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Sierra Madre, California

Sierra Madre (Spanish for "mother range") is a city in Los Angeles County, California, with a population of 11,268 at the time of the 2020 U.S. Census. The city is in the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley below the southern edge of the Angeles National Forest. Pasadena and Altadena are to its west, with Arcadia to its south and east. Sierra Madre is known as "Wisteria City", and its city seal is decorated with a drawing of the now widely known 500 ft vine. It is also called the "Village of the Foothills" and was an All-America City in 2007.

Early history
In approximately 500 CE, Tongva Indians, the native people migrated from the Mojave area to what would become Los Angeles County (including the San Gabriel Valley). Their name means "People of the Earth". Their primary language was Uto-Aztecan Shoshonean. In the 16th century, there were about 25 Tongva villages, with a population of approximately 400 people. By 1769, the first Spanish settlers arrived in the region, finding an estimated 5,000 Tongva living in 31 villages. Sierra Madre was the site of a settlement named Sonayna. Two years later, Mission San Gabriel Arcangel was founded in present-day Montebello. The mission was later moved to San Gabriel because of severe flooding from the Rio Hondo River, which ruined their crops. The original mission site is now marked by a California Historical Landmark. Tongvas were integrated into the culture of the mission, and the tribe were renamed Gabrielino Indians by the Spaniards. The first Mount Wilson trail was carved by the Gabrielino Indians, who used it when they carried timber down from the mountains for the construction of the San Gabriel Mission in 1771.

Using Mexican and Chinese laborers, Benjamin "Don Benito" Wilson expanded the Mount Wilson Trail in 1864. Nathaniel Carter purchased the original 1103 acre that comprise Sierra Madre in 1881: 845 acre from "Lucky Baldwin", 108 acre from the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, and 150 acre from John Richardson (1811–August 9, 1884). In 1888, the Santa Anita railroad station was built. The first of the year brought Pacific Electric Railway Red Car passenger service to Sierra Madre. Later that year the first electric lights were installed by the Edison Electric Company. In December 1906, the first telephones were installed (250 of them) by the Home Telephone Company of Monrovia.

On February 2, 1907, the first citywide election was held and 96 citizens voted 71–25 to officially incorporate Sierra Madre; the population was about 500. In February 1907, eighteen days after the election, Sierra Madre became incorporated as a California city. Charles Worthington Jones was the first mayor.

The new century
Sierra Madre is historically linked to the old mountain resorts of the San Gabriel Mountains and Valley. The Sierra Madre Villa Hotel was a pioneer of summer resorts that populated the San Gabriel Valley in the late 19th century. The municipality also operated and maintained the landmark "Lizzie's Trail" inn at the head of Old Mount Wilson Trail.

Harvard College established the first Mount Wilson Observatory in 1889. The installation of the Harvard telescope in 1889, which brought its own problems of transporting the instrument up the old Wilson trail, caused an interest in a Mt. Wilson roadway, something more than a trail. The Harvard telescope was removed and in July the new toll road was officially opened to the public. The toll was set by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors at 25 cents for hikers and 50 cents for horseback. The new road was called the "New Mt. Wilson Trail" and it was more popular at the time than the old Sierra Madre trail. Foot and pack animal traffic became so heavy that in June 1893 the trail was widened to 6 ft. The Pacific Electric "Red Cars" established their route to Sierra Madre from 1906 until 1950. Thousands of people rode the cars to Sierra Madre to hike the original Mt. Wilson Trail.

In 1908, the first Mt. Wilson Trail Race was run. This annual race was discontinued during WWII and reestablished in 1966. The 102nd anniversary of the first running of the Mount Wilson Trail Race and the 44th annual race was run in May 2010. Because of rain, mudslides, falling trees, soil erosion and rockslides, the regularly monitored trail course changes almost every year, and no official records of running times are kept. The 8.6 mi course starts and ends on pavement, but most of the race is run on a dirt path about 3 ft wide, and the Mt. Wilson Trail has occasional steep vertical drops of hundreds of feet. Due to the trail's narrowness and steepness, the race is limited to 300 male and 300 female runners. The path gains elevation to more than 2100 ft; at 4.3 mi from the start of the race is Orchard Camp, the turnaround point. Scout troops hike up to provide water at two locations, at the 2.3 mi point and at the Orchard Camp turnaround. The Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team provides emergency support on race day. The Mt. Wilson Trail Race has traditional and historical value to the community.

A year after the city's incorporation, Catholic families contacted a priest from Chicago, Father M. W. Barth, who had moved west for his health, to ask if he could celebrate Mass for them. The construction of the first, very small, church of St. Rita's parish, founded by Barth in 1908, was completed in 1910. In 1922, St. Rita's Catholic Church parochial school opened. During the first 100 years of St. Rita's Parish, it has on record 4,075 baptisms, 3,590 confirmations, 1,334 marriages and 1,469 funerals. The scattering of families that began with Barth in 1908 has grown to more than 1,200 Catholic parish homes today, in a city whose population is now approximately 10,917.

In 1914, after a long legal battle, the city acquired title to all water rights, lands, and distribution systems of the Baldwin Estate and the Sierra Madre Water Company.

1920s and 1930s
In 1921, a disastrous bakery fire at Windsor Lane and Montecito Court prompted the official organization of the Sierra Madre Volunteer Fire Department. Sierra Madre had the last remaining volunteer fire department in greater Los Angeles before transitioning to a paid department in 2017.

On January 1, 1922, Bethany Temple was dedicated. The now historic domed cobblestone church was designed and built by the nearly blind Louis D. Corneulle. The new Congregational Church structure was completed on Sierra Madre Ave; the Romanesque Revival building was designed by Marsh, Smith, & Powell. In July 1927, the Sierra Madre Kiwanis Club was formed. On April 21, 1931, the first meeting of the Sierra Madre Historical Society took place, in conjunction with the city's 50th anniversary celebration. In 1936, a city ordinance officially changed the name of Central Avenue to Sierra Madre Blvd. In March 1938, a disastrous storm and the resulting flood destroyed many resorts in the local mountains, and also ravaged the (John) Muir Lodge in Big Santa Anita Canyon above Sierra Madre. No trace remains of it today. In 1940, the city purchased 760 acre of land in the San Gabriel Mountains near Orchard Camp to avoid contamination of the water supply.

A six-week Wisteria event took place in the 1930s. The crowds that traveled to see the giant Wisteria vine were estimated at over 100,000. With so many visitors, extra "Red Cars" were put on the Pacific Electric route to Sierra Madre.

1940s
On May 14, 1942, Sierra Madre's Japanese population was required to depart for the detention facility in Tulare, California. During this decade, Sierra Madre Civic Club and the Sierra Madre Lions Club were organized. The Sierra Madre Community Nursery School also opened. In May 1947, the first Pioneer Days Parade was held. The heaviest recorded snow in Sierra Madre occurred in 1949, blanketing the town with 3 to 4 in of snow overnight.

In 1948, the U.S. Supreme Court, in the case of Shelley v. Kraemer, ended racially restrictive covenants that had prevented black people from owning homes in Sierra Madre and some neighboring cities. However, residential segregation patterns had already become established and persisted up until 1968 when realtors began to routinely show homes to black people.

Mid-century
On October 6, 1950, the last Pacific Electric train left from Sierra Madre. In 1951, Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team was established by Larry Shepherd and Fred LaLone. Sierra Madre joined the Pasadena Unified School District in 1961. In 1967, Princess Margaret visited the British Home in Sierra Madre. The Cultural Heritage Committee was established in 1969 by the Sierra Madre City Council with the intent of "defining cultural and aesthetic landmarks throughout the City of Sierra Madre and to recommend how such landmarks be preserved." In 1969, the city purchased the Women's Clubhouse, to be demolished and become the site of a new City Hall building.

The Sierra Madre Historical Wilderness Area was established by declaration of the City Council on January 24, 1967. When it was dedicated on January 27, 1968, Sierra Madre was the first city in Southern California to own a wilderness preserve. The Sierra Madre City Council added the Mt. Wilson Trail to the Sierra Madre Register of Historic Cultural Landmarks on October 12, 1993.

1970s
In January 1971, the Sierra Madre Environmental Action Council was formed. In 1974, the Bell Tower in Kersting Court was dedicated; it houses the original school bell from the 1885 schoolhouse. In 1976, Sierra Madre Vistas was published by the Sierra Madre Historical Preservation Society. On March 19, 1976, the Bicentennial time capsule was buried beneath the flagpole at the new Fire and Police Department Facility, then dedicated in May. The New City Hall building was dedicated on Sierra Madre Boulevard in 1977.

1980s and 1990s
In 1981, Sierra Madre celebrated the centennial of its founding, complete with a Centennial Royal Court and dance, a special Historical Society dinner, and rides on a Pacific Electric red car brought back to town on Independence Day weekend.

Recent history
In 2003, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Senior Housing Project on Esperanza Avenue was held. The affordable housing project includes 46 units designed by PBWS Architects and developed by the Foundation for Quality Housing. Later that year, the Veterans' Photo Wall, spearheaded by John Grijalva, was dedicated in Memorial Park. In 2007, Sierra Madre celebrated the centennial of its incorporation as a California city. Sierra Madre also won the All-America City Award given by the National Civic League. That same year, the refurbished World War I cannon in Memorial Park was dedicated.

In March 2008, the Milton & Harriet Goldberg Recreation Area was dedicated, as the city's first such pocket park in over 30 years. In 2009, the Sierra Madre Historical Preservation Society published Southern California Story: Seeking the Better Life in Sierra Madre by Michele Zack.

In 2023, the city asked the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to change its approach to dealing with bears in the city.

Geography and climate
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 3.0 square miles (7.7 km2 (7.7 km2) of it is land, and 0.15% is water.

Sierra Madre has warm, dry summers, and cool, wet winters (Mediterranean climate type). Annual precipitation is just about 24 inches, mostly falling between November and March. In fall months, a Southern California phenomenon called the Santa Ana winds can bring daytime temperatures into the 80s year round, and keep overnight lows above 60, even in winter. Winter, however, mostly consist of cool, rainy days followed by warm sunny ones. Frosts are not very common, with snow only being recorded 3 times. By May, Pacific storms no longer visit the region. In May and June, hot desert temperatures combined with cool ocean waters bring in low hanging clouds each morning called the Marine Layer. They dissipate by noon. These clouds make June the cloudiest month for Sierra Madre, even though it only receives an average 0.20" of rain in June. From July through October, hot temperatures grip the region, with September being the hottest month, unlike the rest of the nation. During this period, it rarely rains.

The 1991 Sierra Madre earthquake was a M 5.8 tremor that hit at 07:43:55 local time on June 28, 1991. It caused regional damage, such as knocking over chimneys and fragmenting cinder block walls that run along major roads in the area.

Sierra Madre lies between Santa Anita Blvd. to the east and Michillinda Ave. to the west. To the south, it is bordered by Orange Grove Blvd. Its principal road is Sierra Madre Blvd.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Sierra Madre had a population of 10,917. The population density was 3,692.0 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Sierra Madre was 8,967 (82.1%) White (72.3% Non-Hispanic White), 201 (1.8%) African American, 44 (0.4%) Native American, 835 (7.6%) Asian, 9 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 390 (3.6%) from other races, and 471 (4.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,628 persons (14.9%).

The Census reported that 10,916 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 1 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 4,837 households, out of which 1,205 (24.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,291 (47.4%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 442 (9.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 139 (2.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 217 (4.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 54 (1.1%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,596 households (33.0%) were made up of individuals, and 588 (12.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26. There were 2,872 families (59.4% of all households); the average family size was 2.89.

The population was spread out, with 2,095 people (19.2%) under the age of 18, 539 people (4.9%) aged 18 to 24, 2,524 people (23.1%) aged 25 to 44, 3,864 people (35.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,895 people (17.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.

There were 5,113 housing units at an average density of 1,729.1 /mi2, of which 2,988 (61.8%) were owner-occupied, and 1,849 (38.2%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.0%. 7,390 people (67.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,526 people (32.3%) lived in rental housing units.

During 2009–2013, Sierra Madre had a median household income of $88,837, with 8.3% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 10,578 people, 4,756 households, and 2,739 families residing in the town. The population density was 3,522.9 PD/sqmi. There were 4,923 housing units at an average density of 1,639.5 /mi2. The racial makeup of the town was 85.8% White, 1.1% African American, 0.4% Native American, 5.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.0% from other races, and 4.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.0% of the population.

There were 4,756 households, out of which 23.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.4% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.9% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $65,900, and the median income for a family was $79,588. Males had a median income of $61,635 versus $42,527 for females. The per capita income for the town was $41,104. About 1.9% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 1.7% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture
Downtown Sierra Madre has small restaurants and shops. Sierra Madre hosts an Independence Day parade and three days of festivities each year. The date of the parade varies from year to year, dependent on when the Monday of the holiday weekend falls. Residents like to call it a "Star Spangled Weekend." The old tradition of water-filled squirt guns during the parade has been scrapped for "confetti eggs" to throw at parade participants and viewers. Concerts, food and game booths and the ubiquitous beer booth are all a part of the firework-free weekend.

In the northern and northeastern portions of the city are the Lower and Upper Sierra Madre Canyons. These small communities are noted for their narrow and winding roads, lush vegetation, views of the San Gabriel Valley, and small bungalows or cabins. Bailey Canyon Wilderness Park has these resources and hiking trail entrances are available to the public: Sierra Madre Wilderness Trail, Live Oak Nature Trail, and Canyon View Nature Trail. The park itself has a Native Botanical Area and picnic area barbecues and fire rings

Wisteria vine
Sierra Madre is known for its annual Wistaria Festival (an alternative spelling of Wisteria), which celebrates its 1 acre Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) vine, which was planted in the 1890s. The plant was named by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest flowering plant and one of the seven horticultural wonders of the world. The annual festival is the one day a year the vine on private property can be viewed. The city's more than 500 ft-long Wisteria Vine, was purchased in 1894 by Mrs. William (Alice) Brugman from the old Wilson nursery, in Monrovia, for seventy-five cents. Over time, the vine, with its lavender flowers, grew so large that it crushed the house. Now the vine spans two back yards in the 500 block of North Hermosa Avenue. The vine measures more than 1 acre in size and weighs 250 tons.

Rose Parade involvement
On January 1, 1917, Sierra Madre made its first entry in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses parade. Since 1954, the year it was founded, the Sierra Madre Rose Float Association (SMRFA) has organized the volunteers who decorate the self made Tournament of Roses floats every year, and receives no funds from the city. The association holds a design competition every year, and volunteers start welding on the float chassis in March, preparing for screening, painting, and decorating, and culminating in "deco week," a busy 6 day period that ends with judging on December 31. While many volunteers reside locally, many come from across the country and international locations to contribute to the effort.

In 2010, the Sierra Madre Rose Float Association and float designer Charles Meier won their fourth award in a row, the "Lathrop K. Leishman Award" for Most Beautiful Non-Commercial Float. Successful for years, since 2006 the Sierra Madre entry has been awarded nearly consecutive awards, showing masterful design and decoration against corporate commercial floats with budgets that dwarf that of SMRFA's. Recent designs and awards include:

2022: Nature's Classroom "Judges Award," most outstanding float design and dramatic impact

2020: Ka Lā Hiki Ola "President Award," most outstanding use and presentation of flowers

2019: Harmony's Garden "Director Trophy," most beautiful artistic design and use of floral and non-floral materials

2018: Chivalry! "Fantasy Trophy," most outstanding display of fantasy and imagination 2017: The Cat's Away "Mayor’s Trophy," most outstanding city entry – national or international

2016: Rollin' on the River "Animation Trophy"

2015: I Think I Can "Mayor’s Trophy," most outstanding city entry – national or international

2014: Catching the Big One "Mayor’s Trophy," most outstanding city entry – national or international

2013: The Sky's the Limit "Isabella Coleman Trophy," best presentation of color and color harmony

2012: Colorful Imagination

2011: Sueños de California "Governor's Trophy," best depiction of life in California

2010: California Girls "Governor's Trophy," best depiction of life in California

2009: Bollywood Dreams "Lathrop K. Leishman Award," most beautiful entry from a non-commercial sponsor

2008: Valentine's Day "Princess’ Trophy," most beautiful entry under thirty-five feet in length

2007: Our Wonderful Wistaria "Lathrop K. Lieshman Award," most beautiful entry from a non-commercial sponsor

2006: Wonder of Reading "Founder's trophy", most outstanding float built by volunteers from a community or organization

Mater Dolorosa Monastery
In the foothills of Sierra Madre is an 80 acre retreat with a fountain and gardens. Mater Dolorosa Monastery's first permanent structure was built in 1931. In 1949, the new retreat house was built and dedicated. The Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center (Mater Dolorosa means "Mother of Sorrows") has provided an environment of peace for monks as well as Methodists, and Presbyterians.

Shortly before the Rose Bowl game in 1958, Ohio State Coach Woody Hayes started looking for a place to sequester his team. The Mater Dolorosa monastery in Sierra Madre offered secluded serenity, along with a small company of black-robed friars to make sure the team didn't get into any mischief. The Buckeyes won the game. Other team coaches have followed suit. Bobby Bell, a Minnesota linebacker, remembered the team bus pulling into the monastery one late night, with only the headlights and police escort lights shining against the religious statues. He remarked to his coach: "You don't have to worry about bed-check tonight, Coach."

City Council
The Sierra Madre City Council has five members elected to four-year terms. The council is responsible for general city policy, as well as for the appointment of the City Manager, City Attorney, and members of the city's boards and commissions. It also serves as the governing body for the Community Redevelopment Agency and Public Financing Authority. The positions of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore rotate among the five members.

The current City Council members are:
 * Mayor: John Capoccia
 * Mayor Pro Tem: Rachelle Arizmendi
 * City Council Members: Gene Goss, John Harabedian

List of mayors
This is a list of Sierra Madre mayors by year.
 * 1907–1914 Charles Worthington Jones – First mayor of Sierra Madre
 * 1953–1954 Henry F. Korsmeier
 * 1954 Charles E. Louk
 * 1994–1995 MaryAnn MacGillivray
 * 2007–2008 Enid Joffe
 * 2008–2009 Kurt Zimmerman
 * 2009–2010 MaryAnn MacGillivray
 * 2010–2011 Joe Mosca
 * 2011–2012 John Buchanan
 * 2012–2013 Josh Moran
 * 2013–2014 Nancy Walsh
 * 2014–2015 John Harabedian
 * 2015–2016 John Capoccia
 * 2016–2017 Gene Goss
 * 2017–2018 Rachelle Pastor Arizmendi
 * 2018–2019 Denise Delmar

County
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services operates the Monrovia Health Center in Monrovia, serving Sierra Madre.

State and federal representation
In the California State Legislature, Sierra Madre is in, and.

In the United States House of Representatives, Sierra Madre is in.

Education
Full and transitional preschool options include Sierra Madre Community Nursery School (SMCNS), Sunnyside School House Preschool, Bethany Christian School, and St. Rita Catholic School.

Public schools within the city are Sierra Madre Elementary School and Sierra Madre Middle School, which sit half a mile apart on Highland Avenue and are included in the Pasadena Unified School District public school system. Private school options include Alverno Heights Academy, Bethany Christian School, St. Rita School, and The Gooden School.

Media
Sierra Madre is served by two local newspapers, Sierra Madre Weekly and the Mountain Views News, and online news source Sierra Madre News.Net.

City services
The Sierra Madre Police Department patrols the city, providing 24/7 protection for the citizens of Sierra Madre.

Sierra Madre is the last city in Los Angeles County to provide paramedic service to its residents.

Sierra Madre is considering contracting out law enforcement and paramedic services. The City Council authorized a formal request to Arcadia, Pasadena, and LA County on Tuesday July 14, 2009, at the City Council meeting.

Fire
The Sierra Madre Fire Department provides fire protection services for the city. Until 2017, Sierra Madre had a volunteer fire department.

Transportation
The city has no traffic lights except at city limits with Pasadena and Arcadia.

In July 2003, the MTA began operation of the Gold Line (later known as the L Line, now part of the A Line) from Union Station to Sierra Madre Villa. Sierra Madre expanded local transit service as part of the new operation.

City of Sierra Madre offers transportation on a Gateway bus. The city is served by Pasadena Transit routes 60 with connection to the Metro A Line's Sierra Madre Villa station on Sierra Madre Villa Avenue and Foothill Boulevard. Los Angeles County Metro's microtransit service, Metro Micro serves the City of Sierra Madre. Metro Lines 268 & 487 used to serve the area but no longer serve there as of June 27, 2021.

Historic landmarks
Forty-eight properties are listed on Sierra Madre's Designated Historical Properties List, including Sierra Madre Pioneer Cemetery (1884), Old North Church (1890) of Sierra Madre Congregational Church (1928), the Episcopal Church of the Ascension (1888), and Hart's house (1884) in Sierra Madre Memorial Park.

In popular culture

 * In 1910, New York filmmaker D. W. Griffith began producing movies in town, using townspeople as extras.
 * 1941 The Great Man's Lady, based on the short story "The Human Side" by Viña Delmar, at the Pinney House, starring Barbara Stanwyck, Joel McCrea, and Brian Donlevy.
 * 1954 Eddie Foy Jr. and The Seven Little Foys was also filmed at the Pinney House, starring Bob Hope and Milly Vitale
 * 1956 Strange Intruder
 * The 1956 version of The Invasion of the Body Snatchers was filmed in town; it starred Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter, and Larry Gates.
 * In 1976, Alfred Hitchcock filmed segments of Family Plot in Sierra Madre's "Pioneer Cemetery".
 * John Carpenter filmed a scene for Halloween at the Pioneer Cemetery in 1978.
 * 1980 horror film The Fog by John Carpenter filmed at the Church of the Ascension.
 * 1981 horror film Halloween II by John Carpenter filmed at the center of town. The shape crosses Sierra Madre Boulevard and heads up Baldwin.
 * 1982 Halloween III filmed at The Buccaneer and in Kersting Court
 * In 1983, Testament was shot entirely on location in Sierra Madre.
 * In 1985, Better Off Dead was filmed on both Baldwin Avenue and Mountain Trail.
 * 1988 Return of the Living Dead Part II
 * 1990 David Lynch filmed Twin Peaks in the Pioneer Cemetery. (553 East Sierra Madre Boulevard)
 * 1994 Ed Wood (Alverno High School, 200 North Michillinda Avenue)
 * 1995 The Last Supper (Filmed exterior & cafe at Kersting Ct.)
 * 1998 The Wedding Singer starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. (43 Sierra Place)
 * 2000 Dude, Where's My Car?
 * 2001 The Princess Diaries (Interior high school scenes filmed at Alverno Heights Academy, 200 North Michillinda Avenue)
 * 2001 Legally Blonde (Delta Nu sorority house filmed at Alverno Heights Academy)
 * 2005 Kicking and Screaming at Bean Town Coffee Bar in downtown Sierra Madre; starring Will Ferrell, Robert Duvall, Kate Walsh, and Josh Hutcherson.
 * 2010 Glee Season 2, Episode 3 "Grilled Cheesus," Episcopal Church of the Ascension (25 East Laurel Avenue) as Mercedes' church
 * 2014 Not That Funny
 * 2017 The House
 * 2017 Unforgettable starring Katherine Heigl and Rosario Dawson, filmed in downtown Sierra Madre and at Sierra Madre Elementary School (141 West Highland Avenue).
 * 2017 Lady Bird (Alverno Heights Academy, 200 North Michillinda Avenue)
 * 2018 Ocean's 8
 * 2018 Bird Box, starring Sandra Bullock, filmed in front of City Hall and Memorial Park.
 * Various movies have been filmed at Mater Dolorosa Monastery.

Notable people

 * Annemarie Davidson (1920–2012) - Artist with emphasis in copper enamel. Resident of Sierra Madre.
 * Louise Gunning – former Broadway singer, wife of violinist Oskar Seiling
 * Jill Emery, original bassist for rock band Hole, lives in Sierra Madre.
 * Alan Wood – Supplied the American flag raised in the historic Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima photograph.
 * Gutzon Borglum – Sculptor of Mount Rushmore and other artworks.

title: Sierra Madre, California


text:
Signal Hill, California

Signal Hill is a city 2.2 mi2 in area in Los Angeles County, California. Located high on a hill, the city is an enclave completely surrounded by the city of Long Beach. Signal Hill was incorporated on April 22, 1924, roughly three years after oil was discovered there. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,016.

Etymology
Signal Hill was originally known as Los Cerritos (“The Little Hills") but got its current name when it became the signal point of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1889.

History
The hill that the city is named after is 365 feet (110 m) above the surrounding town of Long Beach. Because of this height, it was used by the local Tongva Indians for signal fires that could be seen throughout the surrounding area and even out to Catalina Island, 26 mi away.

After the Spanish claimed Alta California ("Upper California," or what is now the state of California), Signal Hill eventually became part of the first large rancho grant to be allotted under Spanish rule in Alta California. The Rancho San Pedro (Dominguez Rancho) land grant exceeded 74000 acre as granted to a soldier, Juan Jose Dominguez, who accompanied Junipero Serra, by Governor Fages through authority of King Carlos III of Spain in 1784.

Between 1913 and 1923 an early California movie studio, Balboa Amusement Producing Company (also known as Balboa Studios), was located in Long Beach and used 11 acres (45,000 m2) on Signal Hill for outdoor locations. Buster Keaton and Fatty Arbuckle were two of the Balboa Studios actors who had films shot on Signal Hill.

Before oil was discovered in Signal Hill, there were large homes built on the hill itself, and in the lower elevations there were agricultural fields where fruits, vegetables, and flowers were grown.

Discovery of oil
Signal Hill changed forever when oil was discovered. The hill would soon become part of the Long Beach Oil Field, one of the most productive oil fields in the world. On June 23, 1921, Royal Dutch Shell's Alamitos #1 well erupted. The gas pressure was so great the gusher rose 114 ft (35 m) in the air. Soon Signal Hill was covered with over 100 oil derricks, and because of its prickly appearance at a distance became known as "Porcupine Hill". Today, many of the original oil wells and pumpjacks are gone, although Signal Hill is still a productive oil field and several wells and derricks remain. Signal Hill is now a mix of residential and commercial areas.

The city was incorporated on April 22, 1924. Among the reasons for incorporation was avoiding annexation by Long Beach with its zoning restrictions and per-barrel oil tax. Proving to be a progressive city, Signal Hill elected as its first mayor, Mrs. Jessie Nelson. She was California's first female mayor.

Government
Signal Hill has a council-manager form of government. The city council has five members who are elected to four-year, staggered terms; council members elect the mayor from among their ranks.

On the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Signal Hill is represented by 4th District Supervisor Janice Hahn.

In the United States House of Representatives, Signal Hill is in.

In the California State Legislature, Signal Hill is in, and in.

Emergency services
The Signal Hill Police Department provides local law enforcement. In 2018, it budgeted for 38 police officers to enforce the law in the 2 square mile municipality.

Basic life support and ambulance transport is provided by Care Ambulance Service

The Long Beach Memorial Medical Center provides medical services to the City and LACFD Station 60. The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services operates the Whittier Health Center in Whittier, serving Signal Hill.

Fire
The Los Angeles County Fire Department provides fire protection services for the city of Signal Hill.

Economy
Prior to its dissolution, the airline Jet America Airlines was headquartered in Signal Hill. The diner chain Hof's Hut is headquartered in Signal Hill.

Top employers
According to the city's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Public schools
Signal Hill is served by Long Beach Unified School District.

There are two operating elementary schools within the city limits: Signal Hill Elementary School and Juan Bautista Alvarado Elementary School. The former Burroughs Elementary School and adjacent Teacher Resource Center now serves as office space for the Head Start Program. Juan Bautista Alvarado Elementary School is located on the site of the former all male boarding school, the Southern California Military Academy. There is one middle school within the city limits: Jessie Elwin Nelson Academy. High school students usually attend Long Beach Polytechnic High School (usually referred to as Long Beach Poly), although some students choose to attend Long Beach Wilson Classical High School. Signal Hill Elementary School has earned the California Achieving Schools Award, and the National Achieving Schools Award. Signal Hill and Alvarado are both California Distinguished Schools.

Colleges and universities
Community college students attend one of the two nearby campuses for Long Beach City College.

California State University, Long Beach and DeVry University are located less than five miles (8 km) away.

American University of Health Sciences (AUHS) is located within the city of Signal Hill. The university offers an education in Allied Healthcare, offering degrees such as a Bachelor and Master of Science in Nursing (BSN; MSN), Master of Science in Clinical Research (MSCR), Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Science (BSPS), and a Doctorate of Pharmacy (PharmD) program.

City parks
Although a small town, Signal Hill has several parks. The largest is Signal Hill Park at 10 acre. It is adjacent to City Hall, the Community Center and the Library. The park has picnic tables, a playground, basketball courts, a softball field, and restrooms. There is also an amphitheater where there are weekly outdoor concerts during the summer.

Hilltop Park 3.2 acre is at the top of Signal Hill and is very popular for its great views. There are several telescopes in the park. There is also some public artwork in the park and a mist tower. This park is a popular location for hiding geocaches. On a clear day you can see as far as the Santa Monica mountains, downtown LA, the large mountains behind it, all of the communities in between, most of Long Beach, down the South Bay area to Newport Beach, and out to sea Catalina Island. It is a view of the LA Basin entailing roughly 10 million people. Part of the view is blocked by homes.

Reservoir Park 2.8 acre near the California Heights neighborhood of Long Beach is a large grassy area with picnic tables next to a 4.7 million gallon water reservoir.

Discovery Well Park 4.9 acre,    1.8 acre  flat is near the original well on Signal Hill.

There are also six pocket parks of roughly 0.5 acre or less, including Calbrisas Park, Hillbrook Park, Panorama Promenade, Raymond Arbor Park, Sunset View Park, and Temple View Park.

Near the Panorama Promenade, there is the Unity Sculpture, a 12' height sculpture atop a 4' pedestal with a seating courtyard that is dedicated in memory of the victims of September 11.

There are also several pedestrian-only trails that travel between various parks and roadways. Hiking along these trails, as well as on the sidewalks in Signal Hill is very popular. Some sections can be found that are between a 15% and 25% grade.

Proposed nature preserve
On the north slope of Signal Hill is a large area that is currently used for oil operations. This area has been proposed as a nature preserve.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.2 sqmi, virtually all land. The city is surrounded on all sides by the city of Long Beach, California.

Signal Hill lies in the 562 area code. The city once shared three different postal ZIP codes with the city of Long Beach but in July 2002, the city of Signal Hill received its own ZIP code, 90755.

Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Signal Hill has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Signal Hill had a population of 11,016. The population density was 5,029.0 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Signal Hill was 4,650 (42.2%) White (30.3% Non-Hispanic White), 1,502 (13.6%) African American, 83 (0.8%) Native American, 2,245 (20.4%) Asian, 135 (1.2%) Pacific Islander, 1,778 (16.1%) from other races, and 623 (5.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3,472 persons (31.5%).

The Census reported that 10,970 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 2 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 44 (0.4%) were institutionalized.

There were 4,157 households, out of which 1,419 (34.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,580 (38.0%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 660 (15.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 258 (6.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 302 (7.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 156 (3.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,128 households (27.1%) were made up of individuals, and 245 (5.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64. There were 2,498 families (60.1% of all households); the average family size was 3.33.

The population was spread out, with 2,624 people (23.8%) under the age of 18, 1,034 people (9.4%) aged 18 to 24, 3,476 people (31.6%) aged 25 to 44, 2,970 people (27.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 912 people (8.3%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males.

There were 4,389 housing units at an average density of 2,003.7 /sqmi, of which 2,141 (51.5%) were owner-occupied, and 2,016 (48.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.7%. 5,253 people (47.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,717 people (51.9%) lived in rental housing units.

According to the 2010 United States Census, Signal Hill had a median household income of $70,442, with 14.1% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,333 people, 3,621 households, and 2,096 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,182.0 PD/sqmi. There were 3,797 housing units at an average density of 1,701.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 45.5% White, 13.0% African American, 0.6% Native American, 16.5% Asian, 2.1% Pacific Islander, 16.2% from other races, and 6.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 29.0% of the population.

There were 3,621 households, out of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.8% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.1% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.34.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.4% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 35.3% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $48,938, and the median income for a family was $46,439. Males had a median income of $41,487 versus $36,460 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,399. About 13.6% of families and 17.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.1% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.

Mapping L.A.
Mexican (20.9%) and Cambodian (8.4%) were the most common ancestries. Mexico (28.5%) and Cambodia (19.9%) were the most common foreign places of birth.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Signal Hill, California


text:
South El Monte, California

South El Monte is a city in the San Gabriel Valley, in Los Angeles County, California, United States. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,116, down from 21,144 at the 2000 census.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.8 square miles (7.4 km$2$), virtually all land.

2010
At the 2010 census South El Monte had a population of 20,116. The population density was 7,061.5 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of South El Monte was 10,136 (50.4%) White (3.4% Non-Hispanic White), 107 (0.5%) African American, 250 (1.2%) Native American, 2,211 (11.0%) Asian, 12 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 6,718 (33.4%) from other races, and 682 (3.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17,079 persons (84.9%).

The census reported that 20,059 people (99.7% of the population) lived in households, 47 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 10 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 4,569 households, 2,643 (57.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,554 (55.9%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 925 (20.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 524 (11.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 329 (7.2%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 21 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 397 households (8.7%) were one person and 208 (4.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 4.39. There were 4,003 families (87.6% of households); the average family size was 4.45.

The age distribution was 6,041 people (30.0%) under the age of 18, 2,323 people (11.5%) aged 18 to 24, 5,894 people (29.3%) aged 25 to 44, 4,062 people (20.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,796 people (8.9%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 30.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.2 males.

There were 4,711 housing units at an average density of 1,653.7 per square mile, of the occupied units 2,208 (48.3%) were owner-occupied and 2,361 (51.7%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.5%. 9,304 people (46.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 10,755 people (53.5%) lived in rental housing units.

According to the 2010 United States Census, South El Monte had a median household income of $44,104, with 19.4% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 21,144 people in 4,620 households, including 4,088 families, in the city. The population density was 7,330.8 PD/sqmi. There were 4,724 housing units at an average density of 1,637.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 40.61% White, 0.38% African American, 1.57% Native American, 8.43% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 43.98% from other races, and 4.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 86.03%.

Of the 4,620 households 52.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.0% were married couples living together, 17.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 11.5% were non-families. 8.0% of households were one person and 3.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 4.57 and the average family size was 4.61.

The age distribution was 33.5% under the age of 18, 13.0% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 15.0% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% 65 or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.0 males.

The median household income was $24,656 and the median family income was $34,349. Males had a median income of $21,075 versus $18,949 for females. The per capita income for the city was $10,130. About 16.2% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.7% of those under age 18 and 11.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Elementary school districts include:
 * El Monte City School District
 * Loma Elementary School
 * Potrero Elementary School
 * Mountain View School District
 * Miramonte Elementary School
 * Monte Vista Elementary School
 * Valle Lindo School District
 * New Temple Elementary School
 * Dean L. Shively Elementary School

The El Monte Union High School District operates South El Monte High School.

Private Schools:
 * Epiphany Catholic School

Asahi Gakuen, a part-time Japanese school, operates its San Gabriel campus (サンゲーブル校 Sangēburu-kō) at South El Monte High School.

Government
The City of South El Monte has four Council members elected at large for a term of four years. The Mayor is elected at large for a term of four years.

The South El Monte City Council consists of:

 * Mayor Gloria Olmos
 * Mayor Pro Tem Richard Angel
 * Councilmember Hector Delgado
 * Councilmember Richard Angel
 * Councilmember Rudy Bojorquez

State and federal representation
In the state legislature South El Monte is in and.

In the United States House of Representatives, South El Monte is in.

Public safety
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) operates the Temple Station in Temple City, serving South El Monte.

Fire
The Los Angeles County Fire Department provides fire protection services for the city of South El Monte.

Media
South El Monte community news is provided by the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

title: South El Monte, California


text:
South Gate, California

South Gate is the 19th largest city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, with 7.4 sqmi. South Gate is located 7 mi southeast of Downtown Los Angeles. It is part of the Gateway Cities region of southeastern Los Angeles County.

The city was incorporated on January 20, 1923, and it became known as the "Azalea City" when it adopted the flower as its symbol in 1965. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 92,726.

In 1990, South Gate was one of ten U.S. communities to receive the All-America City Award from the National Civic League.

Native Americans
South Gate is in the traditional cultural territory of the Gabrielino. Gabrielino villages or archaeological sites are rumored to have existed at the South Gate Park and at the old City Hall site at the intersection of Post Street and Victoria Avenue. The village of Tajauta was located on the border of South Gate, Lynwood, and Watts.

Land grants
Among the early Spanish settlers was one of California's first families, the Lugos. The Lugo land grant encompassed a great part of what is now the City of South Gate.

While Francisco Lugo was stationed at Mission San Antonio de Padua near Salinas, California, his first California son, Antonio Maria Lugo was born in 1775. That son became Don Antonio Maria Lugo, Spanish aristocrat and soldier, who settled on 30000 acre of land that encompasses what is now the City of South Gate. In 1810, the King of Spain formally granted the land to Lugo as a reward for his and his father's military service. Around a century later, the area around the southern gate of the ranch became the City of South Gate.

Development
Before the end of the 1870s, much of the original land grant had been replaced by tracts of 40 acre. By 1880, cattle raising had been replaced by agriculture as the most important local industry. During the years between 1910 and 1940, most of the agricultural land was replaced by homes and factories. Early developers accelerated the suburbanization of what was then called South Gate Gardens by subdividing the land into small plots and selling the empty plots to blue-collar workers. A majority of early homes were built individually as plot owners used "sweat equity rather than cash to construct their own homes" and the local economy relied heavily on urban agriculture.

Tweedy family
R.D. Tweedy was born in 1812 in Illinois and came to California by ox-drawn cart in 1852. The family was large, and several generations have lived in this city. The family members bought some 2000 acre of the land on which much of South Gate was built. The downtown business district is known as the Tweedy Mile.

Incorporation
The city was named in 1918 after the South Gate Gardens on the Cudahy Ranch. The city was incorporated five years later, in 1923, using the shortened form of the name. The name refers to the city's being south of Los Angeles.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.4 sqmi. 7.2 sqmi of it is land and 0.1 sqmi of it is water. The total area is 1.59% water.

The Los Angeles River runs through the eastern part of South Gate.

South Gate has a semi-arid Mediterranean climate with mild winters and hot, dry summers. The average annual precipitation is 14.8 in per year with most occurring between November and April. Temperatures range from a low of 40 F to a high of 110 F. The average daily temperatures range from 54 F to 73 F.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that South Gate had a population of 94,396. The population density was 12,837.6 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of South Gate was 47,645 (50.5%) White, 3,209 (3.4%) Non-Hispanic White, 890 (0.9%) African American, 878 (0.9%) Native American, 732 (0.8%) Asian, 99 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 40,624 (43.0%) from other races, and 3,528 (3.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 89,442 persons (94.8%).

The Census reported that 94,308 people (99.9% of the population) lived in households, 16 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 72 (0.1%) were institutionalized.

There were 23,278 households, out of which 13,805 (59.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 13,183 (56.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 4,706 (20.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 2,261 (9.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,879 (8.1%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 134 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 2,292 households (9.8%) were made up of individuals, and 996 (4.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.05. There were 20,150 families (86.6% of all households); the average family size was 4.24.

The population was spread out, with 29,374 people (31.1%) under the age of 18, 11,298 people (12.0%) aged 18 to 24, 28,039 people (29.7%) aged 25 to 44, 19,062 people (20.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 6,623 people (7.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males.

There were 24,160 housing units at an average density of 3,285.7 /sqmi, of which 10,658 (45.8%) were owner-occupied, and 12,620 (54.2%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.6%. 46,665 people (49.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 47,643 people (50.5%) lived in rental housing units.

During 2015–2019, South Gate had a median household income of $52,321, with 17.2% of the population living below the federal poverty line. For people ages 25 and over, 56.7% had a high school degree or higher while 9.4% had a bachelor's degree or higher.

2000
As of the 2000 census, there were 96,375 people, 23,213 households, and 20,063 families residing in the city. The population density was 13,084.6 PD/sqmi. There were 24,269 housing units at an average density of 3,294.9 /sqmi.

The racial makeup of the city was 41.6% White (0.78% White Non-Hispanic), 1.2% Black or African-American, 0.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% Asian and 51% some other race (mostly Mestizo). 92% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 23,213 households, out of which 58.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.6% were married couples living together, 18.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.6% were non-families. 10.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.15 and the average family size was 4.37. In the city, the population was spread out, with 35.6% under the age of 18, 12.5% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 14.9% from 45 to 64, and 5.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,695, and the median income for a family was $35,789. Males had a median income of $25,350 versus $19,978 for females. The per capita income for the city was $10,602. 19.2% of the population and 17.4% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 24.2% of those under the age of 18 and 12.0% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Religion
There are approximately 40 churches located in the City representing a variety of religious denominations. 53.4% of the people in South Gate, CA are religious. 37.0% are Catholic; 6.7% are Protestant; 1.6% are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; 5.2% are another Christian faith; 1.1% are Jewish; 1.1% are "an eastern faith"; 0.7% are Muslim.

Demographics history
Mexican and Salvadoran are the common ancestries in South Gate.

Homelessness
In 2022, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority's Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count counted 340 homeless individuals in South Gate.

Economy
As of June 2009, California's EDD lists the unemployment rate in South Gate as 14.4%, with negative job growth. The California State Board of Equalization lists South Gate's sale tax rate as 10.75%. The income per capita is $11,566, which includes all adults and children. The median household income is $41,064.

As of April 1, 2009, the City of South Gate imposed a 10.25-percent sales tax (statewide plus local supplementary, which is now 9.75% with the expiration of the temporary tax increase under Proposition 1A), which matches Pico Rivera's sales tax rate as the highest in the State of California.

On July 9, 2009, the South Gate City Council held a special meeting where a resolution was adopted declaring a fiscal emergency for the City of South Gate.

Government
In the United States House of Representatives, South Gate is in California's 44th congressional district, which has a Cook PVI of D+32 and is represented by.

South Gate is represented in the California State Senate by Democrat Lena Gonzalez (33rd District), and in the California State Assembly by Democrat Anthony Rendon (62nd District).

Local government
63.10% of the people in South Gate are registered as Democrats, with 35.60% registered as Republican. The remaining 1.30% are independent.

The City Council consists of five persons elected at large by the residents of South Gate. These Council members serve a four-year term and establish the governing policies and procedures for the city. The Mayor is selected on an annual, rotating basis from among the Council Members. The current City Council consists of:
 * Mayor Al Rios (2017— )
 * Vice Mayor Maria Del Pilar Avalos (2020— )
 * Councilmember Joshua Barron (2022— )
 * Councilmember Maria R. Davila (2003— )
 * Councilmember Denise Diaz (2017— )
 * Councilmember Gil Hurtado (2005–17, 2020— )

 * City Clerk : The City Clerk in South Gate is an elected position that serves a four-year term. As the official record keeper for the city, the City Clerk is responsible for maintaining all central and legal files, preparing City Council meeting agendas and minutes, conducting municipal elections and assisting the Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder with voter registration. Yodit Glaze is the City Clerk of South Gate.

 * City Treasurer : Jose De La Paz was elected City Treasurer of South Gate in November 2022.

 * City Manager : The City Manager is appointed by the City Council to carry out its policies and ensure that the community is served in a responsive manner. Responsible for oversight of all City operations and the delivery of public services, the City Manager works closely with the city's departments in developing policy recommendations and responding to directives of the City Council. Michael Flad was appointed City Manager by the City Council on December 3, 2012.

Finances
South Gate currently is one of the lowest in taxing its residents in the south east area of Los Angeles. It is one of the few cities that does NOT have a Utility Users Tax (UUT). Most cities have an additional tax added to the sales tax for utilities such as gas, water, electricity, phone, cell phone, cable, and internet. Most cities range from +/- 4%-11%. South Gate is 0%.

Corruption and election fraud
From 2001 to 2003, then-city treasurer Albert Robles, along with three accomplices on the city council, accepted bribes and in turn gave taxpayer money to friends and relatives to perform city contracts. The three accomplices formed a majority of the five-member city council, so they could effectively run the city as they wanted. For example, in 2002, Robles was arrested on felony threat charges but was appointed by the city council to the deputy city manager position and had his legal bills covered by the city. The city council gave themselves a 2000% pay raise, and cut the pay of City Clerk Carmen Avalos by 90%, after she complained about corruption and election fraud in the city to the California Secretary of State.

On January 28, 2003, voters recalled Robles along with his political allies, former Mayor Xochitl Ruvalcaba, former Vice Mayor Raul Moriel, and former city councilwoman Maria Benavides.

Robles was convicted of bribery in July 2005. In November 2006 he was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, ordered to pay the city of South Gate $639,000 in restitution, and was immediately put into custody.

In March 2006, Rudy Navarro, who was elected to replace Albert Robles as city treasurer, was caught making a false statement on his biography as posted on the city's official web site. He claimed that he earned a degree from San Diego State University, when he actually had not completed all the requirements.

South Gate's recent political history has been characterized by political observers and editors as having elements of "Third World politics".

County representation
In the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, South Gate is in the Fourth District, represented by Janice Hahn.

The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services operates the Whittier Health Center in Whittier, serving South Gate.

Roads

 * Interstate 710
 * Imperial Highway

Buses
South Gate is served by Metro Local and Metro Rapid buses. The City of South Gate operates the Get Around Town Express (GATE) to provide local service.

City parks
South Gate offers nine city parks for the enjoyment of its citizens.
 * South Gate Park covers a total of 96.8 acre, and is the largest park within the city limits. This park is used to carry out most of the Parks and Recreation Department's community programs. There are a total of six different facilities at this park, some of which can be rented out for a variety of events. These facilities include the Municipal Auditorium, Girls Club House, 9-hole Par 3 Golf Course, Senior Recreation Center, Swim Stadium, and Sports Center. The site also features athletic fields, outdoor basketball courts, two playgrounds, tennis courts, a skate park, several shaded areas for picnics, and a Jr. Hockey Rink. The park closes at 10:00 pm.
 * Hollydale Regional Park covers 56.0 acre, has a playground, tennis courts, a baseball field, soccer fields, a picnic area (groups of 50+ by reservation only), and an Equestrian Center that is also available for rent. The park closes at sunset.
 * Cesar Chavez Park covers 9.0 acre, has two playgrounds and a pergola. No reservation is needed for picnics. The park closes at sunset.
 * Circle Park covers 4.0 acre, and is a neighborhood park. It has a small playground, a ball field and a grass area. The park closes at sunset.
 * Hollydale Community Park covers 2.2 acre, it has a playground, outdoor basketball courts, and a Community Center. The park closes at 10:00pm.
 * State Street Park covers 0.8 acre and only has a grass fields. is a neighborhood park, No reservation needed for picnics. The park closes at sunset.
 * Gardendale Tot Lot covers 0.45 acre, and is a neighborhood park. It has a playground and a small grass area. The park closes at sunset.
 * Triangle Park covers 0.3 acre, has a pergola, a seating area, a bike rack, and a drinking fountain. The park closes at sunset.
 * Stanford Park covers 0.19 acre and is a neighborhood park. It has a playground and a small grass area. The park closes at sunset.

Education
Schools located in South Gate include: 21 public (13 elementary, 3 high school, 3 charter schools and 2 middle school and 1 span school and 1 continuation high school) and two parochial schools. Adult Education classes are conducted at both the junior and senior high schools. The city is also served by 3 community colleges (Compton, Cerritos and East Los Angeles—main campus and South Gate satellite) and 3 California State Universities (Dominguez Hills, Long Beach and Los Angeles.)

Public schools
Most of South Gate is served by the Los Angeles Unified School District public school system. A small section of South Gate is served by the Paramount Unified School District and another, by Downey Unified School District.

LAUSD primary schools

 * Bryson Avenue Elementary School (opened 1931, partially a Math, Science, Technology magnet school)
 * Independence Elementary School (opened 1997)
 * Liberty Boulevard Elementary School (opened 1932)
 * Madison Elementary School (opened 2005)
 * Montara Avenue Elementary School (opened 1988)
 * San Gabriel Avenue Elementary School (opened 1920)
 * San Miguel Avenue Elementary School (opened 1989, partially a math and science magnet school)
 * Stanford Avenue Elementary School (1-5, opened 1924)
 * Stanford New Primary Center (K, opened 2004)
 * State Street Elementary School (opened 1932)
 * Tweedy Elementary School (Originally Opened 1931) (opened 1950)
 * Victoria Avenue Elementary School (opened 1925)
 * Willow Avenue Elementary School (opened 2012)

LAUSD charter schools

 * Firestone (opened 2010)
 * Aspire Gateway (opened 2010)
 * Valiente College Preparatory Charter School ( 2015)
 * KIPP Corazon (2017)

LAUSD middle schools

 * International Studies Learning Center
 * South Gate Middle School (opened 1941)
 * South East Middle School (opened 2004)
 * Southeast DREAMS Magnet School (opened 2018)

LAUSD high schools
When South East High School opened, within the City of South Gate, the school's attendance boundary took land formerly zoned to South Gate High School, Huntington Park High School, and David Starr Jordan High School.
 * South Gate High School (opened 1932)
 * South East High School (opened 2005)
 * Legacy High School

LAUSD span school

 * International Studies Learning Center (opened in 2004)

LAUSD continuation high school

 * Odyssey Continuation High School

Paramount Unified School District

 * Hollydale School (K-8)
 * Paramount High School

Private primary schools

 * Lollypop Lane Preschool and Kindergarten
 * Redeemer Lutheran School
 * Saint Helen Elementary School

Private high schools

 * Academia Betel

Colleges and universities

 * South Gate Satellite Campus, East Los Angeles College

Public libraries
County of Los Angeles Public Library operates:
 * Leland R. Weaver Library (4035 Tweedy Boulevard )
 * Hollydale Library (12000 South Garfield Avenue )

Notable people

 * Arleen Auger, opera singer; born in South Gate
 * Don Bandy, pro football player
 * Don Buchla, inventor of Buchla music synthesizer
 * Cypress Hill, hip hop/rap group
 * Mark Gonzales, pro skateboarder
 * Lee Greenwood, country music recording artist; born in South Gate
 * Doug Griffin, Major League Baseball player
 * Doug Harvey, Hall of Fame baseball umpire
 * Victor Henry, UFC Fighter
 * Don Horn, pro football player
 * Dave Huppert, Major League Baseball player and coach
 * Lou Kimzey, publisher and movie producer
 * Bob Klein, professional football player; tight end for NFL's Los Angeles Rams
 * Mellow Man Ace, rapper
 * Dick Nen, Major League Baseball player
 * Walter Perez, actor
 * Dick Rand, Major League Baseball player
 * Lorenzo Romar - professional basketball player, college basketball coach
 * Pete Rozelle, Commissioner of National Football League, 1960–1989
 * Glenn Seaborg, Nobel Prize winner
 * Niki Sullivan, an original member of Buddy Holly's Crickets.

title: South Gate, California


text:
South Pasadena, California

South Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 25,619, up from 24,292 in the 2000 census. It is located in West San Gabriel Valley. It is 3.42 sqmi in area and lies between the city of Pasadena, of which it was once a part, and the metropolis of Los Angeles. South Pasadena is the oldest self-builder of floats in the historic Tournament of Roses Parade.

History

The original inhabitants of the area were members of the Native American Hahamog-na tribe, a branch of the Tongva Nation (part of the Shoshone language group) that occupied the Los Angeles Basin. Akuvranga was the Tongva name for the area that covers modern-day South Pasadena and part of Pasadena. Tongva dwellings lined the Arroyo Seco (Los Angeles County) in South Pasadena and south to where it joins the Los Angeles River and along other natural waterways in the city. They lived in thatched, dome-shape lodges characteristic for their use of carved wood decorations. They lived on a diet of corn meal, acorns, seeds and herbs, fish, venison, berries, fruits and other small animals. They traded for ocean fish with the coastal Tongva on a daily basis. They made cooking vessels from steatite soapstone from Catalina Island. South Pasadena's adjacency to a natural fording place along the Arroyo Seco served as a gateway to travel and commerce for aboriginal peoples. It was here that Hahamognas greeted Portola and the missionaries who later established the San Gabriel Mission a few miles to the east.

The initial buildings on the Rancho San Pascual were built on the land which eventually became the cities of Pasadena, South Pasadena and Altadena. The first of these adobe structures became headquarters for General Flores and his staff in 1847 where they agreed to surrender to American forces, ending Mexican Colonial rule in California. In 1875, the landowners of the area voted to rename their association Pasadena.

In February 1888, members of the southern portion of Pasadena attempted to gain more control over their own property and a vote for incorporation was made. In 1888, South Pasadena incorporated the southern portion of the Indiana Colony and land south and eastward to the Los Angeles border. South Pasadena's first mayor was Donald McIntyre Graham. Few Tongva had received any land. On March 2, 1888, the city of South Pasadena was incorporated with a population slightly over 500 residents, becoming the sixth municipality in Los Angeles County. It was chartered with roughly the same area as the current South Pasadena, about 3.42 mi2. With the completion of the Pacific Electric Short Line, putting the entire city within easy walking distance of the red car stations, South Pasadena also became one of the first suburbs of Los Angeles.

Modern South Pasadena
South Pasadena calls itself the "City of Trees".

"Mom and Pop" merchants populate the business district, and the Mission West area is a part of the original U.S. Route 66. Of historical relevance is The Fair Oaks Pharmacy and Soda Fountain; also the Rialto Theater in downtown South Pasadena is a unique blend of Spanish Baroque and Egyptian stylings and was built in 1925. It is one of the last remaining single screen cinemas in the country. The Rialto was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, having narrowly missed being torn down that year. It went out of business on August 19, 2007, because of low profits. It has been featured in many films and commercials, most notably Robert Altman's The Player and more recently in La La Land.

The Farmer's Market has become a tradition in the historic Mission-West District of South Pasadena. On the first Saturday of December every year, South Pasadena Booster Club hosts an annual 5K/10K run around South Pasadena known as the "Tiger Run", after the SPHS mascot. Racers from kindergarten to age 80 are invited to participate, including a wheelchair event. The 5K is run on flat sidewalks and roads around town, but the 10K (6.2 miles) includes some difficult hills. There is also a 300-meter children's run for kids 10 and under.

South Pasadena can often be seen in motion picture productions with its tree-lined streets and "anywhere in America" feel. Such movies as Freaky Friday, The Terminator, Gone with the Wind, Halloween, Halloween 2, Nightmare On Elm Street, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, American Pie, The Girl Next Door, Legally Blonde, 13 Going on 30, Back to the Future, Mr. Deeds, Bruce Almighty, Old School, The Ugly Truth, and License to Wed are just a few of the notable films shot on location in South Pasadena. Notable television series that have been filmed there include Parenthood, Family, Boston Public, Nip/Tuck, Desperate Housewives, Cold Case, Bones, Modern Family, No Ordinary Family, Big Love, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

Interstate 710 extension
South Pasadena, together with a broad coalition of national, state and local organizations, has opposed the 710 Freeway Long Beach Freeway (I-710) extension from Alhambra's Valley Blvd. to the Foothill Freeway (I-210) in Pasadena at California Blvd. The proposed 1960s route would have sliced through the middle of the city, as well as through neighborhoods in El Sereno and Pasadena having an impact on nearly 1,000 homes in its path. However, this incompletion cuts off a north–south route from the San Gabriel Mountains in the north to Long Beach in the south, as well as connecting the 710 to the 110, 134, and 210 freeways.

On July 19, 1999, United States District Court Judge Pregerson issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting defendants Caltrans, et al., from proceeding with the 710 Freeway Project. The financial support for the fight against a major highway project through the city has come mostly from the residents themselves, who pay legal bills incurred by the city in the freeway fight from their general fund (no special taxes are used), making the fight an ongoing local election issue. South Pasadena has been cited five times on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's list of "Most Endangered Places".

Litigation over the 710 extension has run for over 50 years. The City of South Pasadena has filed a federal lawsuit citing failure to protect clean air, the environment and historic properties, and until the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) completes a comprehensive new environmental study, this will bring additional delays to the 40-year-old project. Caltrans (the California Department of Transportation) proposed a compromise route of boring a tunnel beneath the city. Having purchased hundreds of properties along the proposed right-of-way in the 1960s, Caltrans proposed selling these in order to partially finance the tunnel. The Southern California real estate boom of the early 2000s caused those properties in South Pasadena alone to appreciate to a combined value of over $300 million. State Senator Carol Liu sponsored a bill to compel Caltrans to sell the properties no longer needed for the project. SB-416 also prohibits funds from the sale of surplus properties in the SR 10 corridor from being used to advance or construct any proposed North State Route 710 tunnel. State Assemblyman Chris Holden co-sponsored the bill and remarked after it was signed into law, "…the surface route of the 710 Freeway is not going to happen and everyone knows that and so these properties should then be put back into the community". Caltrans, however, maintains that the freeway extension/connections are needed for the overall benefit of the Southern California public and continues to fight for its completion.

In May 2017, the MTA board voted unanimously to withdraw its support for the 710 tunnel proposal, and to reallocate all funding previously earmarked for it to surface street and other improvements, effectively killing the project for the foreseeable future. Subsequently, Assemblyman Chris Holden, along with State Senator Anthony Portantino, proposed similar bills effectively deleting the uncompleted portion from the Highway grid. Both bills were passed and signed by governor Gavin Newsom and the deletion took effect on January 1, 2024.

Fake housing plans
When South Pasadena was prompted by the state of California to submit plans on how the locality would increase new housing to meet growing housing demands, the city submitted fake housing plans, which included proposals to build housing on plots of land where the city had no intent to build housing. These plots included the locations of City Hall, fire stations and police stations.

Geography
South Pasadena is located at the western end of the San Gabriel Valley, north of the San Rafael Hills, east of the Arroyo Seco seasonal river, and south of the separate city of Pasadena, California. Adjacent cities are Los Angeles to the west and south, Pasadena to the north, San Marino to the east, and Alhambra to the southeast. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city's total area of 3.42 sqmi, is virtually all land.

Geographic location
Diagram showing South Pasadena's location in relation to other cities in an 8 km radius.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that South Pasadena had a population of 25,619. The population density was 7,496.4 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of South Pasadena was 13,922 (54.3%) White (43.6% Non-Hispanic White), 771 (3.0%) African American, 107 (0.4%) Native American, 7,973 (31.1%) Asian, 9 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 1,422 (5.6%) from other races, and 1,415 (5.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 4,767 persons (18.6%).

The Census reported that 25,456 people (99.4% of the population) lived in households, 8 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 155 (0.6%) were institutionalized.

There were 10,467 households, out of which 3,621 (34.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 4,904 (46.9%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 1,264 (12.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 451 (4.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 501 (4.8%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 107 (1.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,073 households (29.4%) were made up of individuals, and 802 (7.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43. There were 6,619 families (63.2% of all households); the average family size was 3.06.

The population was spread out, with 5,998 people (23.4%) under the age of 18, 1,576 people (6.2%) aged 18 to 24, 7,431 people (29.0%) aged 25 to 44, 7,510 people (29.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 3,104 people (12.1%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.

There were 11,118 housing units at an average density of 3,253.2 /mi2, of which 4,787 (45.7%) were owner-occupied, and 5,680 (54.3%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.1%. 13,185 people (51.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 12,271 people (47.9%) lived in rental housing units.

According to the 2010 United States Census, South Pasadena had a median household income of $85,058, with 6.7% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

Top employers
According to the city's 2021–2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Filming
Due to its small-town feel and proximity to major film studios, South Pasadena has frequent filming. Scenes from La La Land and Lady Bird have been shot here. The town hosts around 200 shoots per year. South Pasadena is also the location of the house of the character Michael Myers from the film Halloween. Other notable films include Old School, Liar, Liar, Beethoven, Back to the Future, and Teen Wolf.

Parks and recreation
The Arroyo Seco (canyon, stream, and cultural landscape) offers a diverse range of experiences for walkers and more experienced hikers.

The Arroyo Seco stream begins at Red Box near Mount Wilson in the San Gabriel Mountains and proceeds through steep mountain canyons for 11 mi until it enters the urban plain of Southern California at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The stream, largely channelized south of Devil's Gate Dam, proceeds in the Arroyo Seco canyon for 11 mi more: through Pasadena, South Pasadena and Northeast Los Angeles to the confluence with the Los Angeles River near Elysian Park, Chinatown and downtown Los Angeles.

There are 5 parks located within the City of South Pasadena that offer the community family recreation and activities. These are Garfield Park, Eddie Park, Library Park, Orange Grove Park and War Memorial Park.

Local government
South Pasadena's City Council previously was elected at-large, composed of five members, the mayor chosen from among the City Council members.

Effective November 2018, City Council members are elected by geographical district. Districts 4 and 5 (east of Fair Oaks Avenue) held elections in November 2018. Districts 1, 2 and 3 (west of Fair Oaks Avenue) held elections in November 2020.

The city switched its City Council elections from November of odd-numbered years to November of even-numbered years effective November 2018. Also, the South Pasadena Unified School District holds its Board of Education elections in November of even-numbered years effective November 2018.

The fiscal year 2019-2020 general fund budget for the town was $28.3 million.

List of mayors
This is a list of South Pasadena mayors by year.
 * 1964-1966 Burton E. Jones
 * 1966-1968 Lila Cox
 * 1968-1972 William C. Harker
 * 1976-1977 William C. Harker
 * 1983-1984 Alva Lee Arnold
 * 1990-1991 Amedee O. "Dick" Richards Jr.
 * 1992 Evelyn Fierro
 * 1994-1995 Amedee O. "Dick" Richards Jr.
 * 1996-1997 Dorothy Cohen
 * 2000-2001 Dorothy Cohen
 * 2003-2004 Michael A. Cacciotti
 * 2004-2005 Mike Ten
 * 2007-2008 Michael A. Cacciotti
 * 2011-2012 Michael A. Cacciotti
 * 2013-2014 Marina Khubesrian
 * 2014-2015 Robert S. Joe
 * December 2015 – 2016 Diana Mahmud
 * 2016-2017 Michael A. Cacciotti
 * 2017-2018 Richard Schneider
 * 2018-2019 Marina Khubesrian
 * 2019-2020 Robert Joe
 * 2020-2021 Diana Mahmud
 * 2021-2022 Michael A. Cacciotti
 * 2022-2023 Jon Primuth
 * 2023-2024 Evelyn G. Zneimer

State and federal
In the California State Legislature, South Pasadena is in, and in.

In the United States House of Representatives, South Pasadena is in.

Education

The South Pasadena Unified School District (SPUSD) includes five schools: three elementary schools (Monterey Hills, Marengo and Arroyo Vista), South Pasadena Middle School, and South Pasadena High School. Former elementary schools now closed or renamed are Lincoln (now Arroyo Vista), El Centro (more recently known as the former school district headquarters), Las Flores (limited grades, near Flores Adobe, historic landmark), and Oneonta (later a private Montessori school).

South Pasadena and the neighboring city of San Marino have had a long-standing rivalry. Until 1955, the two cities shared the same high school, which was adjacent to the South Pasadena Public Library. Every year, the schools' football teams compete for a victor's plaque. As of 2021, South Pasadena team had won 29 and San Marino 35. There have been three ties. Many SPHS team have won CIF titles over the years.

SPEF (South Pasadena Educational Foundation ) is a 501(c)(3) charity designated by the SPUSD as the official private fund-raising organization for the support of the district's educational programs.

Transportation

Fair Oaks Avenue, Huntington Drive, Fremont Avenue, and Mission Street are the main thoroughfares through South Pasadena.

The Arroyo Seco Parkway, formerly the Pasadena Freeway, has two exits in South Pasadena--Orange Grove Avenue and Fair Oaks Avenue.

LA Metro operates two bus lines (258 & 260) through South Pasadena. The South Pasadena station for the Metro A Line, formerly the Gold Line, is in the heart of South Pasadena, located at the corner of Mission and Meridian.

South Pasadena operates its own public transportation system. Since 2003, South Pasadena has been operating the City of South Pasadena Community Transit to connect with the Mission A Line Station, whose schedule is linked to the A Line schedule. The system was originally called "South Pasadena Gold Link". Additionally South Pasadena has a transit shuttle that operates around the city. As of 2007, many outdated traffic signals have been replaced throughout South Pasadena.

Health care
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services operates the Monrovia Health Center in Monrovia, serving South Pasadena.

Fire
The South Pasadena Fire Department provides fire protection services for the city of South Pasadena.

Police
The South Pasadena Police Department provides law enforcement services.

Notable people

 * Meredith Baxter, actress, born in South Pasadena
 * Whitney Blake, actress, director, producer
 * Alison Brie, actress, writer, and producer Community and Mad Men
 * Michael Catherwood, radio and television personality
 * Ed Cobb, record producer, songwriter, and musician
 * John Daniel, magician and collector (c. 1931–2011)
 * Joe Davis, Los Angeles Dodgers television and Fox Sports play-by-play announcer
 * John de Lancie, theater and TV and film actor, Q on Star Trek: The Next Generation
 * Kristinia DeBarge, singer, songwriter, reality star; born in South Pasadena
 * Andy Dick, actor and comedian
 * Thomas Francis Ford (1873–1958), member of Congress, editor, specialist in international trade and the only person ever sent to the Los Angeles City Council by a write-in vote
 * Victoria Forester, New York Times best-selling children's book author
 * Edward Furlong, actor
 * Lucretia Garfield, wife of President James A. Garfield
 * Sophia Hammons, actor
 * William F. Harrah, founder of Harrah's Hotels and Casinos; born in South Pasadena
 * William Holden, Academy Award-winning actor
 * Minerva Hamilton Hoyt, early activist in California to preserve its deserts
 * Porochista Khakpour, Iranian American writer
 * Dave King, musician, member of Flogging Molly
 * Bob Long, football player for UCLA and 1957 NFL champion Detroit Lions
 * Federico Mena, Mexican programmer, creator of the GNOME desktop environment
 * Sparky Marcus (real name Marcus Issoglio), child actor
 * Noelle Scaggs, singer, musician, member of Fitz and the Tantrums
 * Cody McMains, actor
 * Joel McCrea, actor, born in South Pasadena
 * Jack McGrath, auto racer
 * Rich Moore, Emmy-winning animation director (The Simpsons, Futurama), and partner in Rough Draft Studios, Inc. (Glendale, CA)
 * Kim Soon-kwon, Korean-born biochemist, specializing in hybrid and engineered corn to combat starvation
 * Bronson Pinchot, actor
 * James Reynolds, actor, Days of Our Lives
 * David Lee Roth, singer, member of Van Halen
 * Sakaye Shigekawa, obstetrician
 * Hilary Swank, Academy Award-winning actress
 * Juan Francisco Azcárate, aircraft designer, Mexico's military attache to Germany and later to the United States during World War II.
 * David Tom, actor
 * Heather Tom, actress, The Bold and the Beautiful
 * Nicholle Tom, actress, The Nanny
 * Cheryl Walker, actress, born in South Pasadena
 * Jaleel White, actor
 * Lisa Yee, children's book author

title: South Pasadena, California


text:
South San Gabriel, California

South San Gabriel is a census-designated place (CDP) in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 8,070 at the 2010 census, up from 7,595 at the 2000 census.

Geography
South San Gabriel is located at 34.04917°N, -118.09528°W (34.049060, -118.095150).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.2 km$2$), over 99% of it land.

2010
At the 2010 census South San Gabriel had a population of 8,070. The population density was 9,684.6 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of South San Gabriel was 2,198 (27.2%) White (5.6% Non-Hispanic White), 83 (1.0%) African American, 56 (0.7%) Native American, 3,990 (49.4%) Asian, 4 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 1,427 (17.7%) from other races, and 312 (3.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3,444 persons (42.7%).

The census reported that 7,834 people (97.1% of the population) lived in households, 7 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 229 (2.8%) were institutionalized.

There were 2,249 households, 874 (38.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,249 (55.5%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 393 (17.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 211 (9.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 96 (4.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 15 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 308 households (13.7%) were one person and 150 (6.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.48. There were 1,853 families (82.4% of households); the average family size was 3.76.

The age distribution was 1,648 people (20.4%) under the age of 18, 737 people (9.1%) aged 18 to 24, 2,108 people (26.1%) aged 25 to 44, 2,225 people (27.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,352 people (16.8%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 40.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.

There were 2,353 housing units at an average density of 2,823.8 per square mile, of the occupied units 1,597 (71.0%) were owner-occupied and 652 (29.0%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.8%. 5,545 people (68.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 2,289 people (28.4%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 7,595 people, 2,091 households, and 1,727 families in the CDP. The population density was 9,106.3 PD/sqmi. There were 2,166 housing units at an average density of 2,597.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 0.39% African American, 1.17% Native American, 33.34% Asian, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 19.93% from other races, and 4.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino 64.96% of the population, and 11.72% White. Of the 2,091 households 37.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.6% were married couples living together, 17.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.4% were non-families. 13.7% of households were one person and 6.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.52 and the average family size was 3.85.

The age distribution was 25.0% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.5 males.

The median household income was $51,136 and the median family income was $50,451. Males had a median income of $35,598 versus $30,091 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $16,345. About 8.2% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The community is served by the Montebello Unified School District, and the Garvey School District.

Schools include:
 * Potrero Heights Elementary School (Los Angeles County)
 * Macy Intermediate School (Monterey Park)
 * Schurr High School (Montebello)

Politics
In the state legislature, South San Gabriel is located in California's 22nd State Senate district, represented by Democrat Susan Rubio, and in California's 49th State Assembly district, represented by Democrat Ed Chau. Federally, South San Gabriel is located in California's 27th congressional district, which is represented by Democrat Judy Chu.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) operates the Temple Station in Temple City, serving South San Gabriel.

title: South San Gabriel, California


text:
South San Jose Hills, California

South San Jose Hills is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 20,551 at the 2010 census, up from 20,218 at the 2000 census.

Geography
South San Jose Hills is an unincorporated, mainly residential community located on the southern end of the San Jose Hills, which forms a part of San Gabriel Valley.

South San Jose Hills is bounded by City of Industry to the south, La Puente to the west, West Covina to the north, and Walnut to the east. The community is easily accessible via the Pomona Freeway (State Route 60), which runs just south of the community. The ZIP code serving the community is 91744. Most addresses do not use South San Jose Hills as the city but rather La Puente, West Covina, or Valinda, depending on the location of the residence or business. Parts of the area are nicknamed Happy Homes, based on the former name of the development and on the street gang that later took that name.

2010
At the 2010 census South San Jose Hills had a population of 20,551. The population density was 13,628.8 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of South San Jose Hills was 9,302 (45.3%) White (4.2% Non-Hispanic White), 304 (1.5%) African American, 195 (0.9%) Native American, 1,649 (8.0%) Asian, 30 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 8,449 (41.1%) from other races, and 622 (3.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17,713 persons (86.2%).

The census reported that 20,524 people (99.9% of the population) lived in households, 27 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized.

There were 4,112 households, 2,507 (61.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,565 (62.4%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 730 (17.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 405 (9.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 215 (5.2%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 22 (0.5%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 285 households (6.9%) were one person and 122 (3.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 4.99. There were 3,700 families (90.0% of households); the average family size was 4.86.

The age distribution was 6,250 people (30.4%) under the age of 18, 2,596 people (12.6%) aged 18 to 24, 5,791 people (28.2%) aged 25 to 44, 4,274 people (20.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,640 people (8.0%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 29.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.7 males.

There were 4,239 housing units at an average density of 2,811.2 per square mile, of the occupied units 3,131 (76.1%) were owner-occupied and 981 (23.9%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.2%. 15,294 people (74.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,230 people (25.4%) lived in rental housing units.

According to the 2010 United States Census, South San Jose Hills had a median household income of $50,864, with 16.2% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 20,218 people, 3,984 households, and 3,605 families in the CDP. The population density was 13,876.4 PD/sqmi. There were 4,059 housing units at an average density of 2,785.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 38.76% White, 1.86% African American, 1.54% Native American, 6.54% Asian, 0.35% Pacific Islander, 46.35% from other races, and 4.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 83.43%.

Of the 3,984 households 53.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.4% were married couples living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 9.5% were non-families. 6.7% of households were one person and 3.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 5.07 and the average family size was 4.95.

The age distribution was 34.6% under the age of 18, 12.0% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 5.9% 65 or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.0 males.

The median household income was $48,655 and the median family income was $46,702. Males had a median income of $26,477 versus $22,113 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $11,324. About 13.4% of families and 18.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.7% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.

Politics
In the state legislature South San Jose Hills is located in the 24th Senate District, represented by Democrat Gloria Romero, and in the 58th Assembly District, represented by Democrat Charles M. Calderon. Federally, South San Jose Hills is split between 32nd and 39th congressional districts, which are represented by Democrats Grace Napolitano and Gil Cisneros, respectively. At the county level, South San Jose Hills is part of Los Angeles County's first district and is currently represented by Hilda Solis.

Education
It is within the Rowland Unified School District.

title: South San Jose Hills, California


text:
South Whittier, California

South Whittier is an unincorporated community in Los Angeles County, California just south of the city of Whittier. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined South Whittier as a census-designated place (CDP). As of the 2020 census, the CDP had a total population of 56,415, down from 57,156 at the 2010 census.

Geography
South Whittier is located at 33.93472°N, -118.03083°W (33.934724, -118.030800).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 5.3 square miles (13.8 km$2$), over 99% of it land.

Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, South Whittier has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csa" on climate maps.

2010
At the 2010 census South Whittier had a population of 57,156. The population density was 10,691.8 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of South Whittier was 33,663 (58.9%) White (16.7% Non-Hispanic White), 859 (1.5%) African American, 743 (1.3%) Native American, 2,305 (4.0%) Asian, 147 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 17,085 (29.9%) from other races, and 2,354 (4.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 44,094 persons (77.1%).

The census reported that 56,859 people (99.5% of the population) lived in households, 282 (0.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 15 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 15,067 households, 7,647 (50.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 8,500 (56.4%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 2,678 (17.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,276 (8.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 979 (6.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 110 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,943 households (12.9%) were one person and 810 (5.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.77. There were 12,454 families (82.7% of households); the average family size was 4.05.

The age distribution was 16,274 people (28.5%) under the age of 18, 6,637 people (11.6%) aged 18 to 24, 16,369 people (28.6%) aged 25 to 44, 12,891 people (22.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 4,985 people (8.7%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 32.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.0 males.

There were 15,600 housing units at an average density of 2,918.2 per square mile, of the occupied units 9,563 (63.5%) were owner-occupied and 5,504 (36.5%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.7%. 36,050 people (63.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 20,809 people (36.4%) lived in rental housing units.

According to the 2010 United States Census, South Whittier had a median household income of $65,815, with 11.4% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 55,193 people, 14,673 households, and 12,266 families in the CDP. The population density was 10,257.7 PD/sqmi. There were 15,008 housing units at an average density of 2,789.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 52.47% White, 1.47% African American, 1.23% Native American, 3.02% Asian, 0.26% Pacific Islander, 36.37% from other races, and 5.18% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 69.31%.

Of the 14,673 households 48.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.5% were married couples living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.4% were non-families. 12.2% of households were one person and 5.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.74 and the average family size was 3.99.

The age distribution was 33.1% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% 65 or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.8 males.

The median household income was $47,378 and the median family income was $49,756. Males had a median income of $32,314 versus $25,605 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $15,080. About 9.2% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.0% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government
In the California State Legislature, South Whittier is in, and in.

In the United States House of Representatives, South Whittier is in.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) operates the Norwalk Station in Norwalk, serving South Whittier. In addition the department operates the Whittier Substation in South Whittier.

title: South Whittier, California