Bell Gardens, California
Bell Gardens, California | ||
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FIPS code 06-04996 | | |
GNIS feature IDs | 1660323, 2409817 | |
Website | www |
Bell Gardens is a city in the
Bell Gardens is notable for being one of only six Los Angeles County cities (out of 88 total) to permit casino gambling and for being home of the oldest building in Los Angeles County.[6]
Bell Gardens is named after James George Bell, an American businessman. The “Gardens” in its name derives from the many Japanese who, early in Bell Gardens’ existence, established vegetable gardens and rice fields.[7] The adjacent city of Bell is also named after James George Bell.
History
Tongva
The area of Bell Gardens has a history dating back thousands of years. The Tongva established settlements in the area, including the village of Chokishgna. The village prospered until the arrival of the Spanish, after which it came under the influence of Mission San Gabriel in 1771.[8][9]
Spanish and Mexican period
In the late 18th century, when the area was associated with a large amount of land situated along the lower basin of the Rio Hondo area in Los Angeles County, Bell Gardens was once a bustling agricultural center for
Among those early
Antonio Lugo built several adobe homes within the boundaries of the Rancho San Antonio grant, and raised cattle. One of the adobe houses, built in 1795, is the oldest house in Los Angeles County and is still standing at 7000 Gage Avenue. Lugo was given a term as Mayor of Los Angeles. According to Dr. Roy Whitehead in his book Lugo, "Don Antonio Maria Lugo…rode around Los Angeles and his Rancho San Antonio in great splendor. He never adopted American dress, culture or language and still spoke only Spanish. He rode magnificent horses, sitting in his $1,500 silver trimmed saddle erect and stately, with his sword strapped to the saddle beneath his left leg…People knew him far and wide, and even the Indians sometimes named their children after him, as he was one Spanish Don that they admired." Antonio María Lugo died at the age of 85 in 1860.
American period
One of his nine children, Vicente Lugo, married and built a two-story adobe home in 1850, located at 6360 Gage Avenue. A daughter of Antonio Lugo married
The Bell Gardens’ school system began in 1867 when the
Because of the rich soil, many Japanese immigrants are part of Bell Gardens’ early history. Japanese gardeners leased land and farmed to produce quality vegetables for the marketplace. Rice fields also mushroomed within the city limits of Bell Gardens. With some of the richest agricultural land in the country, Bell Gardens remained a farming community until the 1930s.
Beginning in the 1930s, cheap homes were constructed, filled largely by defense plant workers.
World War I and World War II brought defense plants to the area that helped build the economic stability and the population, which led to construction of new homes, more schools, and a prosperous business climate.
This land used to be floodplains, farmlands split into long, narrow plots by depression-era developers. Tiny houses were sold and rented to Oakies, the Cherokee, and the Cree, forced from their homes by dust bowls and Manifest Destiny. By the 1980s, high-wage factories had left, taking with them virtually all of the whites and many of the blacks. In their places—coming from the Mexican states of Michoacan, Jalisco, Sinaloa, and Zacatecas— were large families of immigrants.[10] Latinos moved here for work and some brought their small businesses.[11] Thousands of Central Americans fleeing civil wars in the 1980s also came to the region and created small businesses and worked in the same service industry jobs.
By the 1990s, Colmar Elementary changed its name to Cesar E. Chavez Elementary and 85 percent of the residents of Bell Gardens were Hispanic.[12][13]
By 2013, approximately 122,000 homeowners in the southeast were Latina/o; a region where, prior to 1965, families of color could not live due to restrictive covenants.[12]
On September 30, 2014, Bell Gardens mayor Daniel Crespo was shot dead at his home. Police took Crespo's wife into custody. Daniel Crespo's brother, William Crespo, filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against Crespo's wife, Lyvette 'Levette' Crespo.[14][15]
Gage Mansion
The oldest remaining house in
By 1865, most of the Lugo ranch, divided among five sons and three daughters, had been sold off for as little as a dollar per acre. The original adobe ranch home, however, remained in the family. In 1880, attorney
Bell Gardens maintains only a small portion of the original Lugo land grant, which is located at the site of the Casa Mobile home Park at 7000 Gage Ave. In 1991, the park's tenants, who own the land as well as Lugo's original dwelling, were successful in their efforts to have Casa de San Antonio named State Historical Monument No. 984. Their effort ensures that Don Antonio Maria Lugo's name and his historic home will be preserved for future generations of Bell Gardens residents and Californians.[16]
A century later, the Gage Mansion was all that remained of the once great Rancho San Antonio. In 1983, the Casa Mobile Home Park, a cooperative of mobile home owners renting lots on the property, purchased the land and the house from their ailing landlord. Although they were aware of the historical significance of the old house, they had no means of maintaining it. In 1987, then Bell Gardens City Councilwoman Letha Viles began working to get the house listed on the state historical registry, making it eligible for maintenance grants. It is now listed as California Historical Site Number 984.
Indian Revival Church
In 1956, Assemblies of God evangelist Arthur Stoneking recognized this demographic shift and pioneered Indian Revival Center (now Indian Revival Church[17]), a congregation for Native Americans in Bell Gardens. Stoneking, a member of the Winnebago tribe, had remarkable success in bringing together people from various tribes. Started as a home bible study, the congregation soon became the largest Native American congregation in Los Angeles.[18] In 1990, there were 889 American Native Indian people living in Bell Gardens.[17]
Miss Bell Gardens
An official annual city beauty pageant held in the city from 1947 ending in 2015. Successfully returning in 2020 and ending again in 2021.[19]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.5 km2), over 99% of it land.
Bell Gardens is bordered by Bell and Cudahy on the west, Commerce on the north and northeast, Downey on the southeast, and South Gate on the southwest.
The city is about 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Downtown Los Angeles.[20]
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1960 | 26,467 | — | |
1970 | 29,308 | 10.7% | |
1980 | 34,117 | 16.4% | |
1990 | 42,355 | 24.1% | |
2000 | 44,054 | 4.0% | |
2010 | 42,072 | −4.5% | |
2020 | 39,501 | −6.1% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[21] |
In Bell Gardens, there are six elementary schools, two intermediate schools, one high school, and two adult schools. Bell Gardens has a relatively young population with a median age of 28 years old. The city is largely Hispanic with 2016 demographics being: 95.8% Hispanic, 3% White Non-Hispanic, 0.8% Asian, 0.5% Black Non-Hispanic, and 0.1% American Indian.
2010
The
The Census reported that 41,648 people (99.0% of the population) lived in households, 125 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 299 (0.7%) were institutionalized.
There were 9,655 households, out of which 6,349 (65.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 5,298 (54.9%) were
The population was spread out, with 14,308 people (34.0%) under the age of 18, 5,234 people (12.4%) aged 18 to 24, 12,692 people (30.2%) aged 25 to 44, 7,637 people (18.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,201 people (5.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.0 males.
There were 9,986 housing units at an average density of 4,054.4 per square mile (1,565.4/km2), of which 2,318 (24.0%) were owner-occupied, and 7,337 (76.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 2.6%. 10,534 people (25.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 31,114 people (74.0%) lived in rental housing units.
According to the 2010 United States Census, Bell Gardens had a median household income of $38,170, with 27.6% of the population living below the federal poverty line.[23]
2000
According to the
There were 9,466 households, out of which 67.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.1% were married couples living together, 19.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 10.1% were non-families. 7.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.61 and the average family size was 4.69.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 39.5% under the age of 18, 12.9% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 12.2% from 45 to 64, and 3.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,597, and the median income for a family was $30,419. Males had a median income of $21,151 versus $16,461 for females. The
Latino community
These were the ten
- East Los Angeles, California, 96.7%
- Maywood, California, 96.4%
- City Terrace, California, 94.4%
- Huntington Park, California, 95.1%
- Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, 94.0%
- Cudahy, California, 93.8%
- Bell Gardens, California, 93.7%
- Commerce, California 93.4%
- Vernon, California, 92.6%
- South Gate, California, 92.1%
Arts and entertainment
The Bicycle Hotel & Casino is located in Bell Gardens. It is one of the largest poker casinos in the world.[26]
DEL Records, a Latin independent entertainment company, is located in Bell Gardens.[27]
Government
In the
In the United States House of Representatives, Bell Gardens is in California's 40th congressional district, represented by Republican Young Kim.[29]
Education
Bell Gardens residents are served primarily by the Montebello Unified School District,[30] including Bell Gardens High School.
Every public school in Bell Gardens has an urban farm run by members of the Environmental Garden Club, an after-school program.[31]
Infrastructure
Fire protection in Bell Gardens is provided by the
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services operates the Whittier Health Center in Whittier, serving Bell Gardens.[33]
The
There are 8 parks and one golf course in the city limits.[35]
Notable people
- Tim Buckley, American musician
- Eddie Cochran, American musician
- John Force, NHRA Funny Car Driver / Champion
- Ricardo Lara, 8th Insurance Commissioner of California
- Cristina Garcia, California State Assembly from the 58th district[36]
See also
- List of cities and towns in California
References
- ^ "California Cities by Incorporation Date". California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions. Archived from the original (Word) on November 3, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
- ^ "Bell Gardens". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
- ^ "USPS - ZIP Code Lookup - Find a ZIP+ 4 Code By City Results". Retrieved January 17, 2007.
- ^ "NPA City Report". North American Numbering Plan Administration. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
- ^ "Henry Gage Mansion in Bell Gardens, California". www.laalmanac.com.
- ^ a b Brightwell, ~ Eric (April 28, 2009). "California Fool's Gold – a Southeast Los Angeles primer".
- ^ Verne Dyson: "The Old Ranchos That are Buried in Los Angeles" in The Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine, issue of December 18, 1927, pp. 12-13, 23 (23), https://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=25458857, last accessed 2 February 2019.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Bell Gardens, California
- ^ Quinones, Sam (September 25, 2017). "The Queen of Florencia Los Angeles Magazine".
- ^ Vértiz, Vickie (April 8, 2014). "Pioneers of Artistic Revolution: Making Art and Space in Southeast Los Angeles". KCET.
- ^ a b Vértiz, Vickie (September 20, 2017). "The Right to Live: Southeast Los Angeles Life in Three Moments". KCET.
- ISBN 9781421420387.
- ^ http://www.inquisitr.com/1553290/daniel-crespo-timeline-family-sues-for-wrongful-death-against-bell-gardens-wife/ Inquisitr.
- ^ "Bell Gardens Mayor Daniel Crespo fatally shot at home". Los Angeles Times. September 30, 2014. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
- ^ "Welcome to the city of Bell Gardens California". Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved December 4, 2006.
- ^ a b Vértiz, Vickie (June 17, 2014). "'Bell Gardens? That's Indian Town!': 1980s Pow Wows". KCET.
- ^ "Indian Revival Church: Bridging Tribal Divides in Los Angeles for Sixty Years". December 1, 2016.
- ^ Vértiz, Vickie (November 20, 2015). "Worth Gold: Feminism and Leadership at the Miss Bell Gardens Pageant". KCET.
- ^ Moshtaghian, Artemis and Dave Alsup. "Officials: Bell Gardens, California, mayor shot and killed by wife" (Archive). CNN. September 30, 2014. Retrieved on October 2, 2014.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Bell Gardens city". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
- ^ a b "Bell Gardens (City) QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau". Archived from the original on March 30, 2015. Retrieved November 2, 2013.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Latino" Mapping L.A., Los Angeles Times
- ^ Phase One Environmental Site Assessment, Lumina Technologies Inc., Santa Rosa, Ca. (1994)
- ^ "DEL Records". DELRecords.com.
- ^ "Statewide Database". Regents of the University of California. Archived from the original on February 1, 2015. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
- ^ "California's 40th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC.
- ^ "District Map Archived August 11, 2016, at the Wayback Machine." Montebello Unified School District. Retrieved on January 3, 2017.
- ^ "School gardens in Bell Gardens feed a community". Los Angeles Times. July 6, 2013.
- ^ "Hometown Fire Stations Archived September 13, 2007, at the Wayback Machine." Los Angeles County Fire Department. Retrieved on December 6, 2008.
- ^ "Whittier Health Center Archived May 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine." Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Retrieved on March 18, 2010.
- ^ "Bell Gardens". United States Postal Service. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
- ^ "City of Bell Gardens > GOVERNMENT > City Departments > Recreation & Community Services > Parks and Facilities". Archived from the original on February 28, 2019. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
- ^ Vértiz, Vickie (November 20, 2014). "Assemblymember Cristina Garcia on Leadership in Southeast L.A." KCET.