Video: Culver City Historical Society Dedicates Veterans Memorial Building

The Culver City Historical Society (CCHS) officially designated the Veterans Memorial Building as an historic site on Saturday morning.

The official unveiling of the plaque in the front of the building on Culver Boulevard and Overland Avenue makes the memorial the 13th official historical site in the city.

Residents, veterans and local officials including Mayor Micheal O’Leary, City Manager John Nachbar, members of the City Council and members of the Culver City Historical Society attended the 10 a.m. ceremony.

The newly unveiled plaque reads:

Historic Site No. 13: Veterans Memorial Building (VMB)

Culver City purchased a major portion of this land, known as Exposition Park, in 1938. It was officially designated as Veterans Memorial Park on August 8, 1949.  Bond financing of $550,000 guaranteed the construction of the Veterans Memorial Building on the corner.  The original plans promised a “recreational building with a stage, restaurant, film museum, playroom, and a large gymnasium.”  The “tourist tower” was designed to view “back lot” movie sets at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios across the street.  The cornerstone was laid on April 15, 1950.   The VMB was dedicated on March 9, 1951, with Goodwin Knight, Lt. Governor at the time, in attendance.  The Gold Star Mothers were guests of honor.  This structure, designed to serve the entire community, once included a “Tower Restaurant.”  The entry proudly exhibits a growing number of markers, placed to honor and remember veterans who served our country, and who fought for our freedom in many wars.

Native Americans traversed this land before it was claimed as a portion of Rancho La Ballona in 1819.  The Spanish Period yielded to Mexican control, followed by California Statehood in 1850.  This site was part of the original land acquired to incorporate as Culver City in 1917.

CCHS Sites Chair Julie Lugo Cerra told Patch, “This is our 13th marking since [the society’s inception] in 1980. We see it as painless education. It’s wonderful to walk through town and see people walking by and stopping to look at the markers to learn a little bit and they enjoy it. It’s something we do as a public service.”

Following the official ceremony, attendees were invited to sign the guest book, being passed around by CCHS Founding President Cathy Zermeno.

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