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Lewin, Herbert (audio interview #2 of 2)
INTERVIEW DESCRIPTION - This interview was conducted in the home of George Badenhausen, Lewin's friend. Occasionally, Badenhausen comments on the subjects being discussed or responds when prompted by Lewin. 5/23/1985
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- 2020-10-27
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- *** File: cbhlewin2.mp3 Audio Segments and Topics: (0:00-6:16)... Brief introduction. Lewin's father, H.H. Lewin, was a Welshman who immigrated to the US when he was a young adult. While working as a traveling salesman for a wholesale grocery company based in Dennison, Texas, he met Lewin's mother and they married. Lewin was born in Dennison and moved with his family to San Francisco in 1915 where his father and maternal uncle became partners in an insurance business. In 1921, the two families moved once again and settled in Los Angeles. His father and uncle became prominent oil prospectors in Signal Hill and formed Apex Petroleum Corporation and other oil companies. The companies managed several oil leases on the northwest and northeast corners of Signal Hill, in the Richfield area, and in Puente Hills. (6:16-11:37)... After Lewin graduated from high school, he took flight instruction at Rogers Airport located on 125th and Western in Los Angeles. There were a string of air strips in this area, one of which was owned by his close friend Jack Frye. Frye was very helpful in encouraging the aviation community to support the development of the Long Beach Airport while Lewin was working on the Aviation Committee for the Junior Chamber of Commerce. Lewin was not a successful oil worker because it was not his passion. He worked as a roughneck and in other capacities in order to make a living but was never interested in pursuing a career in the oil industry. His interests were in aviation. Most of the money he made in the oil industry was a result of buying and selling royalties from his father's oil business, Apex Petroleum Corporation. (11:37-14:14)... George Badenhausen, at whose home the interview was conducted helps to clarify things when prompted by Lewin. Frosty Martin and Elmer Decker were prominent figures in the oil industry. Although Lewin was unsure who to credit the invention to, either Martin or Decker originated a drilling indicator that made rotary drilling an important feature of the oil industry in Long Beach. (14:14-16:30)... In this segment, the interviewer asks Lewin whether he knew or associated with certain people in Long Beach, including Jim O'Donnell and the Hancocks. (16:30-17:33)... Although there was some collaboration between oil manufacturers in Long Beach and the oil industry in Mexico, Lewin was too preoccupied with aviation at that time and could not recall any specific memories regarding this subject. He also was not involved in oil production in the harbor when it began in 1936-37. (17:33-25:02)... Lewin talks about his introduction to the Long Beach Junior Chamber of Commerce, indicating that the length of time he spent with the organization was due, in part, to the leadership of and his admiration for Darrell Neighbors. In illustrating his point, Lewin returns to a discussion of aviation and the "controversy" surrounding the development of the Long Beach Airport. Because of inept leadership, the development of the airport was transferred to the Junior Chamber of Commerce under Neighbors' supervision. At that time, Neighbors got the ball rolling on developing the airport by moving hangars and extending the runway on the south side of the property. (25:02-30:57)... The Long Beach Junior Chamber of Commerce played an important role in developing the Long Beach Airport. In particular, he met a vice president of Pan American Airways and others interested in aviation. They also discussed the possibility of creating runways for "flying boats," or seaplanes, in the master plan for airport development in Los Angeles County. By the time the development of the Long Beach Airport got underway, seaplanes were becoming obsolete and "land planes" predominated the aviation industry. The master plan also included specifications for extremely long runways and although never a feature at Long Beach Airport, these runways were developed at other airports. End of tape. *** File: cbhlewin3.mp3 (0:00-2:12)... Various public relations and marketing strategies were used to gain support for the development of Long Beach Airport. (2:12-11:18)... The Long Beach Junior Chamber of Commerce organized several parades. The Sun, Surf, and Sand Days Parade was the first one they sponsored and its purpose was to promote local retailers and merchants. Lewin headed the parade committee and remembers that the parade was very popular and made the front page of the Press Telegram. The Junior Chamber of Commerce also took over Jack Horner's Band Review parades when Horner had a difficult time organizing them. In organizing their parades in Long Beach and elsewhere, the Junior Chamber of Commerce hired Roy Kreager, a professional parade organizer, and he supplied the manpower necessary to manage the parades. (11:18-13:52)... Lewin was chair of the Boys Band in Long Beach, which he believed was a "healthy and worthwhile contribution to the youth in the city." He also assisted the Sheriff's Boys Band and organized a parade for the City of Anaheim. (13:52-18:34)... When State Societies began to deteriorate in Long Beach, the Long Beach Junior Chamber of Commerce stepped in and gave State Societies "a new lease on life." Under the direction of Darrell Neighbors, the Junior Chamber of Commerce organized an All State Society picnic in Recreation Park. Judge Parker Wood also was instrumental in breathing new life into State Societies and helped them organize activities in Bixby Park. In 1938, the 50th Anniversary of the City of Long Beach featured a beauty contest in the city, for which each State Society nominated a queen from its organization. Lewin believes that this beauty contest was the precursor to Miss Universe. (18:34-20:08)... The Junior Chamber of Commerce supported the construction of Veteran's Stadium. Lewin was concerned that the stadium not interfere with the approach line of airplanes landing at Long Beach Airport. (20:08-25:46)... During this segment, additional comments are made by a man sitting in on the interview. A contest was held in the City of Long Beach in order to determine a new name for the Petroleum Commercial Club. Hazel {last name} won first prize in the amount of $100.00 when she suggested that the new facility be called the Pacific Coast Club. The Pacific Coast Club was located on the northwest corner of American Avenue and Broadway. This was the first athletic club in the city and a large membership drive was organized to encourage interest in the facility. Lewin digresses regarding the 1933 earthquake in Long Beach and his father's experiences when the earthquake occurred. Lewin notes that his father was a pseudo banker in the city because he carried a lot of cash and could provide people with money when the bank was closed. During the earthquake, Lewin was on Signal Hill "half drunk." (25:46-28:30)... Lewin continues the discussion regarding his experiences during the 1933 earthquake and its impact on Signal Hill and Long Beach. (28:30-31:13)... Long Beach Airport could not have been developed without the leadership skills of Darrell Neighbors, Eddie Simons, and the Aviation Committee of the Long Beach Junior Chamber of Commerce. Even though he was the initial contact in the negotiations, Lewin credits his cohorts in the Junior Chamber and the Aviation Committee for persuading Douglas Aircraft to build their plant in Long Beach. End of tape.
- SUBJECT BIO - Herbert Lewin, with the support of other members of the Long Beach Junior Chamber of Commerce, promoted the development of the Long Beach Airport and location of the Douglas Aircraft plant adjacent to it. Lewin moved to Los Angeles after graduating from a military academy in Missouri. He learned to fly in Los Angeles while working on Signal Hill in the oil fields. While working in the oil fields, he joined the Long Beach Junior Chamber of Commerce where he headed the Aviation Committee. His work on that committee led the Long Beach city manager to appoint him manager of the Long Beach Airport. In that position, he he negotiated with a local land owner to sell adjacent land at an attractive price and then offered it to Douglas at that price. Douglas decided to buy and build a plant in Long Beach. In 1943, Lewin joined the Air Corps and was stationed in various places. In this single interview, he also discusses his other activities in the Junior Chamber of Commerce including parades. TOPICS - family background; father's (H;H; Lewin) oil businesses, Empire Petroleum Corporation and Apex Petroleum Corporation; career in oil industry; aviation interests; Jack Frye; Rogers Airport and Los Angeles airfields;movement of Naval Air Station; Fred Bixby; Junior Chamber of Commerce; parades in the City of Long Beach; Jack Horner; Boys Band; State Societies; Petroleum Commercial Club and Pacific Coast Club; 1933 earthquake;
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