Courtesy of Seal Beach Historical Resources Foundation
Visitors to River’s End Park (First Street and Ocean Avenue) can now discover important stories about the old and new habitants of the park. Learn about the unique landscape through new interpretive signs highlighting the area’s history, ecology, and natural resources.
The new exhibits focus on the Department of Water and Power Steam Plant (circa 1925), and shorebirds that depend on the park’s open habitat and brackish waters where the San Gabriel River meets the Pacific Ocean. The signs invite you to look beyond the scenic views and gain a deeper appreciation for the forces—both natural and human—that shaped River’s End Park. The park itself was developed as a public open space with amenities that encourage recreation and environmental education.
The DWP Steam Plant interpretive sign explores the history of electrical generation at the mouth of the San Gabriel River and explains how the generating station played an important role both in supplying power to Southern California and in maritime navigation with a 385-foot smoke stack. The aerial view of the steam plant and Seal Beach provide a glimpse of Seal Beach before any significant development occurred.
The shorebirds exhibit introduces visitors to the remarkable variety of birds that feed, rest, and nest in the area. River’s End Park provides valuable habitat for migratory and resident species that rely on open coastal areas during critical stages of their life cycles. The sign encourages park visitors to observe wildlife from a respectful distance and reminds everyone that minimizing disturbance helps protect these vulnerable birds. Shorebirds are a defining feature of nearby coastal wetlands and tidal habitats throughout Seal Beach.
The third exhibit explains the importance of brackish water, the unique mixture of fresh river water and salty ocean water found where the San Gabriel River reaches the sea. This constantly changing environment supports specialized plants and animals while serving as an important nursery for fish, invertebrates, and countless other species. The sign helps visitors understand why estuaries and brackish water are among the most productive ecosystems in the world.
The new signs encourage a greater appreciation for the natural and cultural resources that make River’s End Park one of Seal Beach’s most distinctive waterfront destinations.