SIDEWALK SIGNATURES 
George S. Kashishian

Long Beach’s sidewalks contain impressed “signatures” of many pavers who plied their trade in the city. If your ancestor owned a construction company or worked for one of those cement contractors, our “Sidewalk Signatures” series will be of interest to you. In older sections of the California Heights neighborhood district it’s impossible to walk far without encountering this distinctive rectangle:

photo: QHGS

George S. Kashishian was a native of Turkey. He came to Long Beach in 1909, and lived here at 2832 E 6th Street with his wife Pearl during the 1920s. Mr. Kashishian was a contractor who paved many streets in our city. The Southwest Builder and Contractor of April 1920, lists one of his projects as follows: “Long Beach—G. S. Kashishian, 2832 E. 6th St., was awarded the contract for improving Corto Place between Broadway and Obispo Ave. at 24c sq. ft. for one course concrete paving, including grading; 53c lin. ft. cement curb and 21c sq. ft. cement sidewalk.” 

Later in life, Mr. Kashishian owned and operated an oriental rug company at 401 E. Carson Street in Long Beach. His obituary in the Long Beach Independent Press-Telegram of September 10, 1969, tells us that, “he helped build the old Poly High gym, installed the first terrazo [sic] sidewalk in front of Buffum’s [department store], and was said to have been the first to utilize transit-mixed cement in Long Beach. In 1946 he gave up cement and building contracting to devote full time to the rug company.”

RESEARCH NOTE: Find out more about the Kashishians by reading Jim Kashishian’s brief history of the family at http://rugnotes.blogspot.com/2005/03/kash-moves-on-from-lb-by-jim.html. Jim is George’s grandson.