Stand here for a moment and breathe in the fresh air. Hilltop Park awaits. This 3.2-acre park offers stunning panoramic views. Look around you.
Hilltop Park is perched atop Signal Hill. Signal Hill got its name because it was a signal point for the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1889. But its history stretches back much further.
Local Tongva Indians used this very hill for signal fires. These fires could be seen 26 miles away on Catalina Island. Imagine those ancient signals blazing across the night sky.
In 1784, the land became part of Rancho San Pedro. King Carlos III of Spain granted it to Juan Jose Dominguez. The land was used for horses, cattle, and sheep. Farming prospered with irrigation. Fields of flowers bloomed here.
Fast forward to the early 1900s. The Deni family saw the hill as a water source. They built a water tower and mansion nearby. Below Hilltop Park lies an unseen reservoir. It holds 1.2 million gallons of water.
Signal Hill transformed with the discovery of oil. In 1921, Shell’s Alamitos #1 well erupted. The gusher rose 114 feet high. Soon, over 100 oil derricks covered Signal Hill. It became known as “Porcupine Hill.”
The city of Signal Hill was established in 1922. It became one of the richest oil fields in the world. Signal Hill wanted to avoid Long Beach’s zoning restrictions. It also didn’t want to pay the per-barrel oil tax.
Hilltop Park has a blue tall torch in the center. This torch symbolizes the city’s history of signaling. Spanish immigrants recorded the Indian fire signals in 1500.
Walk along the walkway. You will see memorial names etched into the bricks. Notice the three cut-out art frames. One shows an oil worker looking towards Long Beach Harbor. Another shows a farmer looking towards downtown Los Angeles. The last shows Native Americans looking towards Huntington Beach.
Today, trails lead to Hilltop Park. Junipero Trail, Ridge Trail, and Skyline Trail offer ocean views. The trails are open from 5 am to 10 pm.
Hilltop Park is a great place for families. It has barbecue grills and picnic tables. There are also public restrooms and large grassy areas. You can even rent the shelter for weddings and events.
Take a moment to use the telescopes. On a clear day, you can see the Santa Monica Mountains. You can also see downtown LA and Catalina Island. The view encompasses roughly 10 million people. Hilltop Park offers a stunning view of the LA Basin.