Before the harbor
The region is the ancestral homeland of Tongva people, whose relationship with the coast predates the modern port by generations.
A port shaped by people
The history of San Pedro
San Pedro’s story reaches from the Tongva homeland and Rancho San Pedro to fishing fleets, shipyards and today’s global port.
A harbor takes shape
After a long regional campaign, federal harbor improvements began in the late 1800s. Point Fermin Lighthouse, first lit in 1874, guided growing marine traffic.
Fishing, canneries and shipbuilding
Immigrant fishing communities built a powerful waterfront culture. Tuna canneries and wartime shipyards made San Pedro an industrial center.
A global gateway
Today the Port of Los Angeles is among the world’s busiest container ports, while museums, artists and longtime neighborhoods preserve local memory.
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