Signal Hill, California
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Signal Hill is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 9,333.
The city was incorporated on April 22, 1924. 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 telephone area code. It is in the 4th Supervisorial District of Los Angeles County, with Don Knabe the current Supervisor. It 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, and the 55th California Assembly District.
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History
The hill that the city of Signal Hill 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 surround 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, used 11 acres (45,000 m²) on Signal Hill for outdoor locations.
In the 20th century, Signal Hill became know for having one of the most productive oil fields in the world. On June 25, 1921, Shell Oil's Alamitos #1 well finally 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 know as "Porcupine Hill".
In 1975 the first professional Street luge race was held at Signal Hill, but by 1978, the races were canceled because of injuries to racers and spectators. There also used to be a Model T Hill Climb up Signal Hill. The Long Beach chapter of the Sierra Club does conditioning hikes twice a week in Signal Hill.
Today, most of the oil wells and Nodding donkey oil pumps are gone and Signal Hill is a mix of residential and commercial areas.
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.
The five story collection "Signal Hill: Stories" by Alan Rifkin includes one novella, "The Idols of Sickness", that involves Signal Hill. (ISBN 0872864243)
Signal Hill is often used as a reference point for pilots flying in the Long Beach Airport area.
Geography
Signal Hill is located at Template:Coor dmsTemplate:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.8 km² (2.2 mi²). 5.8 km² (2.2 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.
The city is surrounded on all sides by the city of Long Beach, California.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 9,333 people, 3,621 households, and 2,096 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,615.9/km² (4,182.0/mi²). There are 3,797 housing units at an average density of 657.4/km² (1,701.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 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. 29.00% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 3,621 households out of which 31.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.8% are married couples living together, 14.5% have a female householder with no husband present, and 42.1% are non-families. 30.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 5.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.56 and the average family size is 3.34.
In the city the population is 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 are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 33 years. For every 100 females there are 97.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 96.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $48,938, and the median income for a family is $46,439. Males have a median income of $41,487 versus $36,460 for females. The per capita income for the city is $24,399. 17.2% of the population and 13.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 31.1% of those under the age of 18 and 3.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
See also
- Long Beach, California
- Los Angeles County, California
- Signal Hill for other Signal Hills
External links
- Signal Hill official website (http://www.ci.signal-hill.ca.us/)
- The Story of Oil in California - Signal Hill (http://www.priweb.org/ed/pgws/history/signal_hill/signal_hill2.html) at The Paleontological Research Institution (http://www.priweb.org)
- DISCOVERY WELL - SIGNAL HILL FIELD - SHELL OIL COMPANY - ALAMITOS NO. 1 JUNE 25, 1921 (http://www.letsgoseeit.com/index/county/la/signal_hill/loc02/oilwell.htm)
- The Balboa Amusement Producing Company: The Unforgotten Studio of Long Beach (http://www.longbeachfilmfestival.com/history.htm)
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