Westchester, Los Angeles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Westchester
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"Westchester, Home of LAX" sign at Westchester Rec Center
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Westchester as outlined by the Los Angeles Times
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 Westchester
Location in Western Los Angeles
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| Country | United States |
Westchester is a cool neighborhood in Los Angeles, California. It's part of the South Bay area. This vibrant community is famous for being home to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). It also has important schools like Loyola Marymount University and Otis College of Art and Design. You can also find Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnet Schools here.
Contents
Westchester's Location
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Westchester is surrounded by other interesting places. To the north, you'll find Playa Vista and Culver City. Inglewood and Lennox are to the east. Hawthorne is southeast, while Del Aire and El Segundo are to the south. Finally, Playa del Rey is to the west. The entire Los Angeles International Airport is part of Westchester.
The main borders of the neighborhood are easy to spot. On the east, it's La Cienega Boulevard or the Inglewood city line. To the south, it follows the city border with El Segundo or Imperial Highway. On the west, it's Pershing Drive and Westchester Parkway. Then, it generally follows residential streets west of Westchester High School.
Westchester's Past
Westchester started as a farming area in the early 1900s. Farmers grew many different crops here. The area began to grow quickly because of the aerospace industry. This industry developed near what was then called Mines Field, which is now LAX. Also, Loyola University moved here in 1928. Los Angeles was growing fast, so more homes were needed. Westchester was built to provide homes for working families.
In 1932, Los Angeles hosted the Summer Olympics. Westchester was chosen for the cross-country part of the horse riding event.
In the late 1930s, a real estate developer named Fritz Burns and his partner built many affordable homes. These homes were built on an old farm near Manchester and Sepulveda Boulevards. This new community was named "Westchester." It grew even more during and after World War II as the aerospace industry boomed.
By 1949, even with 30,000 people, Westchester was mostly homes. It didn't even have a barber shop!
In the 1960s, new airplanes could fly across the Pacific Ocean without stopping. This caused a huge increase in flights at LAX. When the North Airfield Complex was built, the noise from jet takeoffs became a big problem for homes nearby. The city of Los Angeles started buying homes from people who were tired of the noise. Many streets near the airport were closed, and homes were torn down. Westchester lost 4,500 homes and 14,000 residents. Even the 18-hole golf course became a 15-hole course.
In 2007, there was a plan to move the north runway further into Westchester. Many local people were against this expansion. However, in 2010, a NASA group said the runway was safe as it was. That same year, LAWA started a big project to expand the Bradley International Terminal.
Recently, home prices in Westchester have gone up a lot. This is partly because many technology companies, like Hulu and Google, have moved to nearby Playa Vista. This area is now called "Silicon Beach". Many older homes in Westchester are being updated or rebuilt into larger, two-story houses. The Howard Hughes Center also added many offices, apartments, and a renovated shopping mall to the neighborhood.
Westchester's People
In 2010, about 39,480 people lived in Westchester. The area is about 10.81 square miles. This number includes the large area of LAX, which has no residents. The average age of people living here was about 35.6 years old. Many young adults, aged 19 to 34, live in Westchester.
Most people in Westchester are White (61.1%). About 14.2% are Black, and 12.0% are Asian. People who identify as Hispanic or Latino make up 18.2% of the population.
In 2010, the average family income in Westchester was high for the city. About 53.5% of families earned more than $100,000 a year. Almost half of the homes (48.2%) were rented, and the rest were owned by the people living in them. The average household had 2.3 people. Westchester also has a higher number of military veterans compared to other parts of Los Angeles.
The most common family backgrounds in Westchester are German and Irish. Many people living here were born in Mexico or the Philippines.
Learning in Westchester
Westchester has a high number of residents who have completed college. About 51.7% of people here have a bachelor's degree or higher. Many also have advanced degrees like a master's or a doctorate.
Schools in Westchester
Westchester is home to many great schools for all ages.
Colleges and Universities
- Loyola Marymount University, located at 1 LMU Drive.
- Otis College of Art and Design, found at 9045 Lincoln Boulevard.
- Pepperdine University West Los Angeles Campus, at 6100 Center Drive.
High Schools and Middle Schools
- Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnet Schools, a public high school at 7400 West Manchester Avenue.
- WISH Academy High School, a charter school at 7400 W Manchester Ave.
- Bright Star Secondary Charter Academy, at 5431 West 98th Street.
- Orville Wright Middle School, at 6550 West 80th Street.
- Katherine Johnson STEM Academy, at 8701 Park Hill Dr.
- WISH Community School, a charter school for grades 6-8, at 7400 W Manchester Ave.
Elementary Schools
- Cowan Avenue Elementary School, at 7615 Cowan Avenue.
- Kentwood Elementary School, at 8401 Emerson Street.
- Loyola Village Elementary School, at 8821 Villanova Avenue.
- Open Magnet Charter Elementary School, at 5540 West 77th Street.
- St. Anastasia Elementary School, a private school at 8631 South Stanmoor Drive.
- St. Jerome Elementary School, a private school at 5580 Thornburn Street.
- Visitation Elementary School, a private school at 8740 South Emerson Avenue.
- Westchester Lutheran School, a private school at 7831 Sepulveda Boulevard.
- Westport Heights Elementary School, at 6011 West 79th Street.
- WISH Charter Elementary School, at 6550 W 80th St (on the Orville Wright Middle School campus).
Some parents in Westchester can also send their children to schools in the Wiseburn School District.
Fun and Games in Westchester
Westchester has a great Recreation Center. It has an auditorium and places for barbecues. You can play baseball, basketball, football, and soccer on lighted fields. There are also tennis courts. The center has a children's play area and a gym. The Westchester Pool is an outdoor heated pool that was updated in 2010. There's even a skate park!
Next to the recreation center is the Westchester Golf Course.
The Westchester Senior Citizen Center is also here. It has a large auditorium, a community room, a kitchen, and a garden.
Carl E. Nielsen Youth Park is an 8-acre park in Westchester. In the past, there were plans to use the park for parking. But in 1991, it was decided to keep the park open for everyone to enjoy.
Westchester's Cool Buildings
Pann's restaurant is a famous building in Westchester. It's located at 6710 La Tijera Boulevard. Pann's is a great example of Googie architecture. This style is known for its unique, futuristic look. Pann's has a tilted roof, large glass windows, and cool stone walls. It's been called a "classic coffee shop architecture." The restaurant celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2008.
The Theme Building at Los Angeles International Airport is another amazing example of Googie architecture. It opened in 1961. This unique white building looks like a flying saucer that has landed on four legs. In 1993, the Los Angeles City Council made it a cultural and historical monument.
Famous People from Westchester
- Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme
- Phil Hartman, a well-known actor, comedian, and artist.
- Susanne Marsee, an opera singer.
- Pat Russell, a politician.
- Danny Sugerman, a music manager.
- The Turtles, a popular 1960s rock band. Four members went to Westchester High School.
See also
In Spanish: Westchester (Los Ángeles) para niños
