Signal Hill, California
Signal Hill is a city of 11,468 people in Los Angeles County, California, founded in April 22, 1924.
Why visit Signal Hill
Townapedia lists 16 museums and landmarks, 26 parks and trails, 102 places to eat, 21 places to stay and 10 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Aquarium of the Pacific, California State University, Bembridge House and Cooper Arms Apartments.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; December lows average 47°F.
Weather in Signal Hill
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Signal Hill
Signal Hill is a city 2.2 mi2 (5.7 km2) in area in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Partially high on an eponymous hill, the city is an enclave completely surrounded by the city of Long Beach. Signal Hill was incorporated on April 22, 1924, roughly three years after oil was discovered there. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,848, up from 11,016 at the 2010 census.
From the Wikipedia article Signal Hill, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do10
Aquarium of the Pacific
Zoo and aquarium · 3.3 mi
Public aquarium in Long Beach, California
California State University
School · 3.3 mi
Public university system in California, United States
California State University, Long Beach
School · 3.1 mi
Public university in Long Beach, California, United States
Terrace Theater
Cinema and theater · 2.8 mi
Theater in Long Beach, California, United States
The Pike
Monument and historic site · 2.8 mi
Amusement park in California
Museums and landmarks16
Bembridge House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
House in Long Beach, California, United States
Cooper Arms Apartments
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Building in California, United States
First National Bank of Long Beach
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Historic building in Long Beach, California
Insurance Exchange Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Historic building in Long Beach, California, USA
Los Cerritos Ranch House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Historic house in California, United States
Puvunga
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Ancient Native American village and burial site in Long Beach, California
The Willmore
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Historic apartment building in Long Beach, California, United States
United States Post Office–Long Beach Main
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Post office in Long Beach, United States of America
Villa Riviera
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Building in California, United States
Long Beach Professional Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Carolyn Campanga Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum
Museum · 3.4 mi
Art museum in Long Beach, California
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Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame
Monument and historic site · 3.0 mi
Wikipedia list article
4 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds26
Silverado Park, Long Beach, California
Park · 2.6 mi
Park in Long Beach, California, United States
14 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes102
Phnom Penh Noodle Shack
Restaurant · Cambodian · 1.1 mi
1644 Cherry Avenue, Long Beach
Tu-Su 07:00-15:00
Pickle Banh Mi Co.
Restaurant · Sandwich, Vietnamese · 1.5 mi
1171 East Anaheim Street
Mo-Sa 07:30-17:00; Su 09:00-15:00
Tacos La Revancha Kitchen & Beer
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.6 mi
2634 East Anaheim Street, Long Beach
Mo-Su 12:00-21:00
Ten Mile Brewing
Brewery and winery · 0.5 mi
1136 East Willow Street, Signal Hill
Tu-Th 12:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-23:00; Su 12:00-22:00
90 more on the map.
History
The hill that the city is named after is 365 feet (111 m) above the surrounding city of Long Beach. Because of this height, it was used by the local Tongva Indians for signal fires that could be seen throughout the surrounding area and even out to Catalina Island, 26 miles (42 km) away.
After the Spanish claimed Alta California ("Upper California," or what is now the state of California), Signal Hill eventually became part of the first large rancho grant to be allotted under Spanish rule in Alta California. The Rancho San Pedro (Dominguez Rancho) land grant exceeded 74,000 acres (300 km2) as granted to a soldier, Juan Jose Dominguez, who accompanied Junipero Serra, by Governor Fages through authority of King Carlos III of Spain in 1784.
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 (45,000 m2) on Signal Hill for outdoor locations. Buster Keaton and Fatty Arbuckle were two of the Balboa Studios 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 there were agricultural fields where fruits, vegetables, and flowers were grown.
From the History section of Signal Hill, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay21
The Cove Hotel, Ascend Hotel Collection
Motel and hotel · 1.2 mi
200 East Willow Street, Long Beach
Days Inn by Wyndham Long Beach City Center
Motel and hotel · 1.0 mi
1500 East Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach
Churches and places of worship32
First Congregational Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Second Church of Christ, Scientist
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Shopping20
Gas and EV charging16
Schools, colleges and libraries68
Bellflower Alternative Education Center
School · 4.7 mi
16703 South Clark Ave., Bellflower
Healthcare53
Fresenius Kidney Care
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.2 mi
2789 Long Beach Boulevard, Long Beach
Adult Pulmonary Rehab
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.2 mi
2840 Long Beach Boulevard, Long Beach
Atlantic Medical Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.9 mi
701 East 28th Street, Long Beach
Map of Signal Hill
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67°F | 47°F | 2.9 in |
| Feb | 67°F | 48°F | 3.0 in |
| Mar | 69°F | 51°F | 1.6 in |
| Apr | 71°F | 54°F | 0.6 in |
| May | 73°F | 58°F | 0.3 in |
| Jun | 76°F | 61°F | 0.1 in |
| Jul | 81°F | 65°F | 0.1 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 66°F | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 64°F | 0.1 in |
| Oct | 78°F | 59°F | 0.5 in |
| Nov | 72°F | 52°F | 0.8 in |
| Dec | 67°F | 47°F | 2.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Long Beach Daugherty Fld 72297 (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Los Angeles County has had 67 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2025-08-08: Canyon Fire (Fire)
- 2025-01-08: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds (Fire)
- 2025-01-08: Eaton Fire (Fire)
- 2025-01-08: Hurst Fire (Fire)
- 2025-01-07: Palisades Fire (Fire)
- 2024-12-10: Franklin Fire (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Long Beach Airport (LGB) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 1 miles away.
- Long Beach 2 mi south, about 3 min by car
- Lakewood 4 mi northeast, about 7 min by car
- Carson 5 mi northwest, about 8 min by car
- Rossmoor 5 mi east, about 8 min by car
- Bellflower 6 mi northeast, about 10 min by car
- Hawaiian Gardens 6 mi east, about 9 min by car
- Los Alamitos 6 mi east, about 10 min by car
- Paramount 7 mi north, about 11 min by car
- Compton 7 mi northwest, about 11 min by car
- Seal Beach 7 mi southeast, about 11 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- SignalHill, Mike Greene, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Signal Hill pumpjack, 2011, Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Bembridge House, Los Angeles, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Casa de los Cerritos, 4600 American Avenue, Long Beach (Los Angeles County, California), Dan Cathcart, photographer, Public domain
- First Congregational United Church of Christ 20080203, Kaihsu Tai, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cooper Arms Apartments, Los Angeles, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Middough Brothers-Insurance Exchange Building, Los Angeles, CC BY-SA 3.0
- First National Bank of Long Beach, Epolk, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Villa Riviera, Los Angeles, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Second church long beach, Epolk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- U.S. Post Office (Long Beach Main), Los Angeles, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Willmore (Long Beach), Los Angeles, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Puvunga Indian Village Sites, Epolk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Long Beach Professional Building, Los Angeles, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Carpenter Performing Arts Center (Long Beach, California, March 2008), Alan Ray, Public domain
- 0953 West Andretti 2008, Tbrooks123, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 68 Dodge Sporstman Van (6255312411), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 68 Dodge Sporstman Van (6255315469), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 68 Dodge Sporstman Van (6255320295), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Flickr - DVS1mn - 63 Chevrolet Bel Air (5), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Flickr - DVS1mn - 63 Chevrolet Bel Air (4), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Flickr - DVS1mn - 63 Chevrolet Bel Air (2), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Flickr - DVS1mn - 63 Chevrolet Bel Air (3), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 67 Mercury Cougar (6255881684), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 67 Mercury Cougar (6255345867), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 67 Mercury Cougar (6255347693), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 67 Mercury Cougar (6255874946), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 67 Mercury Cougar (6255344231), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Lincoln Limousine (6255321855), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- All Dressed Up, Demi Lucas, CC BY 3.0
- Santa Monica Mountains, Terry Lucas, CC BY 3.0
- Morris Mini Wagon (6255332907), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Fiat 500 (6255340875), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Morris Mini Wagon (6255331251), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Morris Mini Wagon (6255329569), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Fiat 500 (6255324943), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Mercedes Smart Car (6255337597), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Mercedes Smart Car (6255871754), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Fiat 500 (6255858628), Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY 2.0
- L A Hawk, Terry Lucas, CC BY 3.0
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