Wilmar, California
Encyclopedia
Wilmar was the former name of a then-unincorporated district of the San Gabriel Valley
, about eight miles east of the center of Los Angeles
. Wilmar was combined with the unincorporated communities of Garvey (to the east of Wilmar) and Potrero Heights (to the south of Wilmar) to become the unincorporated community of South San Gabriel
in the early 1950s. It was named for the city of Wilmar, Arkansas by "Arkies" who migrated to the area as a rural counterpart to their roots in Arkansas.
Most of South San Gabriel was later annexed by the city of Rosemead
(mostly during the mid-1960s), though parts of it were annexed by other adjacent cities and part of it remains unincorporated today. Most of the area of South San Gabriel which had been called Wilmar was annexed by Rosemead, but one section of it lying north of the San Bernardino Freeway between New Avenue and San Gabriel Boulevard was annexed by the city of San Gabriel
.
The main streets of Wilmar were Del Mar Avenue, Graves Avenue, Hellman Avenue, Ramona Boulevard, and Garvey Avenue. It was the site of a Los Angeles County branch library, and of three schools of the Garvey School District
.
The area of Wilmar known as Potrero Heights, south of the intersection of Del Mar and Graves Avenues, came to be known in the 1950s as Garvey Hills. This area was first home of the Wilmar gang, members were identified by their tattoo of the name Wilmar and a picture of a donkey. Later as the ethnicity of the area changed, it became home to the infamous Lomas gang. One of Los Angeles' earliest Hispanic gangs.
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...
, about eight miles east of the center of Los Angeles
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...
. Wilmar was combined with the unincorporated communities of Garvey (to the east of Wilmar) and Potrero Heights (to the south of Wilmar) to become the unincorporated community of South San Gabriel
South San Gabriel
South San Gabriel may refer to:* South San Gabriel, California* South San Gabriel...
in the early 1950s. It was named for the city of Wilmar, Arkansas by "Arkies" who migrated to the area as a rural counterpart to their roots in Arkansas.
Most of South San Gabriel was later annexed by the city of 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...
(mostly during the mid-1960s), though parts of it were annexed by other adjacent cities and part of it remains unincorporated today. Most of the area of South San Gabriel which had been called Wilmar was annexed by Rosemead, but one section of it lying north of the San Bernardino Freeway between New Avenue and San Gabriel Boulevard was annexed by the 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 main streets of Wilmar were Del Mar Avenue, Graves Avenue, Hellman Avenue, Ramona Boulevard, and Garvey Avenue. It was the site of a Los Angeles County branch library, and of three schools of the Garvey School District
Garvey School District
Garvey School District is a pre-K-8 school district with headquarters located in the city of Rosemead, California. It operates nine pre-K-6 elementary schools, one pre-K-8 elementary school and two intermediate schools...
.
The area of Wilmar known as Potrero Heights, south of the intersection of Del Mar and Graves Avenues, came to be known in the 1950s as Garvey Hills. This area was first home of the Wilmar gang, members were identified by their tattoo of the name Wilmar and a picture of a donkey. Later as the ethnicity of the area changed, it became home to the infamous Lomas gang. One of Los Angeles' earliest Hispanic gangs.