Best Joel Torrez Podcasts (2025)

Send us a text Step inside one of San Pedro’s most beloved landmarks — the historic Muller House. Built in 1899 and moved not once, but twice, this Queen Anne–style home holds over a century of stories, from its shipbuilder owner William Muller’s handcrafted woodwork to its role today as the headquarters of the San Pedro Bay Historical Society. In …

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Season 2. Episode 1. The San Pedro Bay Historical Society 28:10

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2M ago28:10

28:10

Send us a text After a brief hiatus, we're back with a deep dive into the organization keeping San Pedro's rich history alive - the San Pedro Bay Historical Society. This episode introduces two remarkable women who serve as guardians of our harbor's heritage: Mona Dallas Reddick, the Society's president and lifelong educator, and Donna Dragich, boa…

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Episode 20. Vincent Thomas and The Bridge 10:08

5M ago10:08

10:08

Send us a text Support the showBy Joel Torrez

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Episode 19. The Korean Bell of Friendship 8:47

5M ago8:47

8:47

Send us a text This episode is all about the Korean Bell which sits atop Angel's Gate Park overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Support the showBy Joel Torrez

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Episode 18: The San Vicente Lighthouse 25:58

6M ago25:58

25:58

Send us a text In this episode I speak with two guests about the San Vicente Lighthouse and some paranormal activity that has folks in town talking about ghosts that still reside there. Support the showBy Joel Torrez

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Episode 17. Angel's Gate Lighthouse 9:45

6M ago9:45

9:45

Send us a text In this episode I will talk about the iconic Angel's Gate Lighthouse located in San Pedro, California. Support the showBy Joel Torrez

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Episode 16. Point Fermin Lighthouse 18:57

7M ago18:57

18:57

Send us a text In this episode, I interview Joseph Gray and we talk about the Point Fermin Lighthouse. Support the showBy Joel Torrez

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Episode 15. Mom at the Pike 26:44

8M ago26:44

26:44

Send us a text In this episode I interview a very special guest; my mother. When she was just five years old, she and her sister would visit the Pike. In this episode, mom recounts some of her most favorite memories of the pike. Support the showBy Joel Torrez

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Episode 14. Elmer J. McCurdy 13:26

8M ago13:26

13:26

Send us a text This episode is About Elmer J. McCurdy. Elmer was a criminal who ended up being part of one of the attractions at the Pike. Listen in to learn what attraction Elmer belonged to. Support the showBy Joel Torrez

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Episode 13. Charles Looff 7:29

9M ago7:29

7:29

Send us a text This episode is about Charles I.D. Looff and his contributions to the Pike in Long Beach, California. Support the showBy Joel Torrez

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Episode 12. The Pike 15:42

9M ago15:42

15:42

Send us a text This episode touches lightly on the bathhouse and then transitions into more of the attractions that were available at The Pike. Support the showBy Joel Torrez

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Episode 11. The Plunge and the Dance Hall at The Pike 10:18

10M ago10:18

10:18

Send us a text In this episode, I talk more about the bathhouse which is also known as The Plunge and that Dance Hall. I talk about the significance of both types of entertainment and the significance both played in the early days of The Pike. Support the showBy Joel Torrez

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Episode 10. Long Beach 5:41

10M ago5:41

5:41

Send us a text In this episode I talk about the City of Long Beach and brush lightly across its history as a seaside resort. Support the showBy Joel Torrez

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Episode 9. A Listener Tale 21:01

11M ago21:01

21:01

Send us a text Support the showBy Joel Torrez

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Episode 7. Phineas Banning Part 3. 15:51

11M ago15:51

15:51

Send us a text Hey folks in part three, we're going to talk about Phineas spanning politics, how his family continued the family business. Catalina island and how the Banning's operated the island for nearly 30 decades. Support the showBy Joel Torrez

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Episode 8. Phineas Banning Part 4. 18:18

11M ago18:18

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Send us a text Hey folks this is episode 8. In this fourth and final episode, Michael Sanborn, and I reflect on what Phineas Banning would think of the modern day ports. We also talk about the museum, some of its latest installations. Support the showBy Joel Torrez

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Episode 6. Phineas Banning Part 2. 10:19

12M ago10:19

10:19

Send us a text Hey folks in this next episode Michael Sanborn and I talk about Phineas Banning serving in the United States military, building the Los Angeles railroad in just under one year, his work on the Los Angeles Harbor, and about Banning also running for the California state senate. Support the show…

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Episode 5. Phineas Banning Part 1. 19:11

1y ago19:11

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Send us a text In this episode I interview Michael Sanborn, the Director of the Banning Museum. We will dive into the life of Phineas Banning including his family structure, personality, and some of his early accomplishments which include the establishment of a transportation empire, including his stagecoach lines and ultimately a Railroad in South…

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Episode 4. The Gold Rush 6:36

1y ago6:36

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Send us a text I this episode I will talk about California in the late 1840s and 1850s - also known as the time of the gold rush. You could consider this episode more of a tickler for episode five, where I will dive into the life of Phineas Banning the founder of Wilmington, California, his contributions to Wilmington and San Pedro, including the e…

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Episode 3. West Harbor 53:17

1y ago53:17

53:17

Send us a text In this episode I interview Ryan Blaney. He shares the role of the business improvement district, his love for San Pedro, and some of the latest projects that are underway which of course includes West Harbor. Support the showBy Joel Torrez

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Episode 2. The Ports O' Call 22:34

1y ago22:34

22:34

Send us a text This episode is about the historical Ports O' Call Village in San Pedro, California and its modern rival, West Harbor. In this first part, I will dig into some interesting articles, I found online related to the development of the ports of call, its culmination, as well as its deterioration, which ultimately led to its demolition. Su…

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Episode 1. The Indigenous People of the Harbor Area 33:33

1y ago33:33

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Send us a text This episode is about the indigenous people of the Harbor Area and the Los Angeles region - the Tongva. In the first part of the episode, I present some very light research on the subject area. In the second part of the episode, I interview Isaac Michael Ybarra - a local artist, historian, and member of the Tongva community. Support …

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Trailer 0:51

1y ago0:51

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Send us a text Hey folks, Welcome to the Harbor Area Podcast. I am your host, Joel Torrez. I moved to San Pedro in 2022. I am so fascinated by the Harbor area that I decided to create a podcast about the information I learn and share it with awesome listeners like you. This podcast is all about the Harbor area in Los Angeles, California. Stay tuned…