Eagle Rock, Los Angeles facts for kids

34°08′20″N 118°12′47″W / 34.13889°N 118.21306°W / 34.13889; -118.21306

Quick facts for kids Eagle Rock
Neighborhood of Los Angeles
Top: historic Women's Temperence Union building (left), Occidental College (right); bottom: Eagle Rock (left), St. Dominic Catholic Church (right).
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Map of the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles as delineated by the Los Angeles Times
Eagle Rock Location in Los Angeles
Country	United States of America
State	California
County	Los Angeles
City	Los Angeles
Area
• Total	11.0 km2 (4.25 sq mi)
Elevation	173 m (568 ft)
Population  (2008)
• Total	34,644
• Density	3,147/km2 (8,152/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
Zip codes	90041, 90042, 90065
Area code(s)	213, 323

Eagle Rock is a cool neighborhood in Northeast Los Angeles, California. It sits right next to the San Rafael Hills. The area gets its name from a huge rock formation called Eagle Rock. Its shadow looks just like an eagle!

Eagle Rock was once part of a big Spanish land grant called Rancho San Rafael. It became its own city in 1911. Later, in 1923, it joined the larger city of Los Angeles. Today, Eagle Rock is home to Occidental College. Like other parts of Northeast Los Angeles, it has changed a lot in recent years. Many young people and artists have moved here.

A Look Back in Time

Before European settlers arrived, the Tongva people lived in the valley where Eagle Rock is now. They ate acorns from the many oak trees. Spanish settlers took over the land in the late 1700s. This area became part of the huge Rancho San Rafael.

After some legal battles, Rancho San Rafael was divided in 1870. Benjamin Dreyfus received the land that became Eagle Rock. In the 1880s, Eagle Rock was mostly a farming community.

Becoming a City

More American settlers came, and Los Angeles grew bigger. This led to more homes being built in the Eagle Rock area. When Henry Huntington's Los Angeles Railway built a trolley line, the area grew even faster. It quickly became a suburban neighborhood.

Eagle Rock officially became an independent city in 1911. But the young city had problems with its water supply. The wells were running low and getting dirty because there was no sewer system. So, in 1923, the people of Eagle Rock decided to join the city of Los Angeles. This is called amalgamation.

Who Lives Here?

The Santa Cecilia Orchestra often performs at Thorne Hall.

Eagle Rock is a diverse neighborhood. Many different groups of people live here. It is home to artists, writers, and filmmakers. Over the last ten years, more young professionals have moved to Eagle Rock. They come from nearby areas like Los Feliz and Silver Lake.

In 2000, about 32,493 people lived in Eagle Rock. The area is about 4.25 square miles. This means there were about 7,644 people per square mile. By 2008, the population grew to about 34,466. The average age of residents in 2000 was 35.

Diverse Community

Eagle Rock is known for its mix of cultures. About 40.3% of residents are Latinos. About 29.8% are white. Around 23.9% are Asians. The rest are black or other groups. Many people in Eagle Rock were born outside the U.S. The most common birthplaces are the Philippines (35.1%) and Mexico (25.1%).

The average household income in 2008 was about $67,253. This is considered high for Los Angeles. About 43.9% of homes are rented. The other 56.1% are owned by the people living there. The average household has about 2.8 people.

Many people in Eagle Rock have gone to college. About 30% of adults aged 25 and older had a four-year degree in 2000. This is about average for the city.

Where is Eagle Rock?

Eagle Rock is surrounded by other cities and neighborhoods. To the north and west is Glendale. To the southeast is Highland Park. Glassell Park is to the southwest. To the east are Pasadena and South Pasadena.

Major roads include Eagle Rock Boulevard and Colorado Boulevard. Figueroa Street runs along the eastern side. The Glendale and Ventura freeways are also nearby. They run along the western and northern edges of the area.

Cool Places to See

The Center for the Arts Eagle Rock building was built in 1927.

Eagle Rock has many historic homes. They show off different styles of architecture. These include Craftsman, Georgian, Streamline Moderne, Art Deco, and Mission Revival styles.

There are nine Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments in Eagle Rock:

• The Eagle Rock - This is the big rock the neighborhood is named after. It's Monument #10.
• Eagle Rock City Hall - Located at 2035 Colorado Boulevard. It was the original City Hall when Eagle Rock was its own city. It's Monument #59.
• Eagle Rock Branch Library - Found at 2225 Colorado Boulevard. The first library was built in 1914. A new building replaced it in 1927. It used parts of the old library. Now, it's the Center for the Arts Eagle Rock. It's Monument #292.
• Residence at 1203-1207 Kipling Avenue - This home is Monument #383.
• Loleta House - Located on Loleta Avenue. It's a cultural spot and home to the Loleta Boys.
• Argus Court - Found at 1760-1768 Colorado Boulevard. It's Monument #471.
• Eagle Rock Playground Clubhouse - Located at 1100 Eagle Vista Drive. It's Monument #536.
• Eagle Rock Women's Twentieth Century Clubhouse - Found at 1841-1855 Colorado Boulevard. It's Monument #537.
• Swanson House - Located at 2373 Addison Way. It's Monument #542.
• Eagle Rock Women's Christian Temperence Union Home - Found at 2222-2244 Laverna Avenue & 2225-2245 Norwalk Avenue. It's Monument #562.

"The Bucket" is another interesting spot. It's a historic building shaped like a 1930s ice chest. It was often used as a hamburger stand.

Parks and Fun Spots

Eagle Rock has several parks and recreation centers where you can play and relax:

• Eagle Rock Recreation Center - Located at 1100 Eagle Vista Dr.
• Eagle Rock Dog Park - Also at 1100 Eagle Vista Drive. A great place for dogs to play!
• Eagle Rock Hillside Park - North of the Ventura Freeway and South of Valle Vista.
• Richard Alatorre Park - At Figueroa and the 134 Freeway.
• Yosemite Recreation Center - Located at 1840 Yosemite Dr.

Schools and Learning

Eagle Rock High School.

Occidental College.

College Life

Eagle Rock is home to Occidental College. This college first started in Boyle Heights in 1887. After a fire, it moved a few times. It finally settled in Eagle Rock in 1914. The campus was designed by a famous architect named Myron Hunt.

Local Schools

Kids in Eagle Rock go to schools in District 4 of the Los Angeles Unified School District.

• Eagle Rock High School, 1750 Yosemite Drive. The city of Los Angeles built this school in 1927. The original building was taken down in 1970 for safety reasons. A new, modern building replaced it.
• Renaissance Arts Academy, a charter high school, at 1800 Colorado Boulevard.
• Dahlia Heights Elementary School, 5063 Floristan Avenue.
• Santa Rosa Charter Academy, a middle school, at 3838 Eagle Rock Boulevard.
• Eagle Rock Elementary School, 2057 Fair Park Avenue.
• Rockdale Elementary School, 1303 Yosemite Drive.
• Delevan Drive Elementary School, 4168 West Avenue 42.
• Toland Way Elementary School, 4545 Toland Way.
• Annandale Elementary School, 6125 Poppy Peak Drive.
• Celerity Rolas Charter School, 1495 Colorado Boulevard. This school closed for the 2018–2019 school year.

Famous People From Eagle Rock

Many well-known people have lived in or visited Eagle Rock: