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Jonathan Murrietta
- Dec 26, 2017
- 2 min
Ladies of Long Beach Lanes
A pioneer Long Beach resident named Elvia Bartow Astle, the daughter of a prominent hotel owner named J.V. Bartow, proposed many of the street names in the center of town to the City Council in the early 1900s. She loved trees, so naturally that’s why we have an Elm, Locust, Pine, Cedar and Chestnut streets. When Elvia was in her nineties she could still be seen painting the city views from the sunroom of her ocean front property on Ocean Boulevard. Barbara Britton Britton Th

Paul Slater, Gary Metzker, Jennifer Newton
- Dec 15, 2017
- 3 min
Other Notable Landmarks in Long Beach
Joan Van Blom Bridge By Paul Slater Pacific Coast Highway at the Los Cerritos Channel Legendary Olympic rower Joan Van Blom, who passed away in August of 2015, was an icon in her sport and will never be forgotten by the city of Long Beach. In March of this year, the two-time Olympic silver medalist was honored for her triumphs on and off the water, as the bridge that covers the channel along Pacific Coast Highway next to the Marina Pacifica shopping center, now bears her name

Emily Ayers & Jennifer Newton
- Nov 3, 2017
- 5 min
Building Neighborhoods Into Communities Through Libraries
Lloyd Whaley’s Los Altos Neighborhood Library
5614 E. Britton Dr, Long Beach, CA 90815
Lloyd Whaley had a vision. It was much larger than a massive master-planned community aimed at expanding Long Beach to the east. It was about creating a place for families to come together, neighbors to converse and the residents of Los Altos to grow roots. Lloyd knew that community didn’t just come in a housing tract. It came from the gathering centers within it. So he made sure that hi

Gary Metzker
- Oct 22, 2017
- 2 min
Long Beach Neighborhood Names Immortalize their Founders
Willmore, Huntington, Drake, Nieto, Bixby —names you see and hear around Long Beach – the second largest city in the county. So, let’s explore the reasons behind some of the neighborhood names in Long Beach. Neighborhood map available for sale at welovelb.com Belmont Shore
One of the more unique communities in Southern California, Belmont Shore’s major development began in 1920, although the area had been a part of the Naples tract that was purchased in 1903 by Henry Hunting

Jennifer Newton
- Oct 19, 2017
- 3 min
The Many Names of That State College in Long Beach
What’s in a name? Well, for California State University, Long Beach the question is more accurately – What is your name? Throughout the University’s 68-year history, it has had no less than five official names, one interim name and one name that only the athletics program uses. Sheesh. No wonder the campus is having a bit of an identity crisis. Let’s take a look at the history of the many names of that-state-college-in-Long-Beach.
1949: Los Angeles-Orange County State Colle

Sylvana Uribe
- Oct 16, 2017
- 4 min
Pioneers of Local Education and the Names Behind our Local Schools
Picking a name for a school is no easy venture, in particular when so many seek to have their chance at shaping history. Names are chosen in hopes that the schools will reflect their namesakes’ characteristics and move toward the future with the same fervor those people had in their lifetimes. Long Beach Schools are no exception. Let’s take a further look into the names behind East Long Beach’s schools! Minnie Gant Gant Elementary School
1854 N Britton Dr, Long Beach, CA 90

Jonathan Murrietta
- Oct 13, 2017
- 4 min
The Many Colors Behind Long Beach Street Names
Ever wonder what’s in a Long Beach street name? Like what’s a Woodruff? And what’s the story behind the street no one can spell, or pronounce, for that matter -- is it Ximeno as in X-Zimeno or Hee-may-no Avenue? While not an exhaustive list, here’s what’s behind some of the colorful, creative, wacky, absurd and downright confusing street names you will encounter driving through Long Beach.
¿Qué paso? Long Beach’s Spanish Street Names
The year was 1784. A magical year, at
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