El Segundo, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
El Segundo, California
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|
El Segundo's welcome sign
|
|||
|
|||
| Nickname(s):
The Aerospace Capital of the World
|
|||
Location of Los Angeles County in California (left) and of El Segundo in Los Angeles County (right)
|
|||
 El Segundo, California
Location in the United States
|
|||
| Country | United States | ||
| State | California | ||
| County | Los Angeles | ||
| Incorporated | January 18, 1917 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Council Manager | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 10.88 sq mi (28.18 km2) | ||
| • Land | 5.46 sq mi (14.15 km2) | ||
| • Water | 5.42 sq mi (14.03 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 115 ft (35 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
|
|||
| • Total | 16,731 | ||
| • Density | 3,064.29/sq mi (1,183.13/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) | ||
| ZIP Code |
90245
|
||
| Area codes | 310/424 | ||
| FIPS code | 06-22412 | ||
| GNIS feature IDs | 1660605, 2410417 | ||
El Segundo is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Its name means "the second" in Spanish. It was named this because it was the second oil refinery built by Standard Oil on the West Coast.
El Segundo is located on Santa Monica Bay. It became an official city on January 18, 1917. It is known as a major center for the oil and aerospace industries in Southern California. About three-quarters of the city's land is used for businesses and factories. This includes a large Chevron oil refinery.
Contents
History of El Segundo
The area where El Segundo is now was first home to the Tongva people, a Native American tribe. Later, this land was part of a large ranch called Rancho Sausal Redondo. This ranch stretched from Playa Del Rey in the north to Redondo Beach in the south.
In 1911, Standard Oil of California bought 840 acres of land here. They built their second oil refinery on the West Coast. This is how the city got its name, "El Segundo," meaning "the second" in Spanish. The city officially became a city in 1917. Standard Oil Company later changed its name to Chevron Corporation in 1984. The El Segundo refinery has been working for over 100 years!
During World War II, the Douglas Aircraft Company had a big factory in El Segundo. They built many planes, including the SBD Dauntless dive bombers. These planes were famous for their role in the Battle of Midway. Today, the factory is run by Northrop Grumman and still builds aircraft.
In 2009, artists found an area called Smoky Hollow. It used to be mostly businesses. Other artists moved there because places like Venice Beach and Culver City became too expensive. Soon after, tech companies also discovered Smoky Hollow.
-
El Segundo and Standard Oil Refinery, around 1920
-
SBD Dauntless dive bombers being built by Douglas Aircraft Factory in El Segundo during World War II
Geography and Location
El Segundo is located in a great spot. To the north, you'll find Los Angeles International Airport. To the south is Manhattan Beach, California. The Pacific Ocean forms its western border. Its eastern border is generally along Aviation Boulevard.
The city covers about 5.5 square miles (14.15 square kilometers) of land.
The beach area near the refinery used to have industrial docks and was quite polluted. But in the 1980s, a large wastewater treatment plant was improved. The old piers were taken down, and a new oil terminal was built far offshore. A huge amount of sand was used to make the beach wider and cleaner. Now, the Marvin Braude Bike Trail runs along this improved beach.
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 1,563 | — | |
| 1930 | 3,503 | 124.1% | |
| 1940 | 3,738 | 6.7% | |
| 1950 | 8,011 | 114.3% | |
| 1960 | 14,219 | 77.5% | |
| 1970 | 15,620 | 9.9% | |
| 1980 | 13,752 | −12.0% | |
| 1990 | 15,223 | 10.7% | |
| 2000 | 16,033 | 5.3% | |
| 2010 | 16,654 | 3.9% | |
| 2020 | 16,731 | 0.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Population in 2010
In 2010, El Segundo had a population of 16,654 people. Most residents were White (78%). There were also people of Asian (8.8%), African American (2.0%), and other backgrounds. About 15.7% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino origin.
The average number of people living in each home was about 2.34. The median age in the city was 39.2 years old.
Economy and Businesses
El Segundo got its name because the Chevron Corporation built its second refinery here in 1911. This refinery processes crude oil from different parts of the world. The city also has the El Segundo power plant, which provides electricity to many homes.
Many large aerospace companies have offices and factories in El Segundo. These include some of the biggest in the US: Boeing, RTX Corporation, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. The Aerospace Corporation and Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings have their main offices here. The Los Angeles Air Force Base is also in El Segundo. It is home to the Space and Missile Systems Center, which handles space-related projects for the military.
The current Boeing factory was originally built by Nash Motors in 1946. In 1955, Hughes Aircraft Company bought the building to make missiles and test them.
Many other well-known companies are based in El Segundo. These include toy maker Mattel, AT&T Entertainment Hub (formerly DirecTV), and sporting goods store Big 5 Sporting Goods. The North American headquarters for the Japanese video game company Square Enix is also located here.
El Segundo is also a hub for sports teams. The Los Angeles Kings hockey team has its club here. In 2024, the Los Angeles Chargers football team moved their main offices to El Segundo. The Los Angeles Lakers basketball team also has its office and practice facility, the UCLA Health Training Center, in the city. Their minor league team, the South Bay Lakers, plays games here.
Film companies like Rhythm and Hues Studios and Lightstorm Entertainment also have a presence in El Segundo. In 2018, the Los Angeles Times newspaper moved its main newsroom to El Segundo.
Top Employers in El Segundo
Here are some of the biggest employers in El Segundo:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boeing | 12,005 |
| 2 | Raytheon Technologies | 6,000 |
| 3 | Northrop Grumman | 2,422 |
| 4 | The Aerospace Corporation | 2,180 |
| 5 | Mattel | 1,545 |
| 6 | Chevron | 1,187 |
| 7 | Internet Brands | 661 |
| 8 | Infineon Technologies | 498 |
| 9 | Karl Storz Endoscopy America Inc. | 421 |
| 10 | Big 5 Sporting Goods | 290 |
Company Offices in El Segundo
Many companies have offices in El Segundo because it's close to Los Angeles International Airport. For example, Nexon America, a video game publisher, has its offices here. Square Enix, another video game company, also has its North American headquarters in El Segundo.
Several airlines have offices in the city. Japan Airlines moved its US headquarters to El Segundo around 2003. Cathay Pacific also has an office here. Air China opened its North American headquarters in El Segundo in 2010. Other airlines with offices include Air New Zealand, Turkish Airlines, Thai Airways, Aeroméxico, and Singapore Airlines.
Parks and Fun Activities
El Segundo has its own beach where people can relax and play. There are also two public outdoor swimming pools. One of these pools is open only during the summer.
The city has two large turf fields called Campus El Segundo Athletic Fields. These fields are open for everyone to use.
Sports in El Segundo
In 2023, the El Segundo Little League team won the world championship of the 2023 Little League World Series! They beat the team from Willemstad, Curaçao, with a walk-off home run by Louis Lappe. This was the first time a team from California won the championship since 2011.
Education for Students
The El Segundo Unified School District serves the homes in El Segundo. It operates El Segundo High School.
Some parts of eastern El Segundo are part of the Wiseburn Unified School District. This area mainly has businesses, not homes. These businesses provide important tax money to the school districts.
Vistamar School is a private school located in El Segundo.
Media and News
The Los Angeles Times newspaper has been based in El Segundo since 2018. Local news and sports channels like Spectrum News 1 and Spectrum SportsNet are also based here.
The El Segundo Herald is the local newspaper for the community. It started in 1911, six years before El Segundo became an official city.
The El Segundo Scene is a monthly magazine about arts and culture. It started in 2018 and is created by two El Segundo residents.
Transportation and Travel
California State Route 1, also known as Pacific Coast Highway, goes through El Segundo. Interstate 105 starts just north of the city and heads east.
The Los Angeles Metro K Line train runs through the business areas of El Segundo. It connects with the C Line near Interstate 105.
Amtrak has a bus stop in El Segundo at the Los Angeles Metro Rail's Douglas station. You can take a bus from here to connect with Amtrak trains for longer journeys.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is right next to El Segundo. A study in 2014 found that tiny particles from planes taking off and landing at LAX can affect the air quality nearby.
Famous People from El Segundo
- Roseanne Barr, comedian
- George Brett, Hall of Fame baseball player
- Dick Dale, guitarist, known for surf music
- Christopher McCandless, adventurer who inspired the book Into the Wild
- Lars Nootbaar, MLB baseball player
- Paul Westphal, basketball player and coach
See also
In Spanish: El Segundo para niños
