Signal Hill is a
city
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
in area in
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles and sometimes abbreviated as LA County, is the List of United States counties and county equivalents, most populous county in the United States, with 9,663,345 residents estimated in 202 ...
. Located high on a hill, the city is an
enclave
An enclave is a territory that is entirely surrounded by the territory of only one other state or entity. An enclave can be an independent territory or part of a larger one. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is so ...
completely surrounded by the city of
Long Beach
Long Beach is a coastal city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the list of United States cities by population, 44th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 451,307 as of 2022. A charter ci ...
. Signal Hill was
incorporated on April 22, 1924, roughly three years after
oil
An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) and lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturate ...
was discovered there. As of the
2020 census, the population was 11,848, up from 11,016 at the
2010 census.
Etymology
Signal Hill was originally known as Los Cerritos (“The Little Hills") but got its current name when it became the signal point of the
United States Coast and Geodetic Survey
The United States Coast and Geodetic Survey ( USC&GS; known as the Survey of the Coast from 1807 to 1836, and as the United States Coast Survey from 1836 until 1878) was the first scientific agency of the Federal government of the United State ...
in 1889.
History
The hill that the city is named after is above the surrounding town of Long Beach. Because of this height, it was used by the local
Tongva
The Tongva ( ) are an Indigenous peoples of California, Indigenous people of California from the Los Angeles Basin and the Channel Islands of California, Southern Channel Islands, an area covering approximately . In the precolonial era, the peop ...
Indians for
signal fires that could be seen throughout the surrounding area and even out to
Catalina Island, away.
After the Spanish claimed ''
Alta California
Alta California (, ), also known as Nueva California () among other names, was a province of New Spain formally established in 1804. Along with the Baja California peninsula, it had previously comprised the province of , but was made a separat ...
'' ("Upper California," or what is now the state of California), Signal Hill eventually became part of the first large rancho grant to be allotted under Spanish rule in Alta California. The
Rancho San Pedro
Rancho San Pedro was one of the first California land grants and the first to win a patent from the United States. The Spanish Crown granted the of land to soldier Juan José Domínguez in 1784, with his descendants validating their legal clai ...
(Dominguez Rancho) land grant exceeded as granted to a soldier,
Juan Jose Dominguez, who accompanied Junipero Serra, by Governor Fages through authority of
King Carlos III of
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
in 1784.
Between 1913 and 1923 an early California movie studio,
Balboa Amusement Producing Company
The Balboa Amusement Producing Company (also known as Balboa Studios, and Balboa Feature Film Company) was a film production company in Long Beach, California, from 1913 to 1918 that produced more than 1000 films, around 90% of which have been ...
(also known as Balboa Studios), was located in Long Beach and used 11 acres (45,000 m
2) on Signal Hill for outdoor locations.
Buster Keaton
Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. He is best known for his silent films during the 1920s, in which he performed physical comedy and inventive stunts. He frequently ...
and
Fatty Arbuckle were two of the Balboa Studios actors who had films shot on Signal Hill.
Before oil was discovered in Signal Hill, there were large homes built on the hill itself, and in the lower elevations there were agricultural fields where fruits, vegetables, and flowers were grown.
Discovery of oil
Signal Hill changed forever when oil was discovered. The hill would soon become part of the
Long Beach Oil Field
The Long Beach Oil Field is a large oil field underneath the cities of Long Beach, California, Long Beach and Signal Hill, California, Signal Hill, California, in the United States. Discovered in 1921, the field was enormously productive in the 19 ...
, one of the most productive
oil fields
A petroleum reservoir or oil and gas reservoir is a subsurface accumulation of hydrocarbons contained in porous or fractured rock formations. Such reservoirs form when kerogen (ancient plant matter) is created in surrounding rock by the presen ...
in the world.
[Schmitt, R. J., Dugan, J. E., and M. R. Adamson. "Industrial Activity and Its Socioeconomic Impacts: Oil and Three Coastal California Counties." MMS OCS Study 2002-049. Coastal Research Center, Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, California. MMS Cooperative Agreement Number 14-35-01-00-CA-31603. 244 pages; p. 47.] On June 23, 1921,
Royal Dutch Shell
Shell plc is a British multinational oil and gas company, headquartered in London, England. Shell is a public limited company with a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and secondary listings on Euronext Amsterdam and the New ...
's
Alamitos #1 well erupted. The
gas
Gas is a state of matter that has neither a fixed volume nor a fixed shape and is a compressible fluid. A ''pure gas'' is made up of individual atoms (e.g. a noble gas like neon) or molecules of either a single type of atom ( elements such as ...
pressure was so great the
gusher rose in the air. Soon Signal Hill was covered with over 100
oil derricks, and because of its prickly appearance at a distance became known as "Porcupine Hill". Today, many of the original oil wells and
pumpjack
A pumpjack is the overground drive for a reciprocating piston pump in an oil well.
It is used to mechanically lift liquid out of the well if there is not enough bottom hole pressure for the liquid to flow all the way to the surface. The arra ...
s are gone, although Signal Hill is still a productive oil field and several wells and derricks remain. Signal Hill is now a mix of residential and commercial areas.
The city was incorporated on April 22, 1924. Among the reasons for incorporation was avoiding annexation by Long Beach with its zoning restrictions and per-barrel oil tax. Proving to be a progressive city, Signal Hill elected as its first mayor, Mrs. Jessie Nelson. She was California's first female mayor.
Gallery
Government
Signal Hill has a council-manager form of government. The city council has five members who are elected to four-year, staggered terms; council members elect the mayor from among their ranks.
On the
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors (LACBOS) is the five-member Board of Supervisors, governing body of Los Angeles County, California, United States.
History
On April 1, 1850 the citizens of Los Angeles elected a three-man Court of Se ...
, Signal Hill is represented by 4th District Supervisor
Janice Hahn
Janice Kay Hahn (born March 30, 1952) is an American politician serving as a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors from the 4th district since 2016. A member of the Democratic Party, she was a U.S. Representative from California ...
.
In the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...
, Signal Hill is in .
In the
California State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the bicameral state legislature of the U.S. state of California, consisting of the California State Assembly (lower house with 80 members) and the California State Senate (upper house with 40 members). ...
, Signal Hill is in , and in .
Emergency services
The Signal Hill Police Department provides local law enforcement. In 2018, it budgeted for 38 police officers to enforce the law in the 2 square mile municipality.
Basic life support and ambulance transport is provided by
Care Ambulance Service
The
Long Beach Memorial Medical Center provides medical services to the City and LACFD Station 60.
The
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
Health Services Los Angeles County, officially the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, operates the public hospitals and clinics in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County and is the United States' second largest municip ...
operates the Whittier Health Center in
Whittier, serving Signal Hill.
Fire
The
Los Angeles County Fire Department
The Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) provides firefighting and emergency medical services for the unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, California, as well as 59 cities through Contract city, contracting, including the city of ...
provides fire protection services for the city of Signal Hill.
Economy
Prior to its dissolution, the airline
Jet America Airlines was headquartered in Signal Hill. The diner chain
Hof's Hut is headquartered in Signal Hill.
Top employers
According to the city's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
Education
Primary and secondary school
Public schools
Signal Hill is served by
Long Beach Unified School District
The Long Beach Unified School District is a school district headquartered in Long Beach, California, United States.
Established in 1885, Long Beach Unified School District
educates 64,000 students in 84 public schools in the cities of
Long ...
.
There are two operating elementary schools within the city limits:
Signal Hill Elementary School and Juan Bautista Alvarado Elementary School. The former Burroughs Elementary School and adjacent Teacher Resource Center now serves as office space for the Head Start Program. Juan Bautista Alvarado Elementary School is located on the site of the former all male boarding school, the
Southern California Military Academy. There is one middle school within the city limits: Jessie Elwin Nelson Academy. High school students usually attend
Long Beach Polytechnic High School
Long Beach Polytechnic High School, founded in 1895 as Long Beach High School, is a four-year public high school located at 1600 Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach, California, United States. The school serves portions of Long Beach, including Bixby ...
(usually referred to as Long Beach Poly), although some students choose to attend
Long Beach Wilson Classical High School.
Signal Hill Elementary School has earned the California Achieving Schools Award, and the National Achieving Schools Award. Signal Hill and Alvarado are both California Distinguished Schools.
Colleges and universities
Community college students attend one of the two nearby campuses for
Long Beach City College.
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), also known in athletics as Long Beach State University (LBSU), is a public teaching-focused institution in Long Beach, California, United States. The 322-acre campus is the second largest in the ...
and
DeVry University are located less than away.
American University of Health Sciences (AUHS) is located within the city of Signal Hill. The university offers an education in Allied Healthcare, offering degrees such as a Bachelor and Master of Science in Nursing (BSN; MSN), Master of Science in Clinical Research (MSCR), Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Science (BSPS), and a Doctorate of Pharmacy (PharmD) program.
City parks

Although a small town, Signal Hill has several parks. The largest is ''Signal Hill Park'' at . It is adjacent to City Hall, the Community Center and the Library. The park has picnic tables, a playground, basketball courts, a softball field, and restrooms. There is also an amphitheater where there are weekly outdoor concerts during the summer.
''Hilltop Park'' is at the top of Signal Hill and is very popular for its great views. There are several telescopes in the park. There is also some public artwork in the park and a mist tower. This park is a popular location for hiding
geocaches. On a clear day you can see as far as the Santa Monica mountains, downtown LA, the large mountains behind it, all of the communities in between, most of Long Beach, down the South Bay area to Newport Beach, and out to sea Catalina Island. It is a view of the LA Basin entailing roughly 10 million people. Part of the view is blocked by homes.
''Reservoir Park'' near the
California Heights neighborhood of Long Beach is a large grassy area with picnic tables next to a 4.7 million gallon water reservoir.
''Discovery Well Park'' , flat is near the original well on Signal Hill.
There are also six
pocket park
A pocket park (also known as a parkette, mini-park, vest-pocket park or vesty park) is a small park accessible to the general public. While the locations, elements, and uses of pocket parks vary considerably, the common defining characteristic of ...
s of roughly or less, including ''Calbrisas Park'', ''Hillbrook Park'', ''Panorama Promenade'', ''Raymond Arbor Park'', ''Sunset View Park'', and ''Temple View Park''.
Near the ''Panorama Promenade'', there is the ''Unity Sculpture'', a 12' height sculpture atop a 4' pedestal with a seating courtyard that is dedicated in memory of the victims of September 11.
There are also several pedestrian-only
trail
A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or a small paved road (though it can also be a route along a navigable waterways) generally not intended for usage by motorized vehicles, usually passing through a natural area. Ho ...
s that travel between various parks and roadways. Hiking along these trails, as well as on the sidewalks in Signal Hill is very popular. Some sections can be found that are between a 15% and 25% grade.
Proposed nature preserve
On the north slope of Signal Hill is a large area that is currently used for oil operations. This area has been proposed as a
nature preserve
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geolog ...
.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , virtually all land. The city is surrounded on all sides by the city of
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a coastal city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the list of United States cities by population, 44th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 451,307 as of 2022. A charter ci ...
.
Signal Hill lies in the
562 area code. The city once shared three different postal
ZIP codes with the city of Long Beach but in July 2002, the city of Signal Hill received its own ZIP code, 90755.
Climate
According to the
Köppen Climate Classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Signal Hill has a
semi-arid climate
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of se ...
, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.
Demographics
2020
2010
The
2010 United States census reported that Signal Hill had a population of 11,016. The population density was . The racial makeup of Signal Hill was 4,650 (42.2%)
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
(30.3% Non-Hispanic White),
1,502 (13.6%)
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 83 (0.8%)
Native American, 2,245 (20.4%)
Asian, 135 (1.2%)
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 1,778 (16.1%) from
other races, and 623 (5.7%) from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or
Latino of any race were 3,472 persons (31.5%).
The Census reported that 10,970 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 2 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 44 (0.4%) were institutionalized.
There were 4,157 households, out of which 1,419 (34.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,580 (38.0%) were
opposite-sex married couples living together, 660 (15.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 258 (6.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 302 (7.3%)
unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 156 (3.8%)
same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,128 households (27.1%) were made up of individuals, and 245 (5.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64. There were 2,498
families
Family (from ) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictability, structure, and safety as ...
(60.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.33.
The population was spread out, with 2,624 people (23.8%) under the age of 18, 1,034 people (9.4%) aged 18 to 24, 3,476 people (31.6%) aged 25 to 44, 2,970 people (27.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 912 people (8.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males.
There were 4,389 housing units at an average density of , of which 2,141 (51.5%) were owner-occupied, and 2,016 (48.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.7%. 5,253 people (47.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,717 people (51.9%) lived in rental housing units.
According to the 2010 United States census, Signal Hill had a median household income of $70,442, with 14.1% of the population living below the federal poverty line.
2000
As of the
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, there were 9,333 people, 3,621 households, and 2,096 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 3,797 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 45.5%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 13.0%
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.6%
Native American, 16.5%
Asian, 2.1%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 16.2% from
other races, and 6.2% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or
Latino of any race were 29.0% of the population.
There were 3,621 households, out of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.8% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.1% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.34.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.4% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 35.3% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $48,938, and the median income for a family was $46,439. Males had a median income of $41,487 versus $36,460 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $24,399. About 13.6% of families and 17.2% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 31.1% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.
Mapping L.A.
Mexican (20.9%) and
Cambodian (8.4%) were the most common ancestries.
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
(28.5%) and
Cambodia
Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...
(19.9%) were the most common foreign places of birth.
See also
*
Long Beach Oil Field
The Long Beach Oil Field is a large oil field underneath the cities of Long Beach, California, Long Beach and Signal Hill, California, Signal Hill, California, in the United States. Discovered in 1921, the field was enormously productive in the 19 ...
has more details on the giant oilfield that includes Signal Hill
*
Long Beach Municipal Cemetery
*
Signal Hill (disambiguation) for other Signal Hills
References
Bibliography
*
External links
*
Chamber of Commercea
The Paleontological Research InstitutionThe Geology of Signal Hill, CAat
Museum of the Earth- Discover Well ALAMITOS NO. 1 June 25, 1921. California Registered Landmark NO. 580
{{authority control
Cities in Los Angeles County, California
Gateway Cities
Los Angeles Harbor Region
Enclaves in the United States
Petroleum in California
Populated places established in 1924
1924 establishments in California
Incorporated cities and towns in California