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In 1901, Stewart 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 7, 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.

For more information on the history of Manhattan Beach, contact the Manhattan Beach Historical Society.

Physical Facts
Location:  19 miles southwest of 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 beach front, 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:  Population according to 2000 census is 33,852
Gender:  50.4% male and 49.6% female
Households:  The City has 14,474 households
Schools:  Includes 3,511 elementary students and 1,384 high school students (more)

 (See also Demographics)

Economic Facts:
Taxes:  The City has no tax rate
Assessed Value:  Manhattan Beach's assessed valuation is $3.8 billion
Businesses:  As of June 1996, Manhattan Beach had issued 4718 current business licenses
Income:  The median household income for the City is $68,589

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 250 full time employees and 131 part time employees

Where to Eat:

Manhattan Beach Pizzeria "Manhattan Pizzeria"
Great Pizza, Salads and Sandwiches in Manhattan Beach!
If you like great thin crust pizza with tons of good ad on's
this is a great spot to check out!
Salads are also fresh and delicious!
Check them out at:
133 Manhattan Beach Blvd.
Manhattan Beach Ca., 90266
Phone: 1-310-546-2177
web: www.manhattanpizzeriala.com


Area Links

Manhattan Beach hotels and beachfront lodging click here
or call 1-800-679-7707 and speak to a Manhattan Beach area reservation specialist

City of Manhattan Beach California
http://www.ci.manhattan-beach.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=1

Community Resources
http://www.ci.manhattan-beach.ca.us/Index.aspx?page=468

Manhattan Beach webcam
http://manhattanbeach.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=3

Nearby Manhattan Beach Attractions

• Hollywood Skies (5.47 miles)
• Shop America Tours - Beverly Center, Los Angeles (12.44 miles)
• Red Line Tours - Downtown (14.28 miles)
• LACityTours (14.68 miles)
• Starline Tours of Hollywood (14.7 miles)
• Red Line Tours - Hollywood (14.7 miles)
• Catalina Express (15.16 miles)
• Aquarium of the Pacific (15.71 miles)
• Universal Studios Hollywood (16.65 miles)
• Shop America Tours - Citadel Outlets (16.93 miles)
• Karmel Shuttle Service (21.26 miles)
• Hollywood Aviators (21.67 miles)
• Sunset Gondola (22.97 miles)
• Pirate's Dinner Adventure (24.28 miles)
• Medieval Times California (24.28 miles)

Nearby Manhattan Beach Area Hotels

• Shade Hotel (1.04 miles)
• Belamar Hotel (1.19 miles)
• Hawthorn Suites LAX-MB (1.31 miles)
• Residence Inn by Marriott Manhattan Beach (1.35 miles)
• Courtyard by Marriott Los Angeles LAX El Segundo (1.52 miles)
• Homestead LAX Airport El Segundo (1.52 miles)
• Holiday Inn Express MANHATTAN BEACH (SOUTH BAY) (1.56 miles)
• Comfort Inn Manhattan Beach (1.58 miles)
• Marriott Manhattan Beach (1.59 miles)
• Summerfield Suites El Segundo (1.98 miles)
• Residence Inn by Marriott El Segundo (1.99 miles)
• Hacienda Hotel (2.02 miles)
• Doubletree Hotel Los Angeles International Airport (2.03 miles)
• HOMESTEAD LOS ANGELES-LAX ARPT (2.09 miles)
• SpringHill Suites by Marriott Manhattan Beach Hawthorne (2.2 miles)

Nearby Manhattan Beach Points of Interest

• Los Angeles International Airport - LAX (3.31 miles)
• Otis College of Art & Design (4.06 miles)
• University of West Los Angeles (4.38 miles)
• Loyola Marymount University (4.78 miles)
• Santa Monica Pier (8.92 miles)
• California State University - Dominguez Hills (9.54 miles)
• Carson Center (10.14 miles)
• Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science (10.15 miles)
• University of Southern California (11.02 miles)
• Los Angeles Convention Center (13.06 miles)
• Staples Center - Los Angeles (13.23 miles)

Manhattan Beach is a city located in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, USA. The population was 33,852 at the 2000 census. Of a rotating City Council of five members, Jim Aldinger is the current mayor.

The city is on the Pacific Ocean coast, to the south of El Segundo, and to the north of Hermosa Beach. To the east are the cities of Hawthorne and Redondo Beach. It is one of the three Beach Cities in the South Bay.

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