Some hidden gems are overlooked because they are tucked away.

Others are overlooked because they have been sitting there for so long that people stop wondering about them.

Torrance Park, at 2001 Santa Fe Avenue, falls into the second category.

The park was dedicated in 1934, when it was known simply as Municipal Park, and City records identify it as Torrance’s first public park. 

Its layout still reflects the park design of the 1920s and 1930s, with formal walkways, mature shade trees, hedges, picnic areas and a traditional outdoor bandshell.

There is also a rose garden, horseshoe courts, basketball, a baseball diamond and playground equipment.

One of the most unexpected features is a 1955 fire engine, donated to the park by the Torrance Fire Department in 1961. 

The baseball field carries another Torrance connection. It was renamed Kendall Field in honor of Fred and Jason Kendall, a father-and-son pair who attended Torrance High School and later played Major League Baseball.

Today, the 10-acre park remains an active neighborhood recreation space.

But look a little closer, and it also functions as an outdoor reminder of what public life in Torrance looked like nearly a century ago.

Article Link: Explore Torrance Park