Hawthorne history

Foundation and First Mentions

The history of the city of Hawthorne dates back to 1905. It was founded by B.L. Harding and H.D. Lombard through their organization, the "Hawthorne Improvement Company." The settlement was named in honor of the famous American author Nathaniel Hawthorne, as the daughter of one of the founders was a great admirer of his work. Hawthorne officially received city status (incorporation) on July 12, 1922.

Key Development Factors

Several important factors contributed to the transformation of a small settlement into a developed city:

• Geographical Location: Its location in the flatlands of Los Angeles County, in close proximity to the ocean, ensured a mild and favorable climate all year round.
• Transport Accessibility: The construction of the electric tram line (Los Angeles Railway) played a decisive role. Reliable connections to downtown Los Angeles made Hawthorne an attractive place for those who wanted to live in the suburbs but work in the metropolis.

Early Cultural and Economic Features

In the early decades, Hawthorne's economy was primarily agrarian. Barley, vegetables, and flowers were actively grown on local lands, and poultry farming flourished. The city attracted new residents with affordable land prices and a peaceful atmosphere.

A cardinal shift in development occurred a little later when the city became closely linked with aviation. The arrival of Jack Northrop and the founding of the Northrop Corporation headquarters here in 1939 laid the foundation for turning Hawthorne into the "Cradle of the Aerospace Industry," which became the main cultural and economic feature of the region for many years.

Major Development Milestones

• 1905: B.L. Harding and H.D. Lombard found the settlement, naming it after the American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne.
• 1922: Hawthorne officially receives city status (incorporation), forming a local government.
• 1939: Aircraft designer Jack Northrop opens a factory and the Northrop headquarters here, defining the industrial future of the city.
• 1942: At the height of World War II, the factory in Hawthorne begins mass production of P-61 Black Widow night fighters.
• 1961: The legendary music group The Beach Boys is formed in the city, with members who grew up in Hawthorne.
• 1989: The B-2 Spirit strategic bomber, developed and built at the local Northrop facility, makes its first flight.
• 2005: A historical monument in honor of The Beach Boys is unveiled on the site of the demolished Wilson brothers' childhood home.
• 2007: The innovative company SpaceX moves its headquarters to Hawthorne, reviving the city's status as an aerospace hub.
• 2013: Tesla Motors opens a design studio and one of the first Supercharger stations in the city.
• 2018: The Boring Company completes the construction of a test underground tunnel beneath the city streets.

Stages of Transformation and Development

The history of Hawthorne is a journey from agricultural lands to a center of advanced space technologies. Key milestones that defined the modern look of the city include:

• Obtaining City Status (1922): Official incorporation became the starting point for creating its own municipal infrastructure. This allowed for organized development and began the transformation of scattered farms into organized residential neighborhoods.
• Industrialization and the Arrival of Northrop (1939): Jack Northrop's decision to locate an aircraft plant here forever changed the city's economic profile. Hawthorne ceased to be just a dormitory suburb, turning into a major industrial center providing thousands of jobs.
• Post-War Demographic Explosion (1940–1950s): In response to the growth of the defense industry, the city experienced a construction boom. The mass construction of affordable housing for workers formed the dense urban fabric and the characteristic architectural look of the districts, which has been preserved to this day.
• Cultural Breakthrough (1960s): The emergence of The Beach Boys gave the city a unique cultural identity. Hawthorne became associated with the birth of surf rock and the California Dream, which added tourist appeal to historical places connected with the musicians.
• Transport Network Development (1990s): The completion of the major I-105 (Century Freeway) along the northern border of the city improved logistics and accessibility. This strengthened Hawthorne's commercial potential, making it a convenient hub for business near LAX airport.
• Technological Renaissance (from the 2000s): The placement of SpaceX headquarters and the Tesla Design Studio breathed new life into old industrial zones. This stage marked the transition to an innovation economy, sparked urban renewal, and attracted young professionals, radically updating the city's image.

Urban Structure and Development

The architectural appearance of Hawthorne is typical of Los Angeles suburbs that developed in the first half of the 20th century. The city has a clear rectangular street layout (grid plan), characteristic of American urban planning of that time. The zoning of the city is historically divided into extensive residential quarters with low-rise buildings and large industrial zones concentrated around the municipal airport, which became the heart of the region's aerospace industry.

Main Architectural Styles and Eras

Ancient styles like Gothic or Baroque are practically absent in Hawthorne's built environment. The city is relatively young, so its look is formed by 20th-century trends:

• Spanish Colonial Style (1920–1930s): Characteristic of the early development period of Southern California. Some of the oldest public buildings and private residences are executed in this style. Distinctive features: white plastered walls, red tile roofs, and arched openings.
• California Ranch (Ranch Style) (1940–1960s): The most common style in residential areas. These are single-story houses with low pitched roofs, wide facades, and attached garages. The mass construction of such houses was a response to the demographic boom of the post-war years when aviation factory workers needed affordable housing.
• Dingbats (1950–1960s): A type of apartment building typical for the Los Angeles region. These are two- or three-story boxy buildings in the mid-century modern style, where the ground floor is dedicated to parking, and living quarters overhang it. They were often decorated with stylized names and geometric decor on the facade.
• Industrial Functionalism (from the 1940s): Huge hangars and factory workshops with large spans and minimal decor. These structures, originally built for Northrop, today define the landscape of the city's industrial zone.

Iconic Landmarks and Modernity

The modern stage of Hawthorne's architectural development is linked to adaptive reuse. Old industrial giants are being transformed into high-tech campuses, preserving the industrial aesthetic but filling it with new content.

• SpaceX Headquarters: Former manufacturing halls, where Boeing 747 fuselages were once assembled, are now a center for space innovation. The building represents an example of modern renovation of an industrial facility. A Falcon 9 rocket first stage installed nearby has become a new architectural landmark of the city.
• Tesla Design Studio: Located in hangars adjacent to the Hawthorne Municipal Airport, demonstrating the fusion of transport history and futuristic design.
• Hawthorne Municipal Airport (Jack Northrop Field): The airport building complex and surrounding infrastructure stand as a monument to the golden age of aviation and an example of mid-20th-century utilitarian architecture.

Prominent Figures of Hawthorne

Hawthorne takes pride in its connection to people who changed the world of music, aviation, and sports. This city became a starting point for many talents and a place for realizing ambitious projects.

• Brian Wilson
  Musician, composer, founder of The Beach Boys
  A Hawthorne native and the main creative inspiration behind the legendary group. It was in this city, in the Wilson family home, that the first hits were written, gifting the world the "California Sound" and popularizing surfing culture.
• Jack Northrop
  Aircraft designer and industrialist
  Founder of the Northrop Corporation. Although he was not born in Hawthorne, his decision to locate the headquarters and factory here in 1939 turned the city into a major aerospace center. He developed revolutionary "flying wing" aircraft here.
• Marilyn Monroe
  Actress, model, pop culture icon
  In early childhood (until age 6), the future movie star, then known as Norma Jeane Baker, lived in Hawthorne. This fact is an important part of local history, serving as a reminder of the humble beginnings of the Hollywood legend.
• Elon Musk
  Engineer, entrepreneur, billionaire
  A key figure in the city's modern history. By establishing the SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, Musk revived the region's industrial glory, turning it into the main hub of 21st-century private astronautics.
• Jim Thorpe
  Track and field athlete, Olympic champion
  The man called the "greatest athlete of the first half of the 20th century" spent the final years of his life in Hawthorne. One of the city parks (Jim Thorpe Park) is named in his honor.
• Gyasi Zardes
  Professional football player
  A famous player for the US national football team and an MLS star, he was born and raised in Hawthorne. He actively maintains ties with his hometown, funding the construction of sports fields for local youth.