One of Southern California's best-kept secrets, Inglewood boasts beautifully landscaped neighborhoods and quality housing. Whether it is gated communities, historic family homes or apartments for singles, Inglewood has housing for all occasions. The prices for real estate in the city are significantly lower than prices for cities with similar climates. Inglewood is no longer a sleepy little settlement in the country. With a population of more than 100,000, the city is alive, thriving and dynamic.
History:
Inglewood was the first settlement to be carved out of the 25,000 acre Centinela Ranch in 1888 shortly after a railroad station had been built in the area. In 1905, Inglewood recovered from a nationwide financial crash after establishing a poultry colony in the present North Inglewood.
By 1908, Inglewood, with a 1,200 population, was incorporated as a city, but it was the earthquake of 1920 that put it on the map. People came to see the damage and stayed because of the wonderful climate. From 1920 to 1925, Inglewood was the fastest growing city in the U.S.
Until World War II, Inglewood had been the hub of an agricultural area. Defense industries transformed it into an urban community when industrial activity, stimulated by the war, brought new workers and their families to the city. During the 1960s and '70s, Inglewood continued to grow and develop, taking on a metropolitan look. The city's reputation and its accessibility to major freeways and Los Angeles International Airport made it an attractive business investment and an ideal location for the rapidly expanding airfreight business. High-rise office buildings began to go up, with the newest being the 14-story, $50 million Trizec building on La Cienega near Century Boulevard. Today, residents enjoy the rich heritage of the city, and the fact that history is still being made in Inglewood.
Economy:
As an entryway to major commercial centers of the U.S. and internationally, Inglewood is in a unique position on the shore of the Pacific Rim. The Los Angeles International Airport is directly accessible by Inglewood's Century Boulevard – one of the City's busiest commercial corridors. Proximity to the airport, the Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors and four major freeways facilitate both domestic and international trade. The City of Inglewood has a proven track record as a business-friendly community where opportunity is in abundance.
Inglewood's workforce is primarily professional or highly skilled and over 46% have attended college. The city provides its businesses with excellent job training and placement services at the Inglewood One-Stop Career and Education Center. The One-Stop Center provides businesses with subsidies for training new and existing employees, and offers access to teleconferencing, telecommuting and distance learning activities. Inglewood's retail growth has spurred tremendous excitement with the opening of its newest shopping center, The Village at Century. This signature development attracts national retailers and restaurants that provide jobs and revenue to the city.
Tourism:
While in Inglewood, you are fortunate to be only 20 minutes from all of the entertainment provided by the Los Angeles area, including Hollywood and some of the country's most popular sporting venues. If you are planning on sticking around the city, head over to Hollywood Park where you can bet on horses at Southern California's most centrally located track. Next, if you love to golf, Inglewood Golf Club is an easily navigable par 68 18-hole course. For a bit of culture, the Mineral Museum offers a worldwide collection of gems, minerals, crystals, fossils and locally made carvings and jewelry. Finally, the Forum (a.k.a. Great Western Forum) is one of the area's entertainment hotspots. Former home of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Kings, the Forum now hosts boxing matches, rock concerts and other live performances.