Jump to content

Torrance, California

Coordinates: 33°50′05″N 118°20′29″W / 33.83472°N 118.34139°W / 33.83472; -118.34139
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by TheChromekey (talk | contribs) at 17:07, 1 January 2024. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Torrance, California
City
Torrance Beach
Torrance Beach
Flag of Torrance, California
Flag
Official seal of Torrance, California
Seal
Official logo of Torrance, California
Logo
Motto: 
"A Balanced City"
Location of Torrance in the County of Los Angeles
Location of Torrance in the County of Los Angeles
Torrance, California is located in the United States
Torrance, California
Torrance, California
Location in the contiguous United States
Coordinates: 33°50′05″N 118°20′29″W / 33.83472°N 118.34139°W / 33.83472; -118.34139
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountyLos Angeles
IncorporatedMay 12, 1921[1]
Named forJared Sidney Torrance
Government
 • TypeCouncil-manager[2]
 • MayorGeorge Chen
 • City council[3]
  • Jon Kaji - District 1
  • Bridgett Lewis - District 2
  • Asam Sheikh - District 3
  • Sharon Kalani - District 4
  • Aurelio Mattucci - District 5
  • Mike Griffiths - District 6
 • City treasurerTim Goodrich[3]
 • City clerkRebecca Poirier[3]
Area
[4]
 • Total
20.53 sq mi (53.18 km2)
 • Land20.50 sq mi (53.10 km2)
 • Water0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2)  0.37%
Elevation
[5]
89 ft (27 m)
Population
 (2020)[6]
 • Total
147,067
 • Rank8th in Los Angeles County
40th in California
187th in the United States
 • Density7,200/sq mi (2,800/km2)
Time zoneUTC−8 (Pacific)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Codes
90277, 90278, 90248, 90501, [7] 90503–90510
Area codes310/424
FIPS code06-80000
GNIS feature IDs1652802, 2412087
Websitewww.torranceca.gov

Torrance is a coastal city in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, located in southwest Los Angeles County, California, United States. The city is part of what is known as the South Bay region of the metropolitan area. A small section of the city, 1.5 miles (2.4 km), abuts the Pacific Ocean. Torrance has a moderate year-round climate with average rainfall of 12 inches (300 mm) per year.[8] Torrance was incorporated in 1921, and at the 2020 census had a population of 147,067 residents.[6] Torrance has a beachfront and has 30 parks located around the city.[8] It is also the birthplace of the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO).

History

Don Manuel Domínguez, a signer of the Californian Constitution and owner of Rancho San Pedro, which included all of modern-day Torrance.

Pre-colonial era

For thousands of years, the area where Torrance is located was part of the Tongva Native American homeland. The land that is now part of the City of Torrance and much of the modern South Bay was part of the extensive marshlands.

Spanish and Mexican eras

In 1784, the Spanish Crown deeded Rancho San Pedro (including present-day Torrance), a tract of over 75,000 acres (300 km2) in the Province of Las Californias of New Spain, to soldier Juan José Domínguez.[9][10] 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.[11][12]

Modern Era

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.[13] The resulting town was founded in October 1912 and named after 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.[14]

The first residential avenue created in Torrance was Gramercy and the second avenue was Andreo. Many of the houses on these avenues reached the centennial mark in 2012. Both avenues are located in the area referred to as Old Torrance. This section of Torrance is under review to be classified as a historical district.[15] 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.[16]

Historic Olmstead District

Torrance was planned as a new prototype of a balanced industrial city based on the principles of the Garden City Movement. The original tract developed by the Olmstead Brothers consists of 109 city blocks divided into three sub-districts: residential, commercial, and industrial. The plan is most notable for its axial landscaped downtown commercial neighborhood aligned to have a view of Mount San Antonio in the San Gabriel Mountains. The Olmsted Tract includes a number of buildings designed by the noted Southern California Architect Irving Gill, including the original train depot.[17]

The footprint of the downtown neighborhood, now called Old Torrance, was designed on a diagonal to allow the trade breezes coming from the Pacific Ocean to keep the air clean from industrial pollution for the residential and commercial neighborhoods. The industrial sections of the city were placed on the eastern side of the original tract.

Public transportation played a key role in the founding of Torrance. The Pacific Electric Red Car connected downtown Los Angeles to the new development of downtown Torrance. Designed in 1912 by Irving Gill, the terminus depot of the Red Car line was designed in a Spanish revival style popularized during this era.[18] In May of 1913, the Pacific Electric Railroad Bridge was built. Often called the "El Prado Bridge", it further expanded the industrial heart of the South Bay. The concrete double-tracked arch bridge was the Pacific Electric Railway's first interurban line that connected north/south to San Pedro via the Gardena Line.[19] The bridge was used for transporting freight and commuting workers to Torrance factories. The Red Car line connected under the bridge as it connected to the train depot located on Cabrillo Avenue. The bridge no longer carries any rail cars, with Pacific Electric closing the Red Car line to Torrance in the 1940s. The bridge became the city of Torrance's second entry in the National Register of Historic Places on July 13, 1989 and is used as a logo for the city's new wayfinding signage and city materials.[20]

The Pacific Railroad Bridge, often called the El Prado Bridge, was designed by famed architect Irving Gill. The bridge stands as an icon for the city of Torrance.

Geography

Torrance Beach lies between the Palos Verdes Peninsula and Redondo Beach on the Santa Monica Bay.

Torrance is a coastal community in southwestern Los Angeles County sharing the climate and geographical features common to the Greater Los Angeles area. Its boundaries are: Redondo Beach Boulevard and the cities of Lawndale and Gardena to the north; Western Avenue and the Harbor Gateway neighborhood of Los Angeles to the east; the Palos Verdes Hills with the cities of Lomita, Rolling Hills Estates and Palos Verdes Estates on the south; and the Pacific Ocean and the cities of Redondo Beach and Carson to the west.[21]

The western portion of Torrance is in ZIP Code 90277 which is a city of Redondo Beach postal address.[22] It is about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Downtown Los Angeles.[23]

Torrance Beach lies between Redondo Beach and Malaga Cove on Santa Monica Bay.[24] The southernmost stretch of Torrance Beach, on a cove at the northern end of the Palos Verdes peninsula, is known to locals as Rat Beach (Right After Torrance).

An urban wetland, the Madrona Marsh is a nature preserve on land once set for oil production and saved from development, with restoration projects enhancing the vital habitat for birds, wildlife, and native plants.[25][26]

A nature center provides activities, information, and classes for school children and visitors of all ages.[27]

Climate

Torrance has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen: Csb), bordering with a semi-arid climate (Bsk). The rainy season is November through March, as shown in the adjacent table.[28] Summers tend to be warm and humid due to Torrance's proximity to the coast.[29]

The Los Angeles area is also subject to the phenomenon typical of a microclimate. As such, the temperatures can vary by as much as 18 °F (10 °C) between inland areas and the coast, with a temperature gradient of over 1 °F per mile (0.3 °C/km) from the coast inland. California has also a weather phenomenon called "June Gloom" or "May Gray", which sometimes brings overcast or foggy skies in the morning on the coast, followed by sunny skies by noon during late spring and early summer.[citation needed]

Climate data for Torrance, California (Torrance Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1932–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 91
(33) 		92
(33) 		96
(36) 		104
(40) 		98
(37) 		102
(39) 		102
(39) 		101
(38) 		111
(44) 		106
(41) 		98
(37) 		94
(34) 		111
(44)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 80.8
(27.1) 		79.6
(26.4) 		81.4
(27.4) 		84.6
(29.2) 		83.1
(28.4) 		82.7
(28.2) 		86.0
(30.0) 		87.3
(30.7) 		92.0
(33.3) 		90.2
(32.3) 		85.8
(29.9) 		77.5
(25.3) 		95.5
(35.3)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 66.8
(19.3) 		66.4
(19.1) 		67.7
(19.8) 		70.2
(21.2) 		71.8
(22.1) 		73.9
(23.3) 		76.9
(24.9) 		78.1
(25.6) 		78.1
(25.6) 		75.7
(24.3) 		70.7
(21.5) 		66.1
(18.9) 		71.9
(22.2)
Daily mean °F (°C) 56.9
(13.8) 		57.0
(13.9) 		58.8
(14.9) 		60.9
(16.1) 		63.6
(17.6) 		66.2
(19.0) 		69.4
(20.8) 		70.2
(21.2) 		69.5
(20.8) 		66.4
(19.1) 		60.7
(15.9) 		56.2
(13.4) 		63.0
(17.2)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 47.0
(8.3) 		47.6
(8.7) 		49.8
(9.9) 		51.6
(10.9) 		55.4
(13.0) 		58.5
(14.7) 		61.8
(16.6) 		62.4
(16.9) 		60.9
(16.1) 		57.1
(13.9) 		50.7
(10.4) 		46.3
(7.9) 		54.1
(12.3)
Mean minimum °F (°C) 37.7
(3.2) 		39.3
(4.1) 		42.1
(5.6) 		44.3
(6.8) 		48.9
(9.4) 		52.4
(11.3) 		55.4
(13.0) 		55.2
(12.9) 		54.4
(12.4) 		49.8
(9.9) 		42.1
(5.6) 		37.1
(2.8) 		34.8
(1.6)
Record low °F (°C) 24
(−4) 		27
(−3) 		23
(−5) 		28
(−2) 		37
(3) 		36
(2) 		42
(6) 		44
(7) 		41
(5) 		33
(1) 		29
(−2) 		27
(−3) 		23
(−5)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.36
(85) 		3.66
(93) 		1.98
(50) 		0.63
(16) 		0.26
(6.6) 		0.07
(1.8) 		0.06
(1.5) 		0.00
(0.00) 		0.09
(2.3) 		0.49
(12) 		0.80
(20) 		2.24
(57) 		13.64
(346)
Average precipitation days 6.2 6.4 4.9 2.4 1.4 0.5 0.5 0.0 0.4 2.0 3.1 5.7 33.5
Source 1: NOAA[30]
Source 2: National Weather Service[31]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
19307,271—
19409,95036.8%
195022,241123.5%
1960100,991354.1%
1970134,96833.6%
1980129,881−3.8%
1990133,1072.5%
2000137,9463.6%
2010145,4385.4%
2020147,0671.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[32]
Torrance City Hall
Torrance, California
Sunset at Torrance Beach

2010

The 2010 United States Census[33] reported that Torrance had a population of 145,438. The population density was 7,076.1 inhabitants per square mile (2,732.1/km2). The racial makeup of Torrance was 74,333 (51.1%) White (42.3% Non-Hispanic White), 50,240 (34.5%) Asian, 3,955 (2.7%) African American, 554 (0.4%) Native American, 530 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 7,808 (5.4%) from other races, and 8,018 (5.5%) from two or more races. There were 23,440 Hispanic or Latino residents, of any race (16.1%).

The Census reported that 144,292 people (99.2% of the population) lived in households, 506 (0.3%) homeless who lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 640 (0.4%) were institutionalized.

There were 56,001 households, out of which 18,558 (33.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 29,754 (53.1%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 6,148 (11.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 2,510 (4.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 2,152 (3.8%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 309 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 14,472 households (25.8%) were made up of individuals, and 5,611 (10.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58. There were 38,412 families (68.6% of all households); the average family size was 3.14.

The population was spread out, with 31,831 people (21.9%) under the age of 18, 10,875 people (7.5%) aged 18 to 24, 38,296 people (26.3%) aged 25 to 44, 42,710 people (29.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 21,726 people (14.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.

There were 58,377 housing units at an average density of 2,840.3 per square mile (1,096.6/km2), of which 31,621 (56.5%) were owner-occupied, and 24,380 (43.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.3%. 85,308 people (58.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units, and 58,984 people (40.6%) lived in rental housing units.

As of March 2019, Torrance had a median household income of $85,070 and a median family income of $102,637.[34]

It also has the second-highest percentage of residents of Japanese ancestry in California (8.9%), after the neighboring city of Gardena.[35]

2000

As of the census[36] of 2000, there were 137,946 people, 54,542 households, and 36,270 families residing in the city. The population density was 6,715.7 inhabitants per square mile (2,592.9/km2). There were 55,967 housing units at an average density of 2,724.7 per square mile (1,052.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 59.2% White, 28.6% Asian, 2.2% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 4.6% from other races, and 4.7% from two or more races. 12.8% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 54,542 households, out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.0% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city in 2008 was $79,312, and the median income for a family was $98,473.[37] Males had a median income of $50,606 versus $36,334 for females. The per capita income for the city was $39,118. About 4.7% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

Japanese-Americans

See also: History of the Japanese in Los Angeles
The inside of the old demolished Torrance Mitsuwa (relocated to the Del Amo Mall)

As of 2014, the City of Torrance has the second largest concentration of ethnic Japanese people of any U.S. city, after Honolulu. The city has headquarters of Japanese automakers and offices of other Japanese companies.[23] Because of this, many Japanese restaurants and other Japanese cultural offerings are in the city, and Willy Blackmore of L.A. Weekly wrote that Torrance was "essentially Japan's 48th prefecture".[38] A Mitsuwa supermarket, Japanese schools, and Japanese banks serve the community.[23]

In the pre-World War II period, the South Bay region was one of the few areas that allowed non-U.S. citizens to acquire property, so a Japanese presence came. According to John Kaji, a Torrance resident quoted in Public Radio International who was the son of Toyota's first American-based accountant, the Japanese corporate presence in Torrance, beginning with Toyota, attracted many ethnic Japanese. Toyota moved its operations to its Torrance campus in 1982 because of its proximity to the Port of Long Beach and Los Angeles International Airport, and many other Japanese companies followed suit. In 2014, Toyota announced it was moving its U.S. headquarters to Plano, Texas.[23]

Korean-Americans

See also: History of the Korean Americans in Los Angeles

As of 1992, about 60% of the Korean population in the South Bay region lived in Torrance and Gardena.[39] In 1990, 5,888 ethnic Koreans lived in Torrance, a 256% increase from the 1980 figure of 1,652 ethnic Koreans.[39]

Homelessness

In 2022, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority's Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count counted 306 homeless individuals in Torrance.[40]

Homeless population
YearPop.±%
2016 107—    
2017 145+35.5%
2018 187+29.0%
2019 226+20.9%
2020 332+46.9%
2022 306−7.8%
Source: Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority

Economy

Torrance is home to the U.S. headquarters of Japanese automaker American Honda Motor Company and its luxury vehicle division, Acura. Robinson Helicopters are designed and built in Torrance as are Honeywell's Garrett turbochargers, used on automobile engines worldwide. Alcoa Fastening Systems (now known as Arconic) is headquartered in Torrance, producing aerospace fasteners. Pacific Sales, Pelican Products, Virco, and Rapiscan Systems are among the other companies based in Torrance.

According to the city's 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,[41] the city's top 10 employers (by number of employees) are:

No. Employer Number of employees
1 Torrance Memorial Health System 3,675
2 Torrance Unified School District 2,581
3 Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center 2,345
4 City of Torrance 1,450
5 Yoshinoya America Inc. 1,300
6 American Honda Motor Co Inc. 1,130
7 Robinson Helicopter Company 937
8 Honeywell Aerospace 730
9 Moog Aircraft Group 710
10 Walmart 686
Del Amo Fashion Center, one of the largest malls in the United States

The Del Amo Fashion Center, at 2.5 million square feet (232,000 m2), is one of the five largest malls in the United States by gross leasable area. The current mall was created when Del Amo Center, built in 1958, merged with Del Amo Fashion Square, built in 1972. Once located on opposite sides of Carson Street, an expansion of the mall spanning Carson Street joined the two centers by 1982, making it the largest mall in the world at the time. In 2005, the east end of the original mall north of Carson Street was demolished to make way for a new open-air shopping center, opened in mid-September, 2006. This was followed in 2015 by the opening of an expanded northern Fashion Wing, with Nordstrom as the mall anchor and supplemented by luxury retailers such as Kate Spade, Hugo Boss, Uniqlo, Michael Kors, and Ben Bridge.[42] The Old Towne Mall was an entertainment-themed mall operating in the 1970s.

As a major oil-producing region, Torrance was once dotted with thousands of oil wells and oil derricks. Though the oil wells are not as common as they once were, the Torrance oil refinery owned by PBF Energy in the north end of the city is responsible for much of Southern California's gasoline supply. Torrance was an important hub and shop site of the Pacific Electric Railway.[43]

Torrance has a general aviation airport, originally named simply "Torrance Airport" and since renamed Zamperini Field after local track star, World War II hero and Torrance High graduate Louis Zamperini. The airport handles approximately 175,000 annual take-offs and landings (473 per day),[44] down from the 1974 record of 428,000 operations. Airport noise abatement is a major local issue. In 2007 the Western Museum of Flight moved to Zamperini Field.[citation needed]

Torrance is also home to the main bakery facility for King's Hawaiian, the dominant brand of Hawaiian bread in North America.[45] Younger Optics, Torrance's 10th-largest employer, created the first seamless or "invisible" bifocal.[46]

The headquarters of Mitsuwa Marketplace[47] and Nijiya Market[48] are both located in Torrance.

Operations of foreign companies

All Nippon Airways operates its United States headquarters, a customer relations and services office, in Torrance.[49]

The Toyota Motor Company of Japan established a U.S. headquarters on October 31, 1957, at a former Rambler dealership in Hollywood. Toyota sold 287 Toyopet Crowns and one Land Cruiser during the company's first year of U.S. operation.[50] It moved Toyota Motor Sales USA operations to Torrance in 1982, because of easy access to port facilities and the LAX airport. In 2013, it sold 2.2 million vehicles in the U.S. In 2014, it announced it would move 3,000 of its white-collar employees to Plano, Texas to be closer to its American factories. Numerous other Japanese firms followed Toyota to Los Angeles, because of its location and its reputation as the national trend-setter.[51]

The Los Angeles South Bay area, as of 2014, has the largest concentration of Japanese companies in the United States.[23]

Arts and culture

The Torrance Armed Forces Day Parade, with a USMC unit

The Armed Forces Day Parade in Torrance, which was first produced in 1960, is the longest-running military parade sponsored by a city. It is held annually on Armed Forces Day, and runs down Torrance Boulevard. The parade features military vehicles, school bands, and prominent community members.[52]

The Torrance Cultural Arts Center hosts cultural events year-round. In partnership with the City of Torrance, the Torrance Cultural Arts Foundation (TOCA) provides diverse cultural, educational and entertainment experiences. Additional performances are provided by the Torrance Performing Arts Consortium, including The Aerospace Players, Torrance Art Museum, Los Cancioneros Master Chorale, South Bay Ballet, South Bay Conservatory, and The Torrance Symphony.

In the 2010 Rose Parade, City of Torrance's entry won the top Lathrop K. Leishman trophy for its Garden of Dreams float, judged as the "Most Beautiful Non-Commercial" float. In 2011, Torrance won the Tournament Volunteers' Trophy for best floral design of parade theme under 35 feet in length. In 2012, the city's entry won the Governor's Trophy for best depiction of life in California. In 2015, an entry honoring Rose Parade Grand Marshal Louis Zamperini won the Theme trophy for excellence in presenting parade theme. In 2016, the City of Torrance float won the Princess trophy for most beautiful float 35 feet and under.[53][54][55]

Historic landmarks

These Torrance landmarks are on the National Register of Historic Places:

Parks and recreation

City parks

Wilson Park at sunset
Madrona Marsh Park during springtime

The Torrance City Parks Department directs and maintains the thirty Torrance City Parks.[56] They include:

Government

Local government

The City of Torrance is a charter city. The original city charter was voted on and ratified by the qualified electors at an election held August 20, 1946, and filed with the Secretary of State January 7, 1947. The elective officers of the city are the mayor, six members of the City Council, five members of the Board of Education, the City Clerk and the City Treasurer.[67]

Using the council-manager form of government, the City Council, as the elected body, adopts legislation, sets policy, adjudicates issues, and establishes the budget of the city. The City Council appoints the City Manager and the City Attorney. The city has 13 appointed boards and commissions which advise the council on matters of concern to local residents, such as the city airport, arts, parks, and libraries.[68]

State and federal representation

In the California State Senate, Torrance is split between the 26th Senate District, represented by Democrat María Elena Durazo, and the 35th Senate District, represented by Democrat Steven Bradford.[69] In the California State Assembly, it is in the 66th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Al Muratsuchi.[70]

In the United States House of Representatives, Torrance is split between California's 33rd congressional district, represented by Democrat Pete Aguilar, and California's 43rd congressional district, represented by Democrat Maxine Waters.[71]

Postal service

The United States Postal Service operates the Torrance Post Office at 2510 Monterey Street,[72] the Marcelina Post Office at 1433 Marcelina Avenue,[73] the Walteria Post Office at 4216 Pacific Coast Highway,[74] the North Torrance Post Office at 18080 Crenshaw Boulevard,[75] and the Del Amo Post Office at 291 Del Amo Fashion Square.[76] Zip codes 90277, 90501, 90503, 90504, 90505.

Healthcare

There are two major hospitals in Torrance: Torrance Memorial Medical Center and Little Company of Mary Hospital. A third hospital, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, lies just outside the city limits (in unincorporated West Carson).[77][78]

The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services operates the Torrance Health Center in Harbor Gateway, Los Angeles.[79]

Fire

  • Torrance Fire Department staffs seven Engine Companies, five Paramedic Rescue Squads, and two Truck Companies. The department operates out of six Fire Stations providing Fire and EMS coverage for the City and Mutual Aid to the surrounding communities. Torrance Memorial Medical Center, Little Company of Mary Hospital, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Kaiser Hospital-South Bay, and Memorial Hospital of Gardena are receiving hospitals for residents in Torrance who call 911 for medical assistance. The department is a Class 1 rated Fire Department, the Fire Chief is Martin Serna. Ambulance transportation is provided through McCormick Ambulance.[80]

Police

  • Torrance Police Department provides 24-hour law enforcement coverage to the city. The department is broken down into four major divisions, each with its own subdivisions. The department has one main station located at the Civic Center near City Hall. It houses the administrative offices, the city jail, and the public safety dispatch center. The department works closely with other local law enforcement agencies for training and SWAT operations. The police chief is Jeremiah Hart.
  • Torrance operates its own 911 dispatch center located at the police station, and is responsible for all 911 calls originating in Torrance. The communications center answers emergency and non-emergency calls and requests for assistance in addition to dispatching for both the Fire and Police Departments.

Public library

The City of Torrance operates a main library facility (named after former mayor Katy Geissert) in the city Civic Center, plus five branches at locations throughout the city.[81]

Transportation

Zamperini Field (IATA: TOA ICAO: KTOA) is a general aviation airport. Commercial airlines service is within 15 minutes at Los Angeles International Airport and Long Beach Airport.

Highways and freeways in the region include I-110, I-405, SR 91, SR 107, and SR 1. The city is served by Torrance Transit, LACMTA Metro bus, and LADOT services.[82]

Rail

Union Pacific currently operates what is left of the Pacific Electric's San Pedro via Gardena Line and Torrance Loop Line both built in 1911 (passenger service was provided until 1940, afterwards only the Torrance shop train was operated for employees). The Pacific Electric Torrance Shops were completed in 1918 and closed in 1955 two years after all passenger service was taken over by Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority. Freight operations were taken over by PE's parent company, Southern Pacific, in 1965. SP was merged into UP in 1996.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) plans to complete the C Line Extension of their Metro Rail system from Redondo Beach sometime between 2030 and 2033, though there are plans to accelerate the project as part of the Twenty-eight by '28 initiative so it can be done by the 2028 Olympics.

Freight to Torrance is served by BNSF and Union Pacific. BNSF operates on the former Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Harbor Subdivision line originally built in the 1920s. AT&SF was merged with Burlington Northern in 1996 to form BNSF.

Proposed metro expansion

There have been proposals to expand the LA Metro to Torrance, but these proposals have faced opposition by Torrance politicians. In 2023, members of the Torrance City Council, Aurelio Mattucci and Jon Kaji, sought to block the expansion, arguing that the Metro would bring crime and homelessness to Torrance.[83]

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

Torrance Unified School District (TUSD) was established in 1947 and unified in 1948. The district comprises the City of Torrance, bordered by the Palos Verdes Peninsula on the south, the cities of Redondo Beach and Gardena on the north, the City of Los Angeles (Harbor Gateway) on the east and the Pacific Ocean on the west. The district's jurisdiction covers approximately 21 square miles (54 km2), and it operates 17 elementary schools, eight middle schools, five high schools (one of which is a continuation school), three adult education centers, and a child development center.

Fern Elementary School
Torrance High School is one of the oldest high schools in California, having opened in 1917. The school is a popular filming location.[84]

The Torrance Unified School District's five high schools are:

The Torrance Unified School District's eight middle schools are:

  • Calle Mayor Middle School
  • Casimir Middle School
  • Bert Lynn Middle School
  • J.H. Hull Middle School
  • Jefferson Middle School
  • Madrona Middle School
  • Philip Magruder Middle School
  • Richardson Middle School

The Torrance Unified School District's 17 elementary schools are:

  • Hickory Elementary School
  • John Adams Elementary School
  • Torrance Elementary School
  • Howard Wood Elementary School
  • Anza Elementary School
  • Arlington Elementary School
  • Arnold Elementary School
  • Carr Elementary School
  • Yukon Elementary School
  • Walteria Elementary School
  • Riviera Elementary School
  • Towers Elementary School
  • Fern Elementary School
  • Edison Elementary School
  • Lincoln Elementary School
  • Seaside Elementary School
  • Victor Elementary School

Area districts have created the Southern California Regional Occupational Center (SCROC) to teach technical classes to their students and to local adults. TUSD is a participant feeder district of the California Academy of Mathematics and Science or CAMS, a mathematics and science magnet high school, administered by the Long Beach Unified School District.

Private schools

Torrance also has several private schools. Catholic schools under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles include Bishop Montgomery High School, Nativity Catholic School, St James Catholic School and St Catherine Laboure Catholic School. Protestant private schools include Ascension Lutheran School and First Lutheran School.[85] Pacific Lutheran High School is in Gardena. Other area schools include: Riviera Hall Lutheran School, Riviera Methodist School, and South Bay Junior Academy.[citation needed]

In 1980 the Lycée Français de Los Angeles bought the 6.2-acre (2.5 ha) former Parkway School property, located in the Hollywood Riviera section of Torrance, from TUSD.[86] This property became the Lycee's Torrance campus, and as of February 1990 the campus had 100 students. In November 1989 the Lycee sold the property for $2.65 million to Manhattan Holding Co. and scheduled to transfer the students to its West Los Angeles campuses. As of February 1990 neighbors of the campus site were asking the City of Torrance to not modify the zoning of this property. The Lycee stated that the campus closed due to low enrollment.[87]

At one time, Coast Christian Schools (now Valor Christian Academy) maintained a high school campus in Torrance.[88]

Colleges and universities

Torrance is in the El Camino Community College District, although the campus of El Camino College is just outside the city limits in unincorporated El Camino Village. El Camino College was founded in 1947, and the campus covers 126 acres (0.51 km2). As of 2011, the college enrolls over 25,000 students each semester.[89]

Miscellaneous education

In 1980, Asahi Gakuen, a weekend Japanese-language education institution, began renting space in South Torrance High School.[90] The school continues to use the school for its Torrance Campus (トーランス校 Tōransu-kō).[91][needs update]

Media

The Los Angeles Times is the metropolitan area's newspaper.

The Daily Breeze, a 70,000-circulation daily newspaper, is published in Torrance. It serves the South Bay cities of Los Angeles County. Its slogan is "LAX to LA Harbor". Herald Publications, media group started the Torrance Tribune, a community newspaper, which was started November 2010, it has a distribution of 15,000 newspapers to single-family homes and businesses in the City of Torrance.

Torrance CitiCABLE, shown on KNET 25.2, Spectrum 3, Frontier FiOS 31 is the government access channel. Programming includes news, sports, entertainment, information, public affairs, and city council meetings.

Notable people

See also: Category:People from Torrance, California

Sister cities

In 1973, Torrance established a sister-city relationship with Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan, as part of the Sister Cities International program. Since then, citizens of Torrance have regularly engaged in cultural exchange with Kashiwa through the guidance of the Torrance Sister City Association, which facilitates a Japanese cultural festival, a yearly student exchange program, and contact between officials of the two cities. North High is the official sister high school of Kashiwa Municipal High.

See also

References

  1. ^ "California Cities by Incorporation Date". California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions. Archived from the original (Word) on November 3, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  2. ^ "City Council and Elected Officials". City of Torrance. Archived from the original on February 19, 2015. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c "City Council and Elected Officials". Archived from the original on November 6, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
  4. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  5. ^ "Torrance". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  6. ^ a b "Torrance (city) QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  7. ^ Zip Codes for Torrance area, planning.lacounty.gov. Accessed September 5, 2022.
  8. ^ a b City of Torrance Website: About Torrance Archived February 7, 2009, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2009-04-07
  9. ^ "The Rancho San Pedro Collection". CSUDH.edu. Archived from the original on June 18, 2010. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  10. ^ Robert Cameron Gillingham, 1961, The Rancho San Pedro, Cole Holinquist
  11. ^ Ogden Hoffman, 1862, Reports of Land Cases Determined in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Numa Hubert, San Francisco.
  12. ^ "Plat of the Rancho Los Palos Verdes [Calif.] : finally confirmed to Jose Loretto Sepulveda et al. / surveyed under instructions from the U.S. Surveyor General by Henry Hancock, Dep. Survr., September 1859". Calisphere. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  13. ^ "History". Hellotorrance.com. Archived from the original on February 23, 2007. Retrieved February 23, 2007.
  14. ^ "Ci.torrance.ca.us". Torrance.ca.us. Archived from the original on January 14, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  15. ^ "Ci.torrance.ca.us". Torrance.ca.us. Archived from the original on December 15, 2013. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  16. ^ "TorranceHistoricalSociety.org". TorranceHistoricalSociety.org. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  17. ^ Gnerre, Sam (September 30, 209). "Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. | South Bay History". Daily Breeze. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  18. ^ Bernal, Victoria (March 18, 2022). "Where to Find Remnants of L.A.'s Red Car System". PBS SoCal. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  19. ^ "Pacific Electric San Pedro via Torrance Line". The Electric Railway Historical Association of Southern California. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  20. ^ "See What Torrance is Doing | City of Torrance". www.torranceca.gov. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  21. ^ "Torrance Beach/Haggerty's". Surfline. 2008. Retrieved March 29, 2008.
  22. ^ Torrance profile, planning.lacounty.gov. Accessed 5 September 2022.
  23. ^ a b c d e Fujita, Akiko. "Toyota built Torrance into the second-largest home of Japanese Americans. Now, it's leaving" (Archive). The World. Public Radio International. May 16, 2014. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
  24. ^ Peluso, Aaron (2007). "Los Angeles County". Skim Online. Archived from the original on October 16, 2007. Retrieved March 29, 2008.
  25. ^ a b "Madrona Marsh Wildlife Preserve & Nature Center website". Torrance.ca.us. Archived from the original on September 11, 2010. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
  26. ^ "History of Madrona Marsh". Insidesocal.com. Retrieved August 10, 2010.
  27. ^ a b "Friends of Madrona Marsh Preserve". Friendsofmadronamarsh.com. Retrieved August 28, 2010.
  28. ^ "Weather.com".
  29. ^ "Weather In July Torrance".
  30. ^ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Torrance AP, CA". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  31. ^ "NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Los Angeles". National Weather Service. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  32. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  33. ^ "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Torrance city". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 4, 2015. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
  34. ^ "Torrance, California Economy". Sperling's BestPlaces. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  35. ^ "Cities with the Highest Percentage of Japanese in the United States". ZipAtlas. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  36. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  37. ^ "Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
  38. ^ Blackmore, Willy. "Top 10: Japanese Noodles Shops in Torrance Archived June 10, 2013, at the Wayback Machine." LA Weekly. Retrieved on May 10, 2013.
  39. ^ a b Millacan, Anthony (February 2, 1992). "Presence of Koreans Reshaping the Region : Immigrants: A developing Koreatown in Gardena symbolizes changes a growing population is bringing to the area". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  40. ^ "Homeless Count by City/Community". LAHSA. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  41. ^ City of Torrance, ACFR FY2021
  42. ^ Green, Nick (October 3, 2015). "How revamped Del Amo mall might compete with South Coast Plaza". Daily Breeze. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  43. ^ Jim Walker (February 7, 2007). Pacific Electric Red Cars. Arcadia Publishing. p. 42. ISBN 978-0-7385-4688-9. Retrieved January 4, 2013.
  44. ^ "Zamperini Field Airport FBOs (Torrance, CA) [KTOA/TOA] ✈ FlightAware". FlightAware. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  45. ^ Elizabeth "Nani" Nihipali; Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo; Christian Hanz Lozada; Cheryl Villareal Roberts; Lorelie Santonil Olaes (May 14, 2012). Hawaiians in Los Angeles. Arcadia Publishing. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-7385-9320-3. Retrieved January 4, 2013.
  46. ^ "World Optic - Irving Rips Bifocal". World Optic. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  47. ^ Privacy Policy Archived March 12, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Mitsuwa Marketplace. Retrieved June 19, 2013. "Customer Relations Mitsuwa Marketplace 1815 W. 213th St. Suite 235 Torrance, CA 90501"
  48. ^ "Bloomberg: Jinon Corp (Nijiya Market)". Bloomberg News. Retrieved July 17, 2016.
  49. ^ "ANA City Offices/Ticketing Offices North America/Hawaii/Guam", All Nippon Airways. Retrieved December 22, 2008
  50. ^ "Toyota in Torrance | South Bay History". blogs.dailybreeze.com. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  51. ^ Jerry Hirsch, "Toyota to uproot from California, move to 'macho' Texas", Los Angeles Times April 28, 2014.
  52. ^ Garges, Alicia (May 31, 2006). "Torrance celebrates Armed Forces Day". US Air Force Space Command. Archived from the original on July 8, 2007. Retrieved March 29, 2008.
  53. ^ "2010 Rose Parade trophy winners". January 2, 2010. Retrieved June 7, 2017 – via LA Times.
  54. ^ Osier, Valerie (December 29, 2017). "Old hats and newbies come together to decorate Carson, Torrance Rose Parade floats". Daily Breeze. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  55. ^ Green, Nick (April 26, 2017). "Torrance has the design for its 2018 Rose Parade float but not the money". Daily Breeze. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  56. ^ "Torrance City Parks". Torrance.ca.us. Archived from the original on January 13, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  57. ^ "Parks". Torrnet.com/Parks/7482.htm. Archived from the original on November 21, 2006. Retrieved November 20, 2007.
  58. ^ "Official Columbia Park". Torrance.ca.us. Archived from the original on November 13, 2008. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  59. ^ Miller, Ken (April 16, 2007). "Ferraro left remarkable legacy". Daily Breeze. pp. A10. Retrieved November 11, 2008.
  60. ^ "L.A. County Smart Gardening Centers". Retrieved August 28, 2010.
  61. ^ Sandell, Scott (February 16, 1995). "Highly Cultivated Community gardens tucked away in the landscape yield bushels of produce, offer an oasis from city life and provide fertile ground for social interaction". Los Angeles Times. p. 8. Retrieved November 11, 2008.
  62. ^ Fogel (October 22, 2003). "Torrance". Daily Breeze. pp. A3. Retrieved November 11, 2008.
  63. ^ "Smart Gardening: Backyard Composting Program". Retrieved August 28, 2010.
  64. ^ Walton, Stephanie (October 24, 2000). "ASK US Q: Green waste recycling". Daily Breeze. pp. B2. Retrieved November 11, 2008.
  65. ^ "Torrance Garden Learning Center – photo". Dpw.lacounty.gov. Retrieved August 28, 2010.
  66. ^ "Parks" (PDF). Torrance.ca.us. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 4, 2010. Retrieved August 18, 2010.
  67. ^ City of Torrance Municipal Code Retrieved April 4, 2009
  68. ^ "Commissions and Advisory Boards". City of Torrance Website. Archived from the original on May 2, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  69. ^ "Communities of Interest — City". California Citizens Redistricting Commission. Archived from the original on October 23, 2015. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  70. ^ "Statewide Database". UC Regents. Archived from the original on February 1, 2015. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  71. ^ "Communities of Interest - City". California Citizens Redistricting Commission. Archived from the original on September 30, 2013. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  72. ^ "Post Office Location – Torrance." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
  73. ^ "Post Office Location – Marcelina." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
  74. ^ "Post Office Location – Walteria." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
  75. ^ "Post Office Location – North Torrance." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
  76. ^ "Post Office Location – Del Amo." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
  77. ^ "Contact Us". Harbor–UCLA Medical Center. Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Retrieved May 18, 2018. 1000 West Carson Street, Torrance, California 90509
  78. ^ "West Carson CDP, California." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on May 18, 2019. Compare to the Zoning map of and Land use map of (which indicates hospitals) Torrance, California. Harbor-UCLA is not in the Torrance city limits.
  79. ^ "Torrance Health Center Archived February 1, 2015, at the Wayback Machine." Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Retrieved on March 18, 2010.
  80. ^ "Fire Department". Torranceca.gov. Archived from the original on August 26, 2013. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
  81. ^ "Torrance Public Library". Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  82. ^ CHEN, ANNA (September 9, 2015). "Torrance breaks ground on regional transit center". The Source. METRO. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
  83. ^ "Metro C Line extension could lose Torrance's backing". Daily Breeze. July 22, 2023.
  84. ^ Torrance Unified School District website – About Torrance High Retrieved 2009-04-08[dead link‍]
  85. ^ "Torrance Schools". City of Torrance. Retrieved May 18, 2019. - See also land use map
  86. ^ Jacobs, Lisa (July 19, 2021). "Here's why Frankie the ficus tree was chopped down in Torrance". Daily Breeze. Retrieved July 21, 2021. ... the "Hollywood Riviera" area, which has a Redondo Beach ZIP code but is actually in Torrance.
  87. ^ Rae-Dupree, Janet. "Development Fears Raised by Torrance School Sale : Land Use: Neighbors of 6.2-acre campus of Lycee Francais de Los Angeles ask City Council to retain current zoning." (Archive). Los Angeles Times. February 16, 1990. Retrieved on June 29, 2015.
  88. ^ "Where Are We Located?" Coast Christian Schools. November 9, 1999. Retrieved on July 9, 2016. "4010 Pacific Coast Highway, Torrance, CA 90505"
  89. ^ "Elcamino.edu". Elcamino.edu. Archived from the original on January 6, 2005.
  90. ^ Rainey, James. "Children of Japanese Executives Flock to Special Classrooms." Los Angeles Times. December 31, 1987. Retrieved on March 6, 2014.
  91. ^ "トーランス校 Archived March 30, 2014, at the Wayback Machine." Asahi Gakuen. Retrieved on March 30, 2014. "Torrance South High School"
  92. ^ Hixon, Michael (November 5, 2013). "From 'Jackass' to restaurateur: Wee Man gives back with Chronic Tacos in Redondo Beach". The Beach Reporter. Retrieved December 8, 2013.
  93. ^ Matera, Joe (Winter 2003). "John Butler Trio". Australian Musician (34). Archived from the original on October 13, 2009. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
  94. ^ "John Chiang Biography". California State Controller's Office. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved December 8, 2013.
  95. ^ "Roger Clinton Is Arrested on DUI Charge". Los Angeles Times. February 19, 2001. Retrieved December 8, 2013.
  96. ^ "John Shidler and Rosemary DeCamp become a Torrance power couple". October 29, 2016.
  97. ^ Kornblum, Janet (October 30, 2007). "These guys draw a YouTube crowd". USA Today. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
  98. ^ "Tony Gonzalez Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  99. ^ "Bart Johnson Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  100. ^ "Spike Jonze Unmasked". Retrieved December 7, 2013.
  101. ^ "Fred Kendall Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  102. ^ "Jason Kendall Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  103. ^ Yap, Audrey Cleo (May 23, 2016). "16-Year-Old Snowboarding Champion Chloe Kim Is Just a Regular Teenager". NBC News. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
  104. ^ "Alix Klineman; Beach Volleyball," Team USA.
  105. ^ "Michelle KWAN: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 13, 2006.
  106. ^ "Sen. Ted Lieu's biography". California State Senate: Select Committee on Air Quality. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
  107. ^ Baxter, Kevin (January 23, 2009). "It's safer in the ring for Antonio Margarito". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
  108. ^ "Justin Miller Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  109. ^ "Bill Eggers (R) vs. George Nakano (D)". Los Angeles Times. October 9, 1998. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
  110. ^ Berkow, Ira (May 12, 1993). "At Dinner with: Chuck Norris". The New York Times. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
  111. ^ Foss, Richard (April 30, 2012). "Castle Rock Winery Partners – A remote peninsula winery". Easy Reader News. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  112. ^ Gutierrez, Evan. "Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
  113. ^ Crowe, Jerry (December 4, 2006). "The story arc of his life has some real hooks to it". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
  114. ^ Valenti, Lauren (February 27, 2019). "Connor Tingley Francois Nars Makeup Collaboration". Vogue. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  115. ^ "Billy Traber Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  116. ^ "Tiffany van Soest". Lion Fight Promotions. Archived from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Torrance, California.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Torrance.

Template:California cities and mayors of 100,000 population

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Torrance,_California&oldid=1193021980"