Inglewood, CA

Inglewood's population of nearly 130,000 lives in an area of just over nine square miles, making it one of the most densely populated cities in the United States. Near downtown Los Angeles to the northeast and Los Angeles International Airport, the city has a mild climate, averaging just 12 inches of rain per year. The average July high is 75 degrees Fahrenheit, 10 degrees lower than that of neighboring Los Angeles.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Inglewood is largely a working-class city. A number of residents are employed in industries such as manufacturing, distribution, and construction. Administrative services, educational services, financial services, and insurance are also common fields. Adding to economic opportunities are the nearby ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, as well as the Los Angeles area's entertainment and tourism industries.

Downtown Inglewood, which began to see decline in the 1970s, is undergoing a revitalization. New shopping districts and plazas are being built, along with housing and other mixed-use developments, especially along the main corridor of Century Blvd. Developers and city officials hope to create a viable, pedestrian-friendly downtown area once again as the area grows.

BEST BETS

• Centinela Adobe: Built in 1834 by Ignacio Machado, a grandson of one of the original settlers of the area, this house is now operated as a museum by the Historical Society of the Centinela Valley. It is considered the birthplace of Inglewood, even though by present-day standards it lies within the Westchester district of Los Angeles. The site is now annexed so that it technically resides in Inglewood.
• Hollywood Park Racetrack: The track opened in 1938 (with legendary horse Seabiscuit winning the first Hollywood Park Gold Cup) and for years has been one of the top-tier tracks in the country. However, plans are underway to tear down the track and develop the property for residential and commercial use.
• Fosters Freeze: This chain of ice cream and fast-food restaurants--the first chain in the state--opened its first location in Inglewood in 1946. The original store, on La Brea Avenue, is still in operation.
• The Forum: Sometimes known as the Great Western Forum, the Forum was built in 1967 as the home of the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Sparks, and the Los Angeles Kings. In 1999, the Lakers and Kings moved to the Staples Center, with the Sparks following shortly thereafter. Today the Forum is owned by Faithful Central Bible Church, which holds services there every Sunday but still rents out the arena for concerts and sporting events.
• Inglewood Park Cemetery: Founded in 1905, the cemetery is the final resting place of many celebrities, including Cesar Romero, William "Buckwheat" Thomas of Our Gang, Ella Fitzgerald, and Jim Gilliam of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Inglewood is close to many famed southern California attractions, including the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Disneyland, and Universal Studios. It is also within driving distance to many of California's famous beaches, including Santa Monica, Venice Beach, and Redondo Beach.

EVENTS

• The city hosts an annual Dr. Martin Luther King Day celebration.
• A Fourth of July celebration takes place every year at Edward Vincent Park.
• Inglewood has three skate parks: Darby Park, Rogers Park, and Vincent Park

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Inglewood has three distinct neighborhoods: Crenshaw-Imperial, Morningside Park, and North Inglewood.

EDUCATION

Inglewood is primarily served by the Inglewood Unified School District. There are 14 elementary schools and 6 secondary schools in the district, which enroll approximately 15,000 students. Many of the schools in the district are year-round schools. In 2007, Animo Leadership High was ranked a Gold Medal School by U.S. News & World Report, which placed it among the nation's top 100 high schools.

The greater Los Angeles metropolitan area is home to many higher-learning institutes, including:

• The University of West Los Angeles Law School
• The City College of Los Angeles
• Los Angeles Southwest College
• Loyola Marymount University
• UCLA
• The University of Southern California

SPORTS TEAMS

The area's major sports franchises left the Forum in the late 1990s, but there remains a diversity of action for sports fans in the Los Angeles area. Teams include:

• Los Angeles Dodgers (baseball)
• Los Angeles Lakers (basketball)
• Los Angeles Sparks (women's basketball)
• Los Angeles Kings (hockey)

LOCAL MEDIA

Media outlets in Inglewood and the Los Angeles area include:

• WABC TV (ABC)
• WNBC TV (NBC)
• WCBS TV (NBC)
• KTLA TV (CW)
• KTTV TV (FOX)
• Los Angeles Times (print)