From
the early Indian families who made this area by the Pacific Ocean their
home, through the Spanish settlers, to the early oil company workers
on through today’s genius engineers and scientists who design and
build satellites that stay in space and land on other celestial bodies,
there is one factor which has stayed consistent…the quality of
lifestyle of the residents.
The
name of the city itself foretells its story. El Segundo means "the
second" in Spanish, which was the name given because it was Standard
Oil Company’s second refinery. The local citizens further defined
their home as El Segundo a Nada, "second to none!"
We
might like to say, "wouldn’t it be great if some of those
old timers could see their little town today!" The fact is, some
of those old timers are still here, enjoying life as they did 50, 60
and 70 years ago. There are quite a few third and fourth generation
families here. The El Segundo police department has a fifth generation
police officer.
What
makes the quality of lifestyle here different? It’s the old time,
small town which time somehow forgot, yet people can still live in "Mayberry."
And yet, it is home to 12 Fortune 500 companies, it is proud of its
Air Force Base, and equally proud of its aviation heritage and recognition
as the "Aerospace Capital of the World." Take a quick look
at what these community ingredients have produced over the years, in
many different fields:
Education
Ranked
as one of the top school districts in the state. The nationally recognized
"Adopt a Class" program originated in El Segundo. The El Segundo
Education Foundation, working diligently over the years, has provided
hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, equipment and assistance to
all the schools. Beyond the regular elementary, middle and high school
programs, there is a special high school for those students who feel
they need a different approach to education and a unique school for
physically disabled children from around the Southland.
Sports
The
sports program includes boys and girls of all ages and excellent training
in baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, football, hockey, track,
skateboarding and other areas. In 1951 and 1964, Coach Uhro Saari took
18 local boys to the Olympics in Helsinki and to Tokyo. In 1986 El Segundo
became the world champions in American Legion baseball. Dedicated Coach
John Stevenson and his staff have produced many outstanding world ranked
athletes in the past 40 years. For example, the Brett family, which
had four sons play major league baseball, George Brett gaining the most
famous status. Some of that attitude is still in the air as the champion
Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Kings and the Los Angeles Stars
currently make their home in El Segundo. When the Los Angeles Raiders
were here, they called El Segundo home.
Business
Chevron
is celebrating their 90th anniversary in 2001. (Standard Oil’s
refinery opened in 1914.) Their employees and retirees contribute generously
to the community in which so many of them live.
Over
thirty years ago, two El Segundo men put together $100 between them
and started a small company. Today, Computer Sciences Corporation is
an international company and the largest contractor in its field with
the U.S. Government continually signing business contracts in the billions
of dollars.
There
are so many success stories from El Segundo businesses and professions.
No wonder numerous Fortune 500 companies make El Segundo their home,
including Chevron, Mattel, Merisel, Motorola, Oracle, Unocal, Sun Microsystems,
DirectTV, Raytheon, Hughes, and others.
Aviation/Aerospace
From
the 1940's into the 21st Century, El Segundo has been the home for the
design and construction of many famous airplanes. Today, more than 50%
of the satellites and vehicles in space have been designed and or constructed
in El Segundo. The Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo is the "Mother
Ship" for all this activity, since whatever goes on in space is
primarily focused in El Segundo.
Entertainment
Not
only has El Segundo been home for eventual movie and television actors
and writers, but also it has historically attracted the studios who
have photographed movies here from the 1930's through some of today's
highest rated television shows. And if you ever want to relive some
of those days, the famous Old Town Music Hall is a step back into time
where you can see silent movies with the unbelievable background music
accompaniment of the mighty Wurlitzer organ with all the bells and whistles,
famous movies from the 30's and 40's and live entertainers singing and
playing the old songs from the turn of the century through the 40's.
These
memories are preserved throughout the city in beautiful murals, a "heritage
walk," personalized stepping stones from people who love this little
town, and comfortable benches along the main downtown streets so you
can just sit a while and enjoy it all.