Palos Verdes, also sometimes known as
Rolling Hills, is the hilly
peninsula which sticks out so much in maps of
Los Angeles. Palos Verdes was at one time an
island off the coast before millions of years of
sediment washed down from the
San Gabriel Mountains and connected it to the mainland. The peninsula was mainly formed by
geologic uplift, although some
volcanic rock is found there. The terrain is terraced because as the hills rose, the ocean successively cut
cliffs into the sides of the hill. when this cliff was uplifted, a new one would form. The peninsula is still surrounded by very steep
seacliffs. The name 'palos verdes' is
Spanish for 'green sticks' or 'green trees'. The area once contained many
ecologically unique areas. Now most of the land is covered by
mansions and
golf courses; some of the most expensive land in the US is in Palos Verdes.
There are a few remnants of land which still retain their natural qualities, such as George F. Canyon, Point Vicente, and Portugese Bend (undeveloped because it is a major landslide area) The area also contains a lighthouse, a whale-watching area, and a haunted glass chapel built by Frank LLoyd Wright's son. Among many young people Palos Verdes is considered an excellent place to go driving, the loops formed by palos verdes drives n, s, e, and w, make an excellent drive. Watch out for the landslide area on the southern part of the island.. it's very fun to drive down but many a car has bottomed out there on the sudden drop. The area is also valued as a land of many makeout points or places to watch the submarine races.. some of the most popular ones are the park at the end of Crenshaw Avenue, Palos Verdes Drive E, the Whale Watching Park at point vicinte, and Rocket Ship Park. hopefully these areas will remain beautiful and uncorrupted by the evils of golf.