Westerly sea breezes lessen what can be high summertime temperatures in Los Angeles and elsewhere in the county and help keep the smog away 360 days of the year.

In early days, Hermosa Beach — like so many of its neighboring cities (Inglewood, Lawndale, Torrance) — was one vast sweep of rolling hills covered with fields of grain, mostly barley.

The Spanish words Rancho Sausal Redondo mean a large circular ranch of pasture of grazing land, with a grove of willow on it.

Small tiled pavilions were erected at intervals along the sides to afford shade for fishermen and picnic parties.

Soon after, about 1914, an auditorium building was constructed; it has housed various enterprises and at present the public rest rooms, the Los Angeles Life Guard Service, and the local branch of the Los Angeles County Public Library occupy rooms in the building.

There was no Santa Fe railway station for Hermosa, but Burbank and Baker built a railway platform on the west side of the tracks near Santa Fe Avenue, and later the railroad company donated an old boxcar to be used as a storage place for freight.

In 1926, the Santa Fe built a modern stucco depot and installed Western Union telegraph service in it.

On January 14, 1907, Hermosa Beach became the nineteenth incorporated city of Los Angeles County.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km2), all of it land.

Overcast skies are common for June mornings, but usually the strong sun burns the fog off by noon.

[16] Nonetheless, it will sometimes stay cloudy and cool all day during June, even as other parts of the Los Angeles area will enjoy sunny skies and warmer temperatures.

In mid-December 2004, temperatures soared to 84 °F (28 °C) in Santa Monica, for a few straight days, with perfectly sunny skies.

Hermosa Beach usually enjoys a cool breeze blowing in from the ocean, keeping the air fresh and clean.

According to the 2010 United States Census, Hermosa Beach had a median household income of $101,655, with 3.4% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

The Strand stretches north to Santa Monica and south to Redondo Beach, and is a popular place for walkers, joggers and biking.

Running parallel to The Strand is a lovely linear trail known today as the Hermosa Valley Greenbelt.

Once part of a railroad easement, this narrow 24-acre (97,000 m2) strip had long been the subject of heated controversy and pressure from various commercial interests.

After years of litigation and wrangling, the city was poised to permit intensive retail and condominium development in the mid-1980s when a grassroots group spearheaded by activist Rosamond Fogg forced the matter to a vote.

The City Council at the time was divided over whether the matter was of much importance but after an energetic and passionate campaign, the citizens found that the greenbelt was a vital recreational resource and mandated its preservation for the use and enjoyment of residents and visitors.

[citation needed] On the same Ballot, the public approved a referendum added a utility user's tax by 2% to help pay for the purchase, to be sunset after the property was acquired.

[citation needed] As a result, the Hermosa Valley Greenbelt has the quality of a rural country lane, home to the monarch butterfly and many bird and animal species.

At any time of day or night joggers and walkers enjoy its soft woodchip trails and graceful landscaping.

The AIA R/UDAT (Regional/Urban Design Assistance Team) found that Hermosa Beach, thanks in large part to the existence of the Greenbelt, was a "world class pedestrian city".

Filled with mazes, tunnels, outdoor rock climbing walls, complex ropes courses, and an indoor gym, AdventurePlex challenges children physically and intellectually in health-focused recreational activities.

The United States Postal Service Hermosa Beach Post Office is located at 565 Pier Avenue.

[56] The Los Angeles County Fire Department has a sectional lifeguard headquarters located at the Hermosa Beach Pier since the new building opened its doors since 2006, currently commanded by Capt.

Residents of Hermosa Beach were in South Bay Union High School District until 1993, when it dissolved.