By all accounts, “Nylic” is a reference to the New York Life Insurance Company (NYLIC). Previously known as Neptune Place, this alley was renamed Nylic Court by City Council in 1922 on the motion of Alexander Beck (1869-1947). Beck was indeed an insurance man, born in Denmark and raised in Watsonville. He and his wife Estella came to LB in 1912 and he served on its first City Council from 1921 until 1927. One 1904 newspaper article had Beck affiliated with NYLIC, which would explain his desire for this street name – and a later manager of the Long Beach NYLIC branch claimed that Beck had been with NYLIC down here as well. However, all other records show that Beck actually worked for Travelers Insurance Co. Perhaps he was a double agent?
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