Montebello, California
Encyclopedia
Montebello is a city in Los Angeles County
, California
, United States
, in the southwestern part of the San Gabriel Valley
. It is located on 8.4 sq mi (21.8 km²) of land just 8 mi (12.9 km) 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 Governments. The name, Montebello, means “Beautiful mountain” in both Italian and Spanish. In the early 20th century, Montebello was a well-known source for oil reserves. The population was 62,500 at the 2010 census; according to the California Department of Finance
, the estimated population of Montebello on January 1, 2011, was 62,789.
, the land along the Rio Hondo River
was populated by the Tongva (Gabrielino) part of the Uto-Aztecan
family Native Americans
. The Tongva occupied much of the Los Angeles basin and the islands of Santa Catalina
, San Nicolas
, San Clemente
and Santa Barbara
. When the Spanish explorer Juan Rodrigues Cabrillo arrived off the shores of Santa Catalina, the Tongva came out in their canoes to meet with him in 1542. The language of the Tongva was different from the neighboring Indian tribes and it was called Gabrielino by the Spanish. The Gabrielinos lived in dome-like structures with thatched exteriors. Both sexes wore long hair styles and tattooed their bodies. During warm weather the men wore little clothing, but the women would wear minimal skirts made of animal hides. During the cold weather they would wear animal skin capes. European diseases killed many of the Tongva and by 1870 the area had few remaining native inhabitants.
Franciscan Missionaries, Fathers Angel Somera and Pedro Cambon, founded the original Mission San Gabriel Arcangel
on September 8, 1771 near where San Gabriel Boulevard intersects the Rio Hondo River. Additionally, it is also close to the present day Sanchez Adobe Mansion. This marked the beginning of the Los Angeles region's settlement by Spaniards. The San Gabriel Mission is the fourth of twenty-one missions that would ultimately be established along California's El Camino Real
. The San Gabriel mission did well as a cattle ranch and farm, but six years after its founding a destructive flood led the mission fathers to relocate the establishment to its current location farther north in present day city of San Gabriel
. The original mission site is now marked by a California Historical Landmark
.
During the early years of the mission, the region operated under a Rancho system. The lands which now compose the city of Montebello were originally parts of Rancho San Antonio, Rancho La Merced
, and Rancho Paso de Bartolo
. The Juan Matias Sanchez Adobe, built in 1844, still stands at the center of old Rancho La Merced in East Montebello. Recently restored, is the city's oldest structure. The Battle of Rio San Gabriel
took place in Montebello on January 8, 1847. This battle that gave the control of Los Angeles and Alta California to the United States, and was an important decisive factor in winning the Mexican-American war. Today the site is California State Historical Landmark #385, and there are two old cannons and a plaque commemorating the battle overlooking the river on Bluff Rd. and Washington Blvd.
Following the American Civil War
, some 5000 acre (2,023.4 ha) of the East Los Angeles region
was owned by an Italian settler from Genoa
, Alessandro Repetto. After Repetto's death in 1885, his brother sold his rancho to a consortium of five Los Angeles businessmen including banker Isaias Hellman and wholesale grocer/historian Harris Newmark
for $60,000, or about $12 per acre.
Later the land was divided among the partners, one large parcel of approximately 2000 acre (809.4 ha) going to a partnership of Newmark and his nephew, banker Kaspare Cohn. It was out of the Newmark and Cohn share of 1200 acre (485.6 ha) that Montebello had its beginnings in May 1899. After seeking the advice of hydraulic engineer William Mulholland
in drafting the design and building a water system, the land was subdivided. In 1900 the completed water system was incorporated as the Montebello Land and Water Company.
An area of 200 acre (80.9 ha), adjacent to the tracks of the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad
(now part of the Union Pacific Railroad
) were developed into a townsite called Newmark, and the remainder of the land was subdivided into 5 acre (2 ha) lots suitable for small-scale agriculture. On Mulholland's suggestion, Montebello, was adopted as the city's name, replacing the original name Newmark. The name, Montebello, which means beautiful mountain in both Italian and Spanish, is shared with several other communities in Europe and the Americas.
Originally an agricultural community in the early 20th century, Montebello was known for its prolific production of flowers, berries, fruits, and vegetables. The first flower show was sponsored by the Montebello Woman’s Club and held in the Montebello High School
auditorium on Whittier Boulevard in 1912. The Montebello – El Carmel (South Montebello) Improvement Association, the predecessor of the Montebello Chamber of Commerce, operated from September 1907 to April 1912. Its purpose was “to improve and beautify the community.” Some of its achievements were: Whittier Boulevard was paved, trees planted along the streets, laid the groundwork and established the first high school, strived to have the name of Newmark dropped and to have the entire area incorporated as the City of Montebello. On October 19, 1920, the city's name was officially changed to Montebello and it was incorporated as the 35th of the present cities in Los Angeles County, and the official seal contained a red poinsettia in the center.
The Standard Oil Company discovered oil in the Montebello hills in 1917, on the Baldwin
and Temple properties. This discovery revolutionized the face of Montebello. The formerly agricultural hills became oil fields, and were eventually producing one-eighth of California's crude oil. For sixty years, the Montebello hills were dotted with nodding oil wells.
Montebello is home to the oldest Armenian Community in Los Angeles County and home to the only Armenian Cathedral
in California, Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Cathedral. The Armenian Martyrs Monument at Bicknell Park commemorating the victims of the Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman Turks is the largest monument found on public property in the World.
Armenian Church
in Montebello It is inscribed:
Montebello was also home to a significant Japanese community. The city's Japanese residents operated the four nurseries in town, but were sent to internment camps during World War II
. Japanese-Peruvian and Japanese-Hawaiian communities later settled in the area after WWII. When the Japanese citizens returned from the internment camps after the war, most found they had lost their property. One of the nurseries had been taken over and cared for by a loyal employee, a young French-American, named Fred Sarrazin. After the war, he returned the nursery to its rightful owner, George Mori. In turn, Mr. Mori gave Sarrazin employment at the nursery for his lifetime, and the Mori Nursery was able to continue under its original name. Today, the Japanese population in Montebello is over 11% of the total population.
was 7,464.7 people per square mile (2,882.1/km²). The racial makeup of Montebello was 33,633 (53.8%) White, 567 (0.9%) African American, 634 (1.0%) Native American, 6,850 (11.0%) Asian, 58 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 18,431 (29.5%) from other races
, and 2,327 (3.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 49,578 persons (79.3%).
The largest percentage of residents who reside in Montebello are Mexican-American. Montebello is the neighboring city just east of East Los Angeles, and is well known for its Mexican-American history and culture. Montebello also has a significant contingent of Armenian-Americans. 38.3% of residents are foreign born, and 75.6% speak a language other than English in the home.
The Census reported that 62,100 people (99.4% of the population) lived in households, 39 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 361 (0.6%) were institutionalized.
There were 19,012 households, out of which 8,168 (43.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 9,088 (47.8%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 4,031 (21.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,651 (8.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,302 (6.8%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 134 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,350 households (17.6%) were made up of individuals and 1,640 (8.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.27. There were 14,770 families
(77.7% of all households); the average family size was 3.67.
The population was spread out with 16,142 people (25.8%) under the age of 18, 6,414 people (10.3%) aged 18 to 24, 17,567 people (28.1%) aged 25 to 44, 13,857 people (22.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 8,520 people (13.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.7 years. For every 100 females there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.
There were 19,768 housing units at an average density of 2,361.0 per square mile (911.6/km²), of which 8,766 (46.1%) were owner-occupied, and 10,246 (53.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.1%. 29,095 people (46.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 33,005 people (52.8%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 62,150 people, 18,844 households, and 14,867 families residing in the city. The population density
was 7,536.9 people per square mile (2,908.6/km²). There were 19,416 housing units at an average density of 2,354.6 per square mile (908.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 46.82% White, 0.90% African-American, 1.23% Native American, 11.64% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 33.85% from other races
, and 5.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 74.57% of the population, some of which are also included in the census of the white population.
There were 18,844 households out of which 40.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples
living together, 20.1% had a female head of household and 21.1% were unrelated individuals. 17.1% of all households consisted of a single individual and 8.0% had persons who were 65 years of age or older living alone. The average household size was 3.28 and the average family size was 3.67.
The 2000 census data counted persons as 28.6% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.32 years. For every 100 females there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males.
The median income
for a household in the city was $38,805, and the median income for a family was $41,257. Males had a median income of $30,423 versus $26,590 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,125. 16.3% of residents have a bachelor’s degree or higher and 69% of residents have a high school degree. About 14.2% of families and 13.2% of the population were living below the poverty line, including 24.3% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.
Montebello is located in the 30th Senate
District, represented by Democrat Ronald S. Calderon
, and in the 58th Assembly
District, represented by Democrat Charles M. Calderon
. Federally, Montebello is located in California's 38th congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of D +20 and is represented by Democrat Grace Napolitano
.
Montebello utilizes a City Council/City Administrator form of government. The City Council provides political leadership and policy direction. The City Administrator provides the leadership and management of the city and the department heads. Montebello has six department heads and some oversee more than one division.
Montebello Redevelopment Agency has three project areas:
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
operates the Whittier Health Center in Whittier
, serving Montebello.
The United States Postal Service
operates the Montebello Post Office at 145 North 5th Street and the Montebello Hills Post Office at 2547 Via Campo.
The City of Montebello has some difficult choices ahead of them as they have a projected $2 million deficit, and also Federal officials are asking for the return of $1.3 million in housing money they allege the city mismanaged. The city is also being sued by a businessman who alleges Montebello unlawfully borrowed approximately $19 million from its redevelopment agency late in 2010.
There are also more difficult issues being addressed: "How much does it cost to rebuild a street? A mile-long length of street costs $1.6 million." "How much does a bus cost? $560,000, but its value becomes $5,000 once they’re done with it later, after many years of service." "How many of the city's ancient computers need to be replaced? Last year, the city laid off 26 employees, and closed a fire station. In light of the scandals happening in nearby cities in Southern California, Councilman Frank Gomez immediately asked the onerous question: "Has the city been mis-managed for the last quarter century?”
Avoiding a definite answer, Randy Narramore replied, “I don’t think it’s one thing. It’s been happening for a number of years, the city “cannot keep borrowing”. Narramore stated that “Overtime is a major issue." He then posted a chart that demonstrated that fire and police personnel are sometimes getting as much in overtime and benefits, as they do in salaries, i.e., there was one captain that received more in overtime, $105,000, than he did in salary, $91,000.
In addition to the shortfall, there is the mystery of how the city of Montebello has misplaced the records explaining the fate of more than $1 million that were sitting in some of "off-the-books" accounts. City officials said that only $5,000 was left in an "off-the-books" Union Bank account that had once had about $900,000. The discovery was made shortly after an unofficial city account that held $240,000 was discovered at Banco Popular. An investigation will be handled by the District Attorney's public integrity unit.
Prosecutors in Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley's Public Integrity Division said they are in the process of examining what happened with those funds. Furthermore, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has told Montebello to return more than $1.3 million that HUD says was improperly spent.
The city has also been sued by a businessman who claims it borrowed up to $19 million in unsanctioned funds from its redevelopment agency in 2010.
Until the DA's office stepped in, the City Attorney, former City Administrator Richard Torres, members of the City Council, and Union Bank
, where the biggest mystery account had been held, have offered little or no explanation or had shown any signs of an investigation. City officials have said they have no idea why the accounts weren't on the Montebello's books or where the money had gone. Former seven-time mayor and current councilman Bill Molinari stated he thinks an accounting from the city will be forthcoming shortly. "Most likely the Union Bank fund was a Money market account, which held redevelopment funds that were drawing interest in line with state law," Molinari said. Commenting further, he said, "Quite frankly, there's nothing going on over here, that's the gospel truth."
Two weeks after Interim City Manager Peter Cosentini warned council members that they needed to take "immediate corrective action" and need to call a special meeting or the city would not be able to make payroll or pay its bills by the end of the year. "We need to move quickly because clearly the wall is in front of us," Interim City Administrator Peter Cosentini said. "It is in view." Cosentini was ignored and resigned effective immediately. He stated that he was stepping down because he was "no longer comfortable with our progress toward a balanced budget."
The department provides a variety of services including Neighborhood Watch, the Citizen’s Academy and a child seat loan program. The Crime prevention Bureau provides free security inspections to local businesses and residents. The department upholds five core values: Quality, Integrity, Service, Compassion, and Pride.
. M.U.S.D. serves the city of Montebello, portions of the cities of Bell Gardens, Commerce, Downey, Rosemead, Pico Rivera, and Monterey Park, as well as the unincorporated community of South San Gabriel, and a part of the unincorporated community of East Los Angeles. The District is one of the largest and most diverse in Los Angeles County with an enrollment of more than 35,000 K–12 students and 30,000 adults enrolled in Adult Education. There are eighteen elementary schools, six intermediate schools, four high schools, and four adult schools. The four high schools in the Montebello Unified School District
are the historic Montebello High School
, founded in 1909, Bell Gardens High School
, Schurr High School
and Vail High School, an alternative high school (grades 10–12).
Saint Benedict School, a private parochial grammar school, K-8, is operated on Saint Benedict Church property. It opened in September 1941 and was formally dedicated on Pearl Harbor Day, December 7, 1941.
A private parochial high school, Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary High School, is also located in Montebello. Originally two separate gender-segregated High Schools, they merged in the 1991, the Sacred Heart of Mary campus moving to the Cantwell campus. This monumental endeavor has taken and incorporated the very best from each of the these two educational traditions.
Board of education President Edwin Chau said the ATC will offer students a "rigorous academic curriculum and career technical education within a full-day schedule." At Montebello Unified, we have made it our goal to ensure our students graduate from our district career-ready and college prepared," Chau said. "The new Applied Technology Center is truly taking our efforts to the next level."
The project is being paid for with a $98 million Measure M bond, which voters passed in November 2004.
Located in the Golf Course grounds is the "Quiet Cannon" and conference center. The banquet room holds up to 500 people. There is over 30000 sq ft (2,787.1 m²) of private event space to accommodate groups of 25 or more guests.
at the southwestern part of the San Gabriel Valley. The surrounding cities are Monterey Park
, South San Gabriel
, and Rosemead
to the north, Commerce
to the south, Pico Rivera
to the east, and Los Angeles
and East Los Angeles
to the west. It is also sometimes considered part of the Gateway Cities
, and the city is a member of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 8.4 m² (10 sq yd), of which 8.2 m² (9.8 sq yd) are land and 0.1 m² (0.119599004630108 sq yd) or 1.32% is water.
The city is easily accessible to the Long Beach- (I-710), San Gabriel River-
(I-605), Pomona- (SR 60) and Santa Ana-
(I-5) freeways.
Montebello Bus Lines is the third largest municipal bus system in Los Angeles County with 9.1 million people riding the buses each year. Its peak period fleet of 67 buses has been enhanced with the addition of five hybrid gasoline-electric buses. Montebello Bus Lines has plans to purchase 25 more hybrid buses in the next three years, replacing 15 of its diesel fuel buses In 2011 it celebrated 80 years of service. It started with four buses but now has a fleet of 66 with service to 14 communities.
LINK
, which offers a curb-to-curb shuttle to and from the Montebello/Commerce
Metrolink station.
The City of Montebello also operates Montebello Dial-a-Taxi, a program which offers transportation for senior residents and qualified disabled persons of any age and their attendants. 15,000 residents utilize this service.
, Japan
The City of Montebello has been affiliated with the City of Ashiya, Japan since the inception of the Sister City Program in 1961. Student Ambassadors are chosen to travel to Ashiya every year.
(
)Stepanakert
, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
(Azerbaijan
)
The City of Montebello has been affiliated with the City of Stepanakert, the capital of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabagh Republic, since 2005, when a much controversial move to facilitate the sister city relationship was made by the Armenian National Committee of the San Gabriel Valley and unanimously approved by the City Council.
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in the southwestern part 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...
. It is located on 8.4 sq mi (21.8 km²) of land just 8 mi (12.9 km) east of downtown Los Angeles. It is considered part of 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...
, and the city is a member of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments. The name, Montebello, means “Beautiful mountain” in both Italian and Spanish. In the early 20th century, Montebello was a well-known source for oil reserves. The population was 62,500 at the 2010 census; according to the California Department of Finance
California Department of Finance
The California Department of Finance is a state cabinet-level agency within the government of California. The Department of Finance is responsible for preparing, explaining, and administering the state’s annual financial plan, which the Governor of California is required under the California...
, the estimated population of Montebello on January 1, 2011, was 62,789.
History
Before the arrival of the SpaniardsSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, the land along the Rio Hondo River
Rio Hondo (California)
The Rio Hondo is a tributary of the Los Angeles River in Los Angeles County, California, approximately long. As a named river, it begins in Irwindale and flows southwest to its confluence in South Gate, passing through several cities...
was populated by the Tongva (Gabrielino) part of the Uto-Aztecan
Uto-Aztecan languages
Uto-Aztecan or Uto-Aztekan is a Native American language family consisting of over 30 languages. Uto-Aztecan languages are found from the Great Basin of the Western United States , through western, central and southern Mexico Uto-Aztecan or Uto-Aztekan is a Native American language family...
family Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
. The Tongva occupied much of the Los Angeles basin and the islands of Santa Catalina
Santa Catalina Island, California
Santa Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is long and across at its greatest width. The island is located about south-southwest of Los Angeles, California. The highest point on the island is...
, San Nicolas
San Nicolas Island
San Nicolas Island is the most remote of California's Channel Islands. It is part of Ventura County. The 14,562 acre island is currently controlled by the United States Navy and is used as a weapons testing and training facility, served by Naval Outlying Field San Nicolas Island...
, San Clemente
San Clemente Island
San Clemente Island is the southernmost of the Channel Islands of California. It is owned and operated by the United States Navy, and is a part of Los Angeles County. Defined by the United States Census Bureau as Block Group 2 of Census Tract 5991 of Los Angeles County, California, it is long and...
and Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara Island
Santa Barbara Island is a small island of the Channel Islands archipelago in California. It is located about off the Southern California coast from the Palos Verdes Peninsula, near Los Angeles in Ventura County, California....
. When the Spanish explorer Juan Rodrigues Cabrillo arrived off the shores of Santa Catalina, the Tongva came out in their canoes to meet with him in 1542. The language of the Tongva was different from the neighboring Indian tribes and it was called Gabrielino by the Spanish. The Gabrielinos lived in dome-like structures with thatched exteriors. Both sexes wore long hair styles and tattooed their bodies. During warm weather the men wore little clothing, but the women would wear minimal skirts made of animal hides. During the cold weather they would wear animal skin capes. European diseases killed many of the Tongva and by 1870 the area had few remaining native inhabitants.
Franciscan Missionaries, Fathers Angel Somera and Pedro Cambon, founded the original Mission San Gabriel Arcangel
Mission 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...
on September 8, 1771 near where San Gabriel Boulevard intersects the Rio Hondo River. Additionally, it is also close to the present day Sanchez Adobe Mansion. This marked the beginning of the Los Angeles region's settlement by Spaniards. The San Gabriel Mission is the fourth of twenty-one missions that would ultimately be established along California's El Camino Real
El Camino Real (California)
El Camino Real and sometimes associated with Calle Real usually refers to the 600-mile California Mission Trail, connecting the former Alta California's 21 missions , 4 presidios, and several pueblos, stretching from Mission San Diego de Alcalá in San Diego...
. The San Gabriel mission did well as a cattle ranch and farm, but six years after its founding a destructive flood led the mission fathers to relocate the establishment to its current location farther north in present day city of San Gabriel
San Gabriel, California
San Gabriel is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is named after the Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, founded by Junipero Serra. The city grew outward from the mission and in 1852 became the original township of Los Angeles County. San Gabriel was incorporated in 1913...
. The original mission site is now marked by a California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmarks are buildings, structures, sites, or places in the state of California that have been determined to have statewide historical significance by meeting at least one of the criteria listed below:...
.
During the early years of the mission, the region operated under a Rancho system. The lands which now compose the city of Montebello were originally parts of Rancho San Antonio, Rancho La Merced
Rancho La Merced
Rancho La Merced was a Mexican land grant in present day Los Angeles County, California given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Casilda Soto de Lobo. The name means "Mercy of God". The northwest section of Montebello and the southeastern part of Monterey Park now occupy the area of...
, and Rancho Paso de Bartolo
Rancho Paso de Bartolo
Rancho Paso de Bartolo also called Rancho Paso de Bartolo Viejo was a Mexican land grant in present day Los Angeles County, California given in 1835 by Governor Jose Figueroa to Juan Crispin Perez. The name refers to a San Gabriel River ford called Paso de Bartolo Viejo...
. The Juan Matias Sanchez Adobe, built in 1844, still stands at the center of old Rancho La Merced in East Montebello. Recently restored, is the city's oldest structure. The Battle of Rio San Gabriel
Battle of Rio San Gabriel
The Battle of Rio San Gabriel fought on January 8, 1847 was a decisive action of the California campaign of the Mexican-American War and occurred at a ford of the San Gabriel River, at what are today parts of the cities of Whittier, Pico Rivera and Montebello, about ten miles south-east of downtown...
took place in Montebello on January 8, 1847. This battle that gave the control of Los Angeles and Alta California to the United States, and was an important decisive factor in winning the Mexican-American war. Today the site is California State Historical Landmark #385, and there are two old cannons and a plaque commemorating the battle overlooking the river on Bluff Rd. and Washington Blvd.
Following the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, some 5000 acre (2,023.4 ha) of the East Los Angeles region
East Los Angeles (region)
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...
was owned by an Italian settler from Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, Alessandro Repetto. After Repetto's death in 1885, his brother sold his rancho to a consortium of five Los Angeles businessmen including banker Isaias Hellman and wholesale grocer/historian Harris Newmark
Harris Newmark
Harris Newmark was a Prussian-American businessman, philanthropist, and historian. Born in Löbau in Province of Saxony Newmark emigrated to the United States in 1853, sailed from Europe to New York City to San Francisco, and finally settled in Los Angeles...
for $60,000, or about $12 per acre.
Later the land was divided among the partners, one large parcel of approximately 2000 acre (809.4 ha) going to a partnership of Newmark and his nephew, banker Kaspare Cohn. It was out of the Newmark and Cohn share of 1200 acre (485.6 ha) that Montebello had its beginnings in May 1899. After seeking the advice of hydraulic engineer William Mulholland
William Mulholland
William Mulholland was the head of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, in Los Angeles. He was responsible for building the water aqueducts and dams that allowed the city to grow into one of the largest in the world. His methods of obtaining water for the city led to disputes collectively...
in drafting the design and building a water system, the land was subdivided. In 1900 the completed water system was incorporated as the Montebello Land and Water Company.
An area of 200 acre (80.9 ha), adjacent to the tracks of the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad
Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad
The Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad was a rail company that completed and operated a railway line between its namesake cities, via Las Vegas, Nevada. Incorporated in Utah in 1901 as the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad, the line was largely the brainchild of William Andrews Clark,...
(now part of the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
) were developed into a townsite called Newmark, and the remainder of the land was subdivided into 5 acre (2 ha) lots suitable for small-scale agriculture. On Mulholland's suggestion, Montebello, was adopted as the city's name, replacing the original name Newmark. The name, Montebello, which means beautiful mountain in both Italian and Spanish, is shared with several other communities in Europe and the Americas.
Originally an agricultural community in the early 20th century, Montebello was known for its prolific production of flowers, berries, fruits, and vegetables. The first flower show was sponsored by the Montebello Woman’s Club and held in the Montebello High School
Montebello High School
Montebello High School is a secondary school of the Montebello Unified School District, located in Montebello, CA.Montebello High School has an enrollment of approximately 3400 students and a staff of 121 teachers...
auditorium on Whittier Boulevard in 1912. The Montebello – El Carmel (South Montebello) Improvement Association, the predecessor of the Montebello Chamber of Commerce, operated from September 1907 to April 1912. Its purpose was “to improve and beautify the community.” Some of its achievements were: Whittier Boulevard was paved, trees planted along the streets, laid the groundwork and established the first high school, strived to have the name of Newmark dropped and to have the entire area incorporated as the City of Montebello. On October 19, 1920, the city's name was officially changed to Montebello and it was incorporated as the 35th of the present cities in Los Angeles County, and the official seal contained a red poinsettia in the center.
The Standard Oil Company discovered oil in the Montebello hills in 1917, on the Baldwin
Baldwin
- United States of America :* Baldwin, Florida* Baldwin, Georgia* Baldwin, Illinois* Baldwin, Iowa* Baldwin, Louisiana* Baldwin, Maine* Baldwin, Maryland* Baldwin, Michigan* Baldwin, Chemung County, New York* Baldwin, Nassau County, New York...
and Temple properties. This discovery revolutionized the face of Montebello. The formerly agricultural hills became oil fields, and were eventually producing one-eighth of California's crude oil. For sixty years, the Montebello hills were dotted with nodding oil wells.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in California, Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Cathedral. The Armenian Martyrs Monument at Bicknell Park commemorating the victims of the Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman Turks is the largest monument found on public property in the World.
Armenian Church
Armenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
in Montebello It is inscribed:
- This Monument Erected By Americans Of Armenian Decent, Is Dedicated To The 1,500,000 Armenian Victims Of The GenocideGenocideGenocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
Perpetrated By The Turkish Government 1915–1921, And To Men Of All Nations Who Have Fallen Victim To Crimes Against Humanity."- (Script is also is Armenian).
Montebello was also home to a significant Japanese community. The city's Japanese residents operated the four nurseries in town, but were sent to internment camps during 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...
. Japanese-Peruvian and Japanese-Hawaiian communities later settled in the area after WWII. When the Japanese citizens returned from the internment camps after the war, most found they had lost their property. One of the nurseries had been taken over and cared for by a loyal employee, a young French-American, named Fred Sarrazin. After the war, he returned the nursery to its rightful owner, George Mori. In turn, Mr. Mori gave Sarrazin employment at the nursery for his lifetime, and the Mori Nursery was able to continue under its original name. Today, the Japanese population in Montebello is over 11% of the total population.
Demographics
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Montebello had a population of 62,500. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 7,464.7 people per square mile (2,882.1/km²). The racial makeup of Montebello was 33,633 (53.8%) White, 567 (0.9%) African American, 634 (1.0%) Native American, 6,850 (11.0%) Asian, 58 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 18,431 (29.5%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2,327 (3.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 49,578 persons (79.3%).
The largest percentage of residents who reside in Montebello are Mexican-American. Montebello is the neighboring city just east of East Los Angeles, and is well known for its Mexican-American history and culture. Montebello also has a significant contingent of Armenian-Americans. 38.3% of residents are foreign born, and 75.6% speak a language other than English in the home.
The Census reported that 62,100 people (99.4% of the population) lived in households, 39 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 361 (0.6%) were institutionalized.
There were 19,012 households, out of which 8,168 (43.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 9,088 (47.8%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 4,031 (21.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,651 (8.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,302 (6.8%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 134 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,350 households (17.6%) were made up of individuals and 1,640 (8.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.27. There were 14,770 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(77.7% of all households); the average family size was 3.67.
The population was spread out with 16,142 people (25.8%) under the age of 18, 6,414 people (10.3%) aged 18 to 24, 17,567 people (28.1%) aged 25 to 44, 13,857 people (22.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 8,520 people (13.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.7 years. For every 100 females there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.
There were 19,768 housing units at an average density of 2,361.0 per square mile (911.6/km²), of which 8,766 (46.1%) were owner-occupied, and 10,246 (53.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.1%. 29,095 people (46.6% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 33,005 people (52.8%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 62,150 people, 18,844 households, and 14,867 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 7,536.9 people per square mile (2,908.6/km²). There were 19,416 housing units at an average density of 2,354.6 per square mile (908.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 46.82% White, 0.90% African-American, 1.23% Native American, 11.64% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 33.85% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 5.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 74.57% of the population, some of which are also included in the census of the white population.
There were 18,844 households out of which 40.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 20.1% had a female head of household and 21.1% were unrelated individuals. 17.1% of all households consisted of a single individual and 8.0% had persons who were 65 years of age or older living alone. The average household size was 3.28 and the average family size was 3.67.
The 2000 census data counted persons as 28.6% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.32 years. For every 100 females there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males.
The median income
Income
Income is the consumption and savings opportunity gained by an entity within a specified time frame, which is generally expressed in monetary terms. However, for households and individuals, "income is the sum of all the wages, salaries, profits, interests payments, rents and other forms of earnings...
for a household in the city was $38,805, and the median income for a family was $41,257. Males had a median income of $30,423 versus $26,590 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $15,125. 16.3% of residents have a bachelor’s degree or higher and 69% of residents have a high school degree. About 14.2% of families and 13.2% of the population were living below the poverty line, including 24.3% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.
Government and infrastructure
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Montebello is located in the 30th Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Democrat Ronald S. Calderon
Ronald S. Calderon
Ronald Steven Calderon is the California State Senator from the 30th Senate District. He was elected to the Senate in 2006....
, and in the 58th Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
District, represented by Democrat Charles M. Calderon
Charles M. Calderon
Charles M. Calderon began his second stint in the California State Assembly in 2006. He represents the 58th District, which includes the cities of Montebello, Pico Rivera, Hacienda Heights Rowland Heights, South San Gabriel, South San Jose Hills, Valinda and portions of City of Industry, Downey,...
. Federally, Montebello is located in California's 38th congressional district
California's 38th congressional district
California's 38th congressional district is congressional district in the U.S. state of California based in Los Angeles County centered around suburban Los Angeles...
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of D +20 and is represented by Democrat Grace Napolitano
Grace Napolitano
Graciela Flores Napolitano is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. She is a member of the Democratic Party. She previously served in the California State Assembly and the Norwalk, City Council....
.
Montebello utilizes a City Council/City Administrator form of government. The City Council provides political leadership and policy direction. The City Administrator provides the leadership and management of the city and the department heads. Montebello has six department heads and some oversee more than one division.
Montebello Redevelopment Agency has three project areas:
- Montebello Hills Redevelopment Project Area
- Montebello Economic Revitalization Project Area
- South Montebello Industrial Redevelopment Project Area
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
Health services to over 10 million residents in the Los Angeles County are provided by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Mental health services are provided by the County Department of Mental Health...
operates the Whittier Health Center in 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...
, serving Montebello.
The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates the Montebello Post Office at 145 North 5th Street and the Montebello Hills Post Office at 2547 Via Campo.
Budget crisis
The City of Montebello has some difficult choices ahead of them as they have a projected $2 million deficit, and also Federal officials are asking for the return of $1.3 million in housing money they allege the city mismanaged. The city is also being sued by a businessman who alleges Montebello unlawfully borrowed approximately $19 million from its redevelopment agency late in 2010.
There are also more difficult issues being addressed: "How much does it cost to rebuild a street? A mile-long length of street costs $1.6 million." "How much does a bus cost? $560,000, but its value becomes $5,000 once they’re done with it later, after many years of service." "How many of the city's ancient computers need to be replaced? Last year, the city laid off 26 employees, and closed a fire station. In light of the scandals happening in nearby cities in Southern California, Councilman Frank Gomez immediately asked the onerous question: "Has the city been mis-managed for the last quarter century?”
Avoiding a definite answer, Randy Narramore replied, “I don’t think it’s one thing. It’s been happening for a number of years, the city “cannot keep borrowing”. Narramore stated that “Overtime is a major issue." He then posted a chart that demonstrated that fire and police personnel are sometimes getting as much in overtime and benefits, as they do in salaries, i.e., there was one captain that received more in overtime, $105,000, than he did in salary, $91,000.
Missing funds
In addition to the shortfall, there is the mystery of how the city of Montebello has misplaced the records explaining the fate of more than $1 million that were sitting in some of "off-the-books" accounts. City officials said that only $5,000 was left in an "off-the-books" Union Bank account that had once had about $900,000. The discovery was made shortly after an unofficial city account that held $240,000 was discovered at Banco Popular. An investigation will be handled by the District Attorney's public integrity unit.
Prosecutors in Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley's Public Integrity Division said they are in the process of examining what happened with those funds. Furthermore, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has told Montebello to return more than $1.3 million that HUD says was improperly spent.
The city has also been sued by a businessman who claims it borrowed up to $19 million in unsanctioned funds from its redevelopment agency in 2010.
Until the DA's office stepped in, the City Attorney, former City Administrator Richard Torres, members of the City Council, and Union Bank
Union Bank
Union Bank was established in 1991 and had its headquarters in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Prior to the merger with Standard Chartered Bank , it was Pakistan's eighth largest bank and had 65 branches in some 22 cities, about US$2 billion in assets, and about 400,000 customers.In 2006, Standard...
, where the biggest mystery account had been held, have offered little or no explanation or had shown any signs of an investigation. City officials have said they have no idea why the accounts weren't on the Montebello's books or where the money had gone. Former seven-time mayor and current councilman Bill Molinari stated he thinks an accounting from the city will be forthcoming shortly. "Most likely the Union Bank fund was a Money market account, which held redevelopment funds that were drawing interest in line with state law," Molinari said. Commenting further, he said, "Quite frankly, there's nothing going on over here, that's the gospel truth."
Two weeks after Interim City Manager Peter Cosentini warned council members that they needed to take "immediate corrective action" and need to call a special meeting or the city would not be able to make payroll or pay its bills by the end of the year. "We need to move quickly because clearly the wall is in front of us," Interim City Administrator Peter Cosentini said. "It is in view." Cosentini was ignored and resigned effective immediately. He stated that he was stepping down because he was "no longer comfortable with our progress toward a balanced budget."
Top employers
According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kaiser Permanente Kaiser Permanente Kaiser Permanente is an integrated managed care consortium, based in Oakland, California, United States, founded in 1945 by industrialist Henry J. Kaiser and physician Sidney Garfield... |
4,496 |
| 2 | Montebello Unified School District Montebello Unified School District Montebello Unified School District is a school district based in Montebello, California, United States.Montebello USD serves the city of Montebello, portions of the cities of Bell Gardens, Commerce, Rosemead, Pico Rivera, and Monterey Park, and a part of the unincorporated community of East Los... |
3,577 |
| 3 | Monarch Litho | 2,865 |
| 4 | Montebello Town Center Montebello Town Center This page is under construction. Thank you for your patience.The Montebello Town Center is an attractive, completely enclosed mall that offers a plethora of shopping opportunities.... |
1,897 |
| 5 | Beverly Hospital | 860 |
| 6 | Bimbo Bakeries USA Bimbo Bakeries USA Bimbo Bakeries USA is the American corporate arm of Mexico's Grupo Bimbo. It is the largest bakery company in the United States, owning six of the top twelve fresh bread brands in the United States. The name means baby in Italian and does not mean anything in Spanish. The pronunciation is given on... |
750 |
| 7 | Minson | 633 |
| 8 | City of Montebello | 601 |
| 9 | Costco Costco Costco Wholesale Corporation is the largest membership warehouse club chain in the United States. it is the third largest retailer in the United States, where it originated, and the ninth largest in the world... |
300 |
| 10 | Royal Paper Box | 170 |
Police department
The City of Montebello has its own police department. The department consists of 87 sworn officers and 10 sergeants. The department also employs 59 civilian personnel organized into three divisions: Field Services, Investigative Services, and Support Services. Augmenting the department are a Reserve Officer Corps, a Police Explorer Program, a Police Chaplain Corps and a civilian Citizen’s on Patrol program.The department provides a variety of services including Neighborhood Watch, the Citizen’s Academy and a child seat loan program. The Crime prevention Bureau provides free security inspections to local businesses and residents. The department upholds five core values: Quality, Integrity, Service, Compassion, and Pride.
Education
The city is served by the Montebello Unified School DistrictMontebello Unified School District
Montebello Unified School District is a school district based in Montebello, California, United States.Montebello USD serves the city of Montebello, portions of the cities of Bell Gardens, Commerce, Rosemead, Pico Rivera, and Monterey Park, and a part of the unincorporated community of East Los...
. M.U.S.D. serves the city of Montebello, portions of the cities of Bell Gardens, Commerce, Downey, Rosemead, Pico Rivera, and Monterey Park, as well as the unincorporated community of South San Gabriel, and a part of the unincorporated community of East Los Angeles. The District is one of the largest and most diverse in Los Angeles County with an enrollment of more than 35,000 K–12 students and 30,000 adults enrolled in Adult Education. There are eighteen elementary schools, six intermediate schools, four high schools, and four adult schools. The four high schools in the Montebello Unified School District
Montebello Unified School District
Montebello Unified School District is a school district based in Montebello, California, United States.Montebello USD serves the city of Montebello, portions of the cities of Bell Gardens, Commerce, Rosemead, Pico Rivera, and Monterey Park, and a part of the unincorporated community of East Los...
are the historic Montebello High School
Montebello High School
Montebello High School is a secondary school of the Montebello Unified School District, located in Montebello, CA.Montebello High School has an enrollment of approximately 3400 students and a staff of 121 teachers...
, founded in 1909, Bell Gardens High School
Bell Gardens High School
Bell Gardens High School is a public high school in Bell Gardens, California, part of the Montebello Unified School District.-History:The campus was built in the 1930s and 1940s...
, Schurr High School
Schurr High School
Schurr High School is a secondary school in the Montebello Unified School District, located at 820 North Wilcox Avenue, Montebello, California, 90640. Students attending this school live in the Montebello-Monterey Park area.-History:...
and Vail High School, an alternative high school (grades 10–12).
Saint Benedict School, a private parochial grammar school, K-8, is operated on Saint Benedict Church property. It opened in September 1941 and was formally dedicated on Pearl Harbor Day, December 7, 1941.
A private parochial high school, Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary High School, is also located in Montebello. Originally two separate gender-segregated High Schools, they merged in the 1991, the Sacred Heart of Mary campus moving to the Cantwell campus. This monumental endeavor has taken and incorporated the very best from each of the these two educational traditions.
New high school
A $30 million high school, Applied Technology Center is scheduled to open in Fall, 2011. The new facility will offer high school students college-focused instruction with state-of-the-art technical training. Located on the corner of Mines and Maple avenues, the campus will open to 720 students. "It's an integrated education, with all the classes related to an academic academy," an official said. The campus can accommodate 750 students, all of whom had to apply to qualify to attend the new technical school.Board of education President Edwin Chau said the ATC will offer students a "rigorous academic curriculum and career technical education within a full-day schedule." At Montebello Unified, we have made it our goal to ensure our students graduate from our district career-ready and college prepared," Chau said. "The new Applied Technology Center is truly taking our efforts to the next level."
The project is being paid for with a $98 million Measure M bond, which voters passed in November 2004.
Montebello city parks
The Montebello Parks and Recreation Division provides recreational services for all age groups, from small children to the growing senior citizen community. Their Mission Statement is: “Creating Community Through People, Parks & Recreation”.- The popular Grant Rea Park, is home to the Montebello Barnyard Zoo, Pony Rides, Train Rides and a Merry Go Round.
- Bicknell Park, where the Montebello Genocide MemorialMontebello Genocide MemorialThe Montebello Genocide Memorial is a monument in Bicknell Park, Montebello, California, United States. The monument is dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide that took place in the Ottoman Empire carried out by the government against the Armenian population in 1915...
is located. - The oldest park is Montebello City Park, 1300 W Whittier Blvd. which is now home to Montebello Skateboard Park located where, in the 1950s, were quiet fishponds. The skateboard park is highly rated by local skateboarders, was opened in 2002.
- The Sanchez Adobe Park is home to the Juan Matias Sanchez Adobe, the oldest standing structure in the City of Montebello, built in 1845.
- Ashiya Park, named for Montebello's sister city in Japan.
- Henry Acuna Park, named in honor of the only Montebello Police Department Officer killed while on duty. In Henry's memory a Marker of Honor and Tree of Life was placed at the entrance of Acuna Park.
- Reggie Rodriquez Park is named for a Vietnam WarVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
hero and is a 11 acre (4.5 ha) area on which is located the Reggie Rodriguez Community Center, noted for its unique architecture and providing a central location for activities for the at-risk youth population in the city. - Chet Holifield Park, which is home to the Chet Holifield Branch Library in south Montebello. The name of the library and park honors Congressman Chet Holifield, 19th District (served 1943–1974).
- Potrero Heights Park is located at the northern-most point in Montebello.
Golf course
Montebello Municipal Golf Course's history that dates back to 1928, when it was built as an enterprising country club designed by Max Behr, (Golf Course Architect). The City of Montebello purchased the course in 1941. The 120 acre, 18-hole public championship course was remodeled in 1998-99 reopening on May 7, 1999. The remodel included the addition of 3 lakes all new greens, tees, bunkers and cart paths. Architects for the remodel were David Rainville and Gary Bye. Montebello Country Club is now recognized as one of the best municipal golf courses in Southern California. Golf lessons are available at The Montebello Country Club. These lessons are available for the beginners to advanced golfers. Lessons are given by appointment. There are 4 golf instructors available, 2 of which are bilingual in Korean and Spanish.Located in the Golf Course grounds is the "Quiet Cannon" and conference center. The banquet room holds up to 500 people. There is over 30000 sq ft (2,787.1 m²) of private event space to accommodate groups of 25 or more guests.
Tree division
The Tree Division is in charge of maintaining the trees throughout the City located in the parkways, street medians, parks and golf course. There are an estimated total of 20,000 trees on city property. The Tree Division has been recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation for the outstanding management of the city’s urban forest, and has been a recipient of the Tree City U.S.A. award for the past 19 years.Geography and climate
Montebello is located 8 mi (12.9 km) east of downtown Los AngelesDowntown 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...
at the southwestern part of the San Gabriel Valley. The surrounding cities are Monterey Park
Monterey Park, California
Monterey 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"...
, South San Gabriel
South San Gabriel, California
South San Gabriel is a census-designated place 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 ....
, and Rosemead
Rosemead, California
Rosemead is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 53,764. Rosemead is part of a cluster of cities, along with Arcadia, Temple City, Monterey Park, San Marino, and San Gabriel, in the west San Gabriel Valley with a growing Asian...
to the north, 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...
to the south, 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...
to the east, and 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...
and 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...
to the west. It is also sometimes considered part of 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...
, and the city is a member of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 8.4 m² (10 sq yd), of which 8.2 m² (9.8 sq yd) are land and 0.1 m² (0.119599004630108 sq yd) or 1.32% is water.
The city is easily accessible to the Long Beach- (I-710), San Gabriel River-
Interstate 605
Interstate 605 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Greater Los Angeles Area of Southern California...
(I-605), Pomona- (SR 60) and Santa Ana-
Santa Ana Freeway
The Santa Ana Freeway is one of the principal freeways in Southern California, connecting Los Angeles and its southeastern suburbs including the freeway's namesake, the city of Santa Ana. The freeway begins at the Four Level Interchange in downtown Los Angeles, signed as U.S. Route 101...
(I-5) freeways.
Transportation
Public transportation is provided by the city government's Montebello Bus LinesMontebello Bus Lines
Montebello Bus Lines is a municipal bus operator in Montebello, USA, mainly serving East Los Angeles, Commerce, and Montebello.- History of Montebello Bus Lines :...
Montebello Bus Lines is the third largest municipal bus system in Los Angeles County with 9.1 million people riding the buses each year. Its peak period fleet of 67 buses has been enhanced with the addition of five hybrid gasoline-electric buses. Montebello Bus Lines has plans to purchase 25 more hybrid buses in the next three years, replacing 15 of its diesel fuel buses In 2011 it celebrated 80 years of service. It started with four buses but now has a fleet of 66 with service to 14 communities.
LINK
Link
Link, links, linking may refer to:- Education :* Hands On Learning Australia, implements the HOL LiNK program -Music:* Link , an American R&B singer...
, which offers a curb-to-curb shuttle to and from the Montebello/Commerce
Montebello/Commerce (Metrolink station)
Montebello/Commerce Metrolink is located at 2000 Flotilla Street in Montebello, California. It is owned and operated by the City of Montebello. The City also provides a shuttle, called Montebello Link, designed to connect Metrolink passengers with major employment centers. There are...
Metrolink station.
The City of Montebello also operates Montebello Dial-a-Taxi, a program which offers transportation for senior residents and qualified disabled persons of any age and their attendants. 15,000 residents utilize this service.
Notable people
- Eddie Alvarado actor, founder of the blog Hollywood Teen TV, Schurr High School Class of 2009
- Alan BannisterAlan BannisterAlan Bannister is a retired professional baseball player who played for the Philadelphia Phillies , Chicago White Sox , Cleveland Indians , Houston Astros and Texas Rangers...
, born in Montebello, was a former MLB player. - Ken DavitianKen DavitianKenneth "Ken" Davitian is an American actor who is best known for his role as Borat's producer in the 2006 comedy film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, in which he speaks the Eastern dialect of Armenian throughout the film.-Life and...
, Actor, number of movies most notably played the role of Azamat in the movie "Borat". - John DeCuirJohn DeCuirJohn DeCuir was a Hollywood art director.He studied at the Chouinard Art School, joined Universal in the late 1930s, and by the mid-1940s was designing sets. In 1949, he signed with 20th Century Fox where he worked on productions noted for their elaborate sets...
, Oscar Winning Art Director. Montebello High School Class of 1936. DeCuir earned eleven Oscar nominations, winning three: The King and I (1956), Cleopatra (1963), and Hello, Dolly! (1969). - 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...
, 10-time boxing world champion - Rodney EastmanRodney EastmanRodney Eastman is a Canadian actor. He is also a musician in a band called "King Straggler" with fellow actors John Hawkes and Brent Gore. The band resides in Los Angeles, California.-Life and career:...
, Actor, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 & 4. Graduate of Schurr High School Class of 1985. - Darlene HardDarlene HardDarlene Hard is an American former amateur tennis player. Known for her volleying ability and strong serves, she captured singles titles at the French Championships in 1960 and the U.S...
, (tennis player) 2-time U.S. Nationals Champion (1960, 1961), 1960 French Champion, Fed Cup Champ 1963. Won 18 grand slam titles in doubles and mixed doubles. Born in Montebello and a 1953 graduate of Montebello High. - Jay HernandezJay HernandezJavier Manuel "Jay" Hernandez, Jr. is an American actor.-Early life and career:Hernandez was born in Montebello, California, the son of Isis , a secretary and accountant, and Javier Hernandez, Sr., a mechanic. He has a younger sister, Amelia, and two older brothers, Michael and Gabriel. Hernandez...
, actor, he has since appeared in several major Hollywood films, including playing the lead role in the 2005 horror film Hostel. - Bobby KnoopBobby KnoopRobert Frank Knoop [kuh-NOPP] is a former Major League Baseball second baseman and right-handed batter who played for the California Angels , Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals ....
Major league Baseball player. MHS Class of 1956 - Jack Kramer, 3-time Wimbledon Champ, 7-time U.S. Champ, 3-time Davis Cup Champ
- Judi Evans Luciano was born in Montebello, star on Days of Our Lives.
- Dr. Bruce Merrifield, Montebello High School class of 1939, Nobel Prize Winner.
- 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...
was a graduate of Montebello High School. - Jerry PimmJerry PimmJerry Pimm is a men's basketball coach who is best remembered for coaching at the University of Utah from 1974–1983 and the University of California, Santa Barbara from 1983-1998....
Men's Basketball Coach , MHS Class of 1956, - Carl RenezederCarl RenezederCarl Renezeder is an American off-road racer for Renezeder Racing. As of the end of the 2009 season, Renezeder has won 87 short course national events while competing in Championship Off-Road Racing , World Series of Off Road Racing , and Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series . He has won a record...
, off-road racing champion - Jack RussellJack Russell (musician)Jack Russell , is an American rock vocalist. He is a founding member of the American hard rock band Great White.-Biography:...
, born in Montebello, lead vocalist for Great WhiteGreat WhiteGreat White is an American hard rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1978. The band gained popularity during the 1980s and early 1990s. The band released several albums in the late 1980s and gained airplay on MTV with music videos for songs like "Once Bitten, Twice Shy"...
. - Mark SalasMark SalasMark Bruce Salas is a former professional catcher who played in Major League Baseball from -. Salas, who is of Mexican descent, currently works for the Chicago White Sox as a bullpen catcher....
, born in Montebello, Major League Baseball player. - Hagop SandaldjianHagop SandaldjianHagop Sandaldjian was an Egyptian-born Armenian American musician and microminiature sculptor, best known for his tiny art pieces displayed at the Museum of Jurassic Technology in Los Angeles, California...
, microminiature sculptorSculptureSculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
, lived and worked in Montebello after emigrating from Yerevan, Armenia (then part of the Soviet UnionSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
) in 1980. - Catherine SandovalCatherine SandovalCatherine J.K. Sandoval is the first Hispanic commissioner of the California Public Utilities Commission. Sandoval is a professor at Santa Clara University School of Law...
, first Latina Rhodes scholar, professor of law, California Public Utilities Commissioner - Tes Santo Syzonenko, Sacred Heart of Mary Class of 1976, the only young woman to be selected as City of Montebello's Rose Queen, Student Ambassador to Sister City Ashiya, Japan and Ambassador to Sister City in Ensenada, Mexico.
- Tom TellezTom Tellez Track at Carl Lewis International ComplexThe Tom Tellez Track at Carl Lewis International Complex, also known as simply Tom Tellez Track or Carl Lewis International Complex, is home to the Houston Cougars outdoor track & field teams...
, Track star. Montebello High School Class of 1951, Tom Tellez Track at Carl Lewis International ComplexTom Tellez Track at Carl Lewis International ComplexThe Tom Tellez Track at Carl Lewis International Complex, also known as simply Tom Tellez Track or Carl Lewis International Complex, is home to the Houston Cougars outdoor track & field teams... - Nosaj ThingNosaj ThingJason Chung, better known as Nosaj Thing, is a Korean American electronic musician based in Los Angeles County, California. He self-released his first EP Views/Octopus in 2006 and released his debut LP, Drift, on Alpha Pup Records on June 9, 2009....
(aka Jason Chung), hip-hop recording artist, is a native of Montebello. - Art Torres Politician. MHS Class of 1964
- Eduardo XolEduardo XolEduardo Xol is a television personality, designer, entertainer, social activist and businessman. He is most known to U.S television audiences for his work as a designer on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” which currently airs on ABC.-Childhood and Education:...
Television Personality. Graduate of Schurr High School Class of 1984
Sister cities
AshiyaAshiya
Ashiya may refer to:* Ashiya, Hyōgo, Japan* Ashiya, Fukuoka, Japan* Ashiya, a subcaste of Charans from Rajasthan, India-People with the family name Ashiya:* Mizuki Ashiya, the lead character in the manga series Hana-Kimi...
, 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...
The City of Montebello has been affiliated with the City of Ashiya, Japan since the inception of the Sister City Program in 1961. Student Ambassadors are chosen to travel to Ashiya every year.
(
)StepanakertStepanakert
Stepanakert is the largest city and capital of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, a de facto independent republic, though is internationally recognized as a part of Azerbaijan...
, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic , or Artsakh Republic is a de facto independent republic located in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia...
(Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
)
The City of Montebello has been affiliated with the City of Stepanakert, the capital of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabagh Republic, since 2005, when a much controversial move to facilitate the sister city relationship was made by the Armenian National Committee of the San Gabriel Valley and unanimously approved by the City Council.