Beachcombing as a Metaphor for Change
And Other Regeneration Stories
In Old Town Eureka this morning, the day began with buskers, dogs, a market and coffee. Just another day in the America that urbanists crave.
But soon, in Mendocino County, the redwoods receded and the fog rolled out in Fort Bragg, revealing a beach full of remnants that have become a phenomenon — a beach composed not just of pebbles but of glass.
Glass Beach is all-in-one remnant, ruin and regeneration. Formerly a dump, both sea glass and local glass remain; former bottles and waste are now treasures on the most-searched beach in California.
I marvel how the cultural value of this glass has transformed. Caterpillar to butterfly. Frog to Prince Charming.
At dinner in Mendocino, I thought about the glass residue from ancient Roman kilns I saw in Israel, green shards that are now archaeological artifacts. I mused about analogous changes in the urban fabric worldwide. Notting Hill in London was once nothing special — in the words of BBC radio presenter Robert Elms’s mother, “After all, Notting Hill was just a slum.”
Cyclical change, layers, and overlays are the motivations for this journey. From redwoods to beach glass, there’s been fodder so far.
Oddly enough, tonight, Mendocino seems just how I remember it. The Victorian aura and tower motif seem unchanged — for decades. Tomorrow, I’ll be looking for those little fragments of glass.
More entries will appear throughout the month of August, and will generate the basis for future presentations and exhibits. All photos by Charles R. Wolfe. Do not copy.
