ROOTED HERE
Behind the downtown streets.
A whole city’s story.
Manhattan Beach is in Los Angeles County, California. Manhattan Beach Boulevard leads through the downtown shops and restaurants toward the pier. The beachfront path connects coastal views with access points along the city’s shore.
People made the city.
These milestones are an introduction, not a complete local history. Follow the linked city and museum sources to explore the people and places behind them.Read the local historical account.
Watch the city’s history
FROM THE ARCHIVES
The history of Manhattan Beach, California
A local history film shared by World History Official tv.
Watch on YouTube ↗- 1901
A resort town is planned
John Merrill and his company purchased property and announced plans for a resort town called Manhattan Beach.
City of Manhattan Beach ↗ - 1912
Bruce’s Beach begins
Willa and Charles Bruce acquired beachfront property on February 19 to establish a resort serving the Black community.
City of Manhattan Beach ↗ - 1912
City incorporation
Manhattan Beach officially incorporated on December 7, 1912.
City of Manhattan Beach ↗ - 1920
The pier is dedicated
Manhattan Beach Pier was completed and dedicated on July 5.
City of Manhattan Beach ↗ - 1995
A state landmark
The pier was listed as a California Historical Landmark.
City of Manhattan Beach ↗
See the history for yourself.
Walk downtown to see surviving commercial architecture, then explore the Historical Preservation Society’s museum and visiting information. Check current opening dates before setting out. Historical Preservation Society.
For deeper research, the Manhattan Beach library resources is a starting point for archival material and research help. Historic photographs have their own permissions; we link to the collection instead of treating every old image as free to reuse.
Selected milestones researched September 13, 2026. This is an introduction, not a complete account of the city’s history.