Uncover the California Hidden in the Archives

Unearthed from decades-old newspaper archives come true stories of a Southern California long forgotten—a realm of mystery, terror, and forgotten lore.

Did a sea monster truly stalk the waters off the coast? Between the 1900s and 1950s, local records frequently reported sightings of a creature dubbed “The Thing” or “Clemente Clem”—a beast lurking in the channel between Catalina and San Clemente Island, featuring dinner-plate-sized eyes and a ten-foot neck towering above the waves.

Dive into forgotten history and discover:

• TREASURE: Sunken gambling ships off Seal Beach, pirate loot, mission gold, and lost riches in the Bolsa Chica wetlands.

• TERROR: The gripping panic of the great 1959 shark scare.

• THE BIZARRE: The underground hunt for Los Angeles’ “Lizard People” and legends of Viking ships buried in the desert.

• FORGOTTEN HISTORY: The early days of surfing, the high-stakes battle for San Pedro Bay, and Southern California’s whaling and otter-hunting past.

Can you handle the truth behind California’s stranger side? The truth is stranger than fiction.

Art by Rick Ewing