Hermosa Beach |
|
History of Hermosa BeachHermosa Beach was originally settled by Native Americans who harvested fish from the sea. When the Spanish moved in during the 1780, it was part of Rancho Sausal Redondo. In the 1900s it was still a tract of rolling hills covered mostly with barley and other grain. Large herds of sheep grazed the land. In 1900, land in the city sold for $35 an acre. The Santa Fe Railway, which ran behind the sand dunes from Redondo to Los Angeles was the area’s main land transportation link although it wasn’t until 1926 that railroad built a depot and Western Union telegraph office in town. In 1904 the first pier was built. Only 500 feet long, it was made entirely of wood. Nine years later most of it was washed away by powerful storms. The new one was built of concrete. The town incorporated in 1907.
In the 1980’s 87% of the city’s voters backed the establishment of the Hermosa Valley Greenbelt, a narrow 24 acre strip on the old railroad easement. The greenbelt is now part of the federal rails to trails network and is the home of many birds, animals and butterflies. It is popular with joggers and walkers.
Description of Hermosa Beach
Hermosa Beach is a one and half square mile seaside community southwest of Los Angeles in an area known at the South Bay. Manhattan Beach is to the north and Redondo Beach to the south and east. The city extends only about 15 blocks in from the sea, and 40 blocks from north to south. The city’s average temperature is the 70’s during the summer and mid 50s in the winter.
Residents of Hermosa BeachAbout
20,000 people live in Hermosa Beach. It’s 85% white, 5%
Latino, 4% Asian and less than 1% Black. The median age is 34 years.
The median household income in the city is $104,000.
Rentals in Hermosa BeachWest of
Pacific Coat Highway there’s a mix of both homes and apartments.
East of the road, there are most middle class homes rising into the
hills. Since the 1980s many single family homes and apartment
buildings have been razed to erect condos. 57% of the population
rents. There is no rent control. One bedroom apartments average $1500
a month.
Fun Things to do Hermosa BeachPier Avenue is the beach city's primary shopping, eating and partying area. A fishing pier juts into the ocean at the end.
The city is on the MarvinBraude bike path which runs along the bay from Santa Monica to Redondo Beach. It’s popular with cyclists and skaters.
Hermosa Beach is home to the AVP Hermosa Beach Open Volleyball tournament which began in 1969. Watching the fit young athletes compete in their bathing suits is a delight
Fiesta Hermosa Arts and Crafts festival is an event that has taken place every Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend for the past 35 years.
The Hermosa Beach Sunset Concert is a free event of bands performing on the beach in mid summer.
The Lighthouse Cafe is a historic West Coast jazz venue.
|
|
All rights reserved.
