Hawthorne

Summary

The Hawthorne community was founded in 1905 and incorporated in 1922. The first settlers were Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Anderson, whose son Glenn later became mayor of Hawthorne, Lieutenant Governor of California and a U. S. Congressman.  The Century (105) Freeway is named in his honor.  The city was named for Nathaniel Hawthorne, the 19^th Century author of The Scarlet Letter.  It was first settled primarily by emigrants from Texas and Oklahoma during the dust bowl.  As the site of the Northop Corporation, the city became a magnet for aerospace suppliers.  As chair of the South Bay Association of Realtors Community Committee, Caren recently hosted a breakfast for Hawthorne Realtors to meet with Larry Guidi, the Mayor of Hawthorne.  Mayor Guidi was proud of the city’s efforts to encourage economic growth: in 2004 there were 447 new businesses which opened, including the construction of the four story Ayers Hotel, which features tapestries, statuaries, art work and intricate chandeliers.  The city recently replaced its old police station with a new 25,000 square foot station.  This went along with a reduction in crime of 53% since 1997.