City of Long Beach celebrates 119 years
The City of Long Beach celebrated its 119th birthday Saturday morning!
“First of all, we are celebrating 119 years with the City of Long Beach, incorporated this day on a Saturday.”
August 10th, 1905, Long Beach was established, a city which now seats a population of 17,000 people. Exactly 119 years later, its citizens came to celebrate this milestone at the historic Greenvale home, a home that stood longer than the city’s existence filled with history of the past brought together by its future.
Long Beach students depicted the history of the city with a play led by Long Beach gifted teacher Carol Paola, who played a key role in the revitalization of the Quarles Greenvale home. Mayor George Bass said, “She was instrumental in helping us get this house back to where it is. She’s the one that pulled all the pieces together and then we had to put the puzzle together.”
Courtney Cuevas with the City of Long Beach said, “The main point in the play, they say ‘please don’t let it be forgotten.’ I know as a kid in Long Beach School District, I graduated and a lot of my friends did. A lot of us know the history. We’re not going to forget it, but it’s more important for the people who are just now moving to Long Beach to know the history and to know where we came from and we’ve come so far, especially after Katrina. We built back so much and we’re only going to get better.”
Roughly 20 years ago, Paola and her students began a grant project to restore the home to its past, now recently restored this year, Long Beach citizens toured the home for the day, reflecting on the city’s history and its founding members. “Long Beach does value its history, where everyone is eager to know about the stories, and that’s what we try to push out in our presentation, that they can be lost forever. So, you have to remember the stories and teach them to your children.”
Mayor George Bass says the city’s past leaders help him define the town’s legacy and his goal to raise the bar. “You know, I walk into City Hall a lot of times for a meeting, and as I leave, I see all the mayor’s pictures on the wall. I look at all of them, expect for mine, and I think about what they did and what they accomplished. Everything they did allows me to be here today to where I am and hopefully, I’m going to lay a foundation for those who follow me.”
