In 1912, a Black couple bought California beachfront land and built a resort; the city seized it in the 1920s, and a century later their heirs got it back and sold it for nearly $20 million

Charles and Willa Bruce on their wedding day (Left) and Margie Johnson and John Pettigrew in Manhattan Beach in 1927 (Right)

A prime piece of Southern California oceanfront property taken from a Black couple through eminent domain a century ago was formally returned to their descendants and then sold back to Los Angeles County for nearly $20 million (£16.6 million). The deal ended a historic legal fight over Bruce’s Beach, a Manhattan Beach resort founded in 1912 by Willa and Charles Bruce. The resort became a popular destination for African American beachgoers during racial segregation. It was later targeted by white neighbours, harassed by the Ku Klux Klan, and eventually taken by local officials in 1924. According to official records from the Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI) Initiative and reporting by the Associated Press, the property was formally returned to great-grandsons Marcus and Derrick Bruce. The family then used a contractual option to sell the two plots back to the county for $19,975,000.

Century-long land trajectory

1912: Willa and Charles Bruce buy the land for $1,2251924: Manhattan Beach takes the land through eminent domain1927 to 1995: Land remains mostly unused, then passes to the state and L.A. County2022 to 2023: County returns the land to the heirs, who sell it back for nearly $20 million

Entrepreneurship met with racial hostility

Willa and Charles Bruce bought two oceanfront lots along the south shore of Santa Monica Bay in 1912 for $1,225. At a time when Black residents were often barred from public beaches across California, the couple built a lodge, café, and changing facilities, creating a rare beach resort for African Americans. As the resort became more popular, local white residents and civic groups began a campaign of harassment. Property owners placed “No Trespassing” signs along access routes, forcing visitors to take long routes around private properties to reach the beach. When these efforts failed to close the business, the Manhattan Beach City Council voted in 1924 to take the property, claiming it was needed for a municipal park. The Bruce family challenged the decision in court and sought $120,000 in compensation and damages. After years of legal battles, courts awarded them $14,500 in 1929, and the resort buildings were demolished.

Bruce’s Beach timeline

1912: Bruces buy oceanfront property and establish a popular Black resort1924: Manhattan Beach City Council votes to take the resort through eminent domain1929: Family receives a $14,500 court settlement and the resort is demolished1995: Land transferred to L.A. County and a lifeguard facility is built2021: California passes Senate Bill 796 to allow the land to be returned2022: Deed formally transferred to Bruce family heirs2023: Heirs complete the nearly $20 million sale back to Los Angeles County

Decades of vacant land and changing ownership

Although the city had taken the property for a public park, officials left the land vacant for decades. In 1948, the property was transferred to the State of California. In 1995, it was transferred to Los Angeles County. The county later built an administrative lifeguard training headquarters and a small parking lot on the site. Efforts to address the historic seizure gained momentum in 2020 through grassroots campaigns led by local organizers. To make the return possible, California lawmakers passed Senate Bill 796, authored by State Senator Steven Bradford. The law removed state restrictions that had prevented the land from being transferred back to the family.

Rebuilding generational wealth

In July 2022, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors held a ceremony to return the deed to the great-grandsons of Willa and Charles Bruce. Under the agreement, the family initially leased the property back to the county for $413,000 per year. The agreement also included an option allowing the county to buy the land for its appraised value of $19,975,000.

Financial comparison

1912 Purchase Price: $1,2251929 Eminent Domain Settlement: $14,5002022 Annual Lease to County: $413,0002023 County Buyback Price: $19,975,000The family decided to sell the land because local zoning rules prevented commercial development on the property. In a public statement released by Los Angeles County, Board of Supervisors Chair Janice Hahn highlighted the importance of the agreement: “This fight has always been about what is best for the Bruce family, and they feel what is best for them is selling this property back to the County for nearly $20 million and finally rebuilding the generational wealth they were denied for nearly a century.” Senator Steven Bradford also described the land transfer as an example of restorative justice. Hahn said the seizure of Bruce’s Beach nearly a century ago was an injustice not only to Willa and Charles Bruce but also to generations of their descendants who might otherwise have become wealthy. The property will remain under Los Angeles County ownership and continue to be used for lifeguard training facilities. The story of Bruce’s Beach shows how community organizing and state legislation helped address a land seizure that had affected one family for nearly a century.