These work-for-hire arrangements would ultimately have deadly consequences. To aid in the construction projects, Monica often hired local handymen found through Craigslist ads and other sources. Over the years, Monica developed the farm, building a barn and making plans to construct a house. Monica also ran a wrought iron fence and gate business called White Queen Construction. On the property, she raised livestock like pigs and chickens. In 1991, Monica purchased a 20-acre farm in the rural town of Wimer, Oregon. After leaving the military, Monica began living as a woman and working as a successful engineer. She served in the Navy during the Vietnam War before being honourably discharged. Susan Monica was born Steven Buchanan in 1948 in California. “You valued pigs more than you value people,” the judge later told her at sentencing. As the macabre case unfolded, a disturbing tale emerged of murder, dismemberment, and lies from the farm’s owner, Susan Monica. When investigators searched her property, they found the partial remains of two missing men-Robert Haney and Stephen Delicino. The program also added a variety of retail, dining and entertainment attractions as well as a police substation and the world-class Pacific Park amusement park.Īs the Santa Monica Pier celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2009 and Pacific Park recognized its 20-year mark in 2016, together they now welcome millions of visitors to enjoy the incredible views of the Pacific Ocean, Santa Monica coastline, Catalina Island, Malibu and Palos Verdes Peninsula.In the quiet countryside of rural Oregon, a grim discovery was made on the farm of Susan Monica in 2014. Improvements continued and in 1988, the City Council adopted the Santa Monica Pier Development Program, which ordered the building of a new concrete substructure to add strength and stability to the Pier. Also, in 1975, the Hippodrome building and carousel were designated a U.S.
They developed a “Save Our Pier Forever” campaign, which resulted in the City creating the Pier Restoration Corporation to provide Pier management and oversee restoration efforts. In response to that decision, Santa Monica residents joined together to fight for the survival of the Piers. The popularity of both Piers continued to deteriorate, and finally, in the early 1970s, the Santa Monica City Council ordered the demolition of the Piers.
In 1953 it was taken over by the City, which leased it to a private operator. While the Municipal Pier continued to be owned and operated by the City of Santa Monica, the Looff pleasure pier had a succession of owners. As a result, the Blue Streak Racer roller coaster was torn down in 1930, and the La Monica Ballroom eventually closed its doors. However, the 1930s brought change when the Santa Monica Pier was confronted with severe weather patterns and new entertainment trends. Looff’s Pier flourished in the 1920s and in 1924 the La Monica Ballroom opened to become the site of many first-time national radio and television broadcasts. Upon completion, Looff’s Pier featured the monumental Hippodrome building, which housed vintage merry-go-rounds, Wurlitzer organs, the Blue Streak Racer wooden roller coaster, the Whip and Aerospace thrill rides and a funhouse. He began constructing his own pleasure pier in 1916. The Pier also intrigued notable entrepreneurs such as Charles Looff who built Coney Island’s first carousel in Brooklyn, New York, and saw the potential of the Santa Monica Pier as a momentous attraction. In the Pier’s beginning, it became an instant success and attracted thousands of visitors by its unique oceanfront views. Prior to Pacific Park’s opening, the Santa Monica Pier overcame a rough journey to reach its present-day landmark status. The nine-story tall Ferris wheel lifts riders more than 130 feet above the Pacific Ocean. Pacific Park is also known nationwide as the amusement park to unveil the world’s first solar-powered Ferris wheel in November 1998. On May 2008, Pacific Park introduced an all-new Ferris wheel that also upgraded the previous lighting system from 5,392 incandescent bulbs to 160,000 energy-efficient LED lights. In May 2016, Pacific Park celebrated its 20th Birthday in a big way with a nearly $1 million new Ferris wheel lighting package featuring 174,000 LED lights that increased colors displayed on the Ferris wheel from the previous 8 to 16.7 million color value combinations, and offers higher resolution, greater color depth and faster “frames per second” display speed.