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The District WeeklyWed. October 31
 

Midget Town manslaughter and other true, not-so-true and just-plain-made-up legends about Long Beach and beyond

“You are interested in the unknown, the mysterious, the unexplainable. That is why you are here . . .”
—The Amazing Criswell

This is a weird issue. For once, we’re not writing about what our city used to have—the amusement park with live ammunition, the gambling ships anchored three miles out, the downtown card rooms, the Bomb Shelter—but about what we think we had, our urban legends—the neighborhoods of little people, the killer traffic circle, the mummy. Plus, some tall tales: a flying drag racer, an indestructible skateboarder, a 12-sided house, the day one of Charlie’s Angels kissed some guy—in Downey!

This is a really dangerous issue for us. Because after reading some of what follows, you may know that’s not the way it happened at all—and feel compelled to speak. We encourage you; we need letters to the editor. And now, without further ado, our stories of strange places, unusual events and wild people. My friends, we cannot keep this a secret any longer.

THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE—OF DEATH
Myth: Long Beach’s traffic roundabout turned on its creator, killing the hapless engineer in a wreck of ironic proportions. Some more twisted versions of the legend even claim that the designer’s son also died in an accident there—completing the, yes, circle of death.

Reality: The real history of the circle is fairly sterile: German engineer Werner Ruchti was brought in to design the thing in 1930 in anticipation of the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, which outsourced a number of aquatic events to Long Beach. The presumption was that having a traffic circle would help remedy all those Olympic-sized Model T/Willys Knight/REO Speed Wagon-style traffic jams.

Soon after it was built, accidents dropped in the area and, in 1993, CalTrans loosened the traffic rules, turning the circle into a full-fledged roundabout. But Ruchti never died on the thing. Truth is, Ruchti went on to become the head of Regional Planning for Los Angeles County and the first director of the Department of Planning in Long Beach, eventually dying a far less sinister death of natural causes. // MILES CLEMENTS

THIS ARTICLE ISN'T OVER!
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Viewing 7 Comments

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    I have been working on a book about the women who worked in the aircraft industry during WWII and found out that Douglas hired "midgets" (the phrase used on the cutlines of the photos I saw) because they could fit into tight spaces like the inside of the fuel tanks.
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    Ms. Schipske,
    That's amazing!
    Thanks for letting us know.
    I wonder where these "midgets" lived while they worked at Douglas; it'd make our story better if they lived here. They may have been commuters, though.
    My grandmother worked at Douglas during the war, and I know she drove in from the San Gabriel Valley every day--down Rosemead Boulevard.
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    "Bloody Sunday": 1977 Signal Hill Speed Run. I was one of the few women who entered that race. There were two of us to be exact. The year before, there were no women represented. I thought that was terrible so I entered. I had a great leather outfit made by Bates Leather and was sponsored by my Dad's ship repair company. The other woman, Leslie Jo Ritzma, made it down and got the record for first woman to make the speed run. I unfortunately, as others that day, crashed...(my boyfriend at the time, Herb Spitzer, also crashed...let's just say, it was an exciting day for spectators!) I was not hurt but gave my mother a fright by doing a roll to the side just after the crest of the hill right in front of her! That was a very memorable day for me. I used to skate (roller skates) all the local skateparks and a few empty pools and am still in touch with several of "the guys" I hung with back then. (I'm a triathlete now.) Thanks for bringing some light to a great race, with or without the crashes!...You also got me back in contact with Jim O'Mahoney, a really great guy, that an interview with him alone would make for an interesting article!
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    I am Herbs brother and saw Michelle crash that day. I believe her trucks were tight and didn't turn because she hit a bump at the top and then the cart didn't go stright down hill and she couldn't make it adjust. A really bad eat. But she was one tough cookie! Herb on the other had got to aot 53 mph and his trucks were to loose and he got speed wabbles and got pitched...Someone in this world might have tape of this day...Wonder why they don't hold the ZShell Hill speed run anymo.
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    alright egor was a butler who worked in the house and there were these kids that live and played in the alley behind where he worked and he hated the kids because they were loud and made messes so one night he snaped and hung all the kids
    there's a ledge where u can see a semented door way and thats were it supposidly happend

    drive down the alley at night with your lights out crazy scary
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    I live in the Igor house. The stories crack me up!!!
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    I live in the Igor house. The stories crack me up!!! Email me with any questions.
 
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