Long Beach Church Celebrates Status As National Historic Landmark
LONG BEACH (CBSLA.com) — First Congregational Downtown Long Beach was recently registered as a national historic landmark, so the church is celebrating with stage performance this weekend that's open to the public.
First Congregational Downtown Long Beach, whose beginning date back to the founding of the city of Long Beach in 1888, wants to share its history in a stage performance called "Postcards from Paradise: A Love Letter to Long Beach."
Reverend Elena Larssen said the church uncovered a huge amount of history in its research to become recognized as a historic landmark.
"Long Beach was a boomtown, for 30 years it was the fastest growing city in the country, and this congregation boomed along with it, bringing good and healthy things for the city," Larssen said. "We were really excited to dig through our history and find out that there is this connection."
The church's theatrical production takes place this Saturday and Sunday and will be accompanied by First Congregational's 4,500-pipe organ, a 50-person cast and its choir.
For show times and information go to www.firstchurchlb.org.
