Five Questions for Judy Abdo |
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Originally built as a farmhouse and surrounded by carnation fields, today Ocean Park’s historic Vawter House is home to one of Santa Monica’s most prolific community organizers and public servants. Judy Abdo is perhaps best known for her work as a City Council Member (1988 to 1996) and Mayor (1990-1991, 1992-1994), and for the fact that she was one of the country’s first out lesbian mayors. She has spent her career working in service to a host of causes including rent control, anti-AIDS discrimination, women’s and LGBTQIA+ rights, climate action, early childhood education, and historic preservation.
Read on to learn how Judy discovered her home, about her work to preserve the pier, and more!
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Was it a coincidence that you bought a home built in 1889, or were you looking for something with history?
Three of us decided to buy a house in Ocean Park and looked at a house that was for sale in early 1976. That house wasn’t appropriate for us, but we looked across the street and saw that a large house was for sale. We didn’t purposely look for an old house, but most of Ocean Park at that time had older homes, and we were happy to find one that worked for us. We also wanted to live in a progressive neighborhood.
I later learned that the Vawters were early developers of Ocean Park and later, that the house was a womens’ residence for Synanon. I knew we bought it from artists, but I didn’t know they had altered the house to create large walls for their art (at least I think that happened).
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Can you tell us about your work with the Santa Monica Pier Restoration Corp?
I served on the first Pier Corporation Board that was created after the pier was damaged in a storm in 1983. As a board, we proposed the redevelopment of the pier so that it would retain its “pierness” and not turn into a Disneyland type place. We took our positions from the people who had worked to preserve the Pier when the City wanted to tear it down in the mid-1970s in order to create an island in the bay and build a hotel on the island.
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Were your parents involved in historic preservation?
When I was eleven, our family moved to the Hollywood Hills from Inglewood. My dad owned a plumbing business in Hollywood. My mother worked at the Southwest Museum for many years. She was also part of the LA Conservancy and helped to create the Heritage Square project that preserved some of the houses from Bunker Hill. My dad worked on the plumbing in some of the houses that were moved to Heritage Square from Bunker Hill.
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Where can folks go to learn more about the history of Santa Monica’s LGBTQIA+ community?
There were LGBTQIA+ businesses on Main Street. One was the Pink Elephant, a bar and entertainment site, and another was the restaurant, Bar Sinister.
The Santa Monica Library has a collection of WAVES documents. WAVES stands for We Advocate for Visibility, Equality, and Strength. It was formed by many people who didn’t want to spend all their time in West Hollywood and wanted to see organizing in Santa Monica. One of the things they did was to support me when I ran for City Council. Click HERE to browse the archive.
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How do you think the city might deal with the current housing crisis without compromising the historic character of streets like Main Street?
I think Main Street could maintain its unique retail feel and also add housing above some of the existing buildings without losing the look and feel of our current Main Street. Housing units can be added by using open spaces currently used for parking.
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Images from top to bottom (1) Abdo and Scout on the porch of the Vawter House (2) The Vawter House in the late 1800s (3) Neon Pier sign inside Abdo's home (4) Abdo's father's plumbing business in Hollywood (5) WAVELENGTHS Newsletter, December 1988, Abdo is second from left in photo. Judy Abdo Collection, Santa Monica Public Library. |
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Garden Tours Explore Indoor and Outdoor
Relationships to Land at the Shotgun House
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Earlier this month, the Santa Monica Conservancy welcomed visitors to the Shotgun House for an intimate tour exploring the relationship between the historic house and the land and garden that surround it.
The tour began in the garden which is beginning to show its spring beauty with bright lavender buds on the Redbud trees, new leaves on the Desert Willow, a wash of bright white and yellow Yarrow in front of the house and annual wildflowers accenting the south side. Guests then gathered inside to enjoy the subtle flavor of tea made from Coyote Mint growing in the garden. The group had the opportunity to observe and discuss how the architectural details of the Shotgun House, such as the many tall windows and the wide porch, encourage enjoyment of the garden and vice versa.
The program continued with conversation about how we relate to the natural world, how our perceptions shift from outdoors to indoors, the felt sense of being aware of our surroundings, and the ongoing process of how we connect with the land and with others. Participants also contributed to a group poem using what they noticed and felt during the garden walk. The Summer Garden Tour is scheduled for June 23, 2024.
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Preservation Next is excited to Announce a New Program in Partnership with the Church in Ocean Park and Rose Yoga & Art
Join us inside the historic sanctuary of the Church in Ocean Park for a restorative and relaxing Sound Bath! The beautifully restored space has offered people of various or no faith traditions restoration of their own for over one hundred years.
Come as you are and enjoy the healing sounds of quartz singing bowls guided by experienced practitioner Adina Rose. Sound baths are just as they are described, an experience where you find peace and comfort while being bathed in sounds created by the vibrations and notes of each bowl. The bowls’ beautiful sounds aim to put the body and the mind in a relaxed state which can lead to countless benefits such as reducing tension in the body, anxiety relief, clearing the clutter of the mind, and ultimately relaxing the nervous system. Sound baths are an opportunity to let go of the many stressors of modern life. They are a time to care for yourself so you can be of better service to those around you.
All bodies are welcome! Both floor space and chairs will be available. Bring whatever you need to be comfortable including yoga mats, blankets, and pillows. Don't hesitate to reach out with any questions! Just email info@smconservancy.org.
Admission is $10 but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
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New Tour!
African American Histories by the Sea
in the City of Santa Monica
Hosted by Dr. Alison Rose Jefferson
Saturday, April 20 from 1-3 p.m.
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This special tour will explore the African American histories of the Santa Monica Beach community during the Jim Crow era (1900s-1960) showcased in a permanent outdoor exhibition of 17 history interpretative panels by historian Alison Rose Jefferson and a large monumental sculpture by artist April Banks. The exhibition is part of Belmar History + Art (BH+A), a multifaceted remembrance and commemorative justice project funded by public money situated in the new Historic Belmar Park at Fourth Street and Pico Boulevard. Participants will take a tour of the outdoor exhibition situated a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean and nearby sites featured in the panels including the Bay Street Beach Historic District and Phillips Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.
BH+A project historian Alison Rose Jefferson and a Santa Monica Conservancy docent will lead the tour, and share some of the hidden stories of local beach communities and how this unique applied history project came to pass. Click HERE for more information about BH+A.
Registration opens next week!
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On March 15, Conservancy Executive Director Kaitlin Drisko hosted a live conversation with Annenberg Community Beach House Manager Nan Friedman and John Lesak, Principal of Architecture, Planning and Conservation firm Page & Turnbull about operating and maintaining Annenberg Community Beach House. If you missed the livestream, you can watch the recording online now! |
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Conservancy Tours & Events |
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Free walk-in tours April 13 and April 14
Virtual tour on April 21
Click HERE for more information and to register for the virtual tour.
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Tours of the Annenberg Community Beach House Guest House reopens for free walk-in tours on April 6! / Friday-Monday from 12-2 p.m. / 415 Pacific Coast Highway
Please call (310) 458-4904 to confirm dates and closures. Click HERE for more information.
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First and third Saturdays of the month at 10 a.m.
Discover the architectural gems and rich history of Downtown Santa Monica with one of our expert docents!
Click HERE to make a reservation.
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Venice Heritage Museum
228 Main Street, #5, Venice, CA 90291 / Open Thurs–Sun from 11:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m.
Venice Heritage has a new permanent location down the street from the Shotgun House! Click HERE for more information.
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Friends of Ballona Wetlands, Grow Native! Gardening Workshop
Ballona Discovery Park, 13110 Bluff Creek Drive, LA / March 30 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Click HERE for more information.
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Exhibition open now at the Santa Monica History Museum
Click HERE for more information.
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Exhibition open now at the Santa Monica History Museum
Click HERE for more information.
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Santa Monica Conservancy
310-496-3146
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