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East Los Angeles (region)
Encyclopedia
East Los Angeles is the portion of the City of Los Angeles
that lies east of Downtown Los Angeles
, the Los Angeles River
and the unincorporated areas of Lincoln Heights, west of the San Gabriel Valley
, East Los Angeles
and City Terrace
, south of Cypress Park
, and north of Vernon, California
and the City of Commerce
.
The short form for the region, "East L.A.," is an imprecise term which can have different meanings depending on usage and context. As a geographical term, it can refer to either the region described here or the unincorporated community of East Los Angeles. As a cultural term, "East L.A." has developed to refer to the predominantly Hispanic
of Mexican descent communities lying east of the City of Los Angeles
, centered around the unincorporated area of East Los Angeles
and City Terrace
and the Los Angeles district of Boyle Heights. To distinguish this area from the broader eastern area of the City of Los Angeles, a collection of neighborhoods and communities lying within Los Angeles city boundaries, and to emphasize the differences in character between the two areas, locals have come to use the term "Eastside" (on the example of "the Westside") for the area within the city boundaries.
, on which much of the region sits, are often winding and narrow. On primary and secondary thoroughfares, at times busy industrial concerns and/or shops sit side-by-side with single-family residences, in contrast to heavily zoned
areas like parts of the San Fernando Valley
and the Westside
, where it is less common. In some areas backyard agriculture is still widely practiced, as was colorfully depicted in the films My Family
(also called Mi Familia) and Stand and Deliver
(which was set in an East L.A. high school representing James A. Garfield High School
). Of these, many families maintained chicken coops and citrus groves in their backyards long after most of Los Angeles had abandoned these vestiges of its rural past. In some areas, however, this is less common or non-existent, such as Montecito Heights
and Mt. Washington
, among others.
, and several rancho
. Large-scale development commenced with the arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad
in 1875, with numerous electric streetcar lines being laid over the following three decades to connect the area to fast-growing Downtown Los Angeles
. Areas along the Arroyo Seco
such as Montecito Heights
and Mt. Washington
were once among the wealthiest neighborhoods in the region, their winding streets lined with finely detailed Mediterranean
villas and Craftsman
frame houses and bungalows that enjoy some of the finest views in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Spanish Colonial
bungalows and duplexes sprouted like mushrooms in working-class areas such as El Sereno
and City Terrace
.
,_boyle_heights,_los_angeles.jpg)
The East Los Angeles region has long had a very high concentration of Hispanic residents, primarily of Mexican
descent. Since the early 20th century, it has been the focus of the Hispanic population in Los Angeles County. This was not always the case: areas of northeastern Los Angeles had heavy Anglo
populations until the 1930s, when the development of whites-only areas in Mid-Wilshire
and the West Side
drew away most of the area's Anglo population. In the southern portions of the region, there were also large and diverse non-Hispanic populations; Boyle Heights
was heavily Serbia
n, Jewish
, and Japan
ese, and Lincoln Heights
was heavily Italian
. However, most of these groups moved to segregated suburb
s after World War II
, and Mexicans who had been forced into squalid slums such as Boyle Heights' infamous "The Flats" (later the site of the infamous Aliso Village housing project) seized the opportunity to move into the region's housing at low prices. With the exception of a small but distinct Filipino
population in areas such as Eagle Rock
, Glassell Park
and Atwater Village
, the region was primarily Mexican American by 1950.
The areas surrounding the unincorporated area of East L.A. formed the political and cultural heart of Mexican-American life in Los Angeles County during a period when the overall population of the county was mostly white (non-Hispanic) and often quite hostile to Latinos. Much of the violence of the Zoot Suit Riots
occurred in the region. Today East L.A. is populated mostly by immigrants of Mexican descent, and their American children.
, with middle-class families settling in San Gabriel Valley
suburbs such as Baldwin Park
and Alhambra
. From the 1970s onward, Orange County
, the San Fernando Valley
, the Inland Empire
, and the Gateway Cities
region of southeast Los Angeles County have also been major destinations for upwardly mobile Latino families. Meanwhile, recent immigrants from Mexico
and Central America
have settled in the low-income parts of East Los Angeles where the parents of many U.S.-born Hispanics once lived. At the same time, there are parts of "greater" East L.A., such as the cities of Montebello
, Whittier
and Pico Rivera
, where many U.S.-born Hispanics still live. Since the 1990s, many Hispanic immigrants have moved into areas that had previously been heavily African American
, in areas such as Compton
, Lynwood
, and the Watts
district of Los Angeles, while in those areas in which Hispanics moved out, Chinese American
s moved in.
has started to occur in formerly working-class pockets of East Los Angeles, and middle-class pockets in the northwest of the region, although mainly in the region's northern portions. Eagle Rock
has seen a considerable influx of middle class white and Filipino residents drawn by the area's architecture and schools, the latter of which are some of the best in the Los Angeles Unified School District
. High housing prices in other parts of Los Angeles are leading whites to settle in pockets of northeastern Los Angeles such as Glassell Park
, Atwater Village
, and Highland Park
, as well as Montecito Heights
, Mt. Washington
, and Elysian Valley
, as an affordable alternative to Silver Lake
.
See also:
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
that lies east of Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, United States, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area...
, the Los Angeles River
Los Angeles River
The Los Angeles River is a river that starts in the San Fernando Valley, in the Simi Hills and Santa Susana Mountains, and flows through Los Angeles County, California, from Canoga Park in the western end of the San Fernando Valley, nearly southeast to its mouth in Long Beach...
and the unincorporated areas of Lincoln Heights, west of the San Gabriel Valley
San Gabriel Valley
The San Gabriel Valley is one of the principal valleys of Southern California, United States. It lies to the east of Los Angeles, to the north of the Puente Hills, to the south of the San Gabriel Mountains, and west of the Inland Empire. It derives its name from the San Gabriel River that flows...
, East Los Angeles
East Los Angeles, California
East Los Angeles is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States...
and City Terrace
City Terrace, California
City Terrace is an unincorporated community in Los Angeles County, California. It is considered part of the East Los Angeles region. The U.S. census numbers are included with East Los Angeles.-Geography and transportation:...
, south of Cypress Park
Cypress Park, Los Angeles, California
Cypress Park is a neighborhood in Northeast Los Angeles. It is located at the confluence of the Los Angeles River and Arroyo Seco and is less than 2.5 miles north of Downtown Los Angeles...
, and north of Vernon, California
Vernon, California
Vernon is a city five miles south of downtown Los Angeles, California. The population was 112 at the 2010 United States Census, the smallest of any incorporated city in the state....
and the City of Commerce
Commerce, California
Commerce is a city located in southeast Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 12,823 at the 2010 census, up from 12,568 at the 2000 census. It is bordered by Vernon on the west, Los Angeles on the northwest, East Los Angeles on the north, Montebello on the east, Downey...
.
The short form for the region, "East L.A.," is an imprecise term which can have different meanings depending on usage and context. As a geographical term, it can refer to either the region described here or the unincorporated community of East Los Angeles. As a cultural term, "East L.A." has developed to refer to the predominantly Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
of Mexican descent communities lying east of the City of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, centered around the unincorporated area of East Los Angeles
East Los Angeles, California
East Los Angeles is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States...
and City Terrace
City Terrace, California
City Terrace is an unincorporated community in Los Angeles County, California. It is considered part of the East Los Angeles region. The U.S. census numbers are included with East Los Angeles.-Geography and transportation:...
and the Los Angeles district of Boyle Heights. To distinguish this area from the broader eastern area of the City of Los Angeles, a collection of neighborhoods and communities lying within Los Angeles city boundaries, and to emphasize the differences in character between the two areas, locals have come to use the term "Eastside" (on the example of "the Westside") for the area within the city boundaries.
Built environment
In appearance, while northern East Los Angeles may vary in character, much of East Los Angeles is a throwback to Los Angeles' early 20th century heritage. The dusty streets up and down the Monterey HillsMonterey Hills, Los Angeles, California
Monterey Hills is a small, diverse, middle-class community within the city of Los Angeles, California located about 4 miles ENE of downtown Los Angeles and about 3 miles from Pasadena off of the 110 Freeway. It is surrounded by El Sereno to the southeast, Hermon to the east, Montecito Heights to...
, on which much of the region sits, are often winding and narrow. On primary and secondary thoroughfares, at times busy industrial concerns and/or shops sit side-by-side with single-family residences, in contrast to heavily zoned
Zoning
Zoning is a device of land use planning used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another...
areas like parts of the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
and the Westside
West Los Angeles (region)
The Los Angeles Westside is an urban region in western Los Angeles County, California, United States. It has no official definition, but, according to the Los Angeles Times, it comprises , encompassing 18 districts in the city of Los Angeles and two unincorporated neighborhoods, plus the cities of...
, where it is less common. In some areas backyard agriculture is still widely practiced, as was colorfully depicted in the films My Family
My Family (film)
My Family is an American drama film directed by Gregory Nava and written by Nava and Anna Thomas. The motion picture stars Jimmy Smits, Edward James Olmos, Esai Morales, and others. It also features Jennifer Lopez in her second film role....
(also called Mi Familia) and Stand and Deliver
Stand and Deliver
Stand and Deliver is a 1988 American drama film, based on the true story of high school mathematics teacher Jaime Escalante. Edward James Olmos portrayed Escalante in the film and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.-Plot:...
(which was set in an East L.A. high school representing James A. Garfield High School
Garfield High School (Los Angeles County, California)
James A. Garfield High School is a public, year-round high school founded in 1925 in East Los Angeles, an unincorporated section of Los Angeles County, California. The school was made famous by the film Stand and Deliver about a teacher named Jaime Escalante...
). Of these, many families maintained chicken coops and citrus groves in their backyards long after most of Los Angeles had abandoned these vestiges of its rural past. In some areas, however, this is less common or non-existent, such as Montecito Heights
Montecito Heights, Los Angeles, California
Montecito Heights is a small district in Northeast Los Angeles formerly known as an original East Los Angeles area of Los Angeles, California. The 2000 population is estimated at 16,768.-Geography and transportation:...
and Mt. Washington
Mt. Washington, Los Angeles, California
Mount Washington is a neighborhood located in the hills of northeastern Los Angeles, California.-Geography:The boundaries of Mount Washington are roughly defined by Division Street on the west, El Paso Drive and Avenue 50 on the northeast, Marmion Way on the southeast, and Isabel street on the...
, among others.
Origins (late 18th-early 20th centuries)
Most of what is now considered East Los Angeles was, at the time of Spanish settlement, parceled out among the Pueblo of Los Angeles, the Mission San Gabriel ArcangelMission San Gabriel Arcángel
The Mission San Gabriel Arcángel is a fully functioning Roman Catholic mission and a historic landmark in San Gabriel, California. The settlement was founded by Spaniards of the Franciscan order on "The Feast of the Birth of Mary," September 8, 1771, as the fourth of what would become 21 Spanish...
, and several rancho
Rancho
Rancho may refer to:*Alta California land grants in the 19th century; see Ranchos of California*Rancho High School, a North Las Vegas high school*Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center**Rancho Los Amigos Scale...
. Large-scale development commenced with the arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
in 1875, with numerous electric streetcar lines being laid over the following three decades to connect the area to fast-growing Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, United States, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area...
. Areas along the Arroyo Seco
Arroyo Seco
The Arroyo Seco, meaning "dry stream" in Spanish, is a seasonal river, canyon, watershed, and cultural area in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The Arroyo Seco has been called the most celebrated canyon in Southern California.-River course:...
such as Montecito Heights
Montecito Heights, Los Angeles, California
Montecito Heights is a small district in Northeast Los Angeles formerly known as an original East Los Angeles area of Los Angeles, California. The 2000 population is estimated at 16,768.-Geography and transportation:...
and Mt. Washington
Mt. Washington, Los Angeles, California
Mount Washington is a neighborhood located in the hills of northeastern Los Angeles, California.-Geography:The boundaries of Mount Washington are roughly defined by Division Street on the west, El Paso Drive and Avenue 50 on the northeast, Marmion Way on the southeast, and Isabel street on the...
were once among the wealthiest neighborhoods in the region, their winding streets lined with finely detailed Mediterranean
Mediterranean Revival Style architecture
The Mediterranean Revival was an eclectic design style that was first introduced in the United States about the end of the nineteenth century, and became popular during the 1920s and 1930s...
villas and Craftsman
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
frame houses and bungalows that enjoy some of the finest views in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Spanish Colonial
Spanish Colonial Revival Style architecture
The Spanish Colonial Revival Style was a United States architectural stylistic movement that came about in the early 20th century, starting in California and Florida as a regional expression related to history, environment, and nostalgia...
bungalows and duplexes sprouted like mushrooms in working-class areas such as El Sereno
El Sereno, Los Angeles, California
El Sereno is a district in Eastern Los Angeles, California.El Sereno sits atop the Monterey Hills that separate the Los Angeles Basin from the San Gabriel Valley, and is the easternmost district in the city of Los Angeles...
and City Terrace
City Terrace, California
City Terrace is an unincorporated community in Los Angeles County, California. It is considered part of the East Los Angeles region. The U.S. census numbers are included with East Los Angeles.-Geography and transportation:...
.
Ethnicity
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
descent. Since the early 20th century, it has been the focus of the Hispanic population in Los Angeles County. This was not always the case: areas of northeastern Los Angeles had heavy Anglo
Anglo
Anglo is a prefix indicating a relation to the Angles, England or the English people, as in the terms Anglo-Saxon, Anglo-American, Anglo-Celtic, Anglo-African and Anglo-Indian. It is often used alone, somewhat loosely, to refer to people of British Isles descent in The Americas, Australia and...
populations until the 1930s, when the development of whites-only areas in Mid-Wilshire
Mid-Wilshire
Mid-Wilshire is a district in the City of Los Angeles, California. It is part of the Wilshire region.It mostly encompasses the area bounded by La Cienega Boulevard to the west, Melrose Avenue to the north, Hoover Street to the east and the Santa Monica Freeway to the south, although some...
and the West Side
West Los Angeles (region)
The Los Angeles Westside is an urban region in western Los Angeles County, California, United States. It has no official definition, but, according to the Los Angeles Times, it comprises , encompassing 18 districts in the city of Los Angeles and two unincorporated neighborhoods, plus the cities of...
drew away most of the area's Anglo population. In the southern portions of the region, there were also large and diverse non-Hispanic populations; Boyle Heights
Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, California
Boyle Heights is a neighborhood east of Downtown Los Angeles on the East Side of Los Angeles. For much of the twentieth century, Boyle Heights was a gateway for new immigrants. This resulted in diverse demographics, including Jewish American, Japanese American and Mexican American populations,...
was heavily Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n, Jewish
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
, and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese, and Lincoln Heights
Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles, California
-Geography and transportation:Lincoln Heights is bounded by the Los Angeles River on the west, the San Bernardino Freeway on the south, and Indiana Street on the east; the district's Eastern border is unclear due to the area's uneven terrain...
was heavily Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. However, most of these groups moved to segregated suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
s after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and Mexicans who had been forced into squalid slums such as Boyle Heights' infamous "The Flats" (later the site of the infamous Aliso Village housing project) seized the opportunity to move into the region's housing at low prices. With the exception of a small but distinct Filipino
Filipino American
Filipino Americans are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipino Americans, often shortened to "Fil-Ams", or "Pinoy",Filipinos in what is now the United States were first documented in the 16th century, with small settlements beginning in the 18th century...
population in areas such as Eagle Rock
Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, California
In 1909, Hill Avenue, now Hill Drive, was one of Eagle Rock's most beautiful streets. Other streets were Royal Drive , Acacia Street , Kenilworth Avenue , Highland Avenue , and Fairmont Avenue...
, Glassell Park
Glassell Park, Los Angeles, California
Glassell Park is a neighborhood in northeast Los Angeles, California.-Geography:Glassell Park borders Atwater Village and the Los Angeles River on the west, the city of Glendale on the northwest, Eagle Rock on the northeast, Mount Washington on the southeast and Cypress Park on the south...
and Atwater Village
Atwater Village, Los Angeles, California
Atwater Village is a neighborhood in northeast Los Angeles, California. It lies at an elevation of 404 feet .-Geography:Atwater Village lies between the Los Angeles River to the west and Glendale to the north and east...
, the region was primarily Mexican American by 1950.
The areas surrounding the unincorporated area of East L.A. formed the political and cultural heart of Mexican-American life in Los Angeles County during a period when the overall population of the county was mostly white (non-Hispanic) and often quite hostile to Latinos. Much of the violence of the Zoot Suit Riots
Zoot Suit Riots
The Zoot Suit Riots were a series of riots in 1943 during World War II that erupted in Los Angeles, California between white sailors and Marines stationed throughout thehi c mlc city and Latino youths, who were recognizable by the zoot suits they favored...
occurred in the region. Today East L.A. is populated mostly by immigrants of Mexican descent, and their American children.
Population shifts
Many second and third-generation Hispanic or Central Americans have since moved from East Los Angeles to other parts of Southern California. This movement began soon after World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, with middle-class families settling in San Gabriel Valley
San Gabriel Valley
The San Gabriel Valley is one of the principal valleys of Southern California, United States. It lies to the east of Los Angeles, to the north of the Puente Hills, to the south of the San Gabriel Mountains, and west of the Inland Empire. It derives its name from the San Gabriel River that flows...
suburbs such as Baldwin Park
Baldwin Park, California
Baldwin Park is a city located in the central San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 75,390, down from 75,837 at the 2000 census.- History :...
and Alhambra
Alhambra, California
Alhambra is a city located in the western San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, United States, which is approximately eight miles from the Downtown Los Angeles civic center. As of the 2010 census, the population was 83,089, down from 85,804 at the 2000 census. The city's...
. From the 1970s onward, Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
, the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
, the Inland Empire
Inland Empire (California)
The Inland Empire is a region in Southern California. The region sits directly east of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Inland Empire most commonly is used in reference to the U.S. Census Bureau's federally-defined Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area, which covers more than...
, and the Gateway Cities
Gateway Cities
The Gateway Cities of Southern California are those located in southeastern Los Angeles County. There is some cross-over between these cities and those composing South Los Angeles, East Los Angeles, the South Bay, and the San Gabriel Valley...
region of southeast Los Angeles County have also been major destinations for upwardly mobile Latino families. Meanwhile, recent immigrants from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
have settled in the low-income parts of East Los Angeles where the parents of many U.S.-born Hispanics once lived. At the same time, there are parts of "greater" East L.A., such as the cities of Montebello
Montebello, California
Montebello is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, in the southwestern part of the San Gabriel Valley. It is located on of land just east of downtown Los Angeles. It is considered part of the Gateway Cities, and the city is a member of the Gateway Cities Council of...
, Whittier
Whittier, California
Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California about southeast of Los Angeles. The city had a population of 85,331 at the 2010 census, up from 83,680 as of the 2000 census, and encompasses 14.7 square miles . Like nearby Montebello, the city constitutes part of the Gateway Cities...
and Pico Rivera
Pico Rivera, California
Pico Rivera is a city located in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. The city is situated approximately 11 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles, on the eastern edge of the Los Angeles basin, and on the southern edge of the area known as the San Gabriel Valley...
, where many U.S.-born Hispanics still live. Since the 1990s, many Hispanic immigrants have moved into areas that had previously been heavily African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, in areas such as Compton
Compton, California
Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city of Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city to incorporate. The city is considered part of the South side by residents of Los...
, Lynwood
Lynwood, California
Lynwood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 69,772, down from 69,845 at the 2000 census. Lynwood is located near South Gate and Compton in the southern portion of the Los Angeles Basin. Incorporated in...
, and the Watts
Watts, Los Angeles, California
Watts is a mostly residential neighborhood in South Los Angeles, California.-History:The area now known as Watts is located on the Rancho La Tajauta Mexican land grant...
district of Los Angeles, while in those areas in which Hispanics moved out, Chinese American
Chinese American
Chinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
s moved in.
Gentrification
Since the late 1990s, gentrificationGentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
has started to occur in formerly working-class pockets of East Los Angeles, and middle-class pockets in the northwest of the region, although mainly in the region's northern portions. Eagle Rock
Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, California
In 1909, Hill Avenue, now Hill Drive, was one of Eagle Rock's most beautiful streets. Other streets were Royal Drive , Acacia Street , Kenilworth Avenue , Highland Avenue , and Fairmont Avenue...
has seen a considerable influx of middle class white and Filipino residents drawn by the area's architecture and schools, the latter of which are some of the best in the Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District is the largest public school system in California. It is the 2nd largest public school district in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population...
. High housing prices in other parts of Los Angeles are leading whites to settle in pockets of northeastern Los Angeles such as Glassell Park
Glassell Park, Los Angeles, California
Glassell Park is a neighborhood in northeast Los Angeles, California.-Geography:Glassell Park borders Atwater Village and the Los Angeles River on the west, the city of Glendale on the northwest, Eagle Rock on the northeast, Mount Washington on the southeast and Cypress Park on the south...
, Atwater Village
Atwater Village, Los Angeles, California
Atwater Village is a neighborhood in northeast Los Angeles, California. It lies at an elevation of 404 feet .-Geography:Atwater Village lies between the Los Angeles River to the west and Glendale to the north and east...
, and Highland Park
Highland Park, Los Angeles, California
Highland Park is a neighborhood in Northeast Los Angeles.-Geography:Highland Park is located along the Arroyo Seco. It is situated within what was once Rancho San Rafael of the Spanish / Mexican era...
, as well as Montecito Heights
Montecito Heights, Los Angeles, California
Montecito Heights is a small district in Northeast Los Angeles formerly known as an original East Los Angeles area of Los Angeles, California. The 2000 population is estimated at 16,768.-Geography and transportation:...
, Mt. Washington
Mt. Washington, Los Angeles, California
Mount Washington is a neighborhood located in the hills of northeastern Los Angeles, California.-Geography:The boundaries of Mount Washington are roughly defined by Division Street on the west, El Paso Drive and Avenue 50 on the northeast, Marmion Way on the southeast, and Isabel street on the...
, and Elysian Valley
Elysian Valley, Los Angeles, California
Elysian Valley is a small bedroom community of the City of Los Angeles, California.It is part of the Elysian Park-Silver Lake area.-History:...
, as an affordable alternative to Silver Lake
Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California
Silver Lake is a hilly neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California east of Hollywood and northwest of Downtown Los Angeles. Silver Lake is inhabited by a wide variety of ethnic and socioeconomic groups, but it is best known as an eclectic gathering of hipsters and the creative class.The...
.
Communities of East Los Angeles
- Aliso VillageAliso VillageAliso Village was a housing project in Los Angeles, California. It was built in 1942 and demolished 1999. The parcel was replaced by Pueblo del Sol.The complex was owned and managed by the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles....
- Atwater Village
- Cypress Park
- Boyle Heights
- El Sereno
- Garvanza
- Glassell Park
- Hermon
- Highland Park
- Lincoln Heights
- Montecito Heights
- Monterey Hills
- Mt. Washington
- University Hills
- Brooklyn Heights
- Eagle Rock
See also:
- Bell GardensBell Gardens, CaliforniaBell Gardens is a city in Los Angeles County, California. The population was 42,072 at the 2010 census, down from 44,054 at the 2000 census.Bell Gardens is notable for being one of only five Los Angeles County cities to permit casino gambling...
- City TerraceCity Terrace, CaliforniaCity Terrace is an unincorporated community in Los Angeles County, California. It is considered part of the East Los Angeles region. The U.S. census numbers are included with East Los Angeles.-Geography and transportation:...
- City of CommerceCommerce, CaliforniaCommerce is a city located in southeast Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 12,823 at the 2010 census, up from 12,568 at the 2000 census. It is bordered by Vernon on the west, Los Angeles on the northwest, East Los Angeles on the north, Montebello on the east, Downey...
- East Los AngelesEast Los Angeles, CaliforniaEast Los Angeles is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States...
- La PuenteLa Puente, CaliforniaLa Puente is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 39,816 at the 2010 census.* City flower: The Golden Hibiscus* City colors: Green and White.-History:...
- MontebelloMontebello, CaliforniaMontebello is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, in the southwestern part of the San Gabriel Valley. It is located on of land just east of downtown Los Angeles. It is considered part of the Gateway Cities, and the city is a member of the Gateway Cities Council of...
- Monterey ParkMonterey Park, CaliforniaMonterey Park is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, east of downtown Los Angeles. The city's motto is "Pride in the past, Faith in the future"...
- Pico RiveraPico Rivera, CaliforniaPico Rivera is a city located in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. The city is situated approximately 11 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles, on the eastern edge of the Los Angeles basin, and on the southern edge of the area known as the San Gabriel Valley...
- WhittierWhittier, CaliforniaWhittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California about southeast of Los Angeles. The city had a population of 85,331 at the 2010 census, up from 83,680 as of the 2000 census, and encompasses 14.7 square miles . Like nearby Montebello, the city constitutes part of the Gateway Cities...
Landmarks
- California State University, Los AngelesCalifornia State University, Los AngelesCalifornia State University, Los Angeles is a public comprehensive university, part of the California State University system...
(CSULA) - University Hills - Occidental CollegeOccidental CollegeOccidental College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1887, Occidental College, or "Oxy" as it is called by students and alumni, is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges on the West Coast...
(Oxy) - Eagle Rock - Latino Walk of Fame - East L.A.
- Mariachi PlazaMariachi PlazaMariachi Plaza is a small square bounded by E. 1st street to the south, N. Boyle Avenue to the West and a small residential street named Pleasant Avenue to its North. The Square is located in the Boyle Heights district of the city of Los Angeles, East of Downtown....
- Boyle Heights - El Mercado de Los Angeles - Boyle Heights
- Calvary CemeteryCalvary Cemetery, East Los AngelesThe Calvary Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery operated by the Los Angeles Archdiocese, located at 4201 Whittier Boulevard in Los Angeles, California...
(Roman Catholic) - East L.A. - Home of Peace CemeteryHome of Peace CemeteryThe Home of Peace Cemetery is a Jewish cemetery located at 4334 Whittier Boulevard west of Interstate 710 in East Los Angeles, California.The cemetery is located across from Calvary Catholic Cemetery and next to Beth Israel Cemetery and Mount Zion Cemetery .There are a number of famous rabbis...
(JewishJudaismJudaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
) - East L.A. - Evergreen Cemetery - Boyle Heights
- Chinese Cemetery of Los AngelesChinese Cemetery of Los AngelesThe Chinese Cemetery of Los Angeles is one of several historical cemeteries found around East Los Angeles, including Evergreen and Calvary cemeteries. It is located at First Street and Eastern Avenue in the Belvedere Gardens section of East Los Angeles. Today, the cemetery is bordered on the...
- East L.A. - El Alisal
- Estrada Courts Murals - Boyle Heights
- Heritage Square - Montecito Heights & Lincoln Park
- Plaza de la Raza - Lincoln Heights
- Southwest MuseumSouthwest MuseumThe Southwest Museum of the American Indian is a museum, library, and archive located in the Mt. Washington area of Los Angeles, California. It is part of the Autry National Center. Its collections deal mainly with the American Indian...
- Mt. Washington - Sanchez Adobe - Montebello
- El Pino (The Pine Tree)El Pino (The Pine Tree)El Pino is a natural landmark of the East Los Angeles, sitting in the Boyle Heights neighborhood, near the East Cesar E Chavez avenue .The tree is in the former property of Mr...
- East L.A. - East Los Angeles Skill Center - Lincoln Heights
Notable natives and residents
- Howard W. DavisHoward W. DavisHoward W. Davis was a member of the California State Assembly for two years and of the Los Angeles City Council for 16 years. He was indicted on charges of accepting bribes to influence his actions as a city official but was cleared on one count and never tried on the others, which were...
, politics - Howard E. DorseyHoward E. DorseyHoward E. Dorsey was a hydraulic engineer who was a member of the Los Angeles, California, City Council in 1937. He was the only City Council member since at least 1925 to die in office from accidental death — in his case, a traffic mishap — and the member to have served the fewest number of days...
, hydraulic engineering, politics - Jaime EscalanteJaime EscalanteJaime Alfonso Escalante Gutierrez was a Bolivian educator well-known for teaching students calculus from 1974 to 1991 at Garfield High School, East Los Angeles, California...
, education - Kid FrostKid FrostArturo Molina Jr. , better known as Frost , is a Mexican American hip hop artist.-Early life:...
, rap - Carlos MenciaCarlos MenciaCarlos Mencia , born Ned Arnel Mencia, is a Honduran-born American comedian, writer, and actor. His style of comedy is often political and involves issues of race, culture, criminal justice, and social class...
, comedy - Oscar de la HoyaOscar de la HoyaOscar De La Hoya is a retired American boxer of Mexican descent. Nicknamed "The Golden Boy", De La Hoya won a gold medal at the Barcelona Olympic Games shortly after graduating from Garfield High School. De La Hoya comes from a boxing family. His grandfather Vicente, father Joel Sr., and brother...
, boxing - Allison IrahetaAllison IrahetaAllison Iraheta is an American singer from Los Angeles, California, who was the fourth place finalist on the eighth season of American Idol. Prior to Idol, Iraheta won the Telemundo competition Quinceañera: Mamá Quiero Ser Artista. Following the conclusion of Idol, Iraheta was signed to a record...
, music - Constance MarieConstance MarieConstance Marie Lopez is an American actress. Known professionally as Constance Marie, she is known for her role as Angie Lopez on George Lopez and for her role as Marcella Quintanilla in the 1997 film Selena...
, acting - Sergio MoraSergio MoraSergio "The Latin Snake" Mora is a Mexican American professional boxer trained by Dean Campos. He is the former WBC Light Middleweight Champion and also the first champion of NBC's The Contender....
, boxing - Edward James OlmosEdward James OlmosEdward James Olmos is an American actor and director. Among his most memorable roles are William Adama in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica, Lt...
, acting - Anthony QuinnAnthony QuinnAntonio Rodolfo Quinn-Oaxaca , more commonly known as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican American actor, as well as a painter and writer...
, acting - Ricky RomeroRicky RomeroHenry Romero was a professional wrestler better known as "Rapid" Ricky Romero. Romero was best known for being a huge draw in the State of Texas in the 1970s.-Rise to fame:...
, baseball - Antonio VillaraigosaAntonio VillaraigosaAntonio Ramón Villaraigosa , born Antonio Ramón Villar, Jr., is the 41st and current Mayor of Los Angeles, California, the third Mexican American to have ever held office in the city of Los Angeles and the first in over 130 years. He is also the current president of the United States Conference of...
, politics - will.i.amWill.i.amWilliam James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
(William James Adams, Jr.), music
See also
- Born in East L.A.Born in East L.A.Born in East L.A. is a 1987 American comedy film written and directed by Cheech Marin of the Cheech & Chong comedy team.The film is about an American of Chicano descent whom authorities deport to Tijuana...
, motion picture - ChicanoChicanoThe terms "Chicano" and "Chicana" are used in reference to U.S. citizens of Mexican descent. However, those terms have a wide range of meanings in various parts of the world. The term began to be widely used during the Chicano Movement, mainly among Mexican Americans, especially in the movement's...
, ethnic term - East LA ClassicEast LA ClassicThe East LA Classic, or East Los Angeles Classic ' is the homecoming football game for both James A. Garfield High School and Theodore Roosevelt High School. It is known as the East L.A. classic, because the two schools were among the first schools to be established in the East Los Angeles area...
, football game - City Times in Los Angeles Times suburban sections
- Zoot Suit RiotsZoot Suit RiotsThe Zoot Suit Riots were a series of riots in 1943 during World War II that erupted in Los Angeles, California between white sailors and Marines stationed throughout thehi c mlc city and Latino youths, who were recognizable by the zoot suits they favored...
, 1943