Long Beach : The City and Its People

Long Beach: The City and Its People, filled with period photographs, tells the story of the men and women who sought their foturnes in the city. Although the first plans for a colony failed, they set the framework for a major metropolis. Founding families left their marks on Long Beach, right down to the names of neighborhoods and streets, and African-American, Latino and Asisan pioneers put down roots and built communities. Successes and setbacks transformed a sleepy hamlet into today's diverse city - from the Roaring 20s, when Long Beach was awash in newfound oil and boundless optimism, to a massive earthquake, the struggle to rebuild, and the World War II era that transformed Long Beach into an arsenal of democracy. During the 1950s and 60s the World War II generation settled in expansive new suburban communities with names like Los Altos, Lakewood Park and Bixby Highlands. Amidst the turmoil and challenges of the 1970s, 80s and 90s, Long Beach reinvented itself once more into a center for world trade, high-tech business and tourism. Author Bill Hillburg, longime columnist and reporter for the Press-Telegram, has drawn heavily on two decades of interviews with the people who shaped and experienced the city's lore. Lifelong residents, relative newscomers and all Long Beach enthusiasts will find their roots in this story.