Signal Hill, California

Signal Hill is a small city (2.2 mi², 5.8 km²) in Los Angeles County, California that is completely surrounded by the city of Long Beach. As of 2005, the city population was 10,951. The city was incorporated on April 22, 1924, roughly three years after oil was discovered on Signal Hill.

The city once shared three different postal ZIP codes with Long Beach, but in July 2002, the City of Signal Hill received its own ZIP code, 90755. It is in the 562 area code.

1 History
- 1.1 Oil is discovered on Signal Hill
- 1.2 Later Years
2 Law and government
- 2.1 Emergency services
3 Education
4 City Parks
- 4.1 Proposed nature preserve
5 Sports
6 Miscellaneous information
7 Geography
8 Demographics
9 References
10 See also
11 External links

[edit] History

The hill that the city is named after is 365 feet (110 m) above the surrounding community of Long Beach. Because of this height, it was used by the local Tongva Indians for signal fires that could seen throughout the surrounding area and even out to Catalina Island, 26 miles (42 km) away.

After the Spanish discovered Alta California (Northern California), Signal Hill eventually became part of a 300,000 acres (1,200 km²) land grant given to a soldier, Manuel Nieto, by King Carlos III of Spain in 1784 (later reduced to 167,000 acres (676 km²) in 1790).

Between 1913 and 1923 an early California movie studio, Balboa Amusement Producing Company (also known as Balboa Studios) was located in Long Beach and used 11 acres (45,000 m²) on Signal Hill for outdoor locations. Buster Keaton and Fatty Arbuckle were two of Balboa Studio actors who had films shot on Signal Hill.

Before oil was discovered in Signal Hill, there were large homes built on the hill itself, and in the lower elevations was an agricultural area where fruits, vegetables, and flowers were grown. Many of the truck farmers were Japanese.

[edit] Oil is discovered on Signal Hill

Signal Hill (aka "Porcupine Hill") on May 1, 1923 (view full panorama)

Signal Hill changed forever when oil was discovered. The hill would soon become one of the most productive oil fields in the world. On June 25, 1921, Shell Oil Company's Alamitos #1 well erupted. The gas pressure was so great the gusher was 114 ft (35 m) in the air. Soon Signal Hill was covered with over 100 oil wells and was known as "Porcupine Hill".

The city was incorporated on April 22, 1924. Among the reasons for incorporating was avoiding annexation by Long Beach with its zoning restrictions and per-barrel oil tax. Signal Hill's first mayor, Jessie Nelson, was also California's first female mayor.

[edit] Later Years

One of the city's more colorful residents was the boxer Kid Mexico (real name, Tod Faulkner) who was the state's bantamweight champion in 1914 (at age 14—he had lied about his age) and the state's welterweight champion in 1925. He put his earnings into businesses and real estate in Signal Hill, including an 8 lane bowling alley, restaurant, cocktail lounge, auditorium, and movie house. He also had a bingo parlor that was ignored by the local police for many years. He was well-known for his large annual Christmas parties for children from Signal Hill and Long Beach. Besides his bowling alley, he also had a single lane for bowling in his nearby home. Eventually he was arrested for gambling, tax evasion, and election fraud (Davis, 2006, p.62-64).

Today, many of the oil wells and Nodding donkey oil pumps are gone, although some remain. Signal Hill is now a mix of residential and commercial areas.

[edit] Law and government

Signal Hill is in the 4th Supervisorial District of Los Angeles County, with Don Knabe the current Supervisor. Signal Hill is in the 37th Congressional District of the U.S. Congress, represented by Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald (D). It is in the 27th California State Senate District, represented by Alan Lowenthal, and the 55th California Assembly District, represented by Betty Karnette.

[edit] Emergency services

For sixteen years, Signal Hill contracted for their fire protection services from the City of Long Beach. On November 6, 2003, Signal Hill returned to Los Angeles County Fire Department protection as Station 60[1] with ambulance transport by Care Ambulance Service. The Signal Hill Police Department provides law enforcement.

[edit] Education

Signal Hill is served by Long Beach Unified School District.

There are three elementary schools within the city limits:

Signal Hill Elementary School
Juan Bautista Alvarado Elementary School
Burroughs Elementary School (A Teacher Resource Center is adjacent to the Burroughs campus).

The three areas have separate attendance zones.

In addition, Robinson School in Long Beach takes some students in Signal Hill for elementary school and middle school.

Some residents attend Butler School, a K-8 school, for middle school only. Some other residents attend Hughes Middle School. Some attend the Jefferson Leadership Academies. Areas within the city are zoned, for middle school, to either Butler, Hughes, Jefferson, or Robinson.

High school students usually go to Long Beach Polytechnic High School (usually referred to as Long Beach Poly)' most of the city is zoned to Long Beach Polytechnic.

Some students choose to go to Long Beach Wilson Classical High School; small portions are zoned to Wilson Classical High School.

Community college students go to one of the two nearby campuses for Long Beach Community College.

Recently there has been a rocky relationship between the City of Signal Hill and the LBUSD, especially after the school district located the short-lived (1998-2001) Preparatory Academy alternative middle school within the city limits without consulting the city. In 1999, the city council looked into trying to secede from the LBUSD, but they never went further with those efforts. The biggest problem for secession proponents is that the city is too small according to the California State Board of Education's criteria for new district formation, and may have troubles meeting some of the other criteria.

Signal Hill Elementary School has earned the California Achieving Schools Award, and the National Achieving Schools Award. Signal Hill and Alvarado are both California Distinguished Schools.

Juan Bautista Alvarado Elementary School is located on the site of the former all male boarding school, the Southern California Military Academy.

[edit] City Parks

Although a small town, Signal Hill has several parks. The largest is Signal Hill Park at 10 acres. It is adjacent to City Hall, the Police Department, the Community Center and the Library. The park has picnic tables, a playground, a horseshoe pit, basketball courts, a softball field, and restrooms. There is also an amphitheater where there are weekly outdoor concerts during the summer.

Hilltop Park (3.2 acres) is at the top of Signal Hill and is very popular for its great views. There are several telescopes in the park. There is also some public artwork in the park and a mist tower. This park is a popular location for hiding geocaches.

Reservoir Park (2.8 acres) near the California Heights neighborhood of Long Beach is a large grassy area with picnic tables next to a 4.7 million gallon water reservoir.

Discovery Well Park (4.9 acres/1.8 acres flat) is near the original well on Signal Hill.

There are also six pocket parks of roughly .5 acres or less, including Calbrisas Park, Hillbrook Park, Panorama Promenade, Raymond Arbor Park, Sunset View Park, and Temple View Park.

Near the Panorama Promenade, there is the Unity Sculpture, a 12' hight sculpture atop a 4' pedestal with a seating courtyard that is dedicated in memory of the victims of September 11.

There are also several pedestrian-only trails that travel between various parks and roadways. Hicking along these trails, as well as on the sidewalks in Signal Hill is very popular. Some sections can be found that are between a 15% and 25% grade.

[edit] Proposed nature preserve

On the north slope of Signal Hill is a large area that is currently used for oil operations. This area has been proposed as a nature preserve.

[edit] Sports

There used to be a popular Model T Hill Climb up Hill Street on the east side of Signal Hill.

In 1975 the first professional street luge race was held at Signal Hill. By 1978, however, the races were canceled because of injuries to racers and spectators.

The Long Beach chapter of the Sierra Club does conditioning hikes twice a week in Signal Hill.

The Long Beach Sports Park is scheduled to be built on a parcel of Long Beach that is almost completely surrounded by the city of Signal Hill.

[edit] Miscellaneous information

In the 1920s and early '30s, before he became a writer, Raymond Chandler worked in Signal Hill running the offices of the Dabney Oil Syndicate.

Upton Sinclair's 1927 muckraking novel "Oil!" (written while Upton Sinclair briefly lived in Long Beach) was inspired by the oil boom in Signal Hill and the oil scandals of the Harding administration including Teapot Dome. (ISBN 0-520-20727-0)

The five story collection "Signal Hill: Stories" by Alan Rifkin includes one novella, "The Idols of Sickness", that involves Signal Hill. (ISBN 0-87286-424-3)

Signal Hill is often used as a reference point for pilots flying in the Long Beach Municipal Airport area.

The diagonal boundary along the southwest corner of Signal Hill is where the Pacific Electric Red Car track used to run. Turning north after passing Signal Hill, the track went to downtown Los Angeles (along the right of way now used by the Blue Line light rail line). Going southeast, the track eventually ended at the Balboa Pavilion on the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach.

The SS Signal Hill was an oil tanker during World War II that named after Signal Hill, California.

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.8 km² (2.2 mi²), all land.

The city is surrounded on all sides by the city of Long Beach, California.

[edit] Demographics

The 2005 population according to the State of California's Department of Finance is 10,951 [2].

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 9,333 people, 3,621 households, and 2,096 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,615.9/km² (4,182.0/mi²). There were 3,797 housing units at an average density of 657.4/km² (1,701.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 45.48% White, 12.99% African American, 0.59% Native American, 16.49% Asian, 2.08% Pacific Islander, 16.18% from other races, and 6.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 29.00% of the population.

There were 3,621 households out of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.8% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.1% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.34.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 35.3% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $48,938, and the median income for a family was $46,439. Males had a median income of $41,487 versus $36,460 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,399. About 13.6% of families and 17.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.1% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.