Many lifelong residents of Los Angeles have health impacts from growing up close to oil extraction. Now, the city is trying to close down the worst offenders, but it's an enormous task.
There are four small artificial islands off the coast at Long Beach, known as the THUMS islands or Astronaut Islands. They are platforms for oil wells, built in the 60s in a climate of opposition to local petroleum operations. They are a fever dream of Disney-esque retro-futuristic facade and landscaping, designed to look something like space-age resorts.
I know I’ve seen photo features on these disguised urban wells before, but I’m not having much luck finding what I remember (a good look down the facade at the machinery) now. This 2014 feature at The Atlantic is worth a look, anyway.
There are four small artificial islands off the coast at Long Beach, known as the THUMS islands or Astronaut Islands. They are platforms for oil wells, built in the 60s in a climate of opposition to local petroleum operations. They are a fever dream of Disney-esque retro-futuristic facade and landscaping, designed to look something like space-age resorts.
Island Grissom at night @ Flickr
The oft forgotten tale behind Long Beach’s ‘resort’ oil drilling islands
THUMS Islands @ Wikipedia
I know I’ve seen photo features on these disguised urban wells before, but I’m not having much luck finding what I remember (a good look down the facade at the machinery) now. This 2014 feature at The Atlantic is worth a look, anyway.