Signal Hill, 1926

1923, Signal Hill, CA.  Thank you to Bruce Dunseth.

1926, Two men sit on a car parked next to an oil field full of derricks in Signal Hill.  A sign reading, "Pacific Coast Welding" is visible at the roofline of the small structure behind the car.  This photo is dated November 11, 1926.  Alamitos Well #1.  The location is on the NE corner of Temple Avenue and Hill Street, Signal Hill.  

Between 1913 and 1923, an early California movie studio, Balboa Amusement Producing Company (also known as Balboa Studios), was located in Long Beach and used 11 acres on Signal Hill for outdoor locations. Buster Keaton and Fatty Arbuckle were two of the Balboa Studio actors who had films shot on Signal Hill.  

Before oil was discovered in Signal Hill, there were large homes built on the hill itself, and in the lower elevations was an agricultural area where fruits, vegetables, and flowers were grown. Many of the truck farmers were Japanese. 

1926, Signal Hill oil field in Los Angeles.  Thank you to California Memories.

1940, Signal Hill

Signal Hill changed forever when oil was discovered. The hill would soon become part of the Long Beach Oil Field, one of the most productive oil fields in the world. On June 23, 1921, Shell Oil Company's Alamitos #1 well erupted. The gas pressure was so great the gusher rose 114 ft. in the air. Soon Signal Hill was covered with over 100 oil derricks, and because of its prickly appearance at a distance became known as "Porcupine Hill".

The City of Signal Hill is completely surrounded by the city of Long Beach. It was incorporated on April 22, 1924, roughly three years after oil was discovered there. Among the reasons for incorporating was to avoid annexation by Long Beach with its zoning restrictions and per-barrel oil tax. Signal Hill's first mayor, Jessie Nelson, was California's first female mayor. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,465.