Los Angeles Relocation Guide

Transcription

703 R adford Lane
Foster Cit y, C A 94404
Te l : ( 6 5 0 ) 3 7 3 - 7 7 0 0
Fa x : ( 6 5 0 ) 2 4 0 - 4 0 5 0
w w w.a ntevia.com
Redefining the Relocation Process
Attention to detail, a curteous and knowledgable staff, and
a vast knowledge of local rental markets make Antevia
the best choice for your relocation needs
Los Angeles Relocation Guide
Areas Included:
Ag o u r a H i l l s • A l h a m b r a • A r c a d i a • A r t e s i a • Ava l o n • A z u s a • B a l d w i n Pa r k • B e l l •
B el l G a rd e n s • B el l f l o wer • B ever ly Hills • Br ad b ur y Bur b ank• C alab asas • Car s o n •
Cer r itos • Claremont • Commerc e • Compton • Co vina • Cudahy • Culver Cit y •
D i a m o n d B a r • D o w n e y • D u a r te • E l M o n t e E l S e g u n d o • G a rd e n a • G l e n d a l e •
Glendora • Hawaiian Gardens • Hawthorne • Her mosa Beach • H idden H ills •
Huntington Pa rk • I ndustr y • I nglewood • Ir windale • La Cañada • Flintr idge •
La H ab ra H e igh ts • L a M ira da • L a Puent e • La Ver ne • Lakewood • Lanc aster •
L a w n d a l e • Lo m i t a • Lo n g B e a c h • Lyn wo o d • M a l i b u • M a n h a t t a n B e a c h • M ay wo o d •
M o n rov i a • M o n t e b e l l o • M o n t ere y Pa r k • N o r w a l k • Pa l o s Ver d e s E s t at e s • Pa l m d a l e •
Pa ram o u n t • Pa s a d e n a • Pic o R iver a • Po m o n a • R a n c h o • Pa l o s Ver d e s •
Redondo B each • R olling H ills • R olling H ills Estates • Rosemead • San Dimas •
S a n Fer n a n d o • S a n G a b r i e l • S a n M a r i n o • S a nt a C l a r i t a • S a nt a Fe S p r i n g s
Santa Monica• Sier ra Madre • Signal H ill • South El Monte • South G ate •
S o u t h Pa s a d e n a • Te m p l e C i t y • Tor r a n ce Ver n o n • Wa l n u t • We s t Cov i n a •
We s t H o l l y wo od • Westl a ke Vi l l a ge • Whit t ier
Agoura Hills, California
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Agoura Hills is a city (incorporated in 1982) in Los Angeles County, California, and has
the ZIP code 91301. The population was 20,537 at the 2000 census. This bedroom
community on the Ventura Freeway (U.S. Route 101) sits on the border between Los
Angeles and Ventura County. It is approximately 32 miles from the downtown Los
Angeles civic center.
History
The area was first settled by the Chumash Indians, and later by Spanish Franciscan
missionaries. The community of Agoura was first known as Picture City. In order for the
town to get its own post office, the residents were required to choose a one-word name,
so in 1927 they chose a misspelling of the last name of Pierre Agoure, a local Basque
rancher from the 1890s. Housing tracts quickly covered the land in the late 1960's. On 8
December 1982, most of the city split off from the unincorporated town of Agoura and
became the city of Agoura Hills.
The historic Reyes Adobe Museum (c. 1820), from the Rancho Las Virgenes, owned by
the Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation Department, is in Agoura Hills. [1] [2]
Geography
Agoura Hills is located at 34°9′12″N, 118°45′42″W (34.153365, -118.761805)GR1.
The city calls itself the "Gateway to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation
Area". U.S. Route 101 passes from east to west through the city. Many residents of the
city, however, refer to it as "A-Town" or "The Bubble". [citation needed]
The city is divided into three major zones: Old Agoura, a ranch community that formed
the earliest part of the city; Agoura Hills, a predominately suburban area of single-family
homes that forms the majority of the city; and Agoura South, an older commercial and
residential district of the city, roughly defined as the region south of the 101 Freeway.
There are a number of smaller districts in the city, including the Furniture District, the
Lindero Corridor, and the Reyes Adobe Business District.
Two of the main streets in Agoura Hills are Kanan Road and Thousand Oaks Boulevard,
which run perpendicular to one another. Agoura Hills is home to a thriving café scene,
centered around the corner of Thousand Oaks Blvd. and Kanan Road.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.2 km² (8.2
mi²). 21.2 km² (8.2 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.37%) is water.
Agoura Hills is in the fertile crescent of alt/rap-metal music giving rise to bands
Hoobastank and Linkin Park (as well as Incubus in nearby Calabasas).
Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 20,537 people, 6,874 households, and 5,588
families residing in the city. The population density was 969.4/km² (2,511.8/mi²). There
were 6,993 housing units at an average density of 330.1/km² (855.3/mi²). The racial
makeup of the city was 86.96% White, 1.32% Black or African American, 0.25% Native
American, 6.50% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 2.09% from other races, and 2.78%
from two or more races. 6.85% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 6,874 households out of which 47.3% had children under the age of 18 living
with them, 67.7% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder
with no husband present, and 18.7% were non-families. 13.8% of all households were
made up of individuals and 3.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or
older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.30.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.5% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18
to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 29.4% from 45 to 64, and 6.2% who were 65 years of age or
older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 99.1 males. For
every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $87,008, and the median income for a
family was $95,765. Males had a median income of $72,081 versus $42,656 for females.
The per capita income for the city was $39,700. About 2.8% of families and 3.5% of the
population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 2.9%
of those age 65 or over.
Employment
There are 14,899 people at least 16 years old, of which 10,645 are in the civilian labor
force and 0 are in the Armed Forces. 360 are unemployed.
Of 7,660 females that are at least 16 years old, 4,865 are in the civilian labor force and 0
are in the Armed Forces. 4,715 are employed, and 150 are unemployed.
Of 10,166 out of the 10,285 workers 16 years or older, 8,454 drive to work alone in a
motor vehicle, 793 carpool, 90 use public transportation (including taxicabs), 76 walk,
and 82 use other means of transportation to commute to work. 671 workers work at
home.
The mean time to commute to work (one-way) is 30.5 minutes.
Of the 10,285 workers, 7,900 are privately employed, 1,124 are government workers,
1,211 are self-employed, and 50 are unpaid family workers.
Businesses
•
Line 6 - a manufacturer of digital modeling electric guitars, amplifiers and effects
processors
Education
Las Virgenes Unified School District
•
Sumac Elementary School
•
•
•
•
•
Willow Elementary School
Yerba Buena Elementary School
A.E. Wright Middle School
Lindero Canyon Middle School
Agoura High School
Famous residents
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Justin Berfield - actor (Malcolm in the Middle)
Rob Bourdon - Linkin Park
Brad Delson - Linkin Park
Heather Graham - actress
Jonathan Lipnicki - actor
Douglas Robb - Hoobastank
Mike Shinoda - Linkin Park
Erin Brockovich - inspiration for the film titled Erin Brockovich
External links
•
•
•
Agoura Hills official website
Agoura Hills community History LA County library
Reyes Adobe Museum
•
Maps and aerial photos · Coordinates: 34.153365° -118.761805°
o Street map from Google Maps or Yahoo! Maps
o Topographic map from TopoZone
o Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
o Satellite image from Google Maps or Windows Live Local
Alhambra, California
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alhambra is a city (incorporated on 11 July 1903) located in the western San Gabriel
Valley region of Los Angeles County, California which is approx. 8 miles from the
downtown Los Angeles civic center. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total
population of 85,804. The city's Zip Codes are 91801 and 91803.
Geography
Alhambra is located about 8 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles at 34°4′55″N,
118°8′6″W (34.081859, -118.135052)GR1. It is bordered by South Pasadena on the
northwest, San Marino on the north, San Gabriel on the east, Rosemead on the southeast,
Monterey Park on the south, and the Los Angeles districts of Monterey Hills and El
Sereno on the west. Major thoroughfares include Atlantic and Valley Boulevards,
Mission Road, and Garfield Avenue. The San Bernardino Freeway (I-10) runs through
the city's southern portions, and the Long Beach Freeway (I-710) has its northern
terminus at Valley Boulevard in the far southwestern portions of the city.
mi²), all of which is land.
History
Alhambra is named after Washington Irving's book Tales From The Alhambra, not after
the Alhambra palace itself. [1] Alhambra was founded as a suburb of Los Angeles in
1903. Its primarily Asian (Chinese and Korean) and white, Midwestern nature throughout
the first 60 years of its history is reflected in the fact that even today, most Southern
Californians pronounce the middle syllable of the city's name as a homophone with ham,
the meat.
From World War II onward, Alhambra and other cities in the western San Gabriel Valley
saw a considerable influx of persons of Mexican ancestry, primarily in the form of
upwardly mobile families moving up from less affluent Latino areas such as Boyle
Heights and East Los Angeles. In the 1950s, numerous Italian-American families also
settled in largely middle-class Alhambra, having left the working-class Lincoln Heights
district in inner-city Los Angeles. Since the 1970s, white flight has led to a considerable
decrease in the city's white population, and the remaining white residents are
predominantly empty-nesters and retirees.
Since the 1970s and 1980s, the city's proximity to Asian American-dominated Monterey
Park has attracted many East Asian immigrants (initially from Taiwan and Vietnam, but
now largely from Hong Kong and Mainland China). An active Chinese business district
has since developed on Valley Boulevard. The growing ethnic Chinese influence is also
felt in the redevelopment of the city's Main Street area due north, although Main Street
continues to cater to predominantly white American tastes. The Asian immigrants settling
in Alhambra are usually considerably less affluent than those moving to places such as
San Marino, Arcadia and Diamond Bar, with the result that Alhambra has developed
some notoriety as a center of Asian-American gang activity, even though many gang
members come from the neighboring towns of Rosemead and San Gabriel.
Since the 1960s, Alhambra has suffered from traffic congestion as a result of South
Pasadena's success in blocking the completion of the Long Beach Freeway; instead of
continuing to the Foothill Freeway in Pasadena, as originally planned, the Long Beach
Freeway instead terminates at Valley Boulevard in southwestern Alhambra, overloading
many of the city's north-south thoroughfares. As South Pasadena is considerably
wealthier and whiter than Alhambra, the impasse has led to significant friction between
the two municipalities, including a notable incident in which South Pasadena high school
students used caustic chemicals to etch their town's name into the front lawn of Alhambra
High School.
Education
Alhambra is home to the University of Southern California's Health Sciences Alhambra
campus, site of the university's Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Research (IPR) and USC's master's degree program in public health.
Alhambra is served by Alhambra Unified School District, which includes Alhambra High
School.
Famous Natives/Residents
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Jack Chick
Clive Cussler
James Jannard
Dorothy Emma
Howell Rodham
Phil Spector
Cheryl Tiegs
Verne Winchell
Talmage V. Burke
Demographics
families residing in the city. The population density was 4,347.7/km² (11,257.3/mi²).
There were 30,069 housing units at an average density of 1,523.6/km² (3,945.0/mi²). The
racial makeup of the city was 30.02% White, 1.67% Black or African American, 0.72%
Native American, 47.22% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 16.25% from other races, and
4.01% from two or more races. 35.49% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any
race.
There were 29,111 households out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18
living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 16.4% had a female
householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 22.5% of all
households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65
years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size
was 3.41.
The per capita income for the city was $17,350. About 11.5% of families and 14.3% of
the population were below the poverty line, including 18.2% of those under age 18 and
10.6% of those age 65 or over.
External links
Alhambra's official website
Street map from Google Maps or Yahoo! Maps
Topographic map from TopoZone
Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
Satellite image from Google Maps or Windows Live Local
Schools in Alhambra
Restaurants in Alhambra
Alhambra Library
Alhambra Chamber of Commerce
Arcadia, California
Arcadia is a U.S. city in Los Angeles County, California that is located about 20 miles
Northeast of downtown Los Angeles It is the site of the Santa Anita Park racetrack and
home to the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden. As of the 2000 census,
the city had a total population of 53,054.
History
Arcadia was originally inhabited by the Tongva ("Gabrielino") Indian tribe, who were
forced into slavery by Spanish colonizers at the San Gabriel Mission (in present-day San
Gabriel, California). The Gabrielinos were quickly wiped out through a combination of
overwork and exposure to "Old World" diseases. During Mexican rule of California
(1821-1848), a large area of land that included the present-day borders of Arcadia was
sold to a Scottish immigrant, Hugo Reid. The land holding changed owners several times
before being acquired by "Lucky" Baldwin, a real estate speculator and notorious
womanizer who made millions off a silver mine in Virginia City, Nevada.
"Lucky" Baldwin made Arcadia into what it is today, building a racetrack and arboretum.
He lobbied fiercely to ensure that there would be a railroad stop at his ranch in Arcadia,
which later proved crucial for local development. He also took steps to control flooding
from the San Gabriel River and installed modern plumbing. When Baldwin was going
through a personal financial crisis, he was forced to sell much of his Southern California
land, retaining only Arcadia and establishing more or less the city's present-day
boundaries.
Japanese Americans arrive at the Internment Camp at the Santa Anita Park racetrack.
During World War II, Arcadia's Santa Anita Park racetrack was at one point the largest
Japanese American assembly center in the United States. Internees often experienced
appalling conditions at the racetrack, some for more than a year, before being moved to
permanent "relocation" camps in Owens Valley, Utah, and Wyoming. Imprisoned solely
because of their ethnicity, internees lived three families to a barrack (or horse-stable in
some cases), took group showers, lacked private bathrooms, and lived under 24-hour
armed surveillance. At the time, Arcadia's civic leaders were very vocal in their support
of the internment policies of the Federal Government. (See: Japanese internment in the
United States)
Until a Supreme Court ruling in 1965, every property sale contract within the borders of
Arcadia had to include a provision that the new owner could only sell the property to a
white Protestant, though many non-Protestant families did, in fact, own homes and live in
Arcadia long before that ruling.
In October 1975, the Santa Anita Fashion Park was opened to the public on the corner of
Baldwin Avenue and Huntington Drive. The center court featured a gigantic blue head by
Roy Lichtenstein, later removed.
James Dobson, a previous Arcadia resident, founded the nonprofit Christian ministry
Focus on the Family in the city in 1977. Its original office still stands on the south side of
Foothill Blvd. Focus grew to larger quarters in the city, and in intervening years
expanded to Monrovia for warehouse space before moving out of Arcadia completely in
1990.
In the late 1990s, Native American activists threatened to sue Arcadia High School over
its use of the "Apache" mascot. The high school's use of Native American symbols,
including an "Apache Joe" mascot, the Pow Wow school newspaper, the "Apache News"
television program, the "Smoke Signals" news bulletin boards, the school's auxilary
team's marching "Apache Princesses" and opposing football team fans' "Scalp the
Apaches" signs were viewed by these Native American activists and many Arcadia
community members as being offensive. The school consulted with Native American
groups and made some concessions but refused to change the mascot. Some residents of
Arcadia, who are former students at the school and have Native American ancestory, do
not take offense to the school's use of these symbols.
In August 2000, the 1912 mansion and 19 acre (77,000 m²) estate of Anoakia, the oldest
remaining private property in the city, was bulldozed to clear space for 31 luxury homes,
which would come to be derided by many as McMansions. The estate, which once
belonged to the daughter of city founder Elias "Lucky" Baldwin, featured numerous oneof-a-kind architectural features and a structure whose facade was a replica of Thomas
Jefferson's Monticello.
Further reading: Pat McAdam and Sandy Snider: Arcadia: Where Ranch and City Meet.
Published by "Friends of the Arcadia Public Library", 1981, ISBN 0-9606390-0-4.
Online edition
"Visions of Arcadia: A Centennial Anthology", 2003, ISBN 0-931995-01-9, edited and
published by Gary Kovacic is a collection of 130 essays and over 90 historic photographs
about life in Arcadia that was unveiled on August 5, 2003, the city’s 100th birthday.
Arcadia in popular culture
The famous Route 66, immortalized in song and literature, passes through Arcadia, where
it is known as Huntington Drive. Running parallel to and about a mile south of the 210
freeway, it cuts across the middle section of Arcadia.
The city is mentioned by Jack Kerouac in his novel On The Road: Sal, the protagonist, is
run out of town by a group of hostile teens when he stops for food at a local drive-in
restaurant with a young Mexican woman. The vignette demonstrates the intolerance and
racism prevalent in many places during 1950s America. The drive-in restaurant may be
based on Carpenter's, located on Route 66 next to Santa Anita Racetrack.
In a motel located in Arcadia across the street from Santa Anita Racetrack, author Hunter
S. Thompson wrote much of his infamous novel, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas in the
1970s. The 2003 true story film Seabiscuit was filmed and takes place at the Santa Anita
race track.
Notable residents
Jet Li, actor and martial artist. However, he has since moved.
DMX, actor and rapper
Demographics
Arcadia has experienced a tremendous demographic shift in recent years. A city that was
almost uniformly white Protestant 30 years ago is now 45% Asian and is expected to
have an Asian majority before the 2010 census. The transformation is linked to a rapid
increase in wealth in Asian countries such as Taiwan, China, Korea and Hong Kong. This
has led to the immigration of many Asians to countries like the United States. Arcadia
offers excellent public schools, which are seen by many young upper-middle class Asian
immigrant families as a ticket to a good college, and eventually desirable careers for their
children in America. The large, established Asian immigrant community and the
relatively high quality of life are also attractive. Since the early 1990s, a growing number
of Taiwanese-oriented businesses have been appearing along and around Baldwin
Avenue, due south of Huntington Drive, with a 99 Ranch Market, Arcadia Supermarket,
and the especially popular Taiwan-based Din Tai Fung dumpling restaurant. AsianAmerican population growth has also been attributed to the exodus of established wealthy
Taiwanese immigrants away from poorer Monterey Park, California to affluent Arcadia
and neighboring San Marino and Temple City.
families residing in the city. The population density was 1,865.6/km² (4,830.0/mi²). There
were 19,970 housing units at an average density of 702.2/km² (1,818.1/mi²). The racial
was 3.23.
Economy
The Arcadia's economy is driven by wholesale trade, retail trade, manufacturing, health
care and social assistance, arts, entertainment, and recreation. Revenue from the Santa
Anita Racetrack supports Arcadia's independent library, school system and police force.
The racetrack is also a major source of tax revenue for Los Angeles County.
As of 2004, the City of Arcadia has an unemployment rate of 3.0%.
The Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita (formerly the Santa Anita Fashion Park) is a
major shopping center in the city.
Government
The city has a council-manager government with a five member city council (Gary
Kovacic, John Wuo, Roger Chandler, Gail Marshall, and Mickey Segal), including the
mayor (John Wuo).
Public education
The city operates its own school district, Arcadia Unified School District, outside of the
LAUSD.
The city has one major and prestigious high school Arcadia High School, three middle
schools (First Avenue Middle, Richard Henry Dana Middle, and Foothills Middle), and
six elementary schools (Baldwin Stocker, Camino Grove, Highland Oaks, Holly Avenue,
Hugo Reid and Longley Way). Arcadia's history of racial discrimination is not included
in the official curriculum of the Arcadia Unified School District.
The city also operates its own Public Library separate from the County of Los Angeles
Public Library system.
Hospital
In the Arcadia Civic Center, Methodist Hospital, previously "Methodist Hospital of
Southern California", sits on 22 acres of land. It has 284 beds in the facility. Methodist
was the state's first community hospital to have a psychiatric unit. Plus, its nursery school
was one of the first corporate daycares in the U.S. Several upgrades have been made to
the original facility. For instance, in 1998, the Berger Tower was completed and it holds
169 additional beds. The hospital opened as Arcadia Methodist Hospital on May 27,
1957, having moved from downtown Los Angeles.
It was an Official Hospital of the 1984 Olympic Games.
Geography
Arcadia is located at 34°7′58″N, 118°2′11″W (34.132688, -118.036491)GR1.
External links
Arcadia official website
Official site of the arboretum
Page about movies and television shows filmed at the Los Angeles State and County
Arboretum
Westfield Santa Anita
Burbank, Los Angeles County, California
Burbank, California
Seal of Burbank
Founded
May 1, 1887
Incorporated
July 8, 1911
General Information
County
Los Angeles County,
California
Latitude
Longitude
34°10'49" N
118°19'42" W
Area
- Total
- Water
45 km² (17.4 mi²)
0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) 0.12%
Population
- Total (2004 est.)
- Density
Climate
- Avg. Temp
- Avg. Rainfall
- Avg. Humidity
- Prevailing Wind
105,400
5,800/mi²
63 °F(17 °C)
12.1 inches (307 mm)
61%
SW 2 to 4 mph (3 to 6
km/h)
Time zone
Pacific: UTC-8
Dialing Code
+1 (Country code)
818 (Area Code)
The city of Burbank is in the
eastern corner of the San
Fernando Valley, part of the
Greater Los Angeles Area, in Los
Angeles County, California just
north of the city of Los Angeles,
USA.
Billed as the "Media Capital of
the World", many media and
entertainment companies are
headquartered or have significant
production facilities in Burbank,
including NBC, The Walt Disney
Company and Warner Bros.
Postal code
91501-91526
City Tree
City Flower
Crape Myrtle
California Lilac
(Ceanothus)
City Officials
Mayor
Vice Mayor
Jef Vander Borght
Todd Campbell
City Council
David Golonski
David Gordon
Marsha Ramos
City Treasurer
City Clerk
City Manager
City Attorney
Donna Anderson
Margarita Campos
Mary Alvord
Dennis Barlow
City of Burbank Official Website
The town has come a long way
from the days when it was
ironically referred to as "Beautiful Downtown Burbank" on Laugh-In and The Tonight
Show Starring Johnny Carson.
Commonly believed to be named for famous horticulturalist Luther Burbank, the city of
Burbank is actually named for New Hampshire born dentist and entrepreneur David
Burbank.
The City of Burbank
The town grew steadily, weathering the drought and depression that hit Los Angeles in
the 1890s and in 20 years, the community now consisted of its own bank, newspaper,
high school and a thriving business district with a hardware store, livery stable, dry goods
store, general store, and a bicycle repair shop.
The population would petition the State Legislature to incorporate and formally become a
city on July 8, 1911, naming Thomas Story, a local businessman, as their first mayor.
By 1916, 1,500 residents claimed Burbank as home. By 1930, as First National Studios,
Andrew Jergens Company, The Lockheed Company, McNeill and Libby Canning
Company, the Moreland Company, and Northrop Aircraft Corporation opened factories
and studios there, the numbers had swelled to 16,662.
The Federal government officially recognized Burbank's status in 1923 when the United
States Postal Service reclassified the city from the rural village mail delivery
classification to city postal delivery service.
In the meantime, the United States Department of Commerce recommended Burbank as
the most favorable airport location in the Los Angeles area. Dedicated on Memorial Day
Weekend (May 30 - June 1), 1930, the United Airport was the largest commercial airport
in the Los Angeles area until it was eclipsed in 1946 by the Los Angeles Municipal
Airport in Inglewood when that facility (the former Mines Field) commenced commercial
operations.
Burbank's airport has undergone a number of name changes since its opening day in
1930. It remained United Airport until 1934, when it was renamed Union Air Terminal
(1934-1940). Lockheed bought the airport in 1940 and renamed it the Lockheed Air
Terminal, which it was known as until 1967, when its name changed again, to
Hollywood-Burbank Airport. It remained Hollywood-Burbank Airport for over a decade,
until 1978, when it was renamed Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport (1978-2003).
Most recently, in December of 2003, the facility was renamed Bob Hope Airport in honor
of the famous comedian (see "Burbank Today" below).
The growth of companies such as Lockheed and the burgeoning entertainment industry
drew more and more people to the area as Burbank's population doubled again between
1930 and 1940 to 34,337. But Burbank saw its greatest growth during World War II due
to Lockheed's strong presence in the city, employing some 80,800 men and women to
contribute to the war effort producing aircraft such as the Hudson, P-38 Lightning, PV-1
Ventura and America's first jet fighter, the P-80 Shooting Star, arriving too late to
participate in the war, but would see service in the Korean War, logging the world's first
jet-to-jet aerial kill in history. Lockheed would go on to produce the super secret spy
planes U2, SR-71 Blackbird and the F-117 Nighthawk at its Burbank-based "Skunk
Works."
Burbank companies were involved throughout the war, joining together on this P-38
Disney and Warner (formerly First National Studio) contributed to the war effort by
producing training films and morale films for the armed services and cartoons promoting
the sale of war bonds. Disney artists designed more than 1000 unit mascot designs for
units from every branch of the armed forces. Walt Disney had authorized that the creation
of these insignias were to be designed for free and by the end of the war was estimated to
have cost Disney over thirty thousand dollars.
Burbank would also witness its first real civil strife as the culmination of a six month
labor dispute between the Set Decorator's union and the studios resulted in the Battle of
Burbank on October 5, 1945.
Burbank's growth did not slow as war production ceased and over 7,000 new residents
created a postwar real estate boom and real estate values soared as housing tracts sprang
up on formerly vacant land in the Magnolia Park area of Burbank between 1945 and
1950.
As America entered the atomic age, the city's industries thrived and as the world changed
around it, Burbank continued to evolve to meet its demands ushering in the 21st century
vastly different from the town's sheep-farm roots.
Burbank today
A predominantly upper-middle class community, Burbank is home to many employees of
the motion picture and television studios located in and around the city.
Entertainment has generally replaced the defense industry as the primary employer of its
citizens, who are attracted by the relative safety and security offered by its own police
and fire departments, highly rated schools and hospital. Other reasons cited are its smalltown feel while located only 10 minutes away by car to the hip clubs and restaurants of
Hollywood.
The Intersection of Olive and San Fernando in Burbank, CA
The convenience of a local airport and proximity to major freeways is crucial in today's
world, and Burbank is no exception.
The former Burbank/Glendale/Pasadena Airport (which opened in 1930 as the United
Airport) was renamed in December 2003 in honor of comedian Bob Hope, who lived in
nearby Toluca Lake for many years. The airport services 4.9 million travelers per year on
seven major carriers, with more than 70 flights daily.
Burbank is easily accessible by and can easily access the Southern California freeways
via the Golden State Freeway, which bisects the city from northwest to southeast, and the
Ventura Freeway which connects Burbank to the U.S. Route 101 on the south and the
nearby Foothill Freeway to the east.
Those without cars can take advantage of the Metro which operates public transport
throughout Los Angeles County, connecting her citizens to 18,500 stops on 189 bus lines
including those in Burbank while commuters can easily access the Metrolink and Amtrak
for service south into Downtown and Union Station, west to Ventura and north to
Palmdale and all points beyond.
While at home, residents enjoy the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, the Starlight Bowl,
fine restaurants, the city's Downtown Burbank Mall, a burgeoning "Burbank Village"
shopping district, and many theatres, parks, and libraries. Visitors to Burbank are
attracted to the Warner Bros. Studio VIP tour and close proximity to all other
entertainments and attractions that Los Angeles offers.
Recently, the murder of Burbank police officer Matthew Pavelka by a local gang known
as the Vineland Boys sparked an intensive investigation in conjuction with several other
cities and resulted in the arrest of a number of gangmembers and other citizens in and
around Burbank. Among those arrested was Burbank city councilwoman Stacey Murphy,
implicated in trading guns in exchange for drugs.
Sister cities
Burbank is also affiliated with the following sister cities :
•
•
•
•
Gaborone,
Botswana
Incheon, South
Korea
Ota, Japan
Solna, Sweden
Geography
Burbank is located at 34°10′49″N, 118°19′42″W (34.180170, -118.328341)GR1.
Looking west over Burbank with Olive Ave. crossing over the I-5 in the foreground
It is bordered by Glendale to the east, Toluca Lake on the west, and Griffith Park to the
South. Hollywood is easily accessible from Burbank by driving down Barham Blvd. (past
Warner Bros. Studios & Universal Studios) to Cahuenga Blvd., formerly known as the
Cahuenga Pass.
Demographics
was 3.14.
The number of violent crimes recorded by the FBI in its 2004 Uniform Crime Reports
was 262 of which there were 4 murders and homicides. The violent crime rate was
approximately 2.5 per 1,000 people, well below the national average as reported by the
U.S. Department of Justice in the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
Economy
Looking east over Burbank from Universal Studios
Much of Burbank's economy is based on the entertainment industry. Hollywood is
considered a symbol of the glamorous entertainment industry, but much of the actual
production takes place in Burbank. Many ancillary companies are also located there.
Many companies have their headquarters in Burbank, including ABC, Arri, Cartoon
Network, DIC Entertainment, Dick Clark Productions, NBC, Nickelodeon, The Walt
Disney Company, Warner Bros., and Warner Music Group.
Burbank is also conveniently located close to CBS Studio Center, DreamWorks, and
Universal Studios in neighboring Studio City, Glendale, and Universal City, respectively.
Capitol Records and Paramount are just south of Burbank in Hollywood proper.
Local IATSE union offices for the Stagehands Local 33, Grips Local 80, Make-up and
Hairstylist Local 706 and Set Painters Local 729 also make their home in Burbank with
Teamsters Local 399, IBEW Local 40 and many other IATSE locals nearby.
Education
Burbank is home to several California Distinguished Schools including the confusingly
named Luther Burbank Middle School (see history above). Both its public and private K12 schools routinely score above state and national average test scores. A number of
colleges are also located in Burbank including the Woodbury University with its
renowned design program and several make up and beauty trade schools servicing the
entertainment industry.
Famous residents
A number of famous people have lived in Burbank at one time or another, here's a partial
list of some of people who have called Burbank home.
• Wally Albright (1925-
1999) actor. The
Little Rascals
• Tim Burton (1958-)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
writer and director.
Edward
Scissorhands, The
Nightmare Before
Christmas
Rod Beck (1968-)
Major League
Baseball player. San
Francisco Giants,
Boston Red Sox
Dick Clark (1929-)
TV personality.
"America's oldest
teenager". American
Bandstand, New
Year's Rockin' Eve
Debbe Dunning
(1966-) actress.
Home Improvement
Soleil Moon Frye
(1976-) actress.
Punky Brewster,
Sabrina the Teenage
Witch
Mark Harmon (1951-)
actor. St. Elsewhere,
Stealing Home
Ron Howard (1954-)
actor and film
director. A Beautiful
Mind, The Da Vinci
Code
Clint Howard (1958-)
actor. Gentle Ben,
Star Trek: Deep
Space Nine
James J. Jeffries
(1875-1953) "The
Boilermaker" World
Heavyweight Boxing
Champion
Kelly Johnson (19101990) chief
aeronautical engineer
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
at Lockheed's Skunk
works
Patton Oswalt (1969-)
comedian, actor and
writer. Magnolia,
MADtv
Sean Penn (1960-)
actor, director,
activist. Fast Times
at Ridgemont High,
Mystic River
Eve Plumb (1958-)
actress. The Brady
Bunch
Bonnie Raitt (1949-),
singer/songwriter.
Luck of the Draw,
Longing in Their
Hearts
Debbie Reynolds
(1932-) actress, Miss
Burbank 1948.
Singin' in the Rain,
The Unsinkable
Molly Brown
Randy Rhoads (19561982) Lead guitarist
and founding
member of Quiet
Riot (1976-1979)
and lead guitarist for
Ozzy Osbourne
(1979-1982).
John Ritter (19482003) actor and
comedian of TV's
Three's Company
and 8 Simple Rules
Doug Savant (1964-)
actor. Melrose Place,
Desperate
Housewives
Adam Schiff (1960-)
Democratic U.S.
Congressman from
California since
2000.
• Martin Scorsese
(1942-) director.
Taxi Driver, Raging
Bull, Goodfellas
• Wil Wheaton (1972-)
actor and writer.
Stand By Me, Star
Trek: The Next
Generation
References
Brief History of Burbank, California (Burbank Chamber of Commerce, 1961)
Of Men and Stars, A History of Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (Lockheed Aircraft
Corporation, 1957-1958)
Ranchos de Los Santos, The Story of Burbank (The Burbank Branch of the Security Trust
and Savings Bank, 1927)
The Story of Burbank from Her Eventful Pioneer Days (The Magnolia Park Chamber of
Commerce, 1954)
Your Burbank Home (Burbank Merchant’s Association, 1928)
Maps
Glendale, California
Glendale, California
Seal
Nickname: "The Jewel City"
Location
Location of Glendale within Los Angeles County and the State of
California.
Government
Country
State
County
City Council
United States
California
Los Angeles
Ara Najarian
Rafi Manoukian
Dave Weaver (mayor)
Frank Quintero
Bob Yousefian
Geographical characteristics
Area
City
30.7 sq. miles / 79.4 km²
Land
30.66 sq. miles / 79.3 km²
Water
0.04 sq. miles / 0.1 km²
Population
City (2005)
Density
207,007
2,456.1/km²
estimated
Time zone
Summer (DST)
PST (UTC-8)
PDT (UTC-7)
Website: http://www.ci.glendale.ca.us
Glendale is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It lies at the eastern
end of the San Fernando Valley, is bisected by the Verdugo Mountains, and is an
important suburb in the Greater Los Angeles Area. The city is bordered to the southwest
by the Atwater Village district of Los Angeles; to the west by Burbank; to the northwest
by the Tujunga district of Los Angeles; to the northeast by the city of La Cañada
Flintridge and the unincorporated La Crescenta area; and to the east by Pasadena. The
Golden State, Ventura, Glendale, and Foothill freeways run through the city.
As of the 2000 census, the city population was 194,973. Since then, there have been
estimates of 201,326 by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2004 and 207,007 by the California
State government in 2005, making it the third largest city in Los Angeles County and the
seventeenth largest city in the state of California.
Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, located in Glendale, contains the remains of many
celebrities and local residents. It is famous as the pioneer of a new style of cemetery.
The U.S. headquarters of the Swiss foods multinational Nestlé are located here. Glendale
is also home to the "southern campus" of DreamWorks SKG, the diversified
entertainment company founded in 1994 by Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and
David Geffen.
History
The area was long inhabited by the Tongva people.
José María Verdugo, a corporal in the Spanish army from Baja California, received a
grant of the Rancho San Rafael in 1798, an area he had been farming since 1784. In 1860
His grandson Teodoro Verdugo built the Verdugo Adobe, which is the oldest building in
Glendale. The property is the location of the Oak of Peace where early Californio leaders
including Jesus Pico met in 1847 and decided to surrender to American General John C.
Frémont.
Verdugo's descendants sold the ranch in various parcels, some of which are included in
present-day Atwater Village, Eagle Rock, and Highland Park neighborhoods of Los
Angeles.
In 1884 residents gathered to form a town and chose the name "Glendale". Residents to
the southwest formed "Tropico" in 1887. The Pacific Electric Railroad brought streetcar
service in 1904.
The City of Glendale was incorporated in 1906 and Tropico was annexed 12 years later.
The most important civic booster of the era was Leslie C. Brand, who built in 1909 a
grand estate El Miradero in a stunning blend of architectural styles. Brand built a private
airstrip in 1919 and hosted "fly-in" parties. The grounds of El Miradero are now cityowned Brand Park and the mansion is the Brand Library. One of the city's main
thoroughfares is Brand Boulevard.
The city grew quickly. Its population rose from 13,756 in 1920 to 62,736 in 1930 before
slowing down. The Forest Lawn Memorial Park opened in 1917. Pioneering
endocrinologist and entrepreneur Dr. Henry R. Harrower opened his clinic in Glendale in
1920, which for many years was the largest business in the city. The American Green
Cross, an early conservation and tree preservation society, was formed in 1926 (it
disbanded three years later and the current organization of that name is unrelated).
Grand Central Air Terminal, October 2005
The "Grand Central Airport" was an important facility to the city and to the history of
aviation. It provided the first paved runway west of the Rocky Mountains in 1923. In
1928 it opened its terminal, making it the first official airport in Greater Los Angeles. For
the next two decades it was the main airport in the county and references to "Los Angeles
Airport" from that era generally refer to the Grand Central Airport, not to Los Angeles
International Airport (LAX), which was known as Mines Field at the time (commercial
airline operations at LAX did not begin until 1946).
Jack Northrop built his first aircraft factory here in 1927, though it was soon moved to
Burbank's "United Airport" (now Bob Hope Airport). The first regularly-scheduled
airline service between Southern California and New York City was initiated on July 28,
1929 by Transcontinental Air Transport, with owner Charles A. Lindbergh piloting the
first flight. Among the passengers on the 48-hour trip were Mary Pickford and Douglas
Fairbanks. Pioneering female aviator Laura Ingalls became the first woman to fly solo
across in the country when she landed at Glendale in 1930. The first transcontinental
flight by African American pilots, Albert Forsythe and Charles Anderson, was completed
at Glendale in 1933. Howard Hughes built his innovative and record-setting "H-1 Racer"
in a plant next to the airport in 1935. During World War II it became a P-38 base where
the 319th Fighter Wing trained.
After the war the airport eventually returned to private use but its runways were too short
for jet planes and the airport was closed in 1959. The Grand Central Air Terminal
building, with its control tower, was designed by Henry L. Gogerty. The building is
currently owned by The Walt Disney Company, though the terminal and tower were
made uninhabitable by the 1994 Northridge earthquake. The airport was the setting of
several films, including Hughes' 1930 Hell's Angels, Shirley Temple's 1934 Bright Eyes,
and the musical Hollywood Hotel with Dick Powell. The city of Glendale is also part
owner of the Bob Hope Airport (formerly "Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport").
The Bob's Big Boy chain of hamburger restaurants started in Glendale in 1936, and the
Baskin-Robbins, "31 Flavors" chain of ice cream parlors started there in 1945.
In 1964, Glendale was selected by George Lincoln Rockwell to be the West Coast
headquarters of the American Nazi Party. Its offices, on Colorado Boulevard in the
downtown section of the city, remained open until the early 1980s.
The Glendale Public Library contains one of the largest collections of books on cats in
the world, over 20,000 volumes.[1] It was donated to the library in the 1950s by the Jewel
City Cat Fanciers Club, with the understanding that it would be made into a special
collection and kept permanently for club members to use and enjoy. [2]
The skyline of downtown Glendale.
The city saw significant development in the 1970s. Completion of the Glendale Freeway
(HWY 2) and the Ventura Freeway (HWY 134), redevelopment of Brand Boulevard,
renovation of the 1925 Alex Theatre, and construction of the Glendale Galleria shopping
mall, all contributed to the resurgence of the city.
In 1994, Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen formed DreamWorks
SKG, a diversified entertainment company. The company's "southern campus" is located
in the city's Grand Central Business Park on a tract of land formerly occupied by a
Sparkletts Water bottling facility.
On January 26, 2005, 11 people were killed in a Metrolink train crash just south of
downtown Glendale.
Geography
Glendale is located at 34°10′15″N, 118°15′0″W (34.170939, -118.250081)GR1 at the
juncture of two large valleys, the San Fernando and the San Gabriel. According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 79.4 km² (30.7 mi²). 79.4 km²
(30.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.07%) is water. It is bordered to the
north by the foothill communities of La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, and Tujunga; to
the south by the Atwater Village community incorporated by the city of Los Angeles; to
the east by Pasadena and Eagle Rock (also incorporated within Los Angeles); and to the
west by the city of Burbank.
Demographics
Foreign-born residents accounted for 54% of the population in 2000. Glendale has a
distinctively ethnic flavor, with large Armenian, Iranian, Filipino and Arab populations,
and many businesses catering to them. While it has descendants from many countries, it
is most famous for its Armenian population. Census figures indicate that the ethnic
heritage of city population is 40% Armenian, 20% Latino, 16% Asian, and roughly onethird Anglo. Glendale's Armenian population is abundant and the majority of Glendale's
city council members (3 of 5) are of Armenian descent.
American, 16.12% Asian American, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 8.57% from other races, and
10.06% from two or more races. 19.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of
any race.
was 3.27.
Education
The Glendale Unified School District operates schools in Glendale.
Glendale is also home to Glendale Community College.
Community organizations
The City of Glendale includes a variety of nonprofit organizations that enhance the
quality of life in Glendale. Strong links between local residents, business owners, and
government have created a network of organizations that provide support in the areas of
education, employment, homeless services, after-school activities, and social services.
Local organizations include:
The Salvation Army Glendale
Glendale Community Free Health Clinic
PATH Achieve Glendale (Homeless Access Center & Shelter)
Notable natives
• Captain Beefheart,
musician
• Elvin Bishop,
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
musician
Clara Bryant, actress
Jamie Denton, actor
Nicole Eggert, actress
Erika Eleniak, actress
Robert Englund, actor
Edward Furlong,
actor
Daryl Gates, former
LAPD police chief
Scott Gorham,
musician
Joe Hahn, musician
Maren Jensen, actress
Daron Malakian,
musician
Eva Mendes, actress
Dennis Muren,
special effects artist
Paul Petersen, actor
Ron Underwood,
director
Paul Walker, actor
John Wayne, actor
• John Cho, actor
• Joel Madden,
musician
See also
Glendale Community College
Glendale High School
List of cities in California
External links
Glendale official website
Hermosa Beach, California
Hermosa Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The
population was 18,566 at the 2000 census.
The municipal pier in downtown Hermosa Beach.
The city is located in the South Bay region of the greater Los Angeles area and is one of
the three Beach Cities.
History
Hermosa Beach was incorporated in 1907.
Geography
Hermosa Beach
Hermosa Beach is located at 33°51′59″N, 118°23′59″W (33.866314, -118.399681)GR1.
The wide flat beach makes Hermosa Beach one of the most popular places to play beach
volleyball, from professional to amateur.
Demographics
racial makeup of the city was 89.58% White, 0.81% Black or African American, 0.40%
Native American, 4.40% Asian, 0.22% Pacific Islander, 1.68% from other races, and
2.91% from two or more races. 6.75% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any
race.
family was $104,645. Males had a median income of $67,407 versus $50,295 for
females. The per capita income for the city was $54,244. About 1.7% of families and
4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age
18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.
Trivia
Segments of the television show The O.C. are actually filmed in Hermosa Beach, not
Newport Beach. This was necessary because of union rules that make it expensive to film
outside of Los Angeles County.
Hermosa Beach is an important center for American beach volleyball competitions.
In the Spanish language, the word "hermosa" is the feminine form of beautiful.
In the late 1970's the band Black Flag emerged from Hermosa Beach, and played their
first show in Redondo Beach.
The modern day punk band Pennywise grew up in Hermosa Beach and went to Mira
Costa High School in Manhattan Beach and Redondo Union High School in Redondo
Beach.
Hermosa Beach has been the sister city of Loreto, Baja California Sur, since 1967.
On May 9, 2006, a popular restaurant and nightclub in Hermosa Beach for 80 years,
known as Baja Sharkeez, was destroyed by a fire. The building's facade was removed to
get to the fire. It took firefighters from Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo
Beach, Torrance, El Segundo and Los Angeles County to fight the fire. Owner Ron
Newman has vowed to rebuild Baja Sharkeez as soon as possible and to make it bigger
and better.
External links
Hermosa Beach official website
Lancaster, California
Lancaster, California
Seal
Location
Location of Lancaster in California and Los Angeles County
Coordinates 34°41′13″N, 118°09′15″W
Government
Country
State
County
Incorporated
Mayor
United States
California
Los Angeles
November 22, 1977
Henry W. Hearns
Area
City
243.9 km² (94.2 sq mi)
Land
243.5 km² (94.0 sq mi)
Water
0.5 km² (0.2 sq mi) 0.19%
Population
City (2000)
Density
118,718
487.6/km² (1,263.0/sq mi)
U.S. Census, 2000
Time zone
Summer (DST)
PST (UTC-8)
PDT (UTC-7)
Website: www.cityoflancasterca.org
Lancaster is a city located in the Antelope Valley in Los Angeles County, California,
USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 118,718. As of 2005, the
California Finance Dept. estimates the population at 133,703.
Lancaster is the ninth-largest city in Los Angeles County and the third-fastest growing.
Lancaster is located in the Palmdale / Lancaster Urbanized Area, bordering the northern
edge of Palmdale. Lancaster is the second largest desert city in California after Palmdale.
Lancaster, California is the largest city named Lancaster in the world, and it possibly
named after Lancaster, Pennsylvania via Lancaster, England [1]. For a list of others, see
Lancaster.
Founded in 1876 along the route of the Southern Pacific Railroad (now merged into the
Union Pacific Railroad), Lancaster was originally a commercial and social center
primarily for Antelope Valley farmers. During World War II, the city was home to the
Polaris Flight Academy at War Eagle Field, the only civilian school offering basic flight
training for army cadets. After the war, Lancaster's population saw a noticeable increase
due to its proximity to Edwards Air Force Base (formerly known as Muroc Army Air
Field) and U.S. Air Force Plant 42. In the 1990s and 2000s, Lancaster has seen another
housing boom as developers seek to build new housing in formerly undeveloped land
across the southwest U.S.
The Single-A Baseball Lancaster JetHawks of the California League call the city home.
Like Palmdale, Lancaster is a contract city, in which the Los Angeles County Sheriff's
Department provides law enforcement services. It is served by Lancaster station.
Geography
Lancaster is located at 34°41′13″N, 118°9′15″W (34.686980, -118.154062)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 243.9 km²
(94.2 mi²). 243.5 km² (94.0 mi²) of it is land and 0.5 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (0.19%) is water.
Demographics
makeup of the city was 62.82% White, 16.01% African American, 1.02% Native
from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 24.13% of the population.
was 3.41.
family was $48,276 (Based on Merrit Research. Males had a median income of $40,710
versus $27,619 for females ( +/- $3,000 per year). The per capita income for the city was
$16,935. About 13.8% of families and 16.4% of the population were below the poverty
line, including 21.9% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
External links
Lancaster official website
Current Weather
Lancaster Chamber of Commerce
Long Beach, California
Long Beach
Seal
Location
Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California
Coordinates 33°48′15″N, 118°9′29″W
Government
Country
State
County
United States
California
Los Angeles County
Mayor
Beverly O'Neill (D)
Area
City
Land
170.6 km² (65.9 sq mi)
130.6 km² (40.0 sq mi)
Water
Elevation
40.0 km² (15.4 sq mi)
0 m – ??? m (0 ft – ??? ft)
Population
City (2004)
Density
Time zone
Summer (DST)
476,564
3,533/km²
PST (UTC-8)
PDT (UTC-7)
Website: http://www.ci.long-beach.ca.us/
Long Beach is a city located in southern Los Angeles County, California, on the Pacific
coast. It borders Orange County on its southeast edge. It is about 20 miles (30 km) south
of downtown Los Angeles.
As of the 2000 census, the city population was 461,522. By 2006 its population is
estimated to have increased to 490,166 [1]. It is the 34th-largest city in the nation, 5th in
California and 2nd in Los Angeles County (after Los Angeles). Long Beach is also the
largest U.S. city that is not a county seat.
According to the 2000 US Census, Long Beach is the most ethnically diverse large city in
the United States [2]. For example, Long Beach has the second-largest population of
Cambodians outside of Asia (after Paris), and the area along Anaheim St. is sometimes
called "Little Phnom Penh". There are also sizable populations of African-Americans,
Mexicans, Salvadorians and other Central Americans, Filipino Americans, Vietnamese
Americans and other Asians. There is a small population of Pacific Islander Americans in
Long Beach and the surrounding communities, especially Samoan Americans. There is
also a significant population of gays and lesbians, with many gay-owned businesses
along Broadway, 2nd Street and 4th Street between Downtown Long Beach and Belmont
Shore.
Having an excellent harbor, it is one of the world's largest shipping ports and a yearround resort noted for its long, wide beaches and beautiful active marina. It has the
largest municipally owned marina in the country with 3,400 slips. The city also has a
large oil industry; oil (discovered in 1921) is found both underground and offshore.
Manufactures include aircraft, automobile parts, electronic and audiovisual equipment,
and home furnishings. It is also home to numerous regional, national, and world
headquarters for major corporations such as Epson America, Molina Healthcare, Scan
Health Care, and Polar Air Cargo. Long Beach grew with the development of hightechnology and aerospace industries in the area.
The city draws 5.5 million visitors annually. The R.M.S. Queen Mary has been located in
Long Beach since her retirement in 1967 and now serves as a hotel, convention center,
and tourist attraction. The Aquarium of the Pacific, a world-class research facility, is a
popular tourist destination.
Tourists are also drawn to Long Beach by the numerous annual events held in the city,
which include music festivals, sports competitions, and cultural celebrations.
The Long Beach Grand Prix, an annual Champ Car race, takes place on city streets near
the Convention Center and is one of the largest Grand Prix events in the world. It is the
largest street race in the United States with an estimated 300,000 people watching the
event in person every year over three days.
Long Beach is the location of the largest California State University, CSULB, and the
headquarters of the California State University system. The city also has a Veterans
Affairs hospital and is a major healthcare hub for the region.
Signal Hill is an incorporated city surrounded entirely by Long Beach.
History
The area was originally occupied by the Tongva people who lived in a rancheria named
Tibahangna. Along with other Tongva villages, it disappeared in the mid-1800s.
The Rancho los Cerritos and Rancho Los Alamitos were divided from the larger Rancho
Los Nietos, which had been granted by the King of Spain to a mulatto soldier, Manuel
Nieto. The boundary between the two ranchos ran through the center of Signal Hill at a
southwest to northeast diagonal.
Rancho Los Cerritos was bought in 1843 by John Temple, a Yankee who had come to
California in 1827. Soon after he built what is now known as the "Los Cerritos Ranch
House," an adobe which still stands and is a National Historic Landmark. Temple created
a thriving cattle ranch and prospered, becoming the wealthiest man in Los Angeles
County. Both Temple and his ranch house played important local roles in the Mexican
American War.
Meanwhile, on an island in the San Pedro Bay, Mormon pioneers made an abortive
attempt to establish a colony (as part of Brigham Young's plan to establish a continuous
chain of settlements from the Pacific to Salt Lake).
In 1866 Temple sold Rancho Los Cerritos to the firm of Flint, Bixby & Co, which
consisted of brothers Thomas and Benjamin Flint and their cousin Lewellyn Bixby, for
$20,000. Later that year the company selected Lewellyn's brother Jotham Bixby, the
"Father of Long Beach", to manage their southern ranch, and three years later Jotham
bought into the property and would later form the Bixby Land Company. It was during
this period that the Rancho Los Cerritos was converted to sheep ranching. In the 1870s as
many as 30,000 sheep were kept at the ranch and sheared twice yearly to provide wool
for trade. In 1880, Bixby sold 4,000 acres (16 km²) of the Rancho Los Cerritos to
William E. Willmore, who subdivided it in hopes of creating a farm community,
Willmore City. He failed and was bought out by the "Long Beach Land and Water
Company." They changed the name of the community to "Long Beach", which was
incorporated as a city in 1888. When Bixby died in 1916 the remaining 3,500 acres
(14 km²) of Rancho Los Cerritos was subdivided into the neighborhoods of Bixby Knolls,
California Heights, North Long Beach and part of the city of Signal Hill.
The town grew as a seaside resort (The Pike was one of the most famous beachside
amusement parks on the West coast from 1910 until the 1960's) and then as an oil, Navy,
and port town. The town was once referred to as "Iowa by the sea," due to a large influx
of people from that state and other states in the Midwest. Huge picnics for each state
were a popular annual event in Long Beach until the 1960s.
The Long Beach earthquake of 1933 was a magnitude 6.3 earthquake that caused
significant damage to the city and surrounding areas. Most of the damage occurred in
unreinforced masonry buildings, especially schools. One hundred twenty people died in
this earthquake.
Long Beach used to have a sizable Japanese-American population mostly working in the
fish canneries on Terminal Island and small truck farms in the area, but with
intermarriage and other factors, it is now less than 1% of the population of Long Beach.
There is still a Japanese Community Center and a Japanese Buddhist Church in Long
Beach.
The early silent film industry in Long Beach
One of the places where the film industry started in Southern California was in Long
Beach.
Balboa Amusement Producing Company, also known as Balboa Studios, was located at
Sixth Street and Alamitos Avenue, and they used 11 acres (45,000 m²) on Signal Hill for
outdoor locations. Silent movie stars who lived in Long Beach included Fatty Arbuckle
and Theda Bara. The 1917 film Cleopatra, starring Theda Bara, was filmed at the
Dominguez Slough just west of Long Beach, and Moses parted the Red Sea for Cecil B.
DeMille's 1923 black-and-white version of "The Ten Commandments" on the flat
seashore of Seal Beach, southeast of Long Beach.
The current film industry in Long Beach
Because of its closeness to LA-area studios and the variety of locations, Long Beach is
regularly used for movies, television shows, and advertisements. The city has filled in for
locations across the nation and the globe. [3]
Long Beach Polytechnic High School is just one of the popular filming locations in Long
Beach. Another popular area for movies filmed in the city is the Virginia Country Club
area. The upscale neighborhood is home to several National Historic Landmarks and is
known for its diverse architectural styles ranging from a famous Greene & Greene
designed American Bungalow home to modern homes designed by World-Renowned
Architect Edward Killingsworth.
Shipping and transportation
Aerial view of Long Beach, including Port of Long Beach
Long Beach at night
The Port of Long Beach is the second busiest seaport in the United States . The port
serves shipping between the United States and the Pacific Rim. The combined operations
of the Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles are the busiest in the USA.
Rail shipping is provided by Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway, which carry
about half of the trans-shipments from the port. Long Beach has contributed to the
Alameda Corridor project to increase the capacity of the rail lines, roads, and highways
connecting the port to the Los Angeles rail hub. The project, completed in 2002, created a
20 mile (32 km) long, 33 ft (10 m) deep trench in order to eliminate 200 grade crossings
and cost about US$2.4 billion.
Long Beach is the southern terminus for the Los Angeles Metro Blue Line light rail
corridor. Blue Line trains run from Long Beach City Hall to Downtown Los Angeles.
The Metro Rail Blue Line Maintenance Shops, are also located in Long Beach just south
of the Del Amo Blue Line station.
There is an Amtrak Thruway bus shuttle starting in San Pedro, with stops at the Queen
Mary and downtown Long Beach, that then goes to Union Station in downtown Los
Angeles, and ends in Bakersfield. The Blue Line MetroRail connects downtown Long
Beach to the Staples Center and downtown Los Angeles where it connects with
Hollywood and Pasadena. There is also a Greyhound Lines terminal downtown.
Public transportation in Long Beach is provided by Long Beach Transit. Besides the
normal bus service, which charges a fare, Long Beach has free routes, the "Pine Avenue
Link" and Passport routes, which use mini-buses to shuttle passengers within the
downtown area. The Passport "C" route between the downtown and the Queen Mary, and
Passport "A" and "D" buses go East-West along Ocean Boulevard, linking the Catalina
Landing in the west with Belmont Shore in the east. (The Passport "B" has been renamed
the Pine Avenue Link.) A 90-cent fare is required when traveling east of Atlantic
Avenue. Another free route, "Village Tour D'art" in the East Village, visits museums and
other points of interest.
Long Beach Transit also operates the 49-passenger AquaBus water taxi, which stops at
the Aquarium of the Pacific, the Queen Mary, and four other stops; and the 75-passenger
AquaLink water taxi, which travels between the Aquarium, the Queen Mary, and
Alamitos Bay Landing next to the Long Beach Marina.
There is also limited bus service to Orange County through Orange County
Transportation Authority buses. Route 1, from Long Beach to San Clemente is the
longest bus route in the OCTA system. Traveling along Pacific Coast Highway for most
of the route, it takes 2-2.5 hrs to complete.
Torrance Transit buses go from downtown Long Beach to the South Bay. The Los
Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) has bus service from downtown to San
Pedro, and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA)
has two regional bus lines that serve downtown Long Beach.
Long Beach Municipal Airport serves the Long Beach, South Bay and northern Orange
County areas, but is relatively small, considering the area's population. It is the West
Coast hub for JetBlue Airways. It is also the site of a major Boeing (formerly Douglas,
then McDonnell Douglas) aircraft production facility, which is the city's largest
employer.
Several freeways run through Long Beach, connecting it with the greater Los Angeles
and Orange County areas. The San Diego (405) freeway roughly bisects the city and
takes commuters northwest or southeast to the Golden State (5) freeway. The Long Beach
(710) freeway runs north-south, starting at the southern end between the Port of Long
Beach and downtown Long Beach, and terminating just past the intersection with San
Bernardino (10) freeway on the border between El Sereno neighbor or Los Angeles and
Alhambra. The eastern border of the city is traversed by the San Gabriel River (605)
freeway, which joins the 405 at the Long Beach/Los Alamitos border. The Artesia
Freeway California State Route 91 runs east-west near the northern border of Long
Beach.
California State Route 1 (more commonly known as Pacific Coast Highway or PCH) runs
through Long Beach. Where it intersects with Lakewood Boulevard (California State
Route 19) and Los Coyotes Diagonal is the "infamous" Long Beach Traffic Circle.
Long Beach has some bike paths along city streets, plus the Long Beach bicycle path
along the ocean from Shoreline Village to Belmont Shore, plus there are bike paths along
both the San Gabriel and Los Angeles rivers.
Culture
Bikinis and business suits mix along a beach that a world trade center overlooks.
Standing next to elegant buildings where commerce takes place, is the Pacific Ocean.
Period architecture, beach expanses, unique communities such as Naples with canals and
gondolas, historic adobes, ethnic restaurants and a Bohemian feel provide an allure that
makes Long Beach a world-class destination. The downtown region of the city has trendy
shops, restaurants, an art district, and a picturesque skyline that can be viewed atop many
of the towers that dot the downtown landscape. Long Beach offers many sandy beaches
and coastline near downtown, Naples, Belmont Shore and Long Beach Peninsula that are
enjoyed for their scenic beauty.
Art
The Long Beach Museum of Art is owned by the City of Long Beach, and operated by
the Long Beach Museum of Art Foundation. Long Beach also features the Museum of
Latin American Art, founded in 1996 by Dr. Robert Gumbiner. It is the only museum in
the western United States that exclusively features Latin American art.
The University Art Museum on the Long Beach State campus (founded in 1973) has a
national reputation for its high-quality and innovative programs. [4] Long Beach State is
also home to the largest publicly funded art school west of the Mississippi.
In 1965, Long Beach State hosted the first International Sculpture Symposium to be held
in the United States and the first at a college or university. Six sculptors from around the
world and two from the United States created many of the monumental sculptures seen
on the campus. There are now over 20 scuptures on the campus.
The Southern California is known for its street art and the Long Beach area has many fine
examples. Some of the murals were created in conjuction with the city's Mural and
Cultural Arts Program, but many others were not. [5] [6]
On the exterior of the Long Beach Sports Arena is one of environmental artist Wyland's
Whaling Walls. At 116,000 square feet (11,000 m²), it is the world's largest mural
(according to the Guinness Book of Records).
Shops and galleries feature their monthly art openings and artists exhibit in street
galleries on the Last Saturday [7] in the East Village Arts District, in downtown Long
Beach.
Music
The Long Beach Symphony Orchestra plays numerous classical and pop music concerts
throughout the year. The symphony plays at the Terrace Theater in the Long Beach
Convention and Entertainment Center. [8]
KJAZZ 88.1 FM (KKJZ) broadcasts from California State University, Long Beach. The
station features jazz and blues music exclusively and can also be listened to over the
Internet. [9]
Long Beach is the host to a number of long-running music festivals. They include the
Bob Marley Reggae Festival (February), the Cajun & Zydeco Festival (May), the Aloha
Concert Jam (Hawaiian music, June), the Long Beach Jazz Festival (August), the Long
Beach Blues Festival (September, since 1980), and the Brazilian Street Carnaval
(Brazilian music, September).
The bands Sublime, the Long Beach Dub Allstars (formed by the members of Sublime
after their lead singer Brad Nowell died of a heroin overdose) and Long Beach Shortbus
(formed after the break-up of the Allstars) are from Long Beach.
New-wave punk band Le Shok hailed from Long Beach.
Rappers Snoop Dogg, Warren G and Zack de la Rocha were born and raised in Long
Beach. The city is also home to the VIP Records store which has been featured in music
videos by Snoop Dogg and other rap music artists. (The corner of "21 and Lewis" that
Warren G mentions in "Regulate" is very close to VIP Records.)
Melissa Etheridge got her start performing at Que Sera, a former lesbian bar in Long
Beach.
The Carpenters, a pop group from the 1960s and 1970s, consisted of musicians who were
all students and Calfornia State University, Long Beach. The Richard and Karen
Carpenter Performing Arts Center at CSULB is named in honor of these famous alums of
the Music Department.
The Long Beach Municipal Band, founded in 1909 is the longest running, municipally
supported band in the country. In 2005, the band played 24 concerts in various parks
around Long Beach. [10]
The Long Beach Community Band, including the Shoreline Concert Band and the Blue
Pacific Swing Band, is an all volunteer group of musicians that's been performing
concerts in the Long Beach area since 1947. [11]
The Vault 350, a music performance nightclub, is one of several bars and nightclubs
located on Pine Avenue in Downtown Long Beach. The popular Blues Cafe is located
nearby.
Sports
Long Beach Grand Prix
The Long Beach Grand Prix in April is the single largest event in Long Beach. It started
in 1975 as a Formula 5000 race on the streets of downtown, and became a Formula One
the following year. Since 1984 it has been a Champ Car event. During the same week as
the Grand Prix, there are also Trans-Am, and Toyota Atlantic races, plus an Historic
Grand Prix features pre-1990 cars, and the Toyota Pro/Celebrity race. The Toyota Celica
was often used as race cars in the Pro/Celebrity Race from late 1970s to 2005, and
replaced by Scion tC in 2006. The Celica All-trac Turbo was a Pace Car in the Grand
Prix of Long Beach from 1988 to 1992.
Baseball
Long Beach Little League teams that included Sean Burroughs were back-to-back World
Series Champions in 1992 & 1993. Other noted Long Beach ballplayers include Tony
Gwynn and Bob Lemon.
The Long Beach Armada of the independent Golden Baseball League plays at Blair
Field. Ex-Major Leaguer Darrell Evans manages the team that features former major
league players as well as rookies looking to reach the Majors for the first time.
Blair Field (built in 1958) has hosting numerous American Legion baseball, Connie
Mack baseball, high school, junior college, college, minor league baseball and major
league spring training exhibition baseball games. It has also been host of six MTV Rock
& Jock softball games, and has been the filming location for numerous film, TV and
commercial productions. [12]
Ice Hockey
Long Beach is home to the Long Beach Ice Dogs (ECHL) hockey team. The Ice Dogs
play their home games at the Long Beach Sports Arena.
Basketball
The minor league basketball team nicknamed the Long Beach Jam play in the American
Basketball Association (ABA). The team plays in the Pyramid (a pyramid-shaped gym)
on the Long Beach State campus).
The Southern California Summer Pro League is a showcase for current and prospective
NBA basketball players, including recent draft picks, current NBA players working on
their skills and conditioning, and international professionals hoping to become NBA
players. The league plays in the Pyramid on the Long Beach State campus during July.
[13]
The Long Beach Pyramid
Sailing
Since its inception in August 1964, the Congressional Cup has grown into one of the
major international sailing events. Now held in April, it is the only grade 1 match race
regatta held in the United States. The one-on-one race format is the same as the America's
Cup, and many of the winners of the Congressional Cup have gone on to win the
America's Cup as well.
The Leeway Sailing and Aquatics Center on Alamitos Bay in Belmont Shore is a youth
sailing program founded in 1929. It is recognized as one of the premier municipal
instructional sailing programs in the country. [14]
Water skiing
In July, there is the annual Catalina Ski Race, which starts from Long Beach Harbor and
goes to Catalina Island and back to complete a 100 km (62 mile) circuit. This race has
been held annually since 1948 and features skiers from around the world. [15]
Golf
Long Beach has five municipal golf courses, as well as the private Virginia Country Club
in the Bixby Knolls area. Recreation Park, built in 1917, is one of the busiest golf courses
in the United States. [16] [17]
Olympics
During the two Olympic Games held in Los Angeles, Long Beach has hosted a number of
the competitions, including rowing events in the Marine Stadium, sailing events off the
coast of Long Beach, volleyball in the Long Beach Sports Arena, and archery at El
Dorado Regional Park. For the 1984 Summer Olympics, Long Beach hosted yachting,
volleyball, fencing and archery competitions. For the 1932 Summer Olympics, Long
Beach hosted the rowing competition. The Belmont Plaza Pool has hosted U.S. Olympic
swimming trials in 1968, 1976, and 2004.
The USA Water Polo National Aquatic Center, where the men's and women's US
Olympic water polo teams train, is located in nearby Los Alamitos.
Famous Long Beach athletes
Long Beach is the childhood home of tennis legend Billie Jean King and eight-time
National League batting champion and longtime San Diego Padres outfielder Tony
Gwynn.
2004 Summer Olympics gold medal winning beach volleyball player Misty May-Treanor
graduated from California State University, Long Beach (where she won a national
championship and several other awards), and currently resides in Long Beach.
Parks and recreation
The Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine received a Gold Medal
award from the National Parks and Recreation Society in 2002, 2003, and 2004,
recognizing the Department's "outstanding management practices and programs." The
Department manages 92 parks covering over 3,100 acres (13 km²) throughout the city,
including the 815 acre (3.3 km²) El Dorado Regional Park, which features fishing lakes,
an archery range, youth campground, bike trails, and picnic areas. The Department also
operates four public swimming pools, and four launch ramps for boaters to access the
Pacific Ocean.
The 102.5 acre El Dorado Nature Center is part of the larger El Dorado Regional Park.
The center features lakes, a stream, and trails, with meadows and forested areas. [18]
Rancho Los Alamitos is a 7.5 acre historical site owned by the City of Long Beach that is
near Long Beach State. The site includes five agricultural buildings, including a working
blacksmith’s shop, four acres of gardens, and a adobe ranch house dating from around
1800. The Rancho is within a gated community, so you must pass through security gates
to get to it. [19]
Rancho Los Cerritos is a 4.7 acre historical site owned by Long Beach in the Bixby
Knolls area near the Virginia Country Club. The adobe buildings date from the 1880s.
The site also includes a California history research library. [20]
The Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden is located on the campus of California State
University, Long Beach.
Multicultural events
• Scottish Festival and
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Games (Queen
Mary, Feb.) [21]
Annual Indian Pow
Wow (CSULB,
March)
Cambodian New Year
Celebration (El
Dorado Park, March
or April)
the Kaleidoscope
Festival (CSULB,
April) [22]
Cinco de Mayo (at the
Museum of Latin
American Art, plus
several celebrations
in city parks, May 5)
Long Beach Pride
Festival (May) [23]
Juneteenth Festival
(Martin Luther King
Park, mid-June)
Tafesilafa'i (Pacific
Islander festival,
Shoreline Village,
July)
E Hula Mau (Hula
and Chant
competition, Terrace
Theater, Labor Day
weekend) [24]
Annual Grecian
Festival (Greek
Orthodox Church of
Long Beach, Labor
Day weekend)
Brazilian Street
Carnaval (Sept.)
[25].
Parades
Christmas boat "parades" are a Southern California tradition, with at least one held every
weekend night from December 1st till Christmas. The "Naples Island Christmas Parade"
has been held since 1946, and passes through the canals of Naples and around Alamitos
Bay past Belmont Shore. The "Parade of A Thousand Lights" is in the Shoreline Village
area (near Downtown Long Beach and the HMS Queen Mary). [26] There is also a
Christmas boat parade in the nearby Port of Los Angeles/San Pedro area, and another in
the Huntington Harbor community of nearby Huntington Beach.
The Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride Parade & Festival has been held in May or June
since 1984. It is the second largest event in Long Beach, attracting over 125,000
participants over the two day celebration. It is the third largest Gay Pride Parade in the
United States. [27]
Other parades in Long Beach include:
• the Martin Luther
King Parade (Jan.)
• Cambodian New
•
•
•
•
•
Years Parade (March
or April)
Brazilian Street
Carnaval (Sept.) [28]
Haute Dog
Howl'oween Parade
(Oct.) [29]
Long Beach Veterans
Day Parade (Nov.)
[30]
Belmont Shore
Christmas Parade
(Dec.) [31]
Daisy Avenue
Christmas Tree Lane
& Parade (Dec.)
Other cultural events
In October, Long Beach State hosts the CSULB Wide Screen Film Festival, at the
Carpenter Performing Arts Center. The festival started in 1995 as a showcase for movies
filmed in the widescreen format, but has since been transformed into an artist-inresidence event. A major film artist (such as former CSULB student Steven Spielberg)
screens and discusses their own work as well as the ten films that most influenced their
cinematic vision. [32]
Business
The top commercial businesses in Long Beach, based upon the number of employees,
are: Boeing, Verizon, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, and The Bragg Companies
(crane and heavy transport sales). Several local hospitals are major employers, including:
Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, St. Mary
Medical Center, and Pacific Hospital of Long Beach. Major government and educational
employers include: Long Beach Unified School District, City of Long Beach, California
State University, Long Beach, Long Beach City College, United State Postal Service, and
Long Beach Transit.
• Douglas Aircraft
Company (later
McDonnell Aircraft
Corporation and now
part of Boeing) had
plants at the Long
Beach Airport where
they built aircraft for
World War II, and
later built DC-8s,
DC-9s, DC-10s, and
MD-11s.
• Boeing built the
Boeing 717 until
2006 and continues
to build the C-17
Globemaster III
strategic airlifter in
Long Beach. Even
after greatly
reducing the number
of local employees in
recent years, Boeing
is still the largest
employer in the city.
• Polar Air Cargo, an
international cargo
airline, is based in
Long Beach.
• TABC, INC., a part of
Toyota, makes a
variety of car parts,
•
•
•
•
•
including truck beds,
steering columns,
and catalytic
converters, in Long
Beach.
Epson America, the
U.S. affiliate of
Japan-based Seiko
Epson Corporation,
is headquartered in
Long Beach.
SCAN Health Plan, a
non-profit "Medicare
Advantage" HMO
for seniors, is
headquartered in
Long Beach.
Parker Law Firm, the
legal firm of the
personal injury
attorney Larry H.
Parker (most noted
for his series of
television
commercials), is
headquartered in
Long Beach.
(Because of the
backlash to his
commercials, a law
was passed in
California making it
illegal for law firms
to quote lawsuit
award amounts in
their commercials.)
Molina Health Care,
Inc., a Medicaid
management
healthcare program,
is headquartered in
Long Beach.
Jesse James' West
Coast Choppers
custom motorcycle
shop is located in
Long Beach, and
much of the Monster
Garage cable TV
show is filmed in
Long Beach.
Media
The local daily newspaper is the Long Beach Press-Telegram, which is distributed
throughout most of the Gateway Cities and South Bay areas of southwest Los Angeles
County. The Press-Telegram is part of the Los Angeles Newspaper Group, which has
several newspapers in the Southern California area that share some resources and
reporters.
Long Beach also has two weekly community newspapers, the "Grunion Gazette" and
"Downtown Gazette." Both highlight the city's cultural, educational and political goingson. The downtown edition features articles pertaining to the happenings in the East
Village Arts District, Long Beach Convention Center, the Pike, Aquarium of the Pacific,
etc.
There is also an "on-line news agency", the LBReport (http://www.LBReport.com) that
covers local stories in depth as they happen.
Long Beach also gets distribution of the daily Los Angeles Times, Orange County
Register, and La Opinión newspapers, plus the weekly Los Angeles Sentinel and free OC
Weekly. Business news is covered by the biweekly Long Beach Business Journal.
Long Beach is part of the Los Angeles DMA radio and television markets. Although a
few radio stations have had studios in Long Beach over the years, including the 80's
alternative music and later hard rock station KNAC, the only remaining radio station
studio in Long Beach is the jazz and blues station KKJZ on the Cal State Long Beach
campus.
Education
Public schools
The primary school district that serves Long Beach is Long Beach Unified School
District. It is the third largest school district in California. The district is noted for starting
a trend to the return to school uniforms for public schools in the 1990s. It has also won
several awards in recent years, including the 2003 Broad Prize for Urban Education, as
the best urban school district in the US.
Other school districts, including ABC Unified School District, serve small portions of
Long Beach.
Private high schools
• Cambodian Christian
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
School - K-12 Baptist
First Baptist Church
School (Long Beach,
California) - PK-12 Baptist [33]
Gethsemane Baptist
Church School - PK12 - Baptist
Pacific Christian
School - K-12 Baptist
Parkridge Private
School K-12 Private
Regency High School
- 7-12 - Private
St. Anthony High
School - 9-12 Roman Catholic [34]
S W Longview
Private School - K12 - Private
Zinsmeyer Academy 6-12 - Private
(ChildNet Youth and
Family Services)
[35]
Private non-high schools
• Bethany Lutheran
School - K-8 Lutheran Church Missouri Synod
• Grace Christian
Schools Long Beach
- PK-6 - Brethren
• Holy Innocents
Elementary School K-8 - Roman
Catholic
• Light and Life
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Christian School - K6 Methodist
Long Beach Adventist
School - K-8 Seventh-Day
Adventist
Los Altos Grace
Brethren School - K6 - Brethren
Nazarene Christian
School Of Long
Beach - PK-8 Christian
Oakwood Academy K-6 - Christian nondenominational
Our Lady Of Refuge
Catholic
St. Anthony
Elementary School
PK-8 - Roman
Catholic
St. Athanasius
Catholic
St Barnabas
Catholic
St Cornelius
Catholic
St Cyprian
Catholic
St Joseph Elementary
School - K-8 Roman Catholic
St Lucy's School - K8 - Roman Catholic
• St Maria Goretti
Catholic
• Westerly School of
Long Beach - K-8 Private [36]
List of private
schools in Long
Beach
Colleges and universities
• California State
University, Long
Beach (CSULB)
• Long Beach City
College (LBCC)
Pacific Coast and
Liberal Arts
campuses
• Brooks College, a
private for-profit
vocational school
best known for its
fashion design and
fashion marketing
programs.
Geography
Long Beach is located at 33°47' North, 118°10' West, about 20 miles (30 km) south of
downtown Los Angeles. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a
total area of 170.6 km² (65.9 mi²). 130.6 km² (50.4 mi²) of it is land and 40.0 km² (15.4
mi²) of it (23.42%) is water.
Demographics
were 171,632 housing units at an average density of 1,313.8/km² (3,402.6/mi²). The racial
According to the 2000 US Census, Long Beach is the most ethnically diverse large city in
the United States [37]. Among its Asian population, Long Beach is home to a large
Cambodian community, the second-largest Cambodian community outside of Asia (after
Paris).
was 3.55.
Neighborhoods of Long Beach
Long Beach is a mosaic of neighborhoods, with some of them well-defined, while others
blend into nearby neighborhoods. The most desirable properties in Long Beach are in the
Belmont Shore and Naples areas in southeast Long Beach near Alamitos Bay and the
Pacific Ocean, the homes near the Virginia Country Club in Bixby Knolls and California
Heights in west-central Long Beach, the area near El Dorado Park and Long Beach State
on the east side of Long Beach and Lakewood Village (near Long Beach City College &
Lakewood Country Club). The downtown area has experienced significant gentrification
in recent years.
Pine Avenue and the Linden Avenue area of the East Village in downtown Long Beach,
as well as Broadway in Belmont Shore are known for their restaurants and nightlife. The
4th Street Corridor is known for its funky shops, antique stores and vintage clothing
stores. The Broadway Corridor between downtown and Belmont Shore has the greatest
number of gay-owned and oriented establishments in Long Beach.
•
•
•
•
Alamitos Heights
Belmont Heights
Belmont Shore
Bixby Knolls
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Bixby Village
Bluff Park
Broadway Corridor
California Heights
Central Long Beach
College Park
Downtown Long
Beach
East Village
Eastside
El Dorado Park
4th Street Corridor
Lakewood Village
Little Phnom Penh
(aka Anaheim
Corridor)
Long Beach Marina
Los Altos
Los Cerritos
Naples
North Long Beach
Northside
Park Estates
Rose Park
Shoreline Village
Silverado Park
Stearns Park
Terminal Island
Traffic Circle
University Park
Estates
Westside
Wrigley
Neighborhood
Two Eastsides?
There are two very different "Eastsides" in Long Beach. The traditional Eastside is on the
east side of the city. The boundaries are (roughly) Carson Blvd. (N), Interstate 605 (San
Gabriel Freeway) (E), The Pacific Ocean (S), and Redondo ave (W). This is the location
of the very large El Dorado Park and the Liberal Arts Campus of Long Beach City
College.
The second Eastside is an area on the east side of the Los Angeles River. Referred to as
Central Long Beach by city officials, it is called the East-side by many of its residents
and local gang members. This neighborhood was over 80% percent Black up until the
1980s, but with increased Hispanic and Cambodian immigration that number has dropped
to somewhere between 25% and 30%. The area is associated with a number of Long
Beach rap artists, such as Snoop Dogg's Eastsidaz. The boundaries for this second
Eastside are (very roughly) Willow Ave. and then the Signal Hill city limits (N),
Redondo ave (E), 7th street (S), and the Los Angeles River (W).
Partial list of famous people born in Long Beach
• James Blaylock:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
fantasy/science
fiction author
Jeff Burroughs:
baseball player, 1974
American League
MVP and Little
League World Series
Championship coach
Bobby Burgess: one
the original
Mouseketeers
Nicolas Cage: actor
Eva LaRue Callahan:
soap opera actress
Percy Daggs III:
UPN's Veronica
Mars
William E.
Dannemeyer: Orange
County politician
Zack de la Rocha
rapper/rocker
Bo Derek: actress
Daz Dillinger: rapper
Nate Dogg: rapper
Snoop Dogg: rapper
John Dykstra: 1978
Visual Effects Oscar
Winner (for Star
Wars)
Floyd "Bud" Gaugh:
drummer for bands
Sublime, Long
Beach Dub Allstars,
and Eyes Adrift
Warren G.: rapper
• Dave Hansen: Major
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
League Baseball
player
Spike Jones:
bandleader and
comedian
Sally Kellerman:
actress
Billie Jean King:
tennis player
Jason Leffler:
NASCAR driver
William Joseph
Levada, current ProPrefect,
Congregation for the
Doctrine of the
Faith, Roman
Catholic Church
Dan Lungren:
Republican politician
Willie McGinest:
NFL Linebacker
Bradley "Brad"
Nowell:founder and
vocalist of the band
Sublime
Michelle Phillips:
singer and actress
Sheldon Rampton:
editor of PR Watch
Tim Salmon: Major
League Baseball
player, 1993 Rookie
of the Year
Tiffani-Amber
Thiessen: actress
Eric Wilson: bassist
of the bands
Sublime, Long
Beach Dub Allstars,
Dubcat ,and Long
Beach Shortbus
Anthony Zerbe: actor
Partial list of famous residents of Long Beach
• Greta Andersen:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Olympic swimming
gold medalist, and
long distance
swimmer, originally
from Denmark
Bad Azz: rapper
Fatty Arbuckle: actor
Richard Bach: author
of Jonathan
Livingston Seagull
Theda Bara: actress
Frank Black (aka
Black Francis):
leader of the Pixies
rock group
Milton Bradley:
baseball player
(Long Beach
Polytechnic High
School)
Jan Burke: Mystery
author, 2000 Edgar
Award for Best
Novel (for "Bones")
George Chakiris:
Academy Awardwinning actor
Dorothy Buffum
Chandler: Los
Angeles
philanthropist (wife
of Norman Chandler,
publisher of the Los
Angeles Times) and
namesake for the
Dorothy Chandler
Pavilion.
Nat King Cole: singer
and jazz piano player
Jonathan Davis: lead
singer for KoЯn
Tray Deee: rapper
• George Deukmejian:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Governor of
California
Cameron Diaz:
actress (Long Beach
Poly High School)
Melissa Etheridge:
rock singer
Bobby Grich: baseball
player (Wilson High
School)
Chris Gwynn:
baseball player,
(Long Beach
Polytechnic High
School)
Tony Gwynn:
baseball player
(Long Beach Poly
High School)
John Lee Hooker:
Blues singer
Marilyn Horne: opera
singer (Long Beach
Poly High School)
Thelma Houston:
R&B singer
Jesse G. James: West
Coast Choppers &
Monster Garage,
custom motorcycle
and car builder
Long Gone John:
entrepreneur, owner
and CEO of
Sympathy for the
Record Industry
Paula Jones
DeForest Kelley: Star
Trek actor
Vicki Lawrence:
comedian
Bob Lemon: baseball
player and baseball
manager, Baseball
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Hall of Fame
inductee
Camryn Manheim:
actress
Misty May:
professional beach
volleyball player
Mike McCready:
Pearl Jam's guitarist
Robert Mitchum:
actor
Bradley Nowell:
singer songwriter of
Sublime
Rodney Allen
Rippy:actor
Elizabeth Short (aka
"The Black Dahlia"):
famous murder
victim
Upton Sinclair: author
Dylan and Cole
Sprouse: teen actors
Suite Life Of Zack
and Cody
Alan Stock:
conservative KXNT
Las Vegas radio talk
show host
Chase Utley: baseball
player (Long Beach
Poly High School)
Carl Weathers:
football player &
actor (Long Beach
Poly High School)
Wheely Willy:
celebrity dog,
featured in children's
books, etc.
Warren G: rapper
Willie McGinest: 3
Time Super Bowl
Champion
Trivia
Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan used to regularly fly out of Daugherty Field (which later
became the Long Beach Airport). Before his infamous flight from Brooklyn, New York
to Ireland in 1938, he had already flown a transcontinental flight from Long Beach to
New York. He was supposed to be returning to Daugherty Field after authorities had
refused his request to fly on to Ireland, but because of a claimed navigational error, he
ended up in Ireland instead. He never publicly acknowledged having flown to Ireland
intentionally.
The first Miss Universe contest was held in Long Beach on 29 June 1952, as well as the
1953-1959 Miss Universe contests. After the Miss Universe contest moved to Miami in
1960, the first Miss International contest was held in Long Beach in 1960, and continued
until 1968 when the contest moved to Japan. The Miss International contest was again
held in Long Beach in 1971 before returning permanently to Japan.
Long Beach's sister cities are (as of December 2005) [38]:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Bacolod,
Philippines
Guadalajara,
Mexico
Izmir, Turkey
Kolkata, India
Manta, Ecuador
Phnom Penh,
Cambodia
Qingdao, China
Sochi, Russia
Valparaiso, Chile
Yokkaichi, Japan
See also
• Mayor of Long Beach
• Lakewood Boulevard
(California State
Route 19)
• Long Beach Iced Tea
- a variation on the
Long Island Iced Tea
• Long Beach - for
other places named
Long Beach
• Barrio Longo 13,
street gang
External links
General Long Beach
• City of Long Beach
• Historical Society of
Long Beach
• Port of Long Beach
Museums and culture
• Aquarium of the
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pacific
Long Beach Museum
of Art
Museum of Latin
American Art
Long Beach
Symphony Orchestra
KJAZZ 88.1 FM
CSULB Widescreen
Film Festival
California Repertory
Company
Long Beach Lesbian
& Gay Pride Parade
& Festival
Long Beach sports
• Grand Prix of Long
Beach
• Long Beach Aramada
Baseball
• Long Beach Ice Dogs
• Long Beach
Congressional Cup
• Catalina Ski Race
Transportation
• Long Beach Public
Transit
• Los Angeles
Metropolitan Transit
Authority
News
• Long Beach Press-
Telegram
• Long Beach Business
Journal
• Long Beach
Report.com
Maps
Manhattan Beach, California
Manhattan Beach is a city located in southwestern Los Angeles County, California,
USA. The population was 33,852 at the 2000 census. Of a rotating City Council of five
members, Joyce Fahey is the current mayor.
The municipal pier in downtown Manhattan Beach.
The city is on the Pacific Ocean coast, to the south of El Segundo, and to the north of
Hermosa Beach. To the east are the cities of Lawndale and Redondo Beach. It is one of
the three Beach Cities in the South Bay.
History
Early inhabitants and European discovery
The first known inhabitants of present day Manhattan Beach were the Engnovangas
rancheria indians. The indians survived off of corbina fish they hunted in the shallows,
along with other species of surf fish. The Engnovangas often made the 3 mile trek south
to the salt flats in present day Redondo Beach, CA to harvest the mineral. The old Salt
Flat is now occupied by Southern California Edison, roughly located on Herondo Street
and North Harbor Drive. The salty estuary was said to be only 150 yards from the ocean
and the rough size of 120,000 square yards.
In 1781, when El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles was established, a
small, one-lane dirt road was cleared to connect the Salt Flat and Los Angeles. Aviation
Boulevard now runs almost directly on top of the old Salt Flat road. Three years later, in
1784, the Spanish government established "ranchos", or land parcels, all along the South
Bay. The land grants did not convey titles to the land; rather they simply gave permission
to migrant farmers to use the land as they wished. In 1822, the newly-established
Mexican government sold the land to the highest bidder. Some of the Ranchos purchased
by farmers were: Aguaje de la Centinela, La Ballona, La Tijera, and Sausal Redondo,
which translates into "round clump of willows." (Note that many streets in the South Bay
region are named after these ranchos.) In 1822, Rancho Sausal Redondo (present day
Manhattan Beach) was purchased by Antonio Ygnacio Avila, who mainly used the
22,500 acres for sheep grazing.
Early development
In 1863 a Scottish immigrant, Sir Robert Burnett, purchased Rancho Sausal Redondo and
Rancho Aguaje De Centinela from Avila's heirs for $33,000. Ten years later in 1873,
Burnett decided to leave the California sunshine and head back for Scotland. He found
Canadian Daniel Freeman to watch over the ranch and they agreed to a lease for the
ranch. Freeman moved his wife and three children onto the ranch and started producing
various crops. On May 4th, 1885 Freeman bought the ranch from Burnett for $140,000.
Geography
The large, sandy beach in Manhattan Beach, as seen facing south, with the pier and the
Palos Verdes Peninsula in the background.
Manhattan Beach is located at 33°53′20″N, 118°24′19″W (33.888980, -118.405357)GR1.
Manhattan Beach features 2.1 miles (3.4 km) of ocean frontage, 40 acres (162,000 m²) of
recreational beach, and a total of 59 acres (239,000 m²) of parkland in 10 parks, 1
municipal golf course, and 1 parkway, the Valley/Ardmore "Greenbelt" [1].
Residents divide the city into several distinct neighborhoods, including the Sand Section,
Hill Section, Tree Section, El Porto, East Manhattan Beach, and Liberty Village,
Manhattan Heights.
Demographics
was 2.98.
The median income for a household in the city was $100,750, and the median income for
a family was $122,686. Males had a median income of $84,256 versus $54,142 for
females. The per capita income for the city was $61,136. About 2.0% of families and
3.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.3% of those under age
18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.
In February 2006 Manhattan Beach had a median home price of $1,925,000 [2]. In its
Best Places to Live 2005 feature, Money Magazine ranked Manhattan Beach the 4th most
expensive town in America [3]. Additionally, in 2005 it ranked 2nd in California for the
number of million-dollar homes sold [4]. Forbes has also ranked the local ZIP code
90266 as the 29th highest ZIP code.
The house in the movie Jerry Maguire is in Manhattan Beach.
Education
Public education in Manhattan Beach is provided by the Manhattan Beach Unified
School District, which oversees 5 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and 1 high
school.
The district as a whole received a score of 896 on the 2005 California Academic
Performance Index, making it one of California's best performing districts. Each
individual school also ranks at the top of its respective category [5]:
School
Grand View Elementary
2005 API Score
934
Meadows Avenue Elementary 940
Pacific Elementary
969
Pennekamp Elementary
952
Robinson Elementary
960
Manhattan Beach Middle
910
Mira Costa High School
846
Under policy of the Manhattan Beach Unified School District, residents who live in
northern Redondo Beach may not attend schools within the MBUSD.
See also: McMartin preschool trial
Media
In addition to the Los Angeles Times, Manhattan Beach is served by local daily the Daily
Breeze and local weeklies the Beach Reporter and the Easy Reader.
Trivia
• The name of present
day Manhattan
Beach was decided
by a coin-flip in
1902 between
George Peck (who
branded his property
Manhattan after his
hometown in New
York) and John
Merrell (who named
his property Shore
Acres)
• Much of the sand on
Waikiki Beach was
purchased by
developers from
Hawaii in the late
1920's, who
negotiated a deal
with the Kuhn
Brothers
Construction
Company to ship the
city's sand across the
Pacific for over 10
years. The only
remaining sand that
resembles Manhattan
Beach's original
landscape can be
found at Sand Dune
Park.
• Home to the filming
of the Fox Network
series The O.C.
• Film and real life
location George Jung
of Blow
• Was home to the
Metlox Pottery
company, and now
has a mall built on
the old factory site
dedicated to the
pottery.
Notable residents
• Cobi Jones: Star
player of the LA
Galaxy
• Luke Walton of the
Los Angeles Lakers.
• Mike Cammalleri:
Professional Hockey
Player Los Angeles
Kings
• Brian Cook: Power
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
forward for the Los
Angeles Lakers
Pavol Demitra:
Forward for the Los
Angeles Kings
Landon Donovan:
Professional soccer
player for the Los
Angeles Galaxy,
U.S. National Team
forward
Jane Elliot: Actress,
General Hospital and
Days of Our Lives
Bill Engvall:
Comedian with the
Blue Collar Comedy
group
Nomar Garciaparra:
Shortstop for the Los
Angeles Dodgers
Tim Gleason:
Professional Hockey
Player Los Angeles
Kings
Devean George:
Small forward for
the Los Angeles
Lakers
Tony Gonzalez: Tight
end for the Kansas
City Chiefs
Mia Hamm: Soccer
player
Jason Kendall:
Catcher for the
Oakland Athletics
Christopher Knight:
Actor, The Brady
Bunch, The Surreal
Life, and My Fair
Brady
Wally Kurth: Actor,
General Hospital and
Days of Our Lives
• Michelle Kwan:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
External links
Manhattan Beach official website
Downtown Manhattan Beach
Champion figure
skater
Jim Lovell:
Commander, Apollo
13 (former resident)
Slava Medvedenko:
Professional
basketball player
Mike Mignola:
Creator of Hellboy
Michael Olowokandi:
Athlete, Professional
Basketball Player
Liz Phair:
Singer/songwriter
and guitarist
Zeljko Rebraca:
Backup center for
the Los Angeles
Clippers
Pat Sajak: TV
personality
Maria Sharapova:
Professional tennis
player
Brian Shaw:
Professional
basketball player
Owen Wilson: Actor,
Wedding
Crashers,Behind
Enemy Lines
Tiger Woods: Athlete,
Professional Golfer,
and part-time
resident
Palmdale, California
From
Wikipe
dia,
the
free
encycl
opedia
Palmdale, the first community within
the Antelope Valley to incorporate as a
city (on August 24, 1962), is located in
the northeast reaches of Los Angeles
County, California, United States,
separated from Los Angeles by the San
Gabriel Mountain range. As of the
2000 US census, the city had a total
population of 116,670. As of spring
2005, the city proper has a total
population estimate of 143,227,
according to Palmdale municipal
government sources. As of the 2005
population estimate, the Palmdale /
Lancaster, CA Urbanized Area (a US
Census Bureau defined term) has a
population of 480,238.
Palmdale today
Palmdale, California
Population
Palmdale City Logo, © 2004 Palmdale, CA
480,238
City
nickname:"Aerospace
Capital
of America"
proper)
Metropolitan 143,227 (city
- Total (2005) 429.2/km²
- Density
Time zone
Pacific: UTC-8
Latitude
Longitude
34°34'52' N
118°6'2' W
Mayor:
James C. Ledford
City flower:
Lilac
City tree:
Joshua Tree
City of Palmdale Official Website
County
Area
- Total
- Water
Los Angeles County,
California
272.2 km² (105.1 mi²)
0.4 km² (0.1 mi²) 0.13%
Over the last 20 years this city has consistently been ranked in the top 10 fastest growing
cities in the United States (based on percentage change). As of spring 2005 the
population is estimated at 143,227, making Palmdale the sixth largest city in Los Angeles
County. For most of its existence it has had a small population; however it now is
arguably the largest "desert city" (from an Angeleno viewpoint) in California. The city –
with 105 square miles (272 km²) of land in its incorporated boundaries – is in the top 100
largest cities in the United States in geographic area and as of 2005 ranks 150th in the
U.S. in population. The city has worked hard to maintain its image and upgrade its
infrastructure during its rapid growth. A first class medical campus is under construction
(expected to open in 2007), which will include the region's largest emergency
department, a helipad, medical office towers, and a senior housing complex. A new
multi-modal Transportation center, serving local and commuter bus and train service
opened in 2005. A voter initiated and approved bond funded major park and recreation
expansions, including a 7,000 attendee capacity, earthen outdoor amphitheater, 2 new
pools, recreation buildings and a water park. Downtown revitalization includes hundreds
of new senior housing units, a new senior center, and expanded open space. A new
Sheriff station is opening, and will accommodate aditional deputies, and 2 new Fire
stations are being developed (one on the east side and one on the west side). In the movie
Bubble Boy, Palmdale was depicted as a small strip of houses and a bus stop – a 1970s
view of what entertainment industry Hollywood film moguls remember Palmdale as
being. Famous people from Palmdale include rapper Afroman, famous for his song
"Because I Got High." and the music group All 4 One, known for the hit songs I Swear, I
Can Love You Like That, and She's Got Skillz.
While Palmdale is still a part of Los Angeles County, the urbanized centers of Palmdale
and Los Angeles are separated by the San Gabriel mountain range which spans about 40
miles (60 km) wide. This mountain range forms the southern edge of the Antelope Valley
portion of the Mojave Desert. Palmdale is one of the two principal cities of the Antelope
Valley, and is the third largest populated city in the Mojave Desert, outstripped only by
Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada.
This satellite image, looking toward the west, shows the Palmdale / Antelope Valley area
in relation to Los Angeles with the San Gabriel Mountains separating them.
History
Palmenthal, the first European settlement within the limits of Palmdale, was established
as a village in 1886 by westward travelers from the American Midwest, mostly of
German and Swiss descent. These travelers mistook the local Joshua Trees for Palm
Trees and so called their settlement after them. The village was officially established
upon the arrival of a post office on June 17, 1888.
In the 1890s many families continued to migrate to Palmenthal and nearby Harold to
grow grain and fruit. However, most of these settlers were unfamiliar with farming in a
desert climate, so when the drought years occurred, most abandoned their settlement. By
1899, only one family was left in the original village. The rest of the settlers, including
the post office, moved closer to the Southern Pacific railroad tracks. This new
community was renamed Palmdale and was located where the present day civic center is.
A railroad station was built along the tracks there. This railroad was operated by Southern
Pacific and traveled between Los Angeles and San Francisco. There was also the Wells
Fargo stagecoach line that ran between San Francisco and New Orleans that stopped
there as well. The only remaining pieces of evidence of the original settlements of
Palmenthal and Harold are the old cemetery located on the northeast corner of Avenue S
and 20th Street East, and the old schoolhouse now relocated to McAdam Park.
As the population of Palmdale began to increase after relocation, water became scarce,
until in 1914 when the California – Los Angeles Aqueduct system was completed.
During the 1910s, crops of apples, pears, and alfalfa became plentiful.
In 1915, Palmdale’s first newspaper, the Palmdale Post, was published. Today it is called
The Antelope Valley Press.
In 1921, the first major link between Palmdale and Los Angeles was completed, U.S.
Highway 6, or Mint Canyon Road. Completion of this road caused the local agricultural
industry to flourish and was the first major step towards defining the metropolis that
exists today. Presently this road is known as Sierra Highway.
In 1924, the Littlerock Dam and the Harold Reservoir, present day Lake Palmdale, were
constructed to assist the agricultural industry and have enough water to serve the growing
communities.
Agriculture continued to be the foremost industry for Palmdale and its northern neighbor
Lancaster until the outbreak of World War II. In 1933, the United States government
established Muroc Air Base north of Lancaster in Kern County, now known as Edwards
Air Force Base. They also bought Palmdale Airport in 1952 and established an aerospace
development and testing facility called United States Air Force Plant 42. One year later,
in 1953, Lockheed established a facility at the airport. After this point in time, the
aerospace industry took over as the primary local source of employment, where it has
remained ever since. Today the city is even referred to as the “Aerospace Capital of
America” because of its rich heritage in being the home of many of the aircraft used in
the United States military.
In 1956, Palmdale’s first high school was established, making it easier for youths to not
have to travel to Antelope Valley High School in nearby Lancaster.
In August 1962, the township of Palmdale officially became the city of Palmdale with the
incorporation of 2 square miles (5 km²) of land around the present day civic center.
In 1963, the Antelope Valley Freeway, or State Highway 14, was completed as a link
between Palmdale and Los Angeles. The freeway at this time ran all the way to present
day Technology Drive. It was at this time that talk about the future Palmdale
Intercontinental Airport was seen as the way of the future. By 1965 the new city had
annexed an additional 20 square miles (52 km²) of land and industry was thriving. Talk of
the future commercial airport had many investors buying up large quantities of land.
In 1970, the City of Los Angeles went forward with buying 17,500 acres (71 km²) of land
east of the city for its proposed commercial airport. However, the United States Air Force
desired to put a hold on the construction of this new facility until the existing airport
reached its commercial capacity. So under a joint use agreement with the military, the
Los Angeles Department of Airports, now called Los Angeles World Airports, built a
9,000 square foot (800 m²) terminal on leased land that opened in 1971, creating present
day Palmdale Regional Airport.
By 1974, the Antelope Valley Freeway was completed all the way to Mojave. In 1977,
Palmdale built its first municipal building, the Palmdale City Library. This was the same
year that its northern neighbor Lancaster incorporated itself into a city. Since the 1920s,
Lancaster had been the much larger and principal community of the Antelope Valley, as
well as the rest of California's Mojave Desert, and Palmdale had always played second
fiddle to it. The 1980s and 1990s were the decades that really started to define the two
Antelope Valley cities. Affordable housing in the area caused a dramatic spike in the
population. The city became a bedroom community for those employed in Los Angeles.
Palmdale's population continued to approach Lancaster's. Throughout the eighties and
even the nineties, Palmdale was the fastest growing city in California and second fastest
growing city in the nation. In 1980, Palmdale's population was 12,177. By 1990, it had
soared to 68,842. It was in 1990 that the Antelope Valley Mall opened at Rancho Vista
Blvd. and 10th Street West, presently the busiest intersection in the entire Mojave Desert.
In 1991, the Palmdale Auto Center complex opened. Throughout the 1990s and early
2000s, central Palmdale has become the commercial center of the California High Desert.
In 2000, the city's population was 116,670. In 2002, Palmdale's population finally
eclipsed its northern neighbor Lancaster, with over 137,000 residents today. The city
continues to look forward to quality managed growth in the future.
Education
K-12 Schools
The City of Palmdale has 3 separate elementary school districts and 1 high school
district:
• The Palmdale School
District is one of the
largest elementary
school districts in the
nation consisting of
27 schools and over
23,000 students. This
school district covers
the majority of the
city’s Kindergarten
through 8th grade
students.
• The Westside Union
School District
covers the schools on
the far west-side of
Palmdale and its
western suburbs.
This school district
has over 7,500
students and 11
schools for K-8
education.
• The Keppel Union
School District
covers the schools on
the far east-side of
Palmdale and its
eastern suburbs. This
school district has 6
schools and nearly
3,000 students for K8 education.
• The Antelope Valley
Union High School
District covers all of
the 9-12th grade
education for the
entire metropolitan
area. It has 12
schools with over
21,000 students.
• The public school
system is below
average and
regularly fails to
meet state and
federal standards.
• The Antelope Valley
Community College
District currently has
a satellite campus in
Palmdale with a
student population of
about 500. This
temporary campus
was set up until a
permanent
community college
campus could be
established within
the city, which is
being planned for the
south within the
foothills bordering
the San Gabriel
mountain range.
Local residents have
raised concerns
about the project due
to its proximity to
the San Andreas
fault. The district has
one full service
campus in nearby
Lancaster with about
20,000 students.
• The California State
University system
also has a satellite
campus from its
Bakersfield facility
in nearby Lancaster
at the Antelope
•
•
•
•
Valley College main
campus.
Chapman University
has a satellite
campus in Palmdale.
University of La
Verne has a satellite
campus in Palmdale.
University of Phoenix
has a satellite
campus in nearby
Lancaster.
The AERO Institute is
a unique facility in
Palmdale at the Civic
Center. It is operated
by the National
Aeronautics and
Space
Administration
(NASA), and the
California Space
Grant Foundation.
This specialized
school offers
graduate and
undergraduate
education in
aerospace science,
engineering, and
technical skills.
Sites of interest
• Big Rock Creek
Camp
• Devil's Punchbowl a
county protected
natural hiking
preserve along Big
Rock Creek similar
to a miniature Grand
Canyon.
• Mulligan Funcenter
• Hammack Activity
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Center and Roller
Hockey Rink
Joshua Ranch Trail a
natural preservation
area.
Littlerock Dam and
Recreation Area
Los Angeles County
Raceway
Mountain High ski
resort in nearby
Wrightwood.
Palmdale
Amphitheater is a
7,000 seat theater
hosting the “Starlight
Concert Series” with
world famous
performers on
evenings in the
summer.
Palmdale Civic
Center – (Poncitlan
Square)
Palmdale Fall Festival
is an annual festival
said to be one of the
best in California
held every October
at McAdam Park.
Palmdale Heritage
Airpark and nextdoor Blackbird
Airpark show off
displays of various
aircraft built or
tested at Palmdale
Air Force Plant 42.
Palmdale Playhouse
and Art Gallery
Palmdale
Schoolhouse at
McAdam Park. The
only remaining
building of the
original village in the
1800’s.
• Rancho Vista Golf
Course Palmdale’s
only PGA class golf
course.
• Tippi Hedren’s
Shambala Preserve
Law and government
Palmdale is a general law City governed under the council / manager form of local
government. The mayor is elected every two years for a two-year term. Also every two
years, two of the four council members are elected to serve four-year terms. Palmdale has
no term limits for mayor. The current mayor James C. Ledford is serving his seventh
term in office.
The city also has an appointed Planning Commission divided into four separate districts.
The Planning Commission was organized to help with the planning, zoning, and
development of various city areas in different districts and to give the residents of those
particular districts a greater voice in what is built on that land.
The city provides a number of municipal services, including a Parks and Recreation
Department, a Film Convention and Visitors Bureau, Aviation and Aerospace
Commission, Public Library System, Senior Citizens Center, Cultural Center, and a
Public Works Department.
The city is policed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department under a formal
contract with the County of Los Angeles and has its municipal judicial system
intertwined with the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
The city also contracts with the Los Angeles County Fire Department for its fire and
paramedic services through the Fire District.
Utility services within the city are provided by several public and private agencies. Water
service is primarily provided by Palmdale Water District (separate public agency) and LA
County Waterworks (part of the County Public Works); sewer service is provided by the
County Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County (separate public agency); electrical
service is provided by Southern California Edison; natural gas service is provided by
Southern California Gas; cable television service is provided by Adelphia; telephone
service is provided by SBC and Verizon; refuse pickup and disposal service is provided
by Waste Management of the Antelope Valley under a franchise agreement with the city.
Geography
Palmdale is located at 34°34′52″N, 118°06′02″W (34.581005, -118.100603).GR1 It has an
elevation of 2,655 feet above sea level.
According to the United States Census Bureau the city has a total area of 272.2 km²
(105.1 mi²). 271.8 km² (105.0 mi²) of it is land and 0.4 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water (the
size of man-made Lake Palmdale, the most visible and scenic part of the municipal water
supply system) . The total area is 0.13% water.
Panoramic photo of Palmdale from the west, taken March 2000
ZIP codes
The city currently has a total of eight ZIP codes:
• 93536 – Most of
Quartz Hill (district
and adjacent town).
Shared with cities
and towns of
Lancaster (westside),
Neenach, Del Sur,
and Antelope Acres.
• 93543 – Parts of Sun
Village. Shared with
town of Littlerock.
• 93550 – Downtown
Civic Center,
Harold, VincentGrade, and Barrel
Springs.
• 93551 – Central City,
Anaverde, Rancho
Vista, City Ranch,
Desert-View
Highlands, Portal
Ridge, Leona Valley
(district and adjacent
town), and parts of
•
•
•
•
Quartz Hill (district).
Some P.O. boxes.
93552 – Pearland,
parts of Palmdale
East, and parts of
Sun Village.
93553 – Parts of Sun
Village. Shared with
town of
Pearblossom. Some
P.O. boxes.
93590 – Palmdale
Regional Airport,
USAF Plant 42, and
most of Palmdale's
P.O. boxes.
93591 – Lake Los
Angeles (district and
adjacent town), parts
of Palmdale East,
and some P.O.
boxes.
Nearby Mojave Desert communities
Other cities and towns in the Palmdale vicinity include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Acton
Adelanto
Agua Dulce
Antelope Acres
Apple Valley
Barstow
Boron
California City
Daggett
Del Sur
Elizabeth Lake
Helendale
Hesperia
Hinkley
Kramer Junction
Lake Hughes
Lake Los Angeles
Lancaster
Lenwood
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Leona Valley
Littlerock
Llano
Mojave
Neenach
North Edwards
Oro Grande
Pearblossom
Phelan
Pinon Hills
Quartz Hill
Randsburg
Red Mountain
Ridgecrest
Rosamond
Tehachapi
Valyermo
Victorville
Yermo
Neighborhoods and districts
The city is unofficially divided up into 11 separate areas: Downtown or Old Town
Palmdale (civic center), Trade & Commerce Center (the main shopping district),
Desert-View Highlands (old county area), Anaverde (west end-formerly City Ranch),
Rancho Vista, Ritter Ranch (far west end),Sun Village (far east end-part County),
Harold (old settlement near Lake Palmdale-part County),Quartz Hill (northwest endpart County), Lake Los Angeles (farthest east end-part County), and Leona Valley
(farthest west end-part County).
Unlike nearby Santa Clarita or Los Angeles, the residents of Palmdale do not use the
name of their particular areas to have their mail addressed to for the most part. This is
mostly due to the very easily navigated local street system, which is almost completely
alphabetized and numeric.
Climate
Palmdale is located in the high (altitude) desert. This means that summers are very hot
and dry while winters are cold and windy. Palmdale has over 300 days of sunshine per
year. The wind during winter and spring is a result of the temperature differential
between Palmdale and Phoenix, Arizona. Phoenix maintains a relatively warmer
temperature than Palmdale's. This causes the air over Palmdale to have a higher
barometric pressure (thicker air) than the air over Phoenix (thinner air). As a result, the
air over Palmdale rushes towards Phoenix, trying to balance out the air pressure. Since
Phoenix rarely gets cold, the wind is steady during the winter and spring. The wind is so
reliable that wind turbines are used to generate electricity. During the summer and fall
there is little wind since Palmdale and Phoenix are usually the same temperature.
Winter – Relatively cold, wet, and windy. Temperatures have gone into the single-digits
at times. The wind chill factor can be below zero. This is Palmdale's rainy season. On
occasion, it will snow. Average day time highs are in the upper 50s to low 60s while
being in the low to mid 30s overnight.
Spring – Moderate temperatures. Still occasionally wet. Very windy. Transitional period
from winter to summer temperatures is very short. Average daytime highs are in the
upper 70s to low 80s while being in the upper 40s to low 50s overnight.
Summer – Very hot with little or no precipitation. Temperatures frequently soar into
triple-digits. However, the high desert where Palmdale is located allows for the
temperatures to cool down at night, unlike the low desert cities of Palm Springs and
Blythe. Average day time highs are in the upper 90s while droping into the mid to upper
60s overnight.
Fall – Moderate temperatures with little or no precipitation. Transitional period from
summer to winter temperatures is very short. As a result, the deciduous trees in Palmdale
will lose their leaves very rapidly, seemingly overnight, without a color change. Average
day time highs are in the upper 70s and low 80s while being in the mid 40s to mid 50s
overnight.
month :
Temperature (in °F)
J
34
Climate of Palmdale
F M A M J
37
40
75
83
92
J
A
S
O
N
D
98
97
91
80
67
33
Precipitation (in inches) 1.56 1.69 1.39 0.33 0.16 0.06 0.06 0.13 0.22 0.24 0.43 1.09
• Annual Average High
•
•
•
•
Temperatures: 98°F
(summer) 59°F
(winter)
Annual Average Low
Temperatures 65°F
(summer) 33°F
(winter)
Highest Recorded
Temperature: 113°F
(1972)
Lowest Recorded
Temperature: 6°F
(1963)
Warmest Month: July
• Coolest Month:
December
• Highest Precipitation:
February
• Annual Precipitation:
7.36 inches
Economy
The most important industry for Palmdale is the aerospace industry. However in recent
times, other manufacturing companies have relocated to Palmdale seeking more
affordable land, close proximity to Palmdale Airport, and special tax breaks.
The special tax breaks granted for companies that relocate to Palmdale is due to the city
having the Antelope Valley Enterprise Zone and the Palmdale Federal Foreign Trade
Zone. These are special zoning areas within the city that are given various state and
federal tax breaks and municipal grant incentives to relocate their business there. These
zones were put in effect to help Palmdale and nearby Lancaster draw more jobs to the
area so that they would be less dependent on the Los Angeles Basin area for employment,
thus relieving pollution and traffic congestion, and stabilizing the local economy on
several industries instead of just aerospace which is known for it’s “feast or famine”
seasons.
Palmdale refers to itself with the nickname the "aerospace capital of the United States",
and has been the site of research, development, final assembly, flight testing and/or
servicing/modifications of the Space Shuttle, X-15, B-2 Spirit & F-117 Nighthawk, F-35
Joint Strike Fighter, SR-71 Blackbird, Lockheed L-1011 Tristar, and many other aircraft
that have been used in the United States Air Force, NASA and air forces and airlines
around the world. USAF Plant 42, where the aforementioned aerospace projects occurred
/ occur is home to major operations of the following aerospace companies: Boeing,
Lockheed Martin and its famed Skunk Works, Northrop Grumman, and BAE Systems.
The Boeing building (formerly North American Rockwell) at Plant 42 / Palmdale
Regional Airport is one of the largest buildings in the world. It was used in the Tom
Hanks movie The Terminal to house the duplicate JFK terminal set since it was the only
building in the Southland area large enough to house it.
Major companies with a presence in Palmdale
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Anderson Burrows
BAE Systems
Beazer Homes
Boeing
Delta Scientific
Empire Land
Forrest City
Development
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Grubb & Ellis
ICS Perely & Sons
Kaiser Permanente
Kauffman & Broad
Lockheed Martin
Murphy Switch
Company
Northrop Grumman
Senior Systems
Technology
SR Technics
Teledyne Ryan
Tie-Tech
Universal Health
Services
United States Air
Force
U.S. Pole
Wal-Mart
Media
Newspapers
Antelope Valley Press
Daily News – Antelope Valley
Radio stations
• KAVL 610 AM
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Sports
KAVR 890 AM
KTPI 1340 AM
Classic Country
KWJL 1380 AM
News/Talk
KUTY 1470 AM
News/Talk
KTLW 88.9 FM
Religious/Christian
KZIQ 92.7 FM True
Country
KLKX 93.5 FM
Classic Rock
• KFXM 96.7 FM
Oldies
• KVVS 97.7 FM TOP
•
•
•
•
40 (simulcast of Los
Angeles KIIS 102.7)
KKZQ 100.1 FM
Alternative/Modern
Rock
KTPI 103.1 FM
Country
KOSS 105.5 FM
Adult Contemporary
KGMX 106.3 FM
Adult Contemporary
Television stations
• KAV 3
Independent/News
• KPDL 27 City's cable
channel
• KPAL 38 Home
Shopping
Transportation
Area highways
The Antelope Valley Freeway (SR-14) is the major North-South highway connecting
Palmdale to Los Angeles and Reno, Nevada.
State Highway 138 (SR-138) is the major east-west highway connecting Palmdale to the
Inland Empire and Frazier Park.
State Highway 18 (SR-18) heads eastward out of the Antelope Valley connecting it to
Victorville and via I-15 the Barstow area. This road is commonly used as a route to Las
Vegas, Nevada. Cash-strapped Caltrans, which to date has not yet upgraded CA 138
between Palmdale and I-15 into an expressway, has had plans on the table for several
years. Due to State funding constraints, this expressway will probably not be completed
until 2020 at the earliest (planning, design and construction process takes 10-15 years).
Public transportation
The Palmdale Transportation Center, recently completed in March 2005, is the central
mass transit center for the Antelope Valley. It serves as the transit hub for the Antelope
Valley Transit Authority, the city's public bus system, as well as an Amtrak, Greyhound
Bus, and commuter rail Metrolink station. A monorail between Palmdale Airport and the
center is planned when the new commercial air terminal is finished. The station is also
designated a stop on the proposed California High Speed Rail System.
Airport
Palmdale's Airport, located upon Plant 42, is one of the largest in the world
(geographically). Plant 42 has two runways, each over two miles in length. The Palmdale
Regional Airport (PMD) has a commercial air terminal owned and operated by Los
Angeles World Airports (LAWA), a Los Angeles municipal department, although no
commercial air service is currently provided. Originally acquired by LAWA in 1966 to be
developed into "Palmdale Intercontinental Airport", intended to surpass the air traffic of
LAX, LAWA has since over the decades not developed its Palmdale airport lands to
these claims. Convincing airlines of the marketability of the airport has thus far been
difficult, perhaps because of the airline industry's "hub and spoke" system which tends to
shun new airports in an effort to improve airline profitability. Additionally, many San
Fernando Valley LA residents believe Palmdale's airport is too far away for their tastes.
In reality, considering automobile travel time on congested freeways and streets, as well
as LAX passenger unloading/parking difficulties, Palmdale may offer the airline
passenger a quicker ground transportation travel time from Sherman Oaks than the
standard LAX airport car trip down the San Diego 405 freeway.
The movie "The Terminal" was filmed at the Palmdale Regional Airport.
Demographics
was 3.72.
Notable residents
• Ron Hornaday and
Lance Hooper,
NASCAR drivers
• On "Because I Got
High," Afroman
states that he is from
east Palmdale. In the
song, "Palmdale", he
chronicles his life
and experiences
there, giving the city
of Palmdale credit
for his misspent
adolescence. That's
where his heartache
began, Afroman
soulfully sings.
External links
• City's official website
• Palmdale Chamber of
Commerce
• Palmdale Regional
•
•
•
•
Airport
Local History
Local Newspaper
Live View of City
Local Information
Pasadena, California
Fro
m
Wiki
pedi
a,
the
free
ency
clop
edia
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles
County, California, United States.
As of the 2000 census, the city
population was 133,936. Pasadena
is the main population and cultural
center of the San Gabriel Valley. It
is the 8th largest city in Los Angeles
County and famous for hosting the
annual Rose Bowl football game
and Tournament of Roses Parade.
Geography
Pasadena is located at 34°9′22″N,
118°7′55″W (34.156098, 118.131808)GR1. The elevation is
864 feet (263 meters) above sea
level. The greater Pasadena area is
bounded by the Raymond Fault line,
Pasadena, California
City seal
Population
- Total (2000)
- Metropolitan
- Density
133,936
17,545,623
904.8/km²
Time zone
- Summer (DST)
PST (UTC–8)
PDT (UTC–7)
Location
34°09′22″N, 118°7′55″W
Mayor
Bill Bogaard
City Attorney
Michele Beal Bagneri
Location in the Los Angeles County and the State of
City Clerk
Jane Rodriguez
California
City Manager
County
Area
- Total
- Land
- Water
Cynthia
J. Kurtz
Los Angeles
County,
California
City website
60.0 km² (23.2 mi²)
59.8 km² (23.1 mi²)
0.2 km² (0.1 mi²)
the San Rafael Hills, and the San Gabriel Mountains.
Pasadena is located 10 miles (16 kilometers) northeast of downtown Los Angeles. The
city is bordered by ten communities—Glendale, South Pasadena, San Marino, Arcadia,
Sierra Madre, La Cañada Flintridge, Eagle Rock, Garvanza and Altadena. The
communities of Eagle Rock and Garvanza are incorporated within the city of Los
Angeles and Altadena is an unincorporated part of Los Angeles County. Despite its
location well within the Greater Los Angeles metropolis, Pasadena is a largely selfcontained city with a broad economic base, noted cultural, scientific, and educational
institutions, and shopping and dining establishments that attract customers from the
regional area.
Demographics
was 3.30.
History
The original inhabitants of Pasadena and surrounding areas was the Native American
Hahamog-na tribe, a branch of the Tongva (part of the Shoshone language group).
Pasadena is a part of the original Spanish land grant named Rancho del Rincon de San
Pascual, so named because it was deeded on Easter Sunday to Eulalia Perez de Guillén
Mariné of the San Gabriel Mission. The Rancho comprised the lands of today's
communities of Pasadena, Altadena and South Pasadena.
Prior to the annexation of California in 1848, the last of the Spanish owners was Manuel
Garfias who was allowed to retain title to the property after statehood in 1850. Garfias
sold sections of the property to the first white settlers to come into the area, Dr. Benjamin
Eaton, and Dr. S. Griffin. Much of the property was purchased by the honorable
Benjamin Wilson who established his Lake Vineyard property near the vicinity. Wilson,
known as Don Benito to the local Indians, was also owner of the Rancho Jurupa
(Riverside, California) and went on to become the first Anglo mayor of Los Angeles. He
is the grandfather of the famous WWII General George S. Patton and would have Mount
Wilson, the metro-media transmission center of the greater Los Angeles area, named for
him.
In 1873 Wilson was visited by one Dr. Daniel M. Berry of Indiana who was looking for a
place in the country that could offer better climate to his patient base, most of whom
suffered from severe respiratory ailments. Berry was an asthmatic himself and claimed
that he had his best three nights sleep at Rancho San Pascual. To keep the find a secret,
Berry code-named the area "Muscat" after the grape that Wilson so popularly grew on the
property. In order to raise funds to bring the company of people to San Pascual, Berry
formed the Southern California Orange and Citrus Growers Association for which he sold
stock. The newcomers were able to purchase a large portion of the property along the
Arroyo Seco and on January 31, 1874 they incorporated the Indiana Colony. As a gesture
of good will, Wilson threw in the 2,000 acres of thought-to-be-useless highland property
part of which would become Altadena.
Naming Pasadena
The mail came to the Indiana Colony via Los Angeles so ear-marked. In an attempt to
obtain their own Post Office, the Colony needed to change the name to something that the
Postmaster General would consider more fitting. The town fathers put up three names to
a vote. The first was Indianola. The second was Granada, to be in keeping with the areas
Spanish heritage.
The third was proposed by Dr. Thomas Elliott who had contacted an Indian missionary
friend of his in Michigan who had worked with the Minnesota Chippewa Indians. He
submitted four names for translation: "Crown of the Valley," "Key of the Valley,"
"Valley of the Valley," and "Hill of the Valley." The names came back starting with
"Weo-quan pa-sa-de-na," "Hat of the Valley" All the names ended in the "pa-sa-de-na (of
the valley)" translation. The name was put to the vote, and due to its euphonious nature, it
was accepted, thus: Pasadena. Pasadena was incorporated — the second incorporated
municipality of Southern California next to Los Angeles — in March 1886.
The popularity of the region drew numbers from across country and Pasadena eventually
became a key stop along the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, which led to an
explosion in its growth. From the real estate boom of the 1880's until the Great
Depression, as great tourists hotels were developed in the city, Pasadena became a winter
resort for wealthy easterners. The first of the great hotels to be established in Pasadena
was the Raymond (1886) which sat atop Bacon Hill, renamed Raymond Hill after
construction. The original Mansard Victorian 200-room facility burned down on Easter
Sunday morning of 1895 and was not rebuilt until 1903. It was lost during the Great
Depression and torn down to make way for residential development. The Maryland Hotel
existed from the early 1900's and was also lost during the Depression in 1934.
Two hotel structures have survived to the present day. The Green Hotel and the Vista Del
Arroyo.
Hotel Green
The Hotel Green started construction on South Raymond Avenue at Kansas Street in
1887 by Mr. E.C. Webster who was unable to finish it. Colonel George Gill Green, a
wealthy patent medicine distributor from New Jersey, finished the six-story edifice in
1888. In 1898 he finished construction on a second grand edifice on the other side of
Raymond and connected the two buildings, the first now called an annex, with a bridge
and a tunnel. The magnate patrons and their families would arrive by train at the station
adjacent the annex. They would proceed to the second floor where they were trammed
across the newer section and go directly to their suites. The luggage was ferried across
through the tunnel. In 1902 the hotel was extended to the P.G. Wooster building at the
corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and Green Street. In 1924 the hotel became a private
residence. The annex was razed to its first story and sold away as private property, today
known as Stat's Floral Supply. In 1970 the two wings of the hotel were closed off to each
other creating two separate buildings. The 1898 section remained the private residence
now called the Castle Green. The 1902 portion was taken over by the government's HUD
program for senior residents and mentally impaired, and is called the Green Hotel. In
1929 Kansas Street was widened and renamed Green Street.
Vista del Arroyo
The Vista Del Arroyo Hotel on Grand Avenue, which the Navy commandeered for use as
a hospital during World War II, now houses the United States Court of Appeals for the
Ninth Circuit.
Pasadena's role as a regional hub was cemented by numerous other events, among them
the Tournament of Roses Parade which began in 1889, the construction and opening of
the Colorado Street Bridge, also known as "Suicide Bridge" from the period of the Great
Depression, the Arroyo Parkway, now Pasadena Freeway, opened as the first freeway in
Southern California in 1941, and the completion of the Los Angeles Metro Gold Line in
2003.
Culture
Performing arts
Pasadena City Hall in Pasadena, CA.
The Pasadena Symphony, founded in 1928, offers several concerts a year at the Pasadena
Civic Center and the Pasadena Pops plays at nearby Descanso Gardens. The Civic Center
also holds a few traveling Broadway shows each year. The Pasadena Playhouse puts on
seven shows a season, with each show running 6 to 8 weeks. The Furious Theatre
Company is one of several small theatre companies in Pasadena. They currently use the
upstairs theater adjacent to the Pasadena Playhouse. Boston Court Performing Arts
Complex, which opened in 2003, is located near Lake and Colorado. Its resident theatre
company, the award-winning Theatre at Boston Court presents four productions a year.
[1] Zebulon Projects presents numerous music concerts each year, ranging from classical
to jazz. The Friends of the Levitt organization puts on a free summer concert series in
Memorial Park; the 2005 summer season marked its third year. The California
Philharmonic [2] performs two series in Pasadena: Cal Phil at the Ambassador
(Ambassador Auditorium) from November through to April and Cal Phil Music Martinis
& the Maestro in the Romanesque Room at the Green Hotel, January to May. They also
perform Cal Phil Festival on the Green at nearby Los Angeles County Arboretum &
Botanic Garden in Arcadia from July to September and from July to August they have
Cal Phil at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Also, in conjunction with The Old
Mill Foundation, they perform a summer chamber concert series Cal Phil at the Mill in
San Marino.
Visual arts
A number of artists of national repute, such as Alson S. Clark, Marion Wachtel and
Ernest A. Batchelder, made Pasadena their home in the early twentieth century. The
formation of the Pasadena Arts Institute and the Pasadena Society of Artists heralded the
city's emergence as a regional center for the visual arts.
The Norton Simon Museum contains over 2000 years of art from the Western world and
Asia. The Pacific Asia Museum, with its tranquil garden in the center, features art from
the many countries of Asia. The nearby Pasadena Museum of California Art hosts many
temporary exhibits from Californian artists. The Gamble House, a National Historic
Landmark, is a masterpiece of the Arts and Crafts Movement open for tours. The
Huntington Library and its botanical garden are adjacent to Pasadena in the city of San
Marino.
Education
The world-famous California Institute of Technology is located in the southern-central
area of Pasadena, with Pasadena City College located just to the northeast. Fuller
Theological Seminary , one of the largest multidenominational seminaries in the world, is
located just east of downtown Pasadena. Pacific Oaks College is located right next to the
Pasadena's National Historic Landmark - The Gamble House. The famous Art Center
College of Design is on the hills overlooking the Rose Bowl, and the Jet Propulsion
Laboratory (operated by Caltech) is located in nearby La Canada Flintridge.
The Pasadena Unified School District is in charge of the city's 5 high-schools, 3 middle
schools, and 24 elementary schools.[3] The school district has been plagued by declining
enrollment in recent years, resulting in decreased funding. However, promise for the
district has been shown because the AP, Honors, and GATE programs have been met
with great success. More and more students have been enrolling at prestigious and
acredited colleges over the years, including Caltech, Occidental, USC, The Claremont
Colleges, the UC and Cal State systems of universities, as well as many out-of-state
private and public institutions.
Several private college preparatory schools are located in Pasadena, including:
• Polytechnic School,
first private nonprofit elementary
school in California,
founded 1907
• Westridge School for
Girls
• Maranatha High
School
• La Salle High School
• The Waverly School
• Mayfield Senior
School
Shopping
Old Pasadena is a popular shopping and dining area for locals and tourists. Paseo
Colorado is a more upscale mall designed to be a modern urban village, with apartments
above the mall. An exclusive shopping district is located in the South Lake Avenue
neighborhood.
Sports
The Rose Bowl stadium, a National Historic Landmark, is host of the oldest and most
famous college football postseason bowl game every New Year's Day. It is the home
field for the University of California, Los Angeles football team and has hosted five
Super Bowls. Important soccer matches include the 1984 Summer Olympics, the men's
final in the Football World Cup 1994, and the final in FIFA Women's World Cup 1999.
For some time, Los Angeles has been seeking another National Football League team to
replace the Raiders, which played in Los Angeles from 1982-1994. There is currently a
petition underway to have this team play in the Rose Bowl and call Pasadena its home.
However, there are also several other cities and stadiums vying for this enviable
opportunity.
Miscellaneous
Tournament of Roses Parade
Spectators gather before the 2004 Rose Parade.
Pasadena is also home to the Tournament of Roses Parade, held each year on January 1
(unless that day is a Sunday, in which case the event is held on January 2). The first
parade was held in 1890 and was originally sponsored by the Valley Hunt Club, a
Pasadena social club. The impetus for holding the parade was, as stated by one of the
members, Professor Charles F. Holder, "In New York, people are buried in snow. Here
our flowers are blooming and our oranges are about to bear. Let's hold a festival to tell
the world about our paradise."
By 1895, the festivities had become larger than the Valley Hunt Club could manage, and
the Tournament of Roses Association was then formed to take charge of the festival. In
1902, it was decided that a football game would be added to the day's events. The game,
now known as the Rose Bowl, would become the first post-season college football game
ever. The first game was between Stanford University and the University of Michigan.
After suffering a tremendous financial loss, the Tournament of Roses Association
decided to hold Roman chariot races in lieu of football games. However, in 1916, football
returned. When it became clear that the stands in Tournament Park were too small to
facilitate the crowd, the Tournament's President, William Leishman, proposed that a
stadium be built to house the game. The Rose Bowl was completed in 1923. The Rose
Bowl has since been selling out to crowds since 1947. In 1998, the Rose Bowl celebrated
its 52nd anniversary and became the longest running tradition of its kind.
The Rose Parade, as it is familiarly known, still features elaborate floats. According to
the organizers, "Every inch of every float must be covered with flowers or other natural
materials, such as leaves, seeds or bark. Volunteer workers swarm over the floats in the
days after Christmas, their hands and clothes covered with glue and petals. The most
delicate flowers are placed in individual vials of water, which are set into the float one by
one."
The Rose Parade is satirized by the popular Doo Dah Parade, an annual November event
in Pasadena.
South Orange Grove Boulevard
One of two primary, exclusive residential districts in Pasadena, South Orange Grove
Boulevard has been a home for the rich and famous since the early 20th century. Because
of a number of landmark mansions, the street earned the name "Millionaire's Row."
However, by the early 21st Century many of these homes had been replaced by spacious,
pricey condominiums.
Of the residence dating back to the turn of the Century are:
• Professor Thaddeus S.
C. Lowe, who built a
24,000 square foot
home on South
Orange Grove. The
house rose to a sixth
story solarium which
became an
observatory since
Lowe was such a
patron of the
astronomical
sciences. Lowe came
to Pasadena as a
Civil War hero,
inventor,
entrepreneur, and
scientist while
holding several
patents on gas
operated equipment
and artificial icemaking machines.
He went on to
establish the Mount
Lowe Railway in
Altadena into which
he sank all his
fortunes.
• Adolphus Busch, who
established the first
of a series of Busch
Gardens adjacent to
Lowe's property.
Busch was
cofounder of the
Anheuser-Busch
Brewing Co., of
fame. Busch died at
his Pasadena home
and his wife offered
the property to the
City of Pasadena as a
park, which offer the
City refused.
• Henry Markham who
lived adjacent to
Busch and became
the 18th Governor of
the State of
California (1891 1895).
• Prominent among the
later historic
residences is the
Wrigley Mansion,
former home of
chewing gum
magnate William
Wrigley Jr., which
now serves as
headquarters for the
world-renowned
Tournament of
Roses Parade.
• On the north end of
the street lies the
Gamble House, built
by renowned Arts &
Crafts movement
architects Greene &
Greene, but once
home to David and
Mary Gamble of
Procter & Gamble
fame. The annual
Rose Parade on New
Year's Day uses
South Orange Grove
Boulevard as a
staging area for
flower-covered
floats, and it is where
the parade begins.
• The Norton Simon
Museum sits at the
intersection of
Orange Grove and
Colorado Boulevard.
The intersection of
Fair Oaks Avenue
and Colorado
Boulevard is the
center of Old Town
Pasadena.
Parrots
Pasadena has a population of wild parrots. The city's website identifies them as
yellowhead amazon parrots, but according to the Parrot Project of Los Angeles, the
parrots fall into as many as five different groups. There is a cycle of regular public outcry
about the noise and the sheer oddity of the birds' presence, but most Pasadena's seem to
have come to accept the birds as part of the city's life. They can be seen year-round, but
are especially noticeable in the winter. The birds are definitely gregarious, and the
amount of disturbance their chatter creates is definitely related to the time of day they
may choose to chatter.
Theories and myths abound on how these parrots came to claim Pasadena and
surrounding towns as their home. A heavily accepted story by long-time residents of the
area is that they were part of the stock at Simpson's Nursery on East Colorado Blvd. in
the Lamanda Park area. The nursery was burned down in 1969 and the parrots were
thereby released to forage in the lush Pasadena area. It is also possible that some parrots
moved northward from their normal in range in central and North Mexico as human
habitation in the Pasadena area created artificial habitat in which the parrots could
survive. Among their favorite foods are the berry kernels of the cedar trees which grow in
great abundance around Pasadena.
Parking
Pasadena is notorious for parking ticket citations and has a very strict parking code. It
does not allow overnight parking between 2am-6am on city streets, unless you pay for an
overnight permit, or you must check-in your vehicle each night with the local Police
department for an exemption. The city only allows for 20 exemptions per vehicle, per
year.
City Hall construction
The City Hall building is currently under renovation to be seismically retrofitted. It was
closed in July 2004 due to safety concerns and construction began in March 2005. The
retrofit is expected to be completed in Summer 2007.[4]
Notable Pasadenans
See also: Category:Pasadenans.
• Steve Albini, audio
•
•
•
•
engineer and
musician
Stacey Augmon,
basketball player
Sophia Bush, actress
Octavia Butler,
science fiction writer
Julia Child, television
chef and personality
• Jeff Cirillo, baseball
player
• Michael Cooper,
basketball player
• Arthur Duncan,
dancer
• Amelia Earhart, pilot
• Ryan Hollins,
basketball player
• Jack Parsons, rocket
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
scientist and
occultist
Drew Pinsky, medical
doctor and radio talk
show host
Bill Richardson,
governor of New
Mexico
Jackie Robinson,
baseball player
David Lee Roth,
rocker
Sirhan Sirhan,
Palestinian, lived in
Pasadena when he
assasinated Robert F.
Kennedy.
Eddie Van Halen,
guitarist from Van
Halen.
Jacques Vaughn,
basketball player
Jaleel White, actor,
producer, and writer
External links
• Pasadena city website
• Pasadena Public
Library
• Pasadena Unified
School District
• The Pasadena Star
News
• Pasadena 89.3 KPCC
Public Radio
• The Gamble House
• Old Town Pasadena
• Pasadena Doo Dah
Parade
• Rose Bowl Stadium
• Pasadena Society of
Artists
• Pasadena and the
Arroyo Culture
• Tournament of Roses
Parade, official site
• Polytechnic School
• Maranatha High
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
School
Pacific Oaks College
Fuller Theological
Seminary
Pasadena City
College
California Institute of
Technology
La Salle High School
Art Center College Of
Design
Pasadena Playhouse
Furious Theatre
Company
Boston Court Theater
Levitt Pavilion
Pasadena Visitors and
Convention Bureau
Pasadena Restaurants
Pasadena USGS
Redondo Beach, California
Redondo Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The
population was 63,261 at the 2000 census. The city is located in the South Bay region of
the greater Los Angeles area and is one of the three Beach Cities.
The city's unusually shaped pier
The city's primary attraction is its Municipal Pier, which is claimed to be one of the
longest piers in North America. Its nicknames are the "Endless Pier" and "Horseshoe
Pier" and is moderately popular with both tourists and fishermen. However, the pier's
length is possible only because of its unusual shape (it does not go straight out to sea, but
goes out diagonally and then returns back to shore). The Redondo Beach Pier started as a
reinforced concrete structure in 1914, then was replaced in 1928 with a timber pier. In
1988, the pier was severely battered by storms and later that year burned to the waterline
(the fire was so large that a SigAlert was announced for the San Diego Freeway several
miles away). The pier's modern reinforced concrete version was completed in 1996.
According to the local newspaper, the Daily Breeze, the pier area used to be heavily
crowded with tourists and locals during the 1970s. It began to decline after the nearby
Seaport Village project failed and went into bankruptcy in 1982, and went into free fall
when the pier burned down in 1988. Subsequent attempts to resuscitate the area's former
popularity have been hindered by the need to comply with California Coastal
Conservancy regulations, and the concurrent success of redevelopment projects in the
two other Beach Cities, Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach, and also in the nearby city
of Torrance.
The city's territory has an unusual shape because it controls a long block of land dividing
the two other beach cities (Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach) from the inland city of
Torrance. This is why Redondo Beach is the western terminus of the Metro Rail Green
Line even though at first glance it appears on a map to be far from Interstate 105 (the
Green Line's main route).
Redondo beach's primary High school is the Redondo Union High School
Lifestyle
Redondo Beach is the focus of many who want to be in the sun and near the ocean.
Although a vibrant community in its own right, much of the Redondo Beach lifestyle is a
blend of the neighborhoods, activities and people of the three Beach Cities of Southern
California's South Bay. Like its sister cities of Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach,
Redondo's key lifestyle draw is the vast beach that links these three cities.
Beach Lifestyle
Evidence of the Southern California beach lifestyle abounds: athletic, tanned people
enjoying the nearly 300 unbroken days a year of sunshine; bars, restaurants, shops and
parks.
A wide sand beach starts below the bluffs of Palos Verdes in the south and carries north
to the Redondo Pier. A paved path, called The Strand runs from South Redondo north to
Santa Monica. A typical day on this path will see thousands of people on foot, bicycle,
skateboard, rollerblade, wheelchair and stroller enjoying the sun and surf. The continuous
path is broken only by the massive and omnipresent Redondo Beach King Harbor Marina
and Pier complex, where it veers away from water and onto dedicated lanes of surface
streets for about a mile before again turning to the ocean in Hermosa Beach. Continuing
north from Manhattan Beach, this path stretches well into Marina Del Rey and beyond
with few breaks.
Surfing is a key element of the South Bay lifestyle year-round; it is common to see locals
catching waves on both Christmas and New Year's Day. Powerful winter storms in the
Pacific ocean can turn typically placid and rolling South Bay waves into large and
occasionally dangerous monsters...a natural draw for the local surfing population. Local
wave heights in December 2005 were some of the largest on record and were reported to
top 15 to 20 feet in some instances; at least one surfer required resuscitation when he
thrashed against the ocean bottom after trying a particularly large wave.
Beach Volleyball is another important aspect of Redondo Beach's lifestyle. The wide and
flat sand beaches provide the perfect venue for the sport and permanent poles and nets are
placed and maintained by the city year-round. Professional tournaments managed by the
AVP take place in neighboring Hermosa and Manhattan Beach. Redondo Beach is home
to Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh and AVP Pro Casey Jennings.
Neighborhoods
Redondo Beach is often divided into two logical North/South areas with 190th Street as
its boundary line. South Redondo plays host to the pier and marina/harbor complex and
directly borders active Hermosa Beach; life on the ocean side of Pacific Coast Highway
(PCH) can be frenetic with restaurants and boating activities keeping people active and
engaged at all times. Inland of PCH is largely residential.
Bordering North/South Redondo at the Marina is a massive power plant which has been
the source of substantial political debate in the city over the last decade, largely centered
over what to do with the land once the plant becomes inactive over the next 25 years.
This power plant sports a 586ft. x 95ft. whale mural by world-famous artist Wyland titled
"Gray Whale Migration".
South Redondo is a bit more on the gentrified, quiet side; its wide streets, wide sand
beaches and laid-back feel make it a prime destination for those seeking a "bike to the
grocery store" community. Several close-knit neighborhoods exist; South Broadway
hosts street parties in the summer where children play on jumping gyms and the local
Fire Department judges the best dessert contest while kids climb their pumper truck.
South Redondo is also known as the cleanest part of Redondo and is considered to be
"higher-class" by many of its citizens. The homes in South Redondo cost considerably
more than homes in North Redondo.
North Redondo begins north of 190th Street. As a result of Redondo Beach's geography,
North Redondo is primarily an inland experience as the beachfronts form most of
Hermosa Beach and part of Manhattan Beach. While primarily residential, North
Redondo contains some of the city's major industry and commercial space, including the
inland aerospace and engineering firms that are part of Southern California's long space
legacy. It is also home to the South Bay Galleria Shopping Center and a revitalized
Artesia Boulevard. North Redondo is the home of the Redondo Beach Performing Arts
Center, one of the South Bay's premier cultural facilities, and home to the Civic Light
Opera of the South Bay Cities. North Redondo is home to nearly two-thirds of the
children in Redondo Beach.
Many original homes still stand in Redondo Beach neighborhoods, but these small Arts
and Crafts style homes are quickly being bought, demolished and rebuilt to match the
tastes of the modern, more affluent buyer that makes South Bay their home. Zoning
allows properties within two to three blocks of the beach to be developed as large two to
three-unit luxury townhomes; inland areas are more likely to have single-family homes.
There is a city-wide height limit of 32 ft. for new homes; unlike Manhattan Beach,
Redondo allows rooftop living spaces and decks.
Other Activities
A revitalized downtown area affectionately termed "Riviera Village" (named so after the
Hollywood Riviera, which is the area it is in) provides locals an opportunity to eat, shop
and commune in a quiet atmosphere. Since 2004 several new or newly renovated
restaurants have made a positive impact on local options for an on-the-town experience.
Downtown also supports a number of independent boutiques and shops specializing in
clothing and fashion, as well as at least three wine-tasting galleries. This downtown area
is in South Redondo west of PCH between Avenue I and Palos Verde Blvd.
The Marina, Harbor and Pier complexes are large, planned centers of activity that host
restaurants, bars, smaller shops and an arcade. The pier is a common spot for anglers to
cast for a local catch; many residents of inland Los Angeles drive to Redondo Beach to
take advantage of the long and unique shape of this pier. The large, monolithic concrete
structures that make up the pier and harbor area stand in stark contrast to the venerable
cozy feel of the rest of the South Bay's neighborhood-style streetfront architecture; the
city continues to consider options for the area as new entertainment and dining chooses to
locate in other areas of the Beach Cities.
Cost of Living
The beach lifestyle comes at a price: according to public data from the LA Times, Real
Estate prices increased almost 20% per year between 1999 and 2005. Properties within
short walking distance of the ocean routinely sell for well over $1 Million USD. Those
with direct, unhindered views routinely ask in excess of $2 Million. Money Magazine
ranks communities in the area as some of the most expensive places to live in America.
The average 3-bed 2-bath home costs about $850,000 in South Redondo as of 2006 and
$750,000 in North Redondo.
Geography
Redondo Beach is located at 33°51′23″N, 118°22′37″W (33.856514, -118.377081)GR1.
Demographics
racial makeup of the city was 78.62% White, 2.52% African American, 0.47% Native
was 2.87.
Trivia
Redondo Beach is the subject of a particularly memorable Patti Smith song.
Vince Neil of the rock band Motley Crue was involved in a drunk driving accident on
Esplanade Ave. on December 1984, that killed Razzle (Nicholas Dingley), the drummer
of Hanoi Rocks.
The well-known hardcore punk band Black Flag is from Redondo Beach.
Chuck Norris opened a Martial Arts studio in Redondo Beach before his career in acting.
The popular television show The O.C. uses the beach and pier when shooting on location.
Popular British singer Morrissey has a song entitled redondo beach.
The well-known contemporary artist Allan McCollum grew up in Redondo Beach.
Redondo Beach is mentioned in the song "Surfin' USA" by The Beach Boys.
Redondo Beach is home of the fictional Bird of Paradise Motel in the film The Two
Jakes.
Redondo Beach is the birthplace of Jack Black (actor)
External links
Santa Clarita, California
Santa Clarita, California
Santa Clarita as seen from the Santa Susana foothills.
Seal
Location
Location of Santa Clarita in California and Los Angeles County
Coordinates 34°24′50″N, 118°30′23″W
Government
Country
State
County
United States
California
Los Angeles
Incorporated
1987
City Council
Laurene Weste (mayor)
Marsha McLean
Frank Ferry
Bob Kellar
Cameron Smith
Area
City
123.9 km² (47.8 sq mi)
Land
123.9 km² (47.8 sq mi)
Water
0.1 km² (0.04 sq mi) 0.04%
Population
City (2000)
Density
151,088
1,219.6/km² (3,159.1/sq mi)
U.S. Census, 2000
Time zone
Summer (DST)
PST (UTC-8)
PDT (UTC-7)
Website: www.santa-clarita.com
A typical stretch of Valencia Boulevard in the Valencia part of Santa Clarita. The bridge
in the distance carries a paseo (a type of dedicated pedestrian pathway unique to
Valencia) over the roadway.
Santa Clarita is the fourth largest city in Los Angeles County, California, United States.
As of the 2005 California Department of Finance estimate, the city population was
167,954. It is located about 35 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, and occupies
most of the Santa Clarita Valley. It is a notable example of a U.S. edge city or boomburb.
The FBI rates it as the sixth safest city in the United States with at least 100,000
inhabitants. (Nearby Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks, in Ventura County, traditionally
alternate between the first and second spots on the list.)
Santa Clarita was incorporated in 1987 as the union of several previously existing
communities, including Saugus, Valencia, Canyon Country, Newhall, and portions of
Castaic. Its principal boundaries are the Golden State and Antelope Valley freeways;
their merger in Newhall Pass at the city's southernmost point gives Santa Clarita its
distinctive triangular appearance on the map. Unlike many other hybrid cities' districts,
communities in Santa Clarita retain a considerable degree of autonomy, to the extent that
some of them--Valencia, most notably--are often mistaken for completely separate cities.
Santa Clarita's most notable attractions are the Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement
park on the western edge of the city, and the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts),
located in Valencia.
As the city is hemmed in by mountains on all sides (the Tehachapis on the north, the San
Gabriels on the east, and the Santa Susanas on the south and west) and is primarily reliant
on the automobile for transportation, it suffers from chronic smog. It is also prone to
wildfires, as demonstrated by the destruction of large undeveloped areas around the city
during blazes in 2003 and 2004.
Geography
Santa Clarita is located at 34°24′60″N, 118°30′23″W (34.416561, -118.506443)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 123.9 km²
(47.8 mi²). 123.9 km² (47.8 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.04%) is water.
Demographics
Even though it is still a predominantly middle-class white community, it has seen a
substantial increase in residents of varying ethnicities. The growth in diversity in the city
is not without problems. According to a Los Angeles Times report [1], racial crimes are
increasing in the region. Most of the recent allegations pertain to the nearby Valencia
High School.
was 3.38.
Youth involvement
Santa Clarita is also known for its extensive youth-involvement programs, including
Visions in Progress (VIP), a youth advisory group to the City Council, the SCV Youth
Project, which strives to increase teen involvement in the city, and the Volunteen
program, which provides teens with the chance to perform community service in the city,
such as the annual River Rally (a river cleanup project of the Santa Clara River). (VIP)
seeks to better the communtity and also provide a safe and very exciting environment for
the local teens and new residents. The Santa Clarita Valley Safe Rides program,
established in 1986, is a Teen Volunteer group which helps to prevent drunk driving in
teens.
Television and movie production
Because of Santa Clarita's proximity to Hollywood countless TV shows and movies have
been filmed in Santa Clarita. From 'Pump Up the Volume' that was filmed exclusively in
Saugus, to popular TV shows '24' and 'CSI'.
Problems
There have been many recent issues regarding Mining interests who wish to create mines
in the Santa Clarita and Unincorperated Los Angeles County areas. These are widely
opposed by city politicians and residents. There is a disproportionate amount of teen
drinking and drug abuse. Also, recent issues with Racism at Valencia High School and
other high schools in the William S. Hart High School District have led to fights,
lockdowns, and media involvement.
School districts
• Castaic Union School
District [1]
• Newhall School
District [2]
• Saugus Union School
District [3]
• Sulphur Springs
Elementary School
District [4]
• William S. Hart High
School District [5]
• California Institute of
the Arts
• The Master's College
[6]
• College of the
Canyons [7]
External links
• Santa Clarita
homepage
• Santa Clarita Valley
Resources Page
• SCVTalk.com - Santa
Clarita
Neighborhood
News/Community
Journalism Site
• AM-1220 KHTS Santa Clarita's
Hometown Radio
Station
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica beach and pier
Santa Monica Pier entrance
Santa Monica is a coastal city in western Los Angeles County, California, USA. It
borders Santa Monica Bay (part of the Pacific Ocean) on the west, Pacific Palisades and
Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles and Mar Vista on the east, and Venice on the
south. As of the late 2004 census, the city had a population of 96,500, although, an early
2006 estimate has the city at 103,255 people. Santa Monica is named for Saint Monica of
Hippo because it was first visited by Spaniards on her feast day. In the skateboard and
surfing communities Santa Monica's Ocean Park neighborhood and adjacent parts of
Venice are sometimes called Dogtown.
Because of its agreeable weather, Santa Monica had become a famed resort town by the
early 20th century. The city has experienced a boom since the late 1980s through the
revitalization of its downtown core, significant job growth, and increased tourism.
Santa Monica is known for its progressive politics, including policies that address the
needs of renters, consumers, and the homeless. Residents of the city are among the
largest contributors in the nation to Democratic Party candidates. The city was well
known for its strict rent control ordinance, which had been enacted in 1978 and was
partially overridden by state law in 1999. Santa Monica is sometimes called the
"Homeless Capital of the West" due to the presence of the third largest homeless
population in Los Angeles County (after Downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood), a
large number of whom are teenaged runaways; satirist Harry Shearer calls it "The home
of the homeless."
History
Santa Monica Beach, 1908.
Main article: History of Santa Monica, California
Attractions and cultural resources
Santa Monica Beach
Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, designed by Welton Becket in 1958. Home of the
Oscars award ceremony from 1961 to 1968.
The Monica, on 2nd Street, remains a popular place to catch an artsy flick.
The Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome (carousel) is a National Historic Landmark. It sits
on the Santa Monica Pier, which was built in 1909. The La Monica Ballroom on the pier
was once the largest ballroom in the US, and the source for many New Year's Eve
national network broadcasts. The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium was an important
music venue for several decades and hosted the Academy Awards in the 1960s.
McCabe's Guitar Shop is still a leading acoustic performance space. Bergamot Station is
a city-owned art gallery compound that includes the Santa Monica Museum of Art. The
city is also home to the Santa Monica Heritage Museum.
Its two hospitals are Saint Johns and the Santa Monica Medical Center. Its cemetery is
Woodlawn Memorial.
The oldest theater in the city is the 1912 Majestic, also known as the Mayfair Theatre,
closed since the 1994 Northridge earthquake. The Aero Theater (now operated by the
American Cinematheque) and Criterion Theater were built in the 1930s and still show
movies. The Santa Monica Promenade alone supports more than two dozen movie
screens.
Palisades Park stretches out on the crumbling bluffs overlooking the Pacific and is a
favorite walking area to view the ocean. It features a camera obscura. For 48 years local
churches and the Police Association assembled a twelve-tableau story of Christmas in
Palisades Park. The sheds were open on the street side, protected by chain-link fencing.
Inside were dioramas of the Holy Family made from store mannequins; critics argued
that many of them did not resemble real people, were damaged, or were otherwise
inappropriate. In 2001 the city decided to temporarily end the practice of allowing private
groups to place displays in city parks, but in 2004 the Christmas displays returned.
Santa Monica is known for having a large population of British and Irish expatriates,
which accounts for the numerous pubs in the city. Some bars are as likely to show
English Premiership games as they are American football games.
Natives and tourists alike have enjoyed the Santa Monica Rugby Club since 1972. The
club has been very successful since its conception, most recently winning back-to-back
national championships in 2005 and 2006. Santa Monica defeated the Boston Irish
Wolfhounds 57-19 in the Division 1 final, convincingly claiming its second consecutive
American title on June 4th, 2006, in San Diego. They offer Men's, Women's and a
thriving childrens programs.
Every Fall the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce hosts The Taste of Santa Monica on
the Santa Monica Pier. Visitors can sample food and drink from Santa Monica
restaurants.
Education
Founded in 1929 with an enrollment of 153, Santa Monica College (SMC, informally
known as Pico Tech or Harvard-by-the-Sea), a junior college, now occupies 35 acres (14
ha) and enrolls 30,000 students annually. The two-year college is the leading source of
transfers to the University of California system. Rolling Stone magazine rated it among
the top ten community colleges in the nation in 1998. Notable SMC alumni and dropouts
include: James Dean, Dustin Hoffman, Rickie Lee Jones, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and
former Microsoft chief technology officer Nathan Myhrvold. The college also serves as
the location of the studios of 89.9 KCRW, a National Public Radio affiliate known for its
eclectic music programming.
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District provides public education at the
elementary and secondary levels. Private high schools in the city include the Crossroads
School, New Roads School, Lighthouse Christian Academy and Saint Monica's Parochial
School.
Transportation
The Santa Monica Freeway (Interstate 10) begins in the Santa Monica near the Pacific
Ocean and heads east from there. The Santa Monica Freeway between Santa Monica and
downtown Los Angeles has the distinction of being one of the busiest highways in all of
North America. After traversing Los Angeles County, I-10 continues all the way across
the USA, crossing seven more states, to the Atlantic Ocean at Jacksonville, Florida. At
the eastern edge of Santa Monica, there is a large road sign designating this route as the
Christopher Columbus Transcontinental Highway, but it is doubtful that more of these
signs have been erected by the states. California State Highway 1 (Lincoln
Boulevard/Pacific Coast Highway) passes through Santa Monica on its way from the
southern boundary of California to the northern boundary. California State Route 2
(Santa Monica Boulevard) begins in Santa Monica and continues northeast across Los
Angeles County, crossing the San Gabriel Mountains as the Angeles Crest Highway.
Santa Monica is also the western (Pacific) terminus of historic U.S. Route 66, a road from
Chicago, Illinois, to Los Angeles County. Route 66 terminates at the Santa Monica Pier, a
location that has served as the setting for numerous television shows, commercials and
movies. Close to the eastern boundary of Santa Monica the very long Sepulveda
Boulevard passes on its way from southmost Los Angeles County to the San Fernando
Valley. Also close to the eastern boundary of Santa Monica lies Interstate-405, the San
Diego Freeway, a major north-south route in Los Angeles County. To summarize, in spite
of its relatively small land area, Santa Monica is a critical highway junction and terminus.
Santa Monica is also the home for the Third Street Promenade, a major outdoor
pedestrian oriented shopping district that stretches for four blocks between Wilshire Blvd.
and Colorado Blvd.
The City of Santa Monica runs its own award-winning bus service, the Big Blue Bus,
which also serves much of Los Angeles's Westside and UCLA. A Big Blue Bus was
featured prominently in the motion picture Speed.
The city is also served by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation
Authority's bus lines. Metro also complements Big Blue service, as when Big Blue routes
are not operational overnight, Metro buses make all Big Blue Bus stops, in addition to
MTA stops. It currently has no rail service but Metro is working on bringing light rail to
Santa Monica in the form of the Exposition Line. The Red Line subway is also in the
midst of an extension to Santa Monica, dubbed "subway to the sea". In the past, Santa
Monica had rail service operated by the Pacific Electric Railway, until it was dismantled
in the 1960's.
Santa Monica beach and pier
The city owns and operates a general aviation airport, Santa Monica Airport, which has
been the site of several important aviation achievements. Passenger flights are available
at Los Angeles International Airport just to the south of Santa Monica via Sepulveda
Boulevard.
Like all Los Angeles County cities, Santa Monica is dependent upon the Port of Long
Beach and the Port of Los Angeles for international ship cargo. In the 1890s, Santa
Monica was once in competition with Wilmington, Calif., and San Pedro for recognition
as the "Port of Los Angeles" (see History of Santa Monica, California).
Geography
Santa Monica Bay coast with the Pier on the right. Note that the bluff is highest at the
north end, here exaggerated by the perspective.
Santa Monica is situated at 34°1'19" North, 118°28'53" West (34.022059, 118.481336)GR1.
The city rests on a mostly flat slope that angles down towards Ocean Ave and towards the
south. Some beautiful high bluffs separate the city from the beaches.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 41.2 km² (15.9
mi²); 21.4 km² (8.3 mi²) of it is land. Its borders extend three nautical miles (5.6 km) out
to sea, and so 19.8 km² (7.7 mi²) of it is water for a total area that is 48.08% water.
Weather
Palm trees line Ocean Avenue
Santa Monica enjoys an average of 325 days of sunshine a year. Because of its location,
nestled on a vast open bay (Santa Monica Bay), morning fog and haze is a common
phenomenon in May, June and early July (caused by ocean temperature variations and
currents). Locals have a particular terminology for this phenomenon: the "May Gray" and
the "June Gloom". Overcast skies are common for June mornings, but usually the strong
sun burns the fog off by noon. Nonetheless, it will sometimes stay cloudy and cool all
day during June, even as other parts of the Los Angeles area will enjoy sunny skies and
warmer temperatures. At times, the sun shines east of 20th St while the beach area is
overcast.
As a general rule, the temperature is from 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (3 to 5.5 degrees
Celsius) cooler than it is inland. A typical spring day (Mid-April) is sunny, pleasant and
about 68 °F (20 °C). In the summer, which stretches basically from May to late October,
temperatures can reach to the mid-80's Fahrenheit (about 30 °C) at the beach. The
average temperature for August is 71 °F (21 °C). September is the warmest month of the
year in Santa Monica, with an average of 73 °F (22 °C). It is also in September that
records tend to be broken. In early September 2004, temperatures of 92 °F to 98 °F (33
°C to 37 °C) were recorded.
In early November, it is about 68 °F (20 °C). In late January, temperatures are around 63
°F (17 °C). It is winter, however, when the hot, dry winds of the Santa Anas are most
common. In mid-December 2004, temperatures soared to 84 °F (28 °C) in Santa Monica,
for a few straight days, with perfectly sunny skies.
The rainy season is from late October through late March. Winter storms usually
approach from the northwest and pass quickly through the Southland. There is very little
rain during the rest of the year.
Santa Monica usually enjoys a cool breeze blowing in from the ocean, keeping the air
fresh and clean. Therefore, smog is less a problem for Santa Monica than elsewhere
around Los Angeles. However, in the autumn months of September through November,
the Santa Ana winds will sometimes blow from the East, bringing smoggy inland air to
the beaches.
Demographics
The seal of the City of Santa Monica.
Santa Monica City Hall, designed by Donald Parkinson, with terrazo mosaics by Stanton
MacDonald-Wright
Population grew from 417 in 1880 to 84,084 in 2000. For population statistics by decade,
see History of Santa Monica, California.
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there are 84,084 people, 44,497 households, and 16,775
families in the city. The population density is 3,930.4/km² (10,178.7/mi²). There are
47,863 housing units at an average density of 2,237.3/km² (5,794.0/mi²). The racial
makeup of the city is 78.29% White, 7.25% Asian, 3.78% African American, 0.47%
Native American, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 5.97% from other races, and 4.13% from two
or more races. 13.44% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are
44,497 households, out of which 15.8% have children under the age of 18, 27.5% are
married couples living together, 7.5% have a female householder with no husband
present, and 62.3% are non-families. 51.2% of all households are made up of individuals
and 10.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average
household size is 1.83 and the average family size is 2.80.
The population is diverse in age, with 14.6% under 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 40.1% from
25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% 65 years or older. The median age is 39 years.
For every 100 females there are 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there
are 91.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $50,714, and the median income for a
family is $75,989. Males have a median income of $55,689 versus $42,948 for females.
The per capita income for the city is $42,874. 10.4% of the population and 5.4% of
families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 9.9% of those under the
age of 18 and 10.2% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Notable people born in Santa Monica
Downtown Santa Monica
• Tony Alva,
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
skateboarder, ZBoys
Kenneth Anger, filmmaker, author
Sean Astin, filmactor, director, and
producer
Jack Black, actor,
musician
Elonka Dunin, gamedeveloper and writer
Dwight Evans, former
Major League
Baseball player
Ed Fallon, Iowa
politician
Miguel Ferrer, actor
Bobbi Fiedler,
congresswoman
Bonnie Franklin,
actress
• Lynette Fromme,
criminal
• Sara Gilbert, actress
• Anjelica Huston,
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
See also
actress
Tommy Kendall,
NASCAR driver
Lorenzo Lamas, actor
Mark Loretta, MLB
baseball player
Lorna Luft,
entertainer
Tobey Maguire, actor
Teena Marie, singer,
songwriter, producer
Chris Masters,
professional wrestler
Sean Penn, actor
Robert Redford,
motion picture actor,
director, producer,
businessman, model,
and philanthropist
Randy Rhoads,
guitarist
Christina Ricci,
actress
Mike Scott, former
MLB baseball player
Bobby Sherman,
singer and actor
Amber Tamblyn,
actress
Shirley Temple,
diplomat and former
film child actress
Robert Trujillo,
bassist, Metallica
Suzanne Vega,
songwriter and
singer
Trifun Zivanovic,
figure skater
Santa Monica Daily Press
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Santa Monica, California
• City of Santa Monica
• Santa Monica
Chamber of
Commerce
• Santa Monica
Observer
• Santa Monica Mirror
• Santa Monica Library
Photo Archives
• Santa Monica travel
guide from
Wikitravel
Torrance, California
City of Torrance, California
Seal
Location
Location of Torrance in the County of Los Angeles
Government
Country
State
County
Mayor
United States
California
Los Angeles County, California
Dan Walker
Area
City
20.5 mi² - 53.2 km²
Land
20.5 mi² - 53.2 km²
Water
0 km²
Population
City (2000)
Density
137,946 (city proper)
6,715.7 mi² - 2,593.1/km²
Time zone
PST ( UTC−8 )
Summer (DST)
PDT ( UTC−7 )
Website: http://www.torrnet.com
Torrance is a city located in southwestern Los Angeles County, California.
The city is named after its founder, oilman Jared Sidney Torrance. As of the 2000 census,
the city population was 137,946; a 2003 estimate puts the total population at 142,621 [1].
Torrance is the 7th largest city in Los Angeles County.
Geography
Torrance is located at 33°50′5″N, 118°20′29″W (33.834815, -118.341330)GR1.
mi²), all land.
Area attractions
Typical roadside signage at Del Amo Fashion Center
Del Amo Fashion Center, at three million square feet (300,000 m²), is one of the largest
malls in the United States. Estimates vary between the second largest (after the Mall of
America) and the fourth largest, depending on the measurements used. The current mall
was created when Del Amo Center, built in 1958, merged with Del Amo Fashion Square,
built in 1970. Once located on opposite sides of Carson Street, a gigantic expansion of
the mall spanning Carson Street joined the two centers by 1982, making it the longest
mall in the world at the time. Del Amo Fashion Center has been used as a location for
several motion pictures, including Jackie Brown and Bad Santa. In 2005, the east end of
the original mall north of Carson Street was demolished to make way for a new open-air
shopping center, scheduled to open in summer of 2006.
One of the country's few urban wetlands can be found in Torrance. Madrona Marsh is a
nature preserve on undeveloped land once set aside for oil production.
Torrance Beach lies between Redondo Beach and Malaga Cove. The region shared by
Torrance and Redondo Beaches are often called "Rat Beach" (short for "Right After
Torrance"). [citation needed]
Torrance is well-known for its annual Armed Forces Parade on Armed Forces Day in
mid-May every year down Torrance Boulevard. The parade features many military
vehicles from the different branches of the Armed Forces. After the parade, the military
vehicles are put on display at the parking lot of the Del Amo Fashion Center for two
days.
Torrance High School is not only one of the oldest high schools in California, its facade
is familiar to television viewers as the setting for Beverly Hills 90210 and Buffy the
Vampire Slayer and to moviegoers for its appearances in She's All That.
South High School, near the southern border of Torrance, was used as a location for the
1999 filming of the movie American Beauty.
Commerce and industry
Torrance is home to the U.S. headquarters of two of the three largest Japanese auto
makers, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. and American Honda Motor Company. Robinson
Helicopters are designed and built in Torrance as are Garrett Systems turbochargers, used
on automobile engines worldwide. California's aerospace industry began in Torrance and
surrounding communities.
Torrance is also home to the main bakery facility for King's Hawaiian, the dominant
brand of Hawaiian bread in North America.
As a major oil-producing region, Torrance was once dotted with thousands of oil wells
and oil derricks. Though the oil wells are not as common as they once were, the
ExxonMobil refinery in the north end of the city is responsible for much of Southern
California's gasoline supply. In fact, much of Southern California's gasoline supply is
refined within a few miles of Torrance. ARCO produces gasoline in Carson; Texaco has
a refinery a bit further east in Wilmington; Unocal is in San Pedro while one of the oldest
refineries in the state is the Chevron plant in El Segundo. Torrance was also an important
hub and shop site of the Pacific Electric Railway.
Torrance has a busy general aviation airport, originally named simply "Torrance Airport"
and since renamed Zamperini Field after local track star, World War II hero and Torrance
High graduate Louis Zamperini. In 1990 the airport had 243,324 take-offs and landings,
down from the 1974 record of 428,000 operations. Airport noise abatement is a major
local issue.
Torrance is home to the corporate headquarters of Edelbrock, a leading manufacturer of
automotive and motorcycle aftermarket products.
Livability
Today, Torrance is considered to be a very desirable place to live in Los Angeles County,
reflected in the ever-increasing property values and its proximity to the beach
communities of Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and the upscale
coastal communities of the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
Torrance is one of the few American cities that approaches the ideal balance between the
three major types of zones. This explains its slogan: "A Balanced City, Industrial,
Residential, Commercial." However, in recent years, major re-zoning of old industrial
areas to residential has caused an enormous population growth and all the caveats that
come with it, including heavy traffic congestion.
Other livability factors:
Education
• Primary and
secondary schools:
The Torrance
Unified School
District [2]
encompasses five
high schools
(Torrance High,
North High, South
High, West High,
and Shery High) and
their feeder schools,
and the district's
students consistently
score well above
average on
standardized tests. A
Roman Catholic high
school (Bishop
Montgomery High
School) is also
located within the
city.
• Colleges: Torrance is
home to an excellent
two-year community
college, El Camino
College.
• Other schools: The
largest English as a
Second Language
school in California,
Language Systems,
has a branch in the
city. [citation needed]
• Libraries: The City of
Torrance has one of
the best library
systems in Los
Angeles County,
including the main
Katy Geissert Civic
Center Library and
five branches [3].
Health Care
Two major hospitals are located within the city -- Torrance Memorial Medical Center and
Little Company of Mary Hospital. A third hospital, Los Angeles County Harbor-UCLA
Medical Center, lies just outside the city limits but also has a Torrance address
Parks
Torrance has 24 city parks; the focal point is 44-acre Wilson Park which has extensive
picnic and sports facilities, including a modern gymnasium, skatepark, and roller-hockey
rink. Wilson Park also hosts a Farmer's Market on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and is the site
of the city's annual Fourth of July fireworks display.
Sister cities
In 1973, Torrance established a sister-city relationship with Kashiwa, Chiba (Japan), as
part of the Sister Cities International program. Since then, citizens of Torrance have
regularly engaged in cultural exchange with Kashiwa through the guidance of the
Torrance Sister City Association, which facilitates a Japanese cultural festival, a yearly
student exchange program, and contact between officials of the two cities.
Demographics
makeup of the city was 59.16% White, 28.61% Asian, 4.72% from two or more races,
4.57% from other races, 2.19% Black or African American, 0.41% Native American and
0.35% Pacific Islander. 12.79% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Because of the large Japanese industrial presence in Torrance, the city has one of the
highest concentrations of Japanese expatriates and Japanese-Americans in the United
States. Among Los Angeles citizens, Torrance is known for its large Asian-American
population.
was 3.10.
Notable residents
• Larry Carlton •
•
•
•
•
•
Guitarist
Bobby East NASCAR driver
Parnelli Jones and P.J.
Jones - Indy car
drivers
Fred Kendall Former MLB
Catcher and manager
Jason Kendall Oakland Athletics
catcher
Michelle Kwan Figure skater
Alyson & Amanda
Michalka (Aly & AJ)
- Singers & actresses
• Lisa Moretti - WWE's
"Ivory"
• George Nakano -
California politician
• Daryl Sabara & Evan
Sabara - Actors (Spy
Kids)
• Quentin Tarantino Filmmaker
External links
• City of Torrance
official website
• Torrance information
page at CityData.com
Local organizations and businesses
Del Amo Fashion Center
Friends of Madrona Marsh Preserve
King's Hawaiian official website
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, California
Location
Location of Los Angeles County in California and West
Hollywood withen Los Angeles County
Government
Country
State
County
United States
California
Los Angeles
Incorporated
1984
City Council
John Heilman (mayor)
Sal Guarriello
John J. Duran
Abbe Land
Jeffrey Prang
Area
City
4.9 km² (1.9 sq mi)
Land
4.9 km² (1.9 sq mi)
Water
0.0 km² (0.0 sq mi) 0%
Population
City (2000)
Density
35,716
7,335.1/km² (18,992.7/sq mi)
U.S. Census, 2000
PST (UTC-8)
Time zone
Summer (DST) PDT (UTC-7)
Website: www.weho.org
West Hollywood's logo illustrates the city's borders.
West Hollywood (abbreviated WeHo) is a city in Los Angeles County, California,
bordered on the north by the Santa Monica Mountains, on the north and east by the
Hollywood District of Los Angeles, on the west by the city of Beverly Hills and on south
by the Fairfax District of Los Angeles. West Hollywood is the first city in the USA to
enact a law banning cat declawing. Council member John Heilman is the city's longest
serving council member and has served continuously since 1984 and is currently serving
his sixth term as mayor. The position is mostly a ceremonial post that rotates on an
annual basis among the council members.
History
For many years, the area that is now the City of West Hollywood was an unincorporated
area in the midst of the City of Los Angeles that was under the jurisdiction of "the
county." It was illegal to gamble in the city of Los Angeles, but legal in the county, and
in the 1920s many nightclubs and casinos went in along the Sunset Strip in West
Hollywood for this reason, specifically to avoid the heavy-handed policing of the LAPD,
that had no jurisdiction in WeHo. Since the time the area is not part of the city of Los
Angeles, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is in charge of policing it.
Movie people were attracted to this less restricted "county" area and a number of
architecturally fine apartment houses and apartment hotels were built. Movie fans
throughout the world knew that Ciro's, the Mocambo, the Trocadero, the Garden of
Allah, the Chateau Marmont, and movie stars could be seen on the Sunset Strip.
Eventually, the area and its extravagant night spots lost favor with movie people. But the
Strip and its restaurants, bars and clubs, continued to be an attraction for locals and outof-town tourists. In the late 1960s, the Strip was transformed again during the hippie
movement. Young people from all over the country flocked to West Hollywood clubs
such as the Whisky a Go Go and the Troubadour.
In the 1960s, a club called Ciro's held the first gay dance nights on Sundays. Men
dancing together was illegal in those days but as with the casinos and speakeasies that
had gone before, the laws were not strictly enforced. This tolerance led to more gay clubs
after Ciro's closed and the end of the anti-gay laws that prohibited dancing between two
persons of the same gender in Los Angeles County. Those gay nights at Ciro's were
commonly called "Tea Dances" [or "T-Dances"]. Eventually Ciro's closed and the
building is now the home of The Comedy Store.
In the early 1970s, there was a large influx of Russian Jews from the Fairfax District and
gays.
In November 1984, voters passed a proposal on the ballot to incorporate and the area
became the City of West Hollywood because of a threat that united all the tenants in the
area. That uniting factor was rent control. The county was in the process of abolishing
rent control in all unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. That factor however
galvanized the residents of the area to band together and form the city and impose rent
control on all rental units built before 1979.
Because of the large gay population and the large numbers of gay-oriented businesses,
West Hollywood became prominently known as a gay village. The section of Santa
Monica Boulevard from La Cienega Blvd to Robertson Blvd, known as "boys town," is
among the most important gay neighborhoods in the world, with numerous well-known
spots such as the nightclubs Rage and Mickys. West Hollywood was the first city in the
country to have a majority-gay city council[1], and in 1985 it was the first city to have
same gender domestic partnership registration for its residents, and same gender domestic
partner benefits for its employees.
West Hollywood has a distinctive street design scheme, with postmodern street signs
featuring a blue map of the city. L.A. County Sheriffs Dept. vehicles that patrol West
Hollywood feature the same map of the city, but in the rainbow colors of the gay
community.
Today it contains some of the most exclusive condominium complexes on the West Coast
with "name" buildings such as Shorham Towers, Sierra Towers, and on the exclusive culde sac, Alta Loma Road, the popular buildings known as The Empire West and The Park
Wellington.
Alta Loma Road is also home to the exclusive hotel "The Sunset Marquis" with its
famous 45 person Whisky Bar and a recording studio that has been the home to many
hits. Alta Loma Road was one of the main locations for the film Perfect but it was also
the home a tragedy. In the 1970s it was the street on which Sal Mineo lived and died.
Geography
West Hollywood is located at 34°5′16″N, 118°22′20″W (34.087909, -118.372160)GR1.
mi²), all land.
Demographics
There were 24,110 housing units at an average density of 4,951.6/km² (12,821.0/mi²).
This makes it one of the most densely populated cities in the US and the world. The racial
makeup of the city was 86.43% White, 3.78% Asian, 3.09% African American, 0.36%
Native American, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 2.87% from other races, and 3.35% from two
or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.80% of the population.
In the city the population was spread out with 5.7% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to
24, 48.6% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or
population were below the poverty line, including 10.0% of those under age 18 and
According to the city of West Hollywood's demographic profile, gleaned from the 2000
Census, the 2000 Customer Satisfaction Survey, the 1998 Community Needs Assessment
Survey, and the 1994 Community Needs Assessment Survey, gay or bisexual men
account for 41% of the population. Of these, 60% are between the ages of 25-44, 27% are
living with HIV/AIDS, and 8% are living with a same sex partner/spouse.
Landmarks and interesting spots
• Abbey Bar and
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Restaurant
Al & Ed's Autosound
Barney's Beanery
Beverly Center Mall
Chateau Marmont
Comedy Store
Dudley Do-Right's
Emporium
Formosa Cafe
House of Blues
Hard Rock Cafe
Here Lounge
• Hyatt West
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Hollywood
Pacific Design Center
Plummer Park
The Roxy Theatre
Tail O' the Pup
Tower Records
Troubadour
Samuel Goldwyn
Studios
The Schindler House
by mid-century
architect Rudolf
Schindler
Sunset Strip
Whisky a Go Go
Whisky Bar
Viper Room
West Hollywood is also home to Sunset Plaza, a European-style shopping area on Sunset.
Though only 1/2 mile long, it boasts tenants that would otherwise be on Rodeo Drive.
The western stretch of Melrose Avenue, between Fairfax Avenue and Doheny Drive, is
notable for its interior design shops, restaurants and antique stores, and is more sedate as
compared to the eastern Hollywood stretch between Fairfax Avenue and Highland
Avenue. At the west end of Melrose, near the Pacific Design Center you'll find the most
exclusive furniture and interior design shops in the world.
The area around Fountain Ave, Harper Ave, and Havenhurst Dr contains a high
concentration of landmark 1920s Spanish Revival and Art Deco apartment buildings by
noted architects such as Leland Bryant. The historic district has been home to many
celebrities and at one time the Sunset Tower was home to Frank Sinatra, Errol Flynn, the
Gabor Sisters, John Wayne and Howard Hughes.
The Robertson/West 3rd Street area is home to some of the hippest stores and cafes in
Los Angeles and in recent times, is known as the place where the paparazzi rent parking
spaces by the month and young up-and-coming under 30+ celebrities hang out when they
"accidently" want to be seen (and then claim that they "need their privacy"). The Ivy is
currently one of the most popular places that celebrites can hide in broad daylight.
Another less auspicious locale is the 2nd floor cafe in the adjacent Cedars-Sinai Medical
Center, where confidentiality rules are the norm.
Events
West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval
The West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval is an event that takes place anually on October
31. The largest Halloween street party in the United States (spanning over one mile of
Santa Monica Boulevard from La Cienega Boulevard on the East to Doheny and the
Beverly Hills border on the West), the 2005 Carnaval was reported to have more than
350,000 people in attendance, with some traveling from other countries specifically for
this event.
Christopher Street West ("CSW")
CSW is a Gay Pride parade and festival that was first held in June of 1970 in Hollywood
to commemorate the first anniversary of Stonewall riots in New York. After
incorporation the event moved to West Hollywood and is typically held the second
weekend in June so as not to conflict with the larger celebrations in San Francisco and
New York, and with Father's Day (because many deputies request that day off and do not
want to work overtime on that day).
Frontrunners GLBT Pride Run is a 5k/10k run/walk held on the Sunday morning of
GLBT Pride.
West Hollywood Folklore
Legend has it that when ZIP codes were being assigned in the 1960s, the ZIP code of the
growing gay area of West Hollywood was designated 90069, out of sequence, because
the person who was assigning the ZIP codes for Los Angeles County was a frequent
customer of Ciro's on Sunday nights and thought the "69" code could be used to identify
the area as tolerant of the gay community in the era before the Stonewall riots.[citation needed]
External links
• West Hollywood
Official Website
• West Hollywood
Convention &
Visitors Bureau
• West Hollywood City
Map & Data
• Avenues of Art &
Design Official
Website

Los Angeles Relocation Guide

Transcription

Similar documents

After Party Flyer

1stDibs. 2013 - Sheila Bridges

The Yards of One Santa Fe

You`re invited to the 3nd annual Weenie Roast

BROCHURE-ACQUALINA MIAMI

Litchfield Beach Access

Mrs. House and Mrs. Huba`s STEM Challenge Day

Help Support Our Cause For Paws!

Weenie Roast - Cape Fear Sail and Power Squadron

Palm Beach - Blue Ocean Apartment