you need any other info, let me know". Paul Fleming JOHNNIE WOLDRIDGE, Class of 1957, Bellflower High School Worked the Arcade on the 'Boardwalk' 1953, Pike Stories RUSSELL HALL, Class of 1939, Paramount High School In my high school days I worked at the Pike as an usher at the "Rialto" theatre. Pike Story From: Tina Moore I am trying to locate information on a man named Rodney D Poole, aka Chico. This man is my father whom I have never had the chance to know.  I have been researching info about the Pike in the late 70's, but I really can't find anything useful. My mother gave me a timeline from when my father and her were together, hanging out at the pike. The period I am looking for in March 1977 to October 1977. I am in search of people who may possibly have known my father or my mother during that time. My mother's name is Elsie Johnson and she was only 17 at the time. My father was a Philipino man, short in stature with tattoos on his arms and possibly also on his chest. In a photo I have of him, he appeared to be approximately 20-30 years old,maybe younger but doubtful.  Any information, that you could offer me or a direction in which to search would be greatly appreciated. Posted 11/24/07 Please email the webmaster and I will forward your email to Tina. Click here to email  pikelb@yahooo.com JANICE GILLIAM, Class of 1956, Jordan High School, Long Beach, California I met my second husband at the Pike in 1956. He was a life guard at the Plunge. His name was Jerry Weyant. He used to swim with the seals at the Seal Pond back in '57. We took care of the seals then. His step father ran the Tilt A World ( Red Anderson), and his mom sold tickets (Mickey Anderson). His brother (James Weyant) worked the Barrell ride. I worked the fourth of July at one of the eateries, and my daughter was born on the 9th of July. We lived on Seaside in a one room apartment. The Stone Man was one of our closest friends. I have been searching for my ex-husband and my son for many years now. If you run across any information on any of these people, I would appreciate it if you would share it with me. Haven't seen my son since 1962; e-mail me with the information. JANICE Posted 11/2000 Janice Gilliam 12/15/02 I have news about your son, please email the webmaster pikelb@yahoo.com 12/31/02 Today I received a message from Janice Gilliam saying that she has talked to her son and his father and they all plan to meet in the very near future. What a great New Year for them! Thank you for your help and good wishes. Happy New Year to all. Paul Prosise Webmaster of "The Pike" JOHN FAULKNER, Class of 1965, South High School, Torrance, California In 1961 to '63 I used to run the pony ride under the roller coaster ride at the Pike... It was a really neat way of spending several summers.. Parks like these are badly needed and should not have died such slow deaths!!!! JAMES HARMONSON, Class of 1954, Compton High School. I worked on the west end of the Pike in the middle 50's. I ran a balloon/dart game next door to the Photograph shop. The owner of my location ran the horse race game. Next to him was the shooting gallery with the animated targets. Hit the target and it would start operating - action and music, etc. Across the way was an Arcade with a Pronto Pup stand. On the east side of my stand was the entrance to the Rainbow Ballroom, and next to that, the Rainbow bar. I used to work a split shift, so I spent 4 hours swimming, riding my bike, or just walking the Pike. It probably was not the best atmosphere for a teen-ager, but I did learn a lot about getting along with people. It really was a great time to be growing up. Tex Puryear My dad, Tex Puryear, first came to Long Beach, when he was in the Navy - shortly after the Korean War, where he served on an aircraft carrier. He worked at the "Hollywood on the Pike" Showbar from the mid fifties, to the mid seventies. He was very well known in his day, as a band leader and performer of country music, which was big in those days. His picture adorned the front display case in the window for over a dozen years. He played with Jeanie and Haskell May, Cindy Carson, and others who aren't know today. He didn't make it big elsewhere, but he was a star in his own right in the hey day of the Pike. He now lives in Manhattan Beach, and he just turned 70 in Sept. 03. From: Kim Hays 10/14/03 George Magruder - Magruders Salt Water Taffy passed away April 2nd, 2003.   George decided after 90 years it was time to join family and friends on the other side. Born in 1912, George spent most of his life in Long Beach, where he touched countless lives. During his young adult life he was a firefighter at Station 10, but left the Department to manage and later own, the candy store his father started before the turn of the century. Magruders Salt Water Taffy was a fixture at the Pike in downtown for many years, serving delicious confections to many thousands of people. George was also a talented artist, as well as an avid outdoorsman. He was a member of The Long Beach Sportsman's Club for more than 25 years and spent his entire life teaching many generations of people not only how to hunt and fish, but to respect and enjoy all the beauties nature has to offer.   George is survived by 2 daughters, Katie Von Eps, of Homeland, and Georgene Magruder of Idaho.9 Grandchildren, 7 Great-grandchildren (plus one on the way), and several surrogate sons, daughters, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, all of whom were proud to call him Dad or Grandpa.   Our family takes great comfort in knowing he is now with God, and with the friends and family that passed on before him, especially his son, Scott, and two great grandchildren who left all of us way to soon. He was and still is the bond that holds our family together. We miss him deeply, but wish him well on his journey. Jones Pony Ride From: Paul McKinzie My father Winston "Mac" Mckinzie and brother Ronnie worked at Jones Pony Ride at the Pike in the 1960's. My father has since passed away but I remember going to the Pike every weekend and spending virtually all day riding on the kiddie "Fish" ride that was located next to the ponies so my dad could keep an eye on me. I wish I knew where that old blue fish was today :) The pike was such a wonderful place in its hey day. The last time I saw it was back in 1981 and it was a shell of its former self. I have friends in Long Beach who tell me its now a mall of some kind. Too bad.   Return to top of page Return to The Pike Home Page Return to Millikan Home Page Have a Pike story? E-mail Design & Updates by Paul Prosise E-mail Entire contents of this Web site © copyright 2000-2009 by Paul Prosise. All rights reserved. Return to top of Page