MAYOR ROB SAEMANN UNVEILS RESTORED CENTENNIAL MURAL AT PIER PLAZA

HERMOSA BEACH, CA — Mayor Rob Saemann joined hundreds of residents at Pier Plaza to unveil the newly restored Hermosa Beach centennial mural, a 40-foot, ten-panel tribute chronicling the city's history from the Tongva people to the modern era.

The unveiling, marked by a historic plane flyover, celebrated a rare convergence of milestones: the 100th anniversary of the Hermosa Beach Kiwanis Club and the city's 119th birthday. Saemann, who serves as both Mayor and Kiwanis Club president, led the restoration effort alongside project leader and local historian Chris Miller, Kiwanis lieutenant governor Rick Koenig, and original artist Dawn Whitney-Hall, who returned to spend five months bringing her 2007 work back to life after years of coastal sun and weather had taken their toll.

"For 18 years, this mural has watched over Hermosa Beach," Saemann told the crowd, noting the significance of restoring it during such a meaningful year for the community.

The restoration was funded entirely through private donations to the Kiwanis Club, with no taxpayer dollars, and reflects Saemann's commitment to preserving Hermosa Beach's character and history. The mural's 118 components include the Red Cars, surf legend Dewey Weber, Colonel Duncan's pirate ship, and the city's founding families, several of whom attended the ceremony.