Almanac note · History and culture
El Segundo's name comes from being the second refinery
El Segundo's name points to Standard Oil's second refinery, then the city grew into a South Bay place tied to industry, aviation, and aerospace.
El Segundo has one of those names that makes more sense once you hear the backstory. In 1911, Standard Oil established its second refinery here. “El Segundo” means “the second” in Spanish, and the name stayed.
That beginning still shapes how the city feels. El Segundo sits by the ocean, but its story is bigger than beach-town life. It grew with a refinery, rail access, open land, and later the rise of nearby aviation and aerospace work. Los Angeles Municipal Airport, now LAX, opened nearby in 1930, and the South Bay became one of California’s major aerospace places.
The result is a city with several layers in a small area. There is a walkable downtown with a local feel. There is the refinery edge. There are office parks, aerospace firms, and airport traffic nearby. The beach is close, but the city’s identity is also industrial, technical, and practical.
For a first visit, downtown is the easiest place to start. Then look at the map. The name, refinery, airport, and aerospace corridor all help explain why El Segundo is small but important.
Where to see it
Downtown El Segundo, the refinery edge, and the South Bay aerospace corridor.
Official sources
Official source trail
Reviewed July 2, 2026
California Porch explains the path. The official source is still the place to confirm the current rule, fee, form, map, deadline, or office decision.
Use the official page before you spend money, file paperwork, rely on a deadline, or change a property.
Connected places
Where it fits on the map
Open a place page for the county layer, nearby places, and other California entries tied to that local page.
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