Los Angeles is a sprawling city, with 88 cities and 140 unincorporated areas. Within the City of Angels are some truly fantastic places to live — cities with high-quality schools, developing businesses, community events, and more! In this recurring blog series, I aim to explore the latest happenings in cities across the southland. This week we take a look at a gem of the Antelope Valley, Palmdale.
Some History
Palmdale was the first community in the Antelope Valley to incorporate on August 24, 1962. It became a charter city in November 2009 and as of the 2010 census, it had a population of 152, 750. State Highway 14 was completed as a link between Palmdale and Los Angeles in 1964, which helped with the influx of people in the 80s and 90s.
Palmdale refers to itself with the nickname “the aerospace capital of the United States.” It has served as the site of research, development, final assembly, and flight testing for the Space Shuttle and many other aircraft used in the United States Air Force, NASA, and air forces and airlines around the world. Some notable employers include Lockheed Martin and Boeing.
Millennials Move In
According to a report released by SmartAsset, the cities of Lancaster and Palmdale are among the top 20 cities for millennial homeownership. In fact, Palmdale tied Sioux Falls, South Dakota for fourth place on the list, marking a 10-year uptick in under-35 homeownership.
Palmdale Mayor Steve Hofbauer commented on the migration of Millennials in The Antelope Valley Times earlier this year, “It makes sense that millennials would choose to buy a home in the Antelope Valley. With solid job growth headed by our aerospace partners, affordable housing, outstanding amenities, and proximity to popular places such as Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, Santa Barbara, and Mammoth, living in the Antelope Valley makes both economic and lifestyle sense for millennials who are looking for homes.”
Drive-In Theater
In what is quickly becoming a pattern across the southland in the midst of the global pandemic, the Antelope Valley has it’s very own Friday Night Drive-In Theater, which has multiple movies planned through the end of 2020. The drive-in theater is not only COVID-smart, but it harkens back to a simpler time, a time when convertibles were commonplace and food was delivered via rollerskates.
Located in Lancaster (Palmdale’s sister city), the drive-in theater costs $20 per car, and offers both a concession stand and bathrooms. Movies are shown at the Lancaster Municipal Stadium, and the remaining movies for the year include favorites such as The Sandlot, Hocus Pocus, Jurassic Park, Mrs. Doubtfire, Home Alone, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Note: smoking of any kind and drinking are both prohibited.
Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve
In the picture above is the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, a breathtaking landscape that comes alive each spring with a variety of wonderful scents and colors. The mosaic of color attracts nature lovers far and wide, boasting eight miles of trails through the gentle rolling hills. It’s a countryside escape that any Angeleno will fall in love with. Learn more about it here!
Contributor, designer & admin for JohnHart Gazette.
