Introduction to Carson, California
The city of Carson is located in Los Angeles County, California. Approximately 19 miles to the north is downtown Los Angeles, linked to Carson by Interstate Highway 110. Carson is primarily a manufacturing community. About half of its land mass is taken up by factories, refineries, and other industrial structures. After decades of existence as an unincorporated community of Los Angeles County, Carson was finally incorporated as a city in 1968 when its citizens took to the polls and voted to do so by a nearly 2-to-1 margin. On the same date, by a much narrower vote, the citizens chose the name Carson for their new city over the name Dominguez (these were the two leading family names in the city's history). Following its incorporation, Carson acted quickly to enforce a strict landscaping and building code, resulting in modernizations and improvements in the city's industrial parks and overall appearance.
Carson is famous for hosting the very first air show ever held in the United States. It took place in 1910; just seven years after the Wright Brothers made their first flight near Kitty Hawk, and was known as the "Great Air Meet." The site where this show took place has since been declared a California historical landmark.
Attractions in and around Carson
Here are some places of interest located right in Carson's backyard:
- The Dominguez Ranch Adobe
- Western Museum of Flight
- Banning Mansion and Park
- The Drum Barracks Civil War Museum
- The Lomita Railroad Museum
- The Redondo Beach Pier
- The Queen Mary
- Shoreline Village
- The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
- The Point Fermin Lighthouse
- Los Angeles Maritime Museum
- Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific
- Museum of Cultural Diversity
- Wayfarer's Chapel
- Fort MacArthur Military Museum
The following major attractions are located within an hour's drive of Carson:
- Disneyland (Anaheim)
- Knott's Berry Farm (Buena Park)
- Universal Studios Hollywood
- Six Flags Magic Mountain (Valencia)
- The Los Angeles Zoo
- The Santa Ana Zoo
- Movieland Wax Museum (Buena Park)
Carson is the location of the Home Depot Center, a sports complex which includes a soccer stadium used by the Los Angeles Galaxy, a track and field facility, and a tennis stadium. The Center also serves as a training facility by the U.S. national soccer team. Professional sports teams which play in Carson include the Los Angeles Galaxy and C.D. Chivas USA (MLS Soccer), the Carson Buzz (ABA Basketball), and the Los Angeles Riptide (MLL Lacrosse). Nearby Los Angeles is home to the following L.A. teams:
- Basketball:
- Lakers (NBA)
- Clippers (NBA)
- Sparks (WNBA)
- Major League Baseball (MLB):
- Dodgers (National League)
- Football:
- Avengers (AFL)
- Hockey:
- Kings (NHL)
