The Smiley Smile Message Board

anyone know much about the area? I don't live in LA so I don't really know the area. If I recall, its a mile or two inland and just SE of LAX. Economically I'm guessing its sort of a hybrid between the wealthy beach towns and the more poorer areas further inland (like Compton).

Anyone know much about Hawthorne or venture over there regularly?

It's a place where white honky cracker types stay out of at night. Almost as bad as Compton and Watts, which are predominately African American sections of Los Angeles, and not far from where the Rotney King and Watts riots took place.

About a week or two after the Beach Boys memorial went up in May 2005, somebody went up and sprayed graffiti all over it. That tells ya what kind of neighborhood it is now. Use to be where predominately Caucasian residents lived in the 60's.   

I thought Compton and Watts aren't predominately black anymore?

You're right!! Where have I been? When I think of Watts, I think of the Watts riots in 1965. Blacks moved into Watts and Compton after WWII, in the 40's. When I think of Compton, I think of the Double Rock Baptist church, where the choir was recorded for Beach Boys and Dennis Wilson records.

But!

As of the 2000 census, total population in the Watts district was 34,830. Ethnically, 60.8% of residents were Latino/Hispanic, 38.0% Black, 0.6% White, 0.1% Asian American, and 0.6% other races. The median household income stood $24,728, one of the lowest in the city of Los Angeles. Per capita income stood at $6,681; 49.7% of families and 49.1% of individuals were below the poverty line.

The 2010 United States Census reported that Compton had a population of 96,455. The population density was 9,534.3 people per square mile (3,681.2/km²). The racial makeup of Compton was 24,942 (25.9%) White, 31,688 (32.9%) African American, 655 (0.7%) Native American, 292 (0.3%) Asian, 718 (0.7%) Pacific Islander, 34,914 (36.2%) from other races, and 3,246 (3.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 62,669 persons (65.0%).

The 2010 United States Census reported that Hawthorne had a population of 84,293. The population density was 13,835.7 people per square mile (5,342.0/km²). The racial makeup of Hawthorne was 27,678 (32.8%) White, 23,385 (27.7%) African American, 565 (0.7%) Native American, 5,642 (6.7%) Asian, 974 (1.2%) Pacific Islander, 22,127 (26.3%) from other races, and 3,922 (4.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 44,572 persons (52.9%).

Look, forgive me if I go off here, and it's not like I've spent a ton of time in Hawthorne, but it seems to me that there's some sort of racist fear about the place from a lot of, well, white Beach Boys fans.  I've been in Hawthorne at all times of day, and the neighborhood that the monument is in is a place I would buy a house in a heartbeat.  Again, I haven't lived there or anything, but it's a perfectly fine place.  Not perfect or without problems, but a lot of very damn fine people live there.

I went to the memorial last winter (after attending Al's cd release party a couple of days before) and was ok with the area. As I was driving in, I thought I'd take a quick picture and be gone. Ended up spending at least half an hour, and never saw another person aside from someone in the driveway of the house in front of which I parked my car. This was about 10AM... all bets would be off at night, same as just about any other city, big or small.

You callin' me a racist, sucka?  ;D  Listen, the only thing we have to fear is fear itself!

I drove to 3701 W. 119th Street in Hawthorne in 1976 and the neighborhood was ALL white.

Why the "if I recall" ?  Get someone to show you how to use Google Street View.

(http://imageshack.us/a/img14/3899/straightouttacomptonc.jpg)

I wouldn't live in LA in general because it's just too busy for me, can't find peace of mind there.  But I've been in Hawthorne many times, and it's fine.  But just as in any  place in LA, it's good to be aware of your surroundings.  Anyway, I feel like Hawthorne gets a bad rap that is mostly undeserved.

I drive through there (20 miles from me) to "be" near the BB feeling, but it's pretty run down on Hawthorn blvd.  near Pizza Show. But I am from Jersey and used to that sort of rough area stuff. It aint a beach city with a beach vibe, and it aint artsy Hollywood or Beverly Hills. It's the kind of place (like Essex county in Jersey) that you get out of if you can, and they all did. Working class roots feel?   Yes.  Inner city danger?  All cities are dangerous particularly where there are drugs and gangs; LA county has 40,000 gang members, so it's all "dangerous" when you are in gang territory and especially at night, and I know Hawthorn is no exception. (Google some combination of "gangs" and the city and you will find plenty of alarming police, narcotic and ice records of mayhem and horror).  In short, nothing should prevent you from being a tourist there and seeing BB spots: no matter the demographic, always be streetwise and cautious. If any of you "out-of towners" visit here, consult with a local first and we will try to help direct you.

I walked the area for about 2 hours a couple of years prior to the memorial being built and to be honest don't recall any more 'African American' than many LA areas I've been in.

Of course that was mid afternoon and they would have been resting before going out causing crime huh Mikie? ::)  

A couple of things; 1.) I'm from Essex County NJ, and I agree with the professor in his comparison to Hawthorne. I got out of Essex County in the 80's; it was a fine area, but parts were rough, and not just Newark. Like any other city. and 2.) I was in Hawthorne once, in 2000 on a "coastal' tour of California. Flew in to LAX, had to shuttle to my rental car place, which just so happened to be in Hawthorne. I was so mesmerised to be in Hawthorne, birth place of the Boys, that when I pulled out of the parking lot, I forgot to look onto the busy main road. Speeding traffic, a guy going about 65 MPH swerved badly and just missed probably killing my wife and I. For years I always thought, to be in Hawthorne for about 30 seconds, and to be killed in Hawthorne in  about 31 seconds! LOL!

Yeah, I don't like rap either. Stupid lyrics about cop-killing and no respect for women.

Yes, yes, we get it, you don't like black people...

Thaz rite funkay dude.  You know whasup.

Right on, brotha!

List of gangs based in Hawthorne known to the police. Black (Bloods & Crips) and Mexican gangs regularly tag their territory in the area.

118 gangsta crips
Hawthorne thug family 3x
Watergate crips
Acacia blocc hustla crips
Hawthorne piru
Hawthorne little watts 13
Evil klan 13
Lawndale 13
Los compadres varrio tres
South side players 13

Watcher back!!

That statement is absolutely incorrect, bloke! Furthest thing from the truth. The black people I work with are great people. My manager is black. My cousin married a black woman and she's fantastic, classy, and funny! In fact, the black husband and wife a few doors down are coming over to watch the Super Bowl with us today. Go Niners!!!  ;D

Hey Ton'!  Irvington. How about you?  You can take the boy out of Jersey. . .

I think this thread could be more productive if we found out who saw the old house on W. 119th Street before the 405 went threw it and who has seen the Beach Boys monument at that location since it was built and who actually attended the memorial dedication ceremony in 2005?

A lot of people that worked for aerospace industry when it was big in Southern California lived in Hawthorne and surrounding communities.  Aerospace moved out of California and that area took an economic hit.  Hawthorne and Compton are two different worlds.

The neighborhood in general is not bad at all. You can eat at the Foster Freeze or Chips on Hawthorne Blvd and the ethnic mix is typical urban, all types of people. The streets around the former site of the Wilson and Marks homes is very quiet, very little traffic, the houses are modest but not bad, some nice ones and some not so nice ones. I've been there many times for various projects and have never had any negative issues. About two minutes into this doc. you will see the streets around where the monument is, and this is how the feel has been every time I've been there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClBfaGPD0mI

Aerospace is back in Hawthorne in a big way, thanks to SpaceX.

I think Mattel (home of the Beach Boys California Barbie Doll) is still based in Hawthorne, aren't they? Not sure how many they employ, but they're still making money.

Headquarters:  333 Continental Boulevard  El Segundo, CA 90245-5012

I cannot really figure out what is going on in this thread. Am i alive?

Maybe its because I'm multiracial, but I don't spend time dwelling on an area's racial breakdown.

Don't worry... only slightly offended

Looks like Hawthorne was the headquarters for Mattel, Inc. from 1948 to 1990, then they moved to El Segundo.

You can tell it's swell - it's Mattel.

Well, to sum it all up:

You are confused but you are in fact alive.

The OP has heard of some place called Hawthorne.

I enjoy N.W.A.

aeijtzsche has enjoyed visiting Hawthorne and is thinking of buying a house there.

Jon Stebbins has enjoyed eating in Hawthorne and has also done some preliminary research into the local real estate in case he ever has the opportunity to buy and sell a house to aeijtzsche.

AGD is secretly working for Google.

A couple guys confessed to coming from New Jersey.  (Note to self - stay off the road if Tony S is driving.)

Eric Aniversario enjoys visiting but wouldn't want to live there (Hawthorne, not NJ).

SonoraDick blocked some dude's driveway for half an hour.

urbanite and Emdeeh both own stock in the Aerospace industry.

bgas has secretly been plotting to take over Mattel headquarters for years.

Pretty Funky, AndrewHickey, and Gizmo have all been somewhat offended by Mikie's posts.

Mikie is wondering exactly what Billy's racial breakdown actually is.

/thread

I lived in Hawthorne from about age 3 to 13 and I still have friends down there. It hasn't really changed much at all from when i was a kid. It's mainly middle class, to lower middle class (the area between El Segundo BLVD and about half a mile East of Inglewood Ave is actually somewhat upscale)... For the record, the Rodney King Riots epicenter was Florence and Normandie which is nowhere near Hawthorne but on the borderline of east Inglewood and South Central LA.... A whole different ballgame.

my racial background? Black white and Hispanic

In my opinion anyone who hates rap music must be a racist...

(Tongue firmly in cheek)

I went to Hawthorne back in 2009. After spending a day on the Santa Monica beach, I drove there around 10 PM. Found the BB historical landmark, not a soul anywhere, just cute suburban houses. Didn't feel threated at all, although I had my tourist map and my camera and my typical rental Ford Focus. Then I drove to Foster's Freeze and ate there, sitting outside and looking at the people cruising down the Hawthorne Boulevard, feeling as safe a can be. Didn't hear any sirens or gunshots anywhere. If I'd move to LA, I'd have no problem with living in Hawthorne. Safe and somewhat dull neigborhood. Nothing glitzy, but not very run-down, either. Your typical LA suburbia, I'd say.

Nah. Just old and lame.

^ Yeah, they sell those across the street from Foster's Freeze.

Gee, wonder why?

Just so you guys don't think I'm completely full of poop, I want you to check this out. I'm going down there this Spring to check out the memorial on W. 119th (in the daytime) because I never have. But just so you know.........check out the stats in Hawthorne compared to the neighboring cities and also the nation. Crime is down very slightly for most categories compared to the two years previous, but still..............and 2012 not in yet.

http://www.city-data.com/crime/crime-Hawthorne-California.html

Violent crime index in 2011:

Hawthorne:
401.5

U.S. Average:
213.6


Just the facts, ma'am.

When I was in Hawthorne a few years back (2007) I was a few blocks south of the Foster's Freeze and the car in the lane to my left caught fire and was soon engulfed in a giant flame and the dude inside abandoned ship and ran like hell. Not to a safe distance. He just ran and ran and ran until he gone.

So my impression of Hawthorne is not so great, no.  :lol

I've seen graffiti in Paris, London, NYC and Tokyo to name a few cities.  These idiots are in some high end real estate!

Or maybe they are just visiting from Hawthorne? ;D

I've long suspected, but been scared to voice it, that Al Jardine is Banksy