Lawn Bowling Green  By Clark stadium on Valley     Go to Parks list page

Valley Drive and 9th Street Sports Related Open to all Residents. Call 310-257-8802

          On March 17, 1933, Councilman Learned (founder of Learned Lumber company) made a motion for  Hermosa Beach to purchase two parcels of land adjacent to cypress Park, and to make all Improvements with unemployment funds (it is not known exactly what funds he referred to). The motion was approved. John Clark was alos a member of the council.   On August 26 1933, the city purchased lot number 6. in block 74. from Benjamin Wienstein. On October 17 , 1933 the city purchased lot number 5 in block 74, from John Howsly. These two parcels then became part of the expanded Cypress Park.

          Early in the year 1935, while John Clark was serving as mayor, he obtained the approval of council to have a lawn bowleg green installed on the east side of cypress Park at his own expense. The mayor was an immigrant from England and he brought his bowls and enthusiasm for lawn bowling to Hermosa Beach. Estimated cost was about $2,000, which would be about $35,000 m 1996 dollars. In later years it was declared one of the five best designed greens in California. (For general Information all other Improvements to the park - the community hall, tennis courts, retaining walls, and baseball facilities - were Installed m 1936 by the WPA at the cost of $42,712. The federal government paid $34,206 and Hermosa Beach paid $8500.

          Cypress Park' name was changed to John Clark Stadium in 1936, in honor of all that had been accomplished while he was mayor. The first major tournament was scheduled for June 15, 1935, and was sponsored by the Junior Chamber of commerce. It was a mayor event in the city, with 16 visiting clubs, and had the financial support of most of the business community.

          In 1958, the Patton and Blynn Lumber Company donated a small office building which was moved to just west of the bowling green.  Later that year, Marcellus Joslyn, also a lawn bowling enthusiast, donated funds for the expansion of the original structure to include a kitchen, two bathrooms, and an equipment storage room.  The patio and storage shed were added a few years later.

  

               Across Valley Drive to west                                                                               Clubhouse looking west

   

            Clubhouse now                                                                                                        Clubhouse then