History Of The City Of Torrance California

City of Torrance California History

Torrance was incorporated in 1921, and as of the 2010 census has a population of 145,438 residents. The city has 30 parks. The city consistently ranks among the safest cities in Los Angeles County. Torrance is the birthplace of the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO). It also has the second-highest percentage of residents of Japanese ancestry in California (8.9%) after neighboring city Gardena.

Early History

In 1784, the Spanish Crown deeded Rancho San Pedro (including today’s Torrance), a tract of over 75,000 acres (300 km2) in the Province of Las Californias of New Spain, to soldier Juan José Domínguez. It was later divided in 1846, with Governor Pío Pico granting Rancho de los Palos Verdes to José Loreto and Juan Capistrano Sepulveda in the Alta California territory of independent Mexico.

In the early 1900s, real estate developer Jared Sidney Torrance and other investors saw the value of creating a mixed industrial-residential community south of Los Angeles. They purchased part of an old Spanish land grant and hired landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. to design a planned community. The resulting town was founded in October 1912 and named after Mr. Torrance. The city of Torrance was formally incorporated in May 1921, the townsite initially being bounded by Western Avenue on the east, Del Amo Boulevard on the north, Crenshaw Boulevard on the west, and on the south by Plaza Del Amo east of where it meets Carson Street, and by Carson Street west of where it meets Plaza Del Amo. The first residential avenue created in Torrance was Gramercy and the second avenue was Andreo. Many of the houses on these avenues turned 100 years of age in 2012. Both avenues are located in the area referred to as Old Town Torrance. This section of Torrance is under review to be classified as a historical district. Some of the early civic and residential buildings were designed by the renowned and innovative Southern California architect Irving Gill, in his distinctive combining of Mission Revival and early Modernist architecture.

More About Torrance California

The City of Torrance is located in southwest Los Angeles County in a region known as the South Bay. A municipality with the eighth largest population in Los Angeles County, the City is bordered on the southwest by one mile of beach, on the west by the City of Redondo Beach, on the north by the community of Lawndale, on the east by the Cities of Los Angeles’ Harbor Gateway and Gardena, and on the south by the communities of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The City is part of the greater suburban Los Angeles area. Prior to 1912, Torrance was part of a Spanish land grant belonging to the Dominguez family. The land was largely unpopulated, open, dusty plain.

By 1912, a real estate developer from Pasadena named Jared Sidney Torrance had purchased 2800 acres to make his vision of a “Modern Industrial City” a reality. Police services during this period were provided by Los Angeles County in the form of a Constable stationed in Lomita. During these early years, the City’s physical layout followed Jared Sydney Torrance’s master plan. Along the City’s eastern boundary, J.S. Torrance envisioned commercial and industrial zones physically separated from residential areas to the West. The reason for this design was due to the great amount of smoke generated by the City’s early industries. Winds blew dependably from the West and generally kept the residential areas free of smoke. Today, this wind continues to provide residents relief from heat and smog.

As Torrance grew, it became one of the larger centers for the distribution of light industrial supplies. Some of the products that come out of Torrance include produce, helicopters, petroleum products, chemicals, plastics, computers, and electronic equipment. The increased number of industries that Torrance encompassed lead to many larger corporations wanting part of the action. The city is now home to many headquarters of large corporate companies with locations throughout the United States and the world. Torrance is home to many large attractions that are worth a visit, including the Torrance Cultural Arts Center, the Torrance Historical Museum, the Madrona Marsh (a freshwater nature preserve), and such annual events as the Daily Breeze International Festival.

Torrance California Today

Today, even though Torrance is located in one of the most densely urbanized zones in the world, the city owns the distinction as one of the safest cities in Los Angeles County and still remains true to its earthy industrialist roots and vision as a balanced city. Well-crafted, diverse and with a relaxed yet innovative spirit all its own, Torrance is a refreshingly unique destination in the Southern California landscape.

Information about Torrance CA Schools.

More Information

MS Access Solutions
811 Howard St
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
(323)285-0939

Original post here: History Of The City Of Torrance California