Here is an event for anyone who has ever wondered what Torrance looked like before today’s freeways and sprawling road network.

The Torrance Historical Society & Museum continues its August Late-Night Thursdays series on Thursday, August 20, with a program devoted to the Pacific Electric Railway. The Historical Society currently lists the program among its upcoming 2026 events.

The Pacific Electric Railway once operated an enormous electric interurban rail network throughout Southern California, including service connected to Torrance.

That transportation history is still visible in the city today if you know where to look. The historic Pacific Electric depot on Cabrillo Avenue is one of the reminders of an era when rail played a major role in connecting Torrance with the rest of the Los Angeles region.

The Historical Society Museum is located at 1345 Post Avenue in Old Torrance, and its regular collections include photographs, documents, artifacts and other materials telling the city’s story.

For residents interested in local history, this is a chance to go considerably deeper than simply looking at an old photograph online.

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