Project Freeth: Volume 2: The Father of Modern Surfing, Lifeguards, and Nanation

Here it is, Project Freeth Volume 2. Not only does this book cover the rest of George Freeth's colorful life, but it also reveals some hidden treasures from past articles in both Hawaii and California.

At various points, while I was doing research for Volume 2, the word natation came up, which George happened to be a leading authority on during his lifetime. The dictionary defines this term as the science of human movement in water. Finding this term to be relevant at many levels, I've deemed the third book in this trilogy to be titled Natation.

Two maps on the book cover represent the plan, (map # 1), and the fruition, (map #2), in the golden age of Redondo Beach as a city.

The first map, drawn up by California's first state engineer, William H. Hall, was presented to the Dominguez sisters at the sales meeting between them and the Redondo Beach company headed by Danial Freeman. (Complete story in Project Freeth Volume 1.)

It's a mystery when the second map was rendered. Even though it's used in the 1913 ad to promote Freeth's swim lessons, (shown on the cover), evidence indicates that the age of this map was already over ten years old by 1913. Wharf #3 is present, dating this map after 1903. But the lack of Redondo High School on this map means it was made before 1905. That narrows it down to a workable timeframe.

by J. Francis Quigley

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