Signal Hill is a small city of 2.2 square miles in Los Angeles County, California, completely surrounded by Long Beach. Incorporated on April 22, 1924, shortly after oil was discovered there, the city had a population of 11,848 as of the 2020 census.
Originally called Los Cerritos, the city was renamed Signal Hill in 1889 when it served as a signal point for the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. The hill rises 365 feet above Long Beach and was used by the Tongva Indians for signal fires visible as far as Catalina Island.Historically, the area was part of the Rancho San Pedro land grant, given to Juan Jose Dominguez in 1784. Before the oil boom, Signal Hill featured large homes on the hill and agricultural fields in lower areas. Between 1913 and 1923, the Balboa Studios used parts of Signal Hill for filming, featuring actors like Buster Keaton and Fatty Arbuckle.









