1949 Map of Long Beach

About this map

Long Beach and the neighboring hillsides are defined by a landscape of rapid urban expansion and intensive petroleum extraction in the late 1940s. The prominent elevation of Signal Hill is surrounded by a dense concentration of oil wells, oil sumps, and refineries, illustrating the post-war industrial boom that fueled the region's growth. To the south, the city's coastal identity is marked by the distinctive Rainbow Pier and the Municipal Auditorium, while the eastern districts around Lakewood show the emergence of organized residential subdivisions.