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Los Angeles lacks a natural harbor. Moreover, in the 1880s, the rail line to its inadequate port at San Pedro was controlled by railroad magnate Collis P. Huntington. When his monopoly was threatened, Huntington planned a new port at Santa Monica built with federal money wrested from San Pedro. Huntington chose a site that guaranteed he would dominate the Santa Monica port. Congress ultimately chose to fund San Pedro instead. Hence, San Pedro Bay grew into one of the world’s great ports and Santa Monica was transformed into a glamorous beach resort, with powerful impacts on the region’s urban geography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]