Bruce's Beach

Bruce's Beach consists of a beachfront park between 26th and 27th streets in Manhattan Beach, California. It once held a lodge, cafe, and dance hall operated by a family.

Willa and Charles Bruce purchased the oceanfront property in 1912 and opened a facility for African American visitors during racial segregation. The city seized the site in 1924 under a pretext and only returned it to the rightful descendants in 2022.

The resort served as a meeting point for Black families from the Los Angeles area, who were denied access to many other California beaches in the early decades of the 20th century. Today a memorial plaque at the beach recalls the history of this site and the people who gathered here.

The site sits right on the beach and is accessible via public pathways that run along the coast. The park is open during the day and offers space to sit with a view of the Pacific.

After the seizure the site remained unused for three decades before a public park was built on it. The return of the property to the Bruce family was one of the first official reparations of this kind in California.

Location: Manhattan Beach

Inception: 1912

Founders: Willa Ann Tillman, Charles Aaron Bruce Jr.

Address: 2600 Highland Ave, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266, USA

Opening Hours: Lundi-Dimanche 06:00-22:00

Phone: +13108025410

Website: https://citymb.info/departments/parks-and-recreation/parks-and-facilities/bruce-s-beach

GPS coordinates: 33.89361,-118.41611

Latest update: December 12, 2025 09:17