Long Beach, CA
Created | Updated Mar 7, 2002
Subject to great ridicule over the years as home to both Snoop Dog and the Queen Mary, Long Beach is, nevertheless, a great town.
Founded on the shores of the Pacific Ocean in 1896, this urban center was once called Willmore City to fulfill the ego of its founder, some fellow named Willmore. Later renamed Long Beach, on account of the rather long and fine beach, it became a favourite destination for retiring farmers from the American Midwest, garnering the sobriquet, "Iowa by the Sea".
As Long Beach grew, it was decided that a port would be a good addition to the burgeoning town, so a rock breakwater was built, decimating the beach. In addition to the port, Long Beach was also home to a US Navy Base and Shipyard for many years, both bringing with them all of the important and welcome trappings of Navy life including cheap hotels, bars, liquor stores, pornographic cinemas, streetwalkers and drug dealers. Sadly, with the departure of the Navy in recent years, the downtown business area has become home to Yuppies.
Long Beach is also home to California’s 4th largest gay and lesbian community. Their presence gives Long Beach an attractive edge that helps differentiate it from nearby Orange County (Home of Disneyland and the political right.).
Some notable current and former Long Beach residents include, Fatty Arbuckle (Silent Film Star), Billie Jean King (Professional Tennis Player), Snoop Dog (Rapper), Dr. Dre (Rapper), Cameron Diaz (Film Star), Al Greenwood (The Bedspread King), Sublime (Pop Music Act), Mark Carrier (NFL Player), Steve Martin (Comedian), George Dukemejian (Gov. of California) and Ski Demski (Bumper Sticker Magnate).
Hub of Long Beach’s cultural life is the world famous Reno Room, except on nights when it shifts to any of the other notable dive bars that the city has to offer.
Founded on the shores of the Pacific Ocean in 1896, this urban center was once called Willmore City to fulfill the ego of its founder, some fellow named Willmore. Later renamed Long Beach, on account of the rather long and fine beach, it became a favourite destination for retiring farmers from the American Midwest, garnering the sobriquet, "Iowa by the Sea".
As Long Beach grew, it was decided that a port would be a good addition to the burgeoning town, so a rock breakwater was built, decimating the beach. In addition to the port, Long Beach was also home to a US Navy Base and Shipyard for many years, both bringing with them all of the important and welcome trappings of Navy life including cheap hotels, bars, liquor stores, pornographic cinemas, streetwalkers and drug dealers. Sadly, with the departure of the Navy in recent years, the downtown business area has become home to Yuppies.
Long Beach is also home to California’s 4th largest gay and lesbian community. Their presence gives Long Beach an attractive edge that helps differentiate it from nearby Orange County (Home of Disneyland and the political right.).
Some notable current and former Long Beach residents include, Fatty Arbuckle (Silent Film Star), Billie Jean King (Professional Tennis Player), Snoop Dog (Rapper), Dr. Dre (Rapper), Cameron Diaz (Film Star), Al Greenwood (The Bedspread King), Sublime (Pop Music Act), Mark Carrier (NFL Player), Steve Martin (Comedian), George Dukemejian (Gov. of California) and Ski Demski (Bumper Sticker Magnate).
Hub of Long Beach’s cultural life is the world famous Reno Room, except on nights when it shifts to any of the other notable dive bars that the city has to offer.
