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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.

Founded 1888 | Population 443,555 | Peak 492,682 (2010) | County Los Angeles County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Long Beach, California

1921 Signal 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.

1933 Long 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.

1967 Queen 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.

1942 WWII 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.

1975 Port 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.

1911 Pike 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.

1936 Land 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.

1992 Snoop 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.

2009 Grand 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.

1888 City 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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Latest News in Long Beach

Mar 22, 2026

Parolee with Prior Double-Murder Conviction Sentenced to Life Without Parole in Killing of South Los Angeles Woman

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NYPD Captain Arrested for Assaulting Alleged Child Predator

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Mar 13, 2026

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The Trump administration’s directive to Sable Offshore Corp. to restore the Santa Ynez oil unit in California represents a s…

Mar 10, 2026

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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?

Long Beach has the largest Cambodian community outside of Cambodia, established by refugees who settled in the city beginning in the 1980s.

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.

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.