Timeline of Long Beach, California facts for kids

Welcome to the exciting history of Long Beach, California! This timeline will take you on a journey through the most important moments and changes in this amazing city, from its early days to today. Get ready to discover how Long Beach grew into the vibrant place it is now!

Early Days of Long Beach

• 1888 – A place called Willmore City gets a new name: Long Beach!
• 1895 – The first Long Beach Public Library opens, giving people a place to read and learn.

The 20th Century: A Time of Big Changes

The Early 1900s

• 1902 – The Pike amusement park starts welcoming visitors, offering fun rides and games.
• 1908 – The city creates the job of mayor, a leader to help guide Long Beach.
• 1911 – The Port of Long Beach officially opens. This becomes a very important place for ships and trade.
• 1913 – A sad event happens when the Long Beach pier auditorium collapses, and 39 people lose their lives.
• 1921 – A huge oil field is found nearby at Signal Hill, bringing lots of new activity to the area.
• 1923 – Daugherty Field, an airfield, is built, helping planes take off and land.
• 1924
  • The city starts its own Gas Department to provide gas to homes and businesses.
  • The Argus newspaper begins printing, sharing local news.
  • The City of Signal Hill becomes its own separate city, right next to Long Beach.
• 1925 – The Brayton Theatre opens, offering entertainment to the community.
• 1929 – The Alamitos branch of the Long Beach Public Library is built, giving more people access to books.
• 1930 – Long Beach's population grows to 142,032 people!

Mid-Century Growth and Challenges

• 1932 – The Municipal Auditorium opens, a big building for events and performances.
• 1933 – March 10: A strong earthquake, known as the 1933 Long Beach earthquake, shakes the area. It causes a lot of damage and sadly, between 115 and 120 people die.
• 1934 – The main Long Beach Main Post Office building is constructed.
• 1940 – The population keeps growing, reaching 164,271 people.
• 1943 – The US Naval Dry Docks are built on Terminal Island, a place where Navy ships can be repaired.
• 1945 – The Press-Telegram newspaper starts publishing.
• 1947 – November 2: The famous Spruce Goose aircraft, a giant wooden plane, takes its only flight in Long Beach.
• 1949 – Los Angeles-Orange County State College opens its doors, becoming a major university.
• 1950
  • The Long Beach Museum of Art is founded, showcasing beautiful artworks.
  • The population jumps to 250,767 people!
• 1951 – The Circle Drive-In cinema opens, where people can watch movies from their cars.
• 1952 – Long Beach hosts the Miss USA and Miss Universe beauty pageants, bringing national attention to the city.
• 1954 – The Long Beach State 49ers baseball team is formed, ready to play ball!
• 1962 – The Historical Society of Long Beach is founded to help preserve the city's past.
• 1967 – The famous RMS Queen Mary ocean liner arrives in Long Beach, becoming a floating hotel and attraction.
• 1972 – California State University, Long Beach is now a very active and important university.
• 1975 – The exciting Grand Prix of Long Beach car race begins, drawing crowds every year.
• 1977 – The main branch of the Long Beach Public Library is rebuilt.
• 1978 – Chua Phat To, a Buddhist center, is founded.
• 1981 – The beautiful Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden is officially opened.
• 1984 – Ernie Kell becomes the new mayor of Long Beach.
• 1986 – Long Beach Heritage, a group that helps protect historic buildings, is founded.
• 1990 – The population reaches 429,433 people.

The Late 1900s

• 1994
  • Beverly O'Neill becomes mayor. She is the first woman to hold this important role in Long Beach.
  • The Gray Panthers of Greater Los Angeles, a group that helps older adults, sets up its main office in the city.
• 1996 – The city's website goes online, making it easier for people to find information about Long Beach.
• 1998
  • The Greater Long Beach Interfaith Community Organization is created, bringing different faith groups together.
  • The amazing Aquarium of the Pacific opens, allowing visitors to explore the wonders of the ocean.
• 1999 – The Long Beach Towne Center shopping area opens, offering many stores and restaurants.

The 21st Century: Modern Long Beach

• 2000 – The population grows to 461,522 people.
• 2001 – The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA) and the City of Long Beach open a special animal village and education center. It's the first time a public group and a private group worked together like this for animal welfare in the United States!
• 2006 – Bob Foster becomes mayor.
• 2010 – The population is 462,257. The larger Los Angeles metro area has over 12 million people.
• 2013
  • Harvey Milk Park opens, a special park named after a famous civil rights leader.
  • Alan Lowenthal becomes the U.S. representative for California's 47th congressional district, representing Long Beach in the U.S. Congress.
• 2014 – Robert Garcia becomes mayor.
• 2022
  • Waterfront office buildings might be turned into housing. This shows how Long Beach is growing and changing.
  • The Shoreline Gateway development is finished. This is the tallest building in Long Beach! It has 315 luxury apartments, shops, and a huge underground parking garage. This big project shows how much Long Beach is developing.