History of Manhattan Beach, California in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: October 3, 2025

Manhattan Beach is a coastal city located in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, situated on the Pacific coast. It is bordered by El Segundo to the north, Hawthorne and Redondo Beach to the east, and Hermosa Beach to the south. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 35,506 residents.

1902: Town named "Manhattan"

Around 1902, the beach suburb was named "Manhattan" after developer Stewart Merrill's home, the New York City borough of Manhattan.

1912: Incorporation of the City of Manhattan Beach

In 1912, incorporation of the City of Manhattan Beach won a vote held on November 26 and took effect on December 7.

1913: Manhattan Beach elementary school district formed

In 1913, the Manhattan Beach elementary school district was formed.

1920: Manhattan Beach appears in U.S. Census

Manhattan Beach first appeared as a city in the 1920 U.S. Census as part of the now defunct Redondo Township.

1924: City seizes Bruce's Beach land

In 1924, the city of Manhattan Beach used eminent domain to seize the land from the Black property owners of Bruce's Beach under the pretense of building a park.

1938: Beach Widening Begins

In 1938, the beach in Manhattan Beach began to widen as sand was placed on beaches to the north during construction of the Hyperion Treatment Plant and Marina del Rey.

1950: Mira Costa High School opened

In 1950, Mira Costa High School opened in Manhattan Beach.

1955: South Bay Hospital Created

In 1955, South Bay Hospital was created, which no longer exists.

1983: McMartin preschool trials begin

In 1983, investigations of a Manhattan Beach preschool began, leading to the McMartin preschool trials, an example of day care sex abuse hysteria.

1987: McMartin preschool trials

In 1987, the McMartin preschool trials began.

1989: Beach Widening Continues

By 1989, the beach widening in Manhattan Beach continued, with sand from the Scattergood Power Plant construction contributing to the increase in width.

1990: McMartin preschool trials end

In 1990, the McMartin preschool trials, which started in 1987, ended without any convictions.

1993: Beach Cities Health District Name Change

In 1993, South Bay Hospital took on its current name, Beach Cities Health District.

1993: MBUSD formed

MBUSD was formed in 1993 after the South Bay Union High School District dissolved.

2000: Most common ancestries

According to Mapping L.A., in 2000, German and English were the most common ancestries in Manhattan Beach. Canada and the United Kingdom were the most common foreign places of birth.

2002: AdventurePlex Opened

In 2002, Beach Cities Health District opened AdventurePlex, a Manhattan Beach fitness center for kids and their families.

2008: Three lots joined

In 2008, three lots were joined to create a 16,000-square-foot oceanside home, which prompted new restrictions on property developments.

2010: Median household income

According to the 2010 United States census, Manhattan Beach had a median household income of $139,259.

2010: City's top employers

According to the city's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

2010: Iron Man 2 Production

In 2010, the Manhattan Beach Media Campus had production for movies, including the Marvel Studios motion picture Iron Man 2.

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2010: School district ranking

In 2010, the Manhattan Beach Unified School district was ranked as the third-best-performing school district in the state of California, receiving a score of 926 on the California Academic Performance Index.

2010: Property development restrictions enacted

Since 2010, new property developments in Manhattan Beach cannot exceed two lot parcels, with size and appearance restrictions to preserve the beachfront community's appearance.

2010: 2010 United States census

The 2010 United States census reported that Manhattan Beach had a population of 35,135.

2011: Thor Production

In 2011, the Manhattan Beach Media Campus had production for movies, including the Marvel Studios motion picture Thor.

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2013: Homes exceeding $1 million

In 2013, the Dataquick study reported that more homes exceeding $1 million were sold in Manhattan Beach than any other city in California.

November 23, 2014: Median residential home price

According to a November 23, 2014, Los Angeles Times article, the current median residential home price is $2.2 million in Manhattan Beach.

2015: New Manhattan Beach County Library Completed

The new $19 million, 20,000 square foot, two-story Manhattan Beach County Library facility featuring a glass exterior was completed in 2015.

2017: Skate park added to Marine Avenue Park

In 2017, a small skate park was added to Marine Avenue Park in Manhattan Beach after a 16-year battle over its location.

2020: Manhattan Beach population

In 2020, the population of Manhattan Beach, California was 35,506 according to the census.

2020: 2020 United States census

The 2020 United States census reported that Manhattan Beach had a population of 35,506.

2021: California authorizes transfer of Bruce's Beach

In 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation authorizing the transferring of the property of Bruce's Beach to descendants of the Bruce family.