Local History: Give Thanks for Our Mid-Western Roots

I have a love-hate relationship with historical assumptions. On the one hand, I love them because they are succinct and often smugly clever: Napoleon had a complex because of his height; His wife was an elitist; Attila the Hun was evil. There is some truth, but stopping at the one-liner creates a one-dimensional historical figure. The same can be said of Long Beach’s moniker, “Iowa-by-the-Sea.”

An early use of this label can be found in the Los Angeles Times in 1927. So many mid-westerners had settled here by 1930 that our state picnics had become famous throughout the southland. Long Beach was (and still is) often denigrated, dismissed as a boring backwater. “Iowan” is equated with being ultra-conservative, small-minded, and unadventurous. But, let’s peel back the blinders and take another look. As a house historian and librarian, it is my job to delve a little deeper, so I investigated census records, city directories, and family histories. I analyzed these sources, along with newspaper reports and history books, leading me to question the status quo.

Long Beach was politically conservative

Although this city had its share of churches, don’t make the assumption that being “churched” was synonymous with being conservative.

It was through the First Congregational Church and the influence of the Bixby family that California women gained the right to vote in 1911, nine years ahead of the 19th Amendment. Renowned socialist, Upton Sinclair (not Sinclair Lews - I always get them mixed up), launched his bids for Governor along with his EPIC movement (End Poverty in California), while living on the Peninsula on 58th Place.

Long Beach was socially conservative

Early social welfare programs were robust and often led by strong independent women. Jennie Reeve and Adelaide Tichenor rallied their various clubs to further civic projects: The city’s first free public library was established in 1898. The Ebell Club funded a water machine to tamp our dusty roadways. In 1912, the Long Beach Day Nursery provided quality care for children while their mothers worked. All were enacted for the public’s benefit, rather than for a few fortunate souls.

Long Beach reflected the traditional family

There were a lot of ‘single’ women in early Long Beach. Some stated they were widows, but a genealogy search often revealed they still had husbands back in their home states. I’ve come to the conclusion that Long Beach offered a haven for women, in particular, to recreate themselves. These adventurous ladies became land speculators, building homes for themselves and for income. They were shopowners, teachers, and doctors. Long Beach women attained equality at a time when such rights were in their infancy.

Long Beach today: Rooted in yesterday

Even today, Long Beach residents pride themselves on being one of California’s best kept secrets. We celebrate our reputation as “Iowa-by-the-Sea” with a dose of Navy and Snoop Dog, because we know it ensures that we attract Long Beach boosters who are open-minded and active in the community, regardless of their political, fiscal or social predilections.