Cities such as this don't just appear -- yet, comparatively speaking, the history of Manhattan Beach covers a relatively short span. In its earliest days, Manhattan Beach was part of the ten-mile ocean frontage of Rancho Sausal Redondo, which means "Round Clump of Willows." At one time the area was called "Shore Acres" by George Peck, who owned a section of the north end of town.
In 1901, John Merrill bought the south portion and called his section Manhattan after his old home, New York City. Peck and Merrill, unable to agree on a city name, flipped a coin and Manhattan won.
The first downtown building was built by Merrill around 1901, a small frame building later used for city offices. The official date of incorporation was December 2, 1912. Planks were laid in the sand on Manhattan Avenue for vehicles and along the Strand and side streets for pedestrians.
Two wooden piers were built in 1901, one at Center Street and one at Marine Avenue. The Center Street pier supported a wave motor to generate power for the Strand lighting system. Purportedly, part of the wave motor lies buried in the sands at the shore end of the present pier.
The next pier was built on the same site and extended about 922 feet into the ocean. Engineer A.L. Harris developed the concept of the circular end for less exposure and damage to the pilings by the waves. The pier was completed and dedicated on July 5, 1920.
After World War II a large influx of people came as a result of the desirability of the area for year-round living. Servicemen visiting during the war returned to live here. The development of the defense industry brought many people to the South Bay to reside and work. Much of the land east of Sepulveda was developed to house the influx of people
Physical Facts
- Location:19 miles southwest of downtown Los Angeles on the southerly end of Santa Monica Bay;
- County: Los Angeles
- Airport: 3 miles south of Los Angeles International Airport
- City Area: 3.88 square miles
- Beach: 2.1 miles of beachfront, 40 acres of recreational beach area in total
- Pier: Manhattan Beach has a scenic 928-foot-long pier at the end of Manhattan Beach Boulevard. Fishing is permitted all year
- Parks: There are 48 acres of major park land in Manhattan Beach, in addition to the 21 acre Manhattan Beach Parkway
- Residential Area: 49.1%, or 1224 acres, of Manhattan Beach's city wide land area is residential
- Paved Streets: There are 120 miles of paved streets
- Plumbing: The City has 18 miles of storm drains and 110 miles of sewers
- Elevation: 120 feet above sea level
- Rainfall: Average annual rainfall of 12.07 inches
- Temperature: Average temperature ranges from 70º F in summer to 55º F in winter
Population Facts:
- Population: 35,924 (2017 US Census Bureau Estimate from 2010 base of 35,135)
- Gender: 50.1% male and 49.9% female
- Households: The City has 15,793 households
- Schools: Includes 4,260 elementary students and 1,901 high school students
Economic Facts:
- Assessed Value: Manhattan Beach's assessed valuation is $17.6 billion
- Businesses: The City of Manhattan Beach issues approximately 5,000 business licenses each year
- Income: According to the 2012-2016 census data, the median household income for the City is $144,868 Median Household Income (in 2016 dollars): $144,868 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012-2016 data)
City Government Facts:
- Government: Manhattan Beach is a General Law city, operating under the council-manager form of government
- City Council: The Manhattan Beach City Council is comprised of five (5) members, each serving a nine (9) month mayoral position during their four (4) year term
- Employees: The City has 306 full-time employees
Thanks City of Manhattan Beach!
