Los Alamitos, California
Encyclopedia
Los Alamitos is a small city in Orange County
, California
. The city was incorporated in March 1960. The population was 11,449 at the 2010 census, down from 11,536 at the 2000 census. It is often mistakenly thought to include the adjacent but unincorporated community of Rossmoor
(population just under 11,000) which uses Los Alamitos as its mailing address. Although Rossmoor is not part of Los Alamitos, it is speculated that it may be annexed to the city, or Rossmoor, Seal Beach, and Los Alamitos will combine to form one city.
The USA Water Polo National Aquatic Center is located on the US Military Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base. The training base includes the Los Alamitos Army Airfield
.
explorers saw more than 200 years ago inspired Los Alamitos' name, but it is the sugar beet
that figured most prominently in the area's later history. The history of the area during the Californio
period and after U.S. annexation is detailed in the article on Rancho Los Alamitos
.
The individual history of Los Alamitos separate from the rancho begins with the purchase by John Bixby of the Rancho Los Alamitos. John put together a consortium of himself, his cousins Lewellyn and Jotham (owners of Rancho Los Cerritos
) and banker I.W. Hellman
to finance the purchase of the Los Alamitos. Upon John's sudden death in 1888, the ranch was divided between the three owning families. The northern third—the land roughly north of present Orangewood Ave. -- went to the Lewellyn-Jotham faction (which later became the Bixby Land Company). By the mid 1890s, after the crash following the land boom of the 1880s—this group was relatively cash-poor and land rich. Having experimented in Northern California with sugar beets, the Bixbys agreed to provide the land, and contracted with Montana silver baron William A. Clark to provide the capital, and got E.A. Dyer to provide the expertise to build a new sugar beet factory on the Bixby's land.
The community that grew up around this new sugar beet factory complex—with its streets of company houses for workers and surrounding farms—came to be called Los Alamitos. (As part of his arrangement to build and operate the sugar beet factory, William Clark and his brother H. Ross, who actually ran the Los Alamitos operation, also arranged to purchase significant area east of the factory as well as 8000 acres (32.4 km²) of land north of the sugar plant—most of the latter in the Rancho Los Cerritos
boundaries—that would eventually become the city of Lakewood
. Also, Clark and Hellman were intricately involved with the machinations and corporate dealings of railroad tycoon E. H. Harriman
and Henry Edwards Huntington
and the destiny of the Southern Pacific
in Southern California. In addition, some time after establishing Los Alamitos, the Clarks completed their railroad from Los Angeles
to Salt Lake City
, establishing the desert stop of Las Vegas
in the process.
In the early 1900s, sugar beets were delivered to a factory by horse and wagon. Economics, combined with an insect infestation in 1921 caused sugar-beet crop to drop significantly and the eventual demise of the sugar beet industry in Los Alamitos. But the town that had sprung up continued to grow.
On the lands south of the factory (and current Orangewood Avenue), Fred Bixby, son of John Bixby and future member of the Cowboy Hall of Fame, used the sugar beet lands as a finishing ranch to fatten cattle before sending them off to slaughter (he also managed Hellman's lands in present Seal Beach
). Bixby, one of the more progressive ranchers of his time, allowed European immigrant, Mexican
, and Japanese
farmers to rent the land and grow crops. At the beginning of World War II
, the Japanese farmers were rounded up and relocated to internment camps at Manzanar
and elsewhere.
Just prior to and during early World War II, the area around Los Alamitos became a major center for the aircraft industry. The Clark heirs arranged for Donald Douglas to build a major plant adjacent to the airport in Lakewood and Long Beach. Soon after the Navy
decided it wanted the level ground just south of Los Alamitos for its training field, which it moved from Terminal Island
. The new base provided many jobs and spurred modest growth. In 1973, the base was designated an Armed Forces Reserve Center. Today, it is a reserve support center for units of the Army, Navy, National Guard and Marines.
Many former military personnel chose to stay on in Los Alamitos after the war, living in such neighborhoods as Carrier Row, where streets are named for World War II aircraft carrier
s.
Other than "the base" the area remained unchanged until 1956 when builder Ross Cortese purchased land to build the walled community of Rossmoor just southwest from the townsite of Los Alamitos. Rossmoor, still the largest single development in Orange County, was the first walled community in the United States and quickly became home to over 10,000 upper middle class professionals. Rossmoor's homes were designed initially by Earle G. Kaltenbach (who also designed Disneyland's original Tomorrowland) and then by Chris Choate, who achieved much fame as the frequent partner of Cliff May
. Together the two men were among the most responsible for designing and popularizing the "ranch" style homes which dominated the suburban explosion of the 1950s.
Although Rossmoor never officially became part of Los Alamitos proper, it has become inextricably linked to the town. When Los Alamitos incorporated in 1960 its population was only about 3,400, while still-growing Rossmoor was nearing 10,000. Now they are fairly equal with Los Alamitos being slightly larger than 11,000, and Rossmoor just below that. Rossmoor, still an unincorporated part of Orange County, doesn't pay taxes to Los Alamitos, but the city virtually treats Rossmoor residents as if they were residents. In exchange, the city's many youth programs benefit from the overwhelming number of Rossmoor residents who volunteer for those programs.
The ambitious sugar-beet processor of today would be hard pressed to set up shop in Los Alamitos. Zoning laws keep out heavy manufacturing or industry because nearly all the city land is developed. The Armed Forces Reserve Center takes up 48 percent of the city's 4.3 square miles (11.1 km²). The rest of the city is a snug fitting mix of homes, apartments, businesses and open space.
The small city has been the hometown for a number of noted athletes including Olympic gymnast Cathy Rigby
, and many major league baseball players, including Andy Messersmith
, who challenged baseball's reserve clause and helped established free agency in professional sports . At one point in the late 1980s, six natives of Rossmoor and Los Alamitos were playing baseball in the major leagues -- Robb Nen
, J. T. Snow
, Greg Harris
, Dennis Lamp
, Greg Pirkl
, and Mike Kelly
. The area is also home to record holding long distance swimmer Lynne Cox
. It was also home to California Supreme Court Chief Justice Malcolm M. Lucas
while he served on the Court, and to award-winning mystery writer Jan Burke
.
was 2,781.8 people per square mile (1,074.1/km²). The racial makeup of Los Alamitos was 8,131 (71.0%) White, 324 (2.8%) African American, 51 (0.4%) Native American, 1,471 (12.8%) Asian, 50 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 726 (6.3%) from other races
, and 696 (6.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2,418 persons (21.1%).
The Census reported that 11,206 people (97.9% of the population) lived in households, 40 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 203 (1.8%) were institutionalized.
There were 4,212 households, out of which 1,610 (38.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,025 (48.1%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 731 (17.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 282 (6.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 209 (5.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 19 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 885 households (21.0%) were made up of individuals and 355 (8.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66. There were 3,038 families
(72.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.10.
The population was spread out with 2,741 people (23.9%) under the age of 18, 1,077 people (9.4%) aged 18 to 24, 2,938 people (25.7%) aged 25 to 44, 3,099 people (27.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,594 people (13.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.7 years. For every 100 females there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.
There were 4,355 housing units at an average density of 1,058.2 per square mile (408.6/km²), of which 1,967 (46.7%) were owner-occupied, and 2,245 (53.3%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.1%. 5,274 people (46.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,932 people (51.8%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 11,536 people, 4,246 households, and 3,035 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,875.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,110.7/km²). There were 4,329 housing units at an average density of 1,079.1 per square mile (416.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.97% White, 58.6%% African American, 3.7%Native American, 9.49% Asian, 11.5% Pacific Islander, 5.37% from other races
, and 4.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.3% of the population.
There were 4,246 households out of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples
living together, 17.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.5% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $55,286, and the median income for a family was $60,767. Males had a median income of $49,946 versus $36,002 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $26,014. About 4.1% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.
Property prices in the city have increased dramatically over the past 20 years.
Los Alamitos is located in the 35th Senate
District, represented by Republican
Tom Harman
, and in the 67th Assembly
District, represented by Republican Jim Silva
. Federally, Los Alamitos is located in California's 40th congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of R +8 and is represented by Republican Ed Royce
. On February 28, 2009 Republican Mayor Dean Grose announced he would resign his position due to an email he sent out with the headline "No Easter Egg Hunt This Year." The email depicted the White House
lawn adorned with watermelons. Because of the recent election of President Barack Obama
this was seen as highly offensive and racist.
cable TV channel in 1983 under authorization of the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) with the mission to provide non commercial local programming to, and by, the greater Los Alamitos community.
The City of Los Alamitos is the Local Franchising Authority and currently owns all LATV assets and facilities. LATV-3 has evolved into a station that produces a full range of local programming, including local government, high school sports, local interest and public affairs and educational programming as well as community generated public-access television shows.
As LATV Studio 1 nears completion they are looking to the community to partner with them in creating new and exciting programming in the studio and outside of it that will reflect the cities own local interests, needs and concerns. LATV encourages community members and organizations, educational and business groups with a desire to reach a broader audience to engage with creative ideas for a program or series of programs. LATV will provide the studio, the crew and the technical expertise, the producers provide the creative energy, the program planning, coordination of guests and sponsorship if any.
Most recently LosAl TV Studio 1 has been building a website accessible at www.losaltv.org and www.latv-3.org. Most notably, the site has embedded programming so you can watch current and relevant shows from the website.
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The city was incorporated in March 1960. The population was 11,449 at the 2010 census, down from 11,536 at the 2000 census. It is often mistakenly thought to include the adjacent but unincorporated community of Rossmoor
Rossmoor, California
Rossmoor is an affluent planned census-designated place located in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 10,244, down from 10,298 at the 2000 census...
(population just under 11,000) which uses Los Alamitos as its mailing address. Although Rossmoor is not part of Los Alamitos, it is speculated that it may be annexed to the city, or Rossmoor, Seal Beach, and Los Alamitos will combine to form one city.
The USA Water Polo National Aquatic Center is located on the US Military Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base. The training base includes the Los Alamitos Army Airfield
Los Alamitos Army Airfield
Los Alamitos Army Airfield is a military airport located one mile southeast of central Los Alamitos, and within its city limits, in Orange County, California, USA.- Facilities :Los Alamitos Army Airfield has two runways:...
.
History
The clusters of cottonwood trees SpanishSpanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
explorers saw more than 200 years ago inspired Los Alamitos' name, but it is the sugar beet
Sugar beet
Sugar beet, a cultivated plant of Beta vulgaris, is a plant whose tuber contains a high concentration of sucrose. It is grown commercially for sugar production. Sugar beets and other B...
that figured most prominently in the area's later history. The history of the area during the Californio
Californio
Californio is a term used to identify a Spanish-speaking Catholic people, regardless of race, born in California before 1848...
period and after U.S. annexation is detailed in the article on Rancho Los Alamitos
Rancho Los Alamitos
Rancho Los Alamitos takes its name from a Mexican land grant in southwestern Los Angeles County and northwestern Orange County, California. Los Alamitos means the Little Cottonwoods or Poplars in Spanish, after the native Fremont Cottonwood trees there.Rancho Los Alamitos originally included...
.
The individual history of Los Alamitos separate from the rancho begins with the purchase by John Bixby of the Rancho Los Alamitos. John put together a consortium of himself, his cousins Lewellyn and Jotham (owners of Rancho Los Cerritos
Rancho Los Cerritos
Rancho Los Cerritos was a 1834 land grant in present day eastern Los Angeles County and Orange County, California The grant was the result of a partition of the Rancho Los Nietos grant. "Cerritos" means "little hills" in Spanish...
) and banker I.W. Hellman
Isaias W. Hellman
Isaias Wolf Hellman was a German-Jewish banker and philanthropist, and a founding father of the University of Southern California.-Biography:...
to finance the purchase of the Los Alamitos. Upon John's sudden death in 1888, the ranch was divided between the three owning families. The northern third—the land roughly north of present Orangewood Ave. -- went to the Lewellyn-Jotham faction (which later became the Bixby Land Company). By the mid 1890s, after the crash following the land boom of the 1880s—this group was relatively cash-poor and land rich. Having experimented in Northern California with sugar beets, the Bixbys agreed to provide the land, and contracted with Montana silver baron William A. Clark to provide the capital, and got E.A. Dyer to provide the expertise to build a new sugar beet factory on the Bixby's land.
The community that grew up around this new sugar beet factory complex—with its streets of company houses for workers and surrounding farms—came to be called Los Alamitos. (As part of his arrangement to build and operate the sugar beet factory, William Clark and his brother H. Ross, who actually ran the Los Alamitos operation, also arranged to purchase significant area east of the factory as well as 8000 acres (32.4 km²) of land north of the sugar plant—most of the latter in the Rancho Los Cerritos
Rancho Los Cerritos
Rancho Los Cerritos was a 1834 land grant in present day eastern Los Angeles County and Orange County, California The grant was the result of a partition of the Rancho Los Nietos grant. "Cerritos" means "little hills" in Spanish...
boundaries—that would eventually become the city of Lakewood
Lakewood, California
Lakewood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 80,048 at the 2010 census. It is bordered by Long Beach on the west and south, Bellflower on the north, Cerritos on the northeast, Cypress on the east, and Hawaiian Gardens on the southeast. Major thoroughfares...
. Also, Clark and Hellman were intricately involved with the machinations and corporate dealings of railroad tycoon E. H. Harriman
E. H. Harriman
Edward Henry Harriman was an American railroad executive.-Early years:Harriman was born in Hempstead, New York, the son of Orlando Harriman, an Episcopal clergyman, and Cornelia Neilson...
and Henry Edwards Huntington
Henry E. Huntington
Henry Edwards Huntington was a railroad magnate and collector of art and rare books. Born in Oneonta, New York, Huntington settled in Los Angeles, where he owned the Pacific Electric Railway as well as substantial real estate interests...
and the destiny of the Southern Pacific
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
in Southern California. In addition, some time after establishing Los Alamitos, the Clarks completed their railroad from Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, establishing the desert stop of Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
in the process.
In the early 1900s, sugar beets were delivered to a factory by horse and wagon. Economics, combined with an insect infestation in 1921 caused sugar-beet crop to drop significantly and the eventual demise of the sugar beet industry in Los Alamitos. But the town that had sprung up continued to grow.
On the lands south of the factory (and current Orangewood Avenue), Fred Bixby, son of John Bixby and future member of the Cowboy Hall of Fame, used the sugar beet lands as a finishing ranch to fatten cattle before sending them off to slaughter (he also managed Hellman's lands in present Seal Beach
Seal Beach, California
-Neighborhoods:Seal Beach encompasses the Leisure World retirement gated community with roughly 9,000 residents. This was the first major planned retirement community of its type in the U.S...
). Bixby, one of the more progressive ranchers of his time, allowed European immigrant, Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
, and Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
farmers to rent the land and grow crops. At the beginning of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Japanese farmers were rounded up and relocated to internment camps at Manzanar
Manzanar
Manzanar is most widely known as the site of one of ten camps where over 110,000 Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II. Located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada in California's Owens Valley between the towns of Lone Pine to the south and Independence to the north, it is...
and elsewhere.
Just prior to and during early World War II, the area around Los Alamitos became a major center for the aircraft industry. The Clark heirs arranged for Donald Douglas to build a major plant adjacent to the airport in Lakewood and Long Beach. Soon after the Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
decided it wanted the level ground just south of Los Alamitos for its training field, which it moved from Terminal Island
Terminal Island
Terminal Island is an island located in Los Angeles County, California between Los Angeles Harbor and Long Beach Harbor. Originally a mudflat known to the Spanish as Isla Raza de Buena Gente, and later called Rattlesnake Island, it has officially been Terminal Island since 1918...
. The new base provided many jobs and spurred modest growth. In 1973, the base was designated an Armed Forces Reserve Center. Today, it is a reserve support center for units of the Army, Navy, National Guard and Marines.
Many former military personnel chose to stay on in Los Alamitos after the war, living in such neighborhoods as Carrier Row, where streets are named for World War II aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
s.
Other than "the base" the area remained unchanged until 1956 when builder Ross Cortese purchased land to build the walled community of Rossmoor just southwest from the townsite of Los Alamitos. Rossmoor, still the largest single development in Orange County, was the first walled community in the United States and quickly became home to over 10,000 upper middle class professionals. Rossmoor's homes were designed initially by Earle G. Kaltenbach (who also designed Disneyland's original Tomorrowland) and then by Chris Choate, who achieved much fame as the frequent partner of Cliff May
Cliff May
Cliff May was an architect practicing in California best known and remembered for developing the suburban Post-war "dream home" — the California Ranch House.-Projects and the Ranch-style house:...
. Together the two men were among the most responsible for designing and popularizing the "ranch" style homes which dominated the suburban explosion of the 1950s.
Although Rossmoor never officially became part of Los Alamitos proper, it has become inextricably linked to the town. When Los Alamitos incorporated in 1960 its population was only about 3,400, while still-growing Rossmoor was nearing 10,000. Now they are fairly equal with Los Alamitos being slightly larger than 11,000, and Rossmoor just below that. Rossmoor, still an unincorporated part of Orange County, doesn't pay taxes to Los Alamitos, but the city virtually treats Rossmoor residents as if they were residents. In exchange, the city's many youth programs benefit from the overwhelming number of Rossmoor residents who volunteer for those programs.
The ambitious sugar-beet processor of today would be hard pressed to set up shop in Los Alamitos. Zoning laws keep out heavy manufacturing or industry because nearly all the city land is developed. The Armed Forces Reserve Center takes up 48 percent of the city's 4.3 square miles (11.1 km²). The rest of the city is a snug fitting mix of homes, apartments, businesses and open space.
The small city has been the hometown for a number of noted athletes including Olympic gymnast Cathy Rigby
Cathy Rigby
Cathleen Roxanne Rigby , best known as Cathy Rigby, is a former gymnast, actress and speaker.-Early life:Rigby was born in Los Alamitos, California in 1952....
, and many major league baseball players, including Andy Messersmith
Andy Messersmith
John Alexander "Andy" Messersmith is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He was the 12th overall pick of the 1966 amateur draft by the California Angels...
, who challenged baseball's reserve clause and helped established free agency in professional sports . At one point in the late 1980s, six natives of Rossmoor and Los Alamitos were playing baseball in the major leagues -- Robb Nen
Robb Nen
Robert Allen Nen is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. He spent most of his career as a closer. He is the son of former major league first baseman Dick Nen. He currently works in the Giants' front office as a special assistant to General Manager Brian Sabean.Nen is best...
, J. T. Snow
J. T. Snow
Jack Thomas "J. T." Snow, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player. He played all but two games in his career as a first baseman, and played nine of his 13½ seasons with the San Francisco Giants...
, Greg Harris
Greg A. Harris
Greg Allen Harris is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, Montreal Expos, San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees from 1981 to 1995. Harris pitched in 703 games in his career, starting 98...
, Dennis Lamp
Dennis Lamp
Dennis Patrick Lamp is a former middle relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1977 through 1992, Lamp played for the Chicago Cubs , Chicago White Sox , Toronto Blue Jays , Oakland Athletics , Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates .-Career:In a 19-season career, Lamp posted a...
, Greg Pirkl
Greg Pirkl
Gregory Daniel Pirkl is a former Major League Baseball player. He played parts of four seasons in the majors, from to , for the Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox. He also played part of for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks in Japan.-External links:...
, and Mike Kelly
Mike Kelly (outfielder)
Michael Raymond Kelly was an outfielder for the Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and Colorado Rockies....
. The area is also home to record holding long distance swimmer Lynne Cox
Lynne Cox
Lynne Cox is an American long-distance open-water swimmer and writer. In 1971, she and her teammates were the first group of teenagers to complete the crossing of the Catalina Island Channel in California. She was always the slowest swimmer in her swim classes...
. It was also home to California Supreme Court Chief Justice Malcolm M. Lucas
Malcolm M. Lucas
Malcolm Millar Lucas was the 26th Chief Justice of California. He was appointed to the position after his predecessor, Rose Bird, was removed by the electorate in 1986 for reasons including her staunch opposition to capital punishment, which was reflected in her voting for reversal in all 61...
while he served on the Court, and to award-winning mystery writer Jan Burke
Jan Burke
Jan Burke is an award-winning author of novels and short stories. She is a winner of the Edgar Award for Best Novel.-Bio:Burke was born in Texas, but has lived in Southern California most of her life. She comes from a close-knit family, and remains close to her parents, two sisters and a brother. ...
.
Climate
Gardeners use several climate zone indicators to determine the proper plantings for an area. In the U.S. most plants and seeds are indicated for a particular climate by the USDA Hardiness Zone. A more exact measure is the Sunset zone. In Los Alamitos, the USDA Hardiness Zone is 9. http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-sw1.html The Sunset climate zone is 22. http://plantfinder.sunset.com/sunset/plant-home.jsp2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Los Alamitos had a population of 11,449. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,781.8 people per square mile (1,074.1/km²). The racial makeup of Los Alamitos was 8,131 (71.0%) White, 324 (2.8%) African American, 51 (0.4%) Native American, 1,471 (12.8%) Asian, 50 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 726 (6.3%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 696 (6.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2,418 persons (21.1%).
The Census reported that 11,206 people (97.9% of the population) lived in households, 40 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 203 (1.8%) were institutionalized.
There were 4,212 households, out of which 1,610 (38.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,025 (48.1%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 731 (17.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 282 (6.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 209 (5.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 19 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 885 households (21.0%) were made up of individuals and 355 (8.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66. There were 3,038 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(72.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.10.
The population was spread out with 2,741 people (23.9%) under the age of 18, 1,077 people (9.4%) aged 18 to 24, 2,938 people (25.7%) aged 25 to 44, 3,099 people (27.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,594 people (13.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.7 years. For every 100 females there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.
There were 4,355 housing units at an average density of 1,058.2 per square mile (408.6/km²), of which 1,967 (46.7%) were owner-occupied, and 2,245 (53.3%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.1%. 5,274 people (46.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,932 people (51.8%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 11,536 people, 4,246 households, and 3,035 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,875.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,110.7/km²). There were 4,329 housing units at an average density of 1,079.1 per square mile (416.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.97% White, 58.6%% African American, 3.7%Native American, 9.49% Asian, 11.5% Pacific Islander, 5.37% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 4.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.3% of the population.
There were 4,246 households out of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 17.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.5% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $55,286, and the median income for a family was $60,767. Males had a median income of $49,946 versus $36,002 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $26,014. About 4.1% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.
Property prices in the city have increased dramatically over the past 20 years.
Politics
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Los Alamitos is located in the 35th Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Tom Harman
Tom Harman
Thomas George Harman is an American politician. He is a Republican member of the California State Senate who had previously been a three-term member of the California State Assembly. Both seats represent portions of Orange County....
, and in the 67th Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Republican Jim Silva
Jim Silva
James Wayne Silva is a Republican United States politician who represents the 67th Assembly District in the California State Assembly....
. Federally, Los Alamitos is located in California's 40th congressional district
California's 40th congressional district
California's 40th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in Orange County. The district covers cities in the northern part of the county, including Fullerton, Orange, Cypress, Stanton, and Buena Park....
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of R +8 and is represented by Republican Ed Royce
Ed Royce
Edward Randall "Ed" Royce is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 39th, serving in Congress since 1993. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district lies in northern Orange County, including portions of Stanton, Cypress, Buena Park, Fullerton, Anaheim, Placentia, and Orange...
. On February 28, 2009 Republican Mayor Dean Grose announced he would resign his position due to an email he sent out with the headline "No Easter Egg Hunt This Year." The email depicted the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
lawn adorned with watermelons. Because of the recent election of President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
this was seen as highly offensive and racist.
Los Alamitos Television (LATV-3)
Los Alamitos Television began as a small local Public-access televisionPublic-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
cable TV channel in 1983 under authorization of the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) with the mission to provide non commercial local programming to, and by, the greater Los Alamitos community.
The City of Los Alamitos is the Local Franchising Authority and currently owns all LATV assets and facilities. LATV-3 has evolved into a station that produces a full range of local programming, including local government, high school sports, local interest and public affairs and educational programming as well as community generated public-access television shows.
As LATV Studio 1 nears completion they are looking to the community to partner with them in creating new and exciting programming in the studio and outside of it that will reflect the cities own local interests, needs and concerns. LATV encourages community members and organizations, educational and business groups with a desire to reach a broader audience to engage with creative ideas for a program or series of programs. LATV will provide the studio, the crew and the technical expertise, the producers provide the creative energy, the program planning, coordination of guests and sponsorship if any.
Most recently LosAl TV Studio 1 has been building a website accessible at www.losaltv.org and www.latv-3.org. Most notably, the site has embedded programming so you can watch current and relevant shows from the website.
Business
- The first Claim JumperClaim JumperClaim Jumper is a restaurant chain headquartered in Irvine, California with 45 locations in Arizona, California, Illinois, Colorado, Nevada, Washington, Wisconsin and Oregon. Founder Craig Nickoloff opened the first Claim Jumper Restaurant in Los Alamitos, California in 1977...
restaurant opened in Los Alamitos in 1977. That restaurant no longer exists, and the closest Claim Jumper is in nearby Long BeachLong Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257... - The Los Alamitos Race CourseLos Alamitos Race CourseLos Alamitos Race Course is a horse racing track in Cypress, California. The track hosts both thoroughbred and quarter horse racing. The track has the distinction of holding four quarter horse stakes races with purses over $1 million, more than any other track in the United States.-Early...
, has year round Quarter Horse, Arabian and Thoroughbred racing. It was once the only harness racingHarness racingHarness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
track in Southern California. - Neverland StudiosNeverland StudiosNeverland Studios is an American recording studio owned and operated by musician and songwriter Derri Daugherty.Neverland was originally built in Los Alamitos, California, but eventually settled in Nashville, Tennessee when Daugherty relocated there in the early 1990s...
, a recording studio originally located in Los Alamitos that was often used by Christian Rock bands.
Top employers
According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Alamitos Medical Center Tenet Healthcare Tenet Healthcare Corporation, an investor-owned health-care delivery systems company based in Dallas, Texas. THC owns and operates 49 acute-care hospitals in 11 states and 90 outpatient centers in 12 states, with a majority of these hospitals in California, Florida and Texas... |
1,100 |
| 2 | Arrowhead Products | 515 |
| 3 | Trend Offset Printing | 478 |
| 4 | SuperMedia | 350 |
| 5 | Pharmacy Advantage | 158 |
| 6 | Bloomfield Bakers | 150 |
| 7 | Systems Services of America | 150 |
| 8 | Alamitos West Health Care Center | 139 |
| 9 | Timken Timken Company The Timken Company is a global manufacturer of bearings, alloy steels, and related components and assemblies.- History :The company was founded by Henry Timken in St. Louis, Missouri in 1899 and incorporated as The Timken Roller Bearing Axle Company. A year earlier, in 1898, Timken got a patent... |
124 |
| 10 | MDA Information Systems | 106 |
Notable residents
- Allison MackAllison MackNot to be confused with Alison MacAllison Mack is an American actress. She is best known for her role of Chloe Sullivan on the Superman-inspired television series Smallville.-Early life:...
, actress (famously known as "Chloe" from Smallville) - Lynne CoxLynne CoxLynne Cox is an American long-distance open-water swimmer and writer. In 1971, she and her teammates were the first group of teenagers to complete the crossing of the Catalina Island Channel in California. She was always the slowest swimmer in her swim classes...
, long-distance swimmer - Taryn ManningTaryn ManningTaryn Manning is an American actress, fashion designer, and singer-songwriter. She is the vocalist for electronic duo Boomkat and co-owner of the clothing brand Born Uniqorn. Manning gained her first major role as an actress in 2001 when she played the role of Maddy in Crazy/Beautiful...
, actress - Cathy RigbyCathy RigbyCathleen Roxanne Rigby , best known as Cathy Rigby, is a former gymnast, actress and speaker.-Early life:Rigby was born in Los Alamitos, California in 1952....
, Olympic gymnast and actress - Jodie SweetinJodie SweetinJodie Lee Ann Sweetin is an American actress, best known for her role as Stephanie Tanner on the long running television sitcom Full House.-Career:...
, actress ("Stephanie Tanner" from Full House) - Aaron BarrettAaron BarrettAaron Asher Barrett is the lead singer, lead guitarist, and primary songwriter for the band Reel Big Fish. Prior to forming with Reel Big Fish, Barrett played trombone in another ska-punk act, The Scholars, along with future Reel Big Fish bandmates Scott Klopfenstein and Grant Barry...
, musician - Scott KlopfensteinScott KlopfensteinScott Allen "Scotty" Klopfenstein is an American musician and a former member of the band Reel Big Fish. He plays trumpet, guitar, keyboard, and sings....
, musician - Kami CotlerKami CotlerKami Cotler is an American actress.She is best known for her role as young Elizabeth Walton, which she played in both the 1971 movie The Homecoming: A Christmas Story, and the series The Waltons...
, actress - Tony MuserTony MuserAnthony Joseph Muser is currently a roving instructor in the San Diego Padres organization. From 1997 until 2002, Muser served as the manager of the Kansas City Royals...
, former MLBMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player and manager - Jonathan BornsteinJonathan BornsteinJonathan Rey Bornstein is an American soccer player who currently plays for UANL of the Primera División de México and for the United States national team.-Youth and College:...
, soccer player for the USA National Team and Chivas USA - Matt "Money" Smith, Fox Sports Radio talk show host
- Landry FieldsLandry FieldsLandry Fields is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the NBA.-Personal information and high school career:...
, basketball player for the New York KnicksNew York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
of the NBA
Schools
- Los Alamitos High SchoolLos Alamitos High SchoolLos Alamitos High School is a public school for grades 9 to 12 located in Los Alamitos, California, and also serving the city of Seal Beach and the community of Rossmoor. It is the only traditional high school in the Los Alamitos Unified School District; the far smaller Laurel High School serves...
- Laurel High School
- McAuliffe Middle School (formerly called Pine)
- Oak Middle School
- St. Hedwig School, K-8 Private School
- Hopkinson Elementary
- Lee Elementary
- Los Alamitos Elementary
- Rossmoor Elementary
- Weaver Elementary