Redmond, Maryland — From historic city to thriving metropolis, Redmond has a rich history. The population of Redmond grew from a population of 6,700 in 1790 to an estimated 24,000 in 1799. Today, Redmond continues to grow with new housing construction continuing unabated. In the early 1900s and again in the early 1900s, City Hall was one of the tallest buildings in town. In 1907 and 1908, the Pike River excavation left many people wondering when and how it would happen. As a result, many public works projects during this period are commemorated by artworks called “Pike Plunger”. This post will review several of these works and their locations in Redmond. Artwork planners: Do you know where all your local art work is located? If not, this post is for you! There are so many great spots to get a view of nature around Redondo Beach that it would be impossible to list them all! So here are some ideas for looking out over Redondo Beach from your home or office…
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What is Redondo Beach’s history?
The Town of Redondo Beach was first settled in 1824 by European immigrants who came to build a community in the desert. The beach community quickly grew with the coming of the railroad and subsequent growth of nearby Long Beach. Redondo Beach’s economy quickly diversified with the development of a resort community in the 1870s and the production of chemicals. The development of the beachfront area in the 20th century made it a popular vacation spot for vacationers from around the world. Here is a quick overview of some of the major events in Redondo Beach’s history.
- 1824: The first permanent European settlement in the area was established by John H. Handy.
- 1868: The city of Redondo Beach was incorporated.
- 1869: The first American consul to Great Britain was sent to Redondo Beach.
- 1885: The Redondo Beach Fish & Water Festival was first held in Redondo Beach.
- 1891-1908: The quarry for the pike was underground and was discovered in 1891 and completed in 1908.
- 1909: The commissioners of the Town of Redmond met to discuss proposed boundaries that would have made the town vastly larger. The commissioners approved the final boundaries in 1911, however, bringing the city’s size to only 80 acres.
- 1955: The City of Redmond became a separate city when it merged with the Town of Redondo Beach in 1955.
- 2006: The Redondo Beach Improvement District (RBIOD) was created to help improve the town’s aging infrastructure. The district consists of about 60 acres of land that has been zoned residential and commercial.
The White House
The first major event in Redmond’s history was the opening of the White House in Washington, DC, on 11 March 1885. The newlyweds of U.S. Sen. GeorgeEC McDougal and Mrs. McDougal, who rented a house at 24th and L streets, celebrated their union with a celebrated wedding night party known as the “Foote and McDougal Picnic.” The event attracted a crowd of more than 1,000 people and is reported to have been the largest ever observed in the White House.
A lily pad
The most talked about event at the “Foote and McDougal Picnic” was the opening of the “Lily Pad” in Redmond in 1887. The Lily Pad was actually a rose garden, but the couple decided to use it as a wedding party field of flowers. The rose garden, a gift from French engineer and entrepreneur Charles Moore, was located at 24th and L streets and was said to be the most beautiful rose garden in the world at the time.
- The first public art project in Redmond was a mural painted by Virginia artist Polly Gilmore in 1888. The mural depicted a shoreline sunset and was dedicated to the couple who had spent their honeymoon there. Gilmore’s image became known as the “Lily Pad” and later became a part of the loop of parks and gardens that runs through town.
- The 1887 “Lily Pad” was followed by the creation of the first public art gallery in Redmond in 1889. The gallery, located at 26th and L streets, was the first of several public art commissions in Redmond.
- The first activity of the newly formed Redmond Art Museum was to acquire and restore an art collection from a private collection. The collection, which was valued at $500 at the time, was later stored in the Museum’s administrative offices.
- The opening of the Redmond Library, which featured a permanent collection of about 50,000 books, marked the beginning of the town’s push into the cultural and educational mainstream. The library was the largest of its kind in the US at the time, with 6,000 books and 5,000 pictures.
- The first construction in Redmond was a water tower in 1894. The water tower, which sat on the bluff overlooking the harbor, was completed by local contractor Ormsby Reeves and is now located at the west end of L Street.
- The foundation stone for the Redmond Park and Rec idea was laid on 26 May 1925 by Governor Ellsworth and former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Henry B. Wallace. The Redmond Park and Rec idea was to turn Redmond’s downtown into a place where young people could enjoy sports, see plays and take part in cultural activities. The park and recreation plan was to benefit local businesses as well.
A lily pad
A lily pad was another common event in Redmond in 1925. The location of the lily pad has been called the “ Wedding of the Century” and has become something of a local icon. The wedding took place on 7 May 1925 at the Marriott Hotel in Redmond, where the bride was the wife ofり. The bride was VIRGINIA REVOLVER COMMANDER JOHN McDOUGAL. The bridegroom was U.S. SENATOR GEORGE H. CAMPBELL. The lily pad was completed at a cost of $500.
- The first public art project in Redmond was a mural call “The Light of the World” by Polly Gilmore in 1928. The mural depicted a sunset with lights and was dedicated to the couple who had spent their honeymoon there. Gilmore’s image became known as the “Lily Pad” and later became a part of the loop of parks and gardens that runs through town. The bulletin board in the Marriott Hotel featured a notice that read: “The best laid plans of men are just that—men.”
- The first event of the newly formed Redmond Art Museum was to acquire and restore an art collection from a private collection. The collection, which was valued at $500 at the time, was later stored in the Museum’s administrative offices.
- The opening of the Redmond Library, which features a permanent collection of about 50,000 books, was the first step toward recognizing the contributions of the town’s historic past. The library was the largest of its kind in the US at the time, with 6,000 books and 5,000 pictures.
- The first construction in Redmond was a water tower in 1894. The water tower, which sat on the bluff overlooking the harbor, was completed by local contractor Ormsby Reeves and is now located at the west end of L Street.
- The foundation stone for the Redmond Park and Rec idea was laid on 26 May 1925 by Governor Ellsworth and former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Henry B. Wallace. The Redmond Park and Rec idea was to turn Redmond’s downtown into a place where young people could enjoy sports, see plays and take part in cultural activities. The park and recreation plan was to benefit local businesses as well.
