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Long Beach, California

"The International City"
Home to one of America's busiest ports, the legendary Queen Mary, and a vibrantly diverse population, Long Beach has carved out its own identity as a global gateway on the Southern California coast.
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Founded 1888 | Population 443,555 | Peak 492,682 (2010) | County Los Angeles County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Long Beach, California

1
1921Signal Hill Oil Discovery: The discovery of oil at Signal Hill launched one of the greatest oil booms in California history. At its peak, the Long Beach area produced more oil than all but a few countries in the world.
2
1933Long Beach Earthquake: A 6.4 magnitude earthquake killed 120 people and caused $40 million in damage. The destruction of schools led to the Field Act, requiring earthquake-resistant school construction statewide.
3
1967Queen Mary Arrives: The retired Cunard liner RMS Queen Mary completed her final voyage to Long Beach, where the city converted her into a floating hotel, museum, and event venue that became an iconic landmark.
4
1942WWII Military Production Hub: Douglas Aircraft, Ford Assembly, and the Naval Shipyard made Long Beach one of the most important military production centers in the war, employing over 100,000 workers.
5
1975Port Becomes Western Hemisphere's Busiest: The Port of Long Beach rose to become the busiest container port in the Americas, handling billions of dollars in Asian imports and serving as a primary gateway for U.S. trade.
6
1911Pike Amusement Zone Opens: The Pike at Rainbow Pier became Southern California's premier beachfront amusement park, drawing millions with its roller coaster, plunge pool, and boardwalk entertainment.
7
1936Land Subsidence Crisis: Massive oil extraction caused parts of Long Beach to sink up to 29 feet, flooding the harbor and damaging infrastructure. Water injection programs eventually stabilized the ground.
8
1992Snoop Dogg Puts Long Beach on the Map: Long Beach native Snoop Dogg released his debut album, helping establish Long Beach as a cultural epicenter of West Coast hip-hop alongside nearby Compton.
9
2009Grand Prix of Long Beach Celebrates 35 Years: The Grand Prix of Long Beach, running since 1975, became one of the most prestigious street circuit races in North America, annually transforming downtown into a racetrack.
10
1888City Founded as Willmore City: Developer William Willmore established a seaside community that was soon renamed Long Beach for its expansive shoreline, incorporated in 1897 with just 564 residents.
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Population Over Time

0 116,686 233,371 350,057 466,742 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

Latest News in Long Beach

News articles will appear here as they're published.

Complete Historical Timeline

1784 Government
Rancho Los Alamitos established by Spanish settlers
1888 Government
Willmore City founded, soon renamed Long Beach
1897 Government
Long Beach incorporated as a city
1902 Transport
Pacific Electric Railway connects Long Beach to Los Angeles
1911 Culture
The Pike amusement zone opens on the waterfront
1921 Industry
Signal Hill oil discovery triggers massive boom
1933 Disaster
6.4 magnitude earthquake devastates the city
1936 Science
Land subsidence from oil drilling sinks parts of city
1940 Government
Long Beach Naval Shipyard established
1942 Industry
Douglas Aircraft and war production employ 100,000+
1949 Culture
Long Beach State College founded
1967 Culture
RMS Queen Mary permanently docked as attraction
1975 Sports
First Grand Prix street race held downtown
1980 Social
Cambodian refugee community grows into largest outside Asia
1992 Culture
Snoop Dogg's debut launches Long Beach hip-hop era
1997 Government
Long Beach Naval Shipyard closes under BRAC
2000 Culture
Aquarium of the Pacific opens on waterfront
2010 Government
City reaches peak population of 492,000
2020 Business
Port handles record cargo during pandemic supply chain surge
2024 Culture
Queen Mary restoration and reopening efforts continue

Did You Know?

1
Long Beach has the largest Cambodian community outside of Cambodia, established by refugees who settled in the city beginning in the 1980s.
2
At its peak in the 1920s, Long Beach's Signal Hill was producing so much oil that the field was one of the most productive in the entire world — derricks were visible for miles.
3
The Grand Prix of Long Beach is one of the longest-running street circuit races in North America, temporarily converting city streets into a professional racetrack every April since 1975.
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