La Puente, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
La Puente, California
|
||
|---|---|---|
La Puente's Star Theater in May 2008 (Prior to demolition in 2019)
|
||
|
||
| Motto(s):
Where the Past Meets the Future
|
||
Location of La Puente in Los Angeles County, California.
|
||
 La Puente, California
Location in the United States
|
||
| Country |  United States |
|
| State |  California |
|
| County | Los Angeles | |
| Incorporated | August 1, 1956 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Council-Manager | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 3.48 sq mi (9.01 km2) | |
| • Land | 3.48 sq mi (9.01 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) 0.02% | |
| Elevation | 351 ft (107 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
|
||
| • Total | 38,062 | |
| • Density | 10,937/sq mi (4,224.4/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) | |
| ZIP codes |
91744-91749
|
|
| Area code | 626 | |
| FIPS code | 06-40340 | |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1660865, 2411581 | |
La Puente is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Its name means "The Bridge" in Spanish. The city is about 20 miles (32 km) east of downtown Los Angeles. In 2010, about 39,816 people lived there.
Contents
Discovering La Puente's Past
The land where La Puente now stands was first home to the Tongva people. They lived in a village called Awingna. This name means "abiding place." In 1774, the chief of Awingna, Matheo, was baptized at Mission San Gabriel.
Spanish Explorers Arrive
In 1769, the Spanish Portolá expedition explored inland California. On July 30, they camped near the San Gabriel River. The next day, they needed to build a bridge to cross the muddy river. Father Juan Crespi wrote about this "puente" (bridge) in his diary. This is how the area got its name, La Puente.
From Mission Land to Ranchos
After the Spanish mission was built, the area became part of Rancho La Puente. This was a large ranch used by the mission. In 1826, the Jedediah Smith party visited. They were the first Americans to travel overland to California.
Later, in the 1830s, the mission lands became private property. In 1842, John Rowland and William Workman were given the 48,000-acre (19,000 ha) Rancho La Puente. The name "La Puente" has been used ever since.
La Puente's Farming History
In the 1930s, La Puente was famous for its fruit and walnut groves. It even had the world's largest walnut packing plant! A small airport called 'Skyranch' operated here from 1944 to 1951. It was later closed to build houses.
Today, La Puente is a busy city. However, some historical places remain nearby. For example, the Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum is in the neighboring City of Industry.
La Puente's Location and Size
La Puente is located at 34°1′57″N 117°57′19″W / 34.03250°N 117.95528°W. It is mostly flat land. The city covers about 3.5 square miles (9.0 km2) in the San Gabriel Valley.
Who Lives in La Puente?
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1960 | 24,723 | — | |
| 1970 | 31,092 | 25.8% | |
| 1980 | 30,882 | −0.7% | |
| 1990 | 36,955 | 19.7% | |
| 2000 | 41,063 | 11.1% | |
| 2010 | 39,816 | −3.0% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 39,614 | −0.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, La Puente had a population of 39,816 people. This means there were about 11,443 people per square mile (4,418 per km2). Most people in La Puente, about 85.1%, are of Hispanic or Latino background.
The city's population is diverse. About 49.4% are White, 1.4% are Black or African American, and 8.4% are Asian. About 28.7% of the people are under 18 years old. The average age in La Puente is about 31.5 years.
Most people in La Puente live in households. About 60.2% of homes are owned by the people living in them. The rest are rented.
City Services in La Puente
La Puente has important services to help its residents.
- The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department keeps the city safe. Their Industry Station serves La Puente.
- The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services helps with health needs. They operate the Pomona Health Center.
- The Los Angeles County Fire Department has two fire stations in La Puente. They help protect the city from fires and other emergencies.
La Puente's Economy
The average income for each person in La Puente is about $16,899. The average income for a household (a group of people living together) is about $62,709.
Top Employers in La Puente
Many businesses provide jobs in La Puente. Here are some of the top employers:
| Rank | Employer | No. of employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northgate González Markets | 120 |
| 2 | Bodega Latina Corp (El Super) | 111 |
| 3 | Alert Insulation Co., Inc. | 88 |
| 4 | Walmart | 80 |
| 5 | Food 4 Less | 75 |
| 6 | McDonald's | 68 |
| 7 | Big Saver Foods | 60 |
| 8 | Ed Butts Ford | 59 |
| 9 | Ross Dress for Less | 46 |
| 10 | El Sushi Loco | 43 |
Schools in La Puente
La Puente has several school districts and schools for students of all ages.
School Districts
- Hacienda La Puente Unified School District
- Bassett Unified School District
- Rowland Unified School District
Elementary Schools
- Lasallette Elementary School
- Baldwin Academy
- Nelson Elementary School
- Sparks Elementary School
- California Elementary School
- Sunkist Elementary School
- Del Valle Elementary School
- Northam Elementary School
Private Elementary Schools
- Saint Joseph School
- Saint Louis of France
- Saint Martha's Catholic School
High Schools
- Bassett High School
- La Puente High School
- Nogales High School
- William Workman High School (in the City of Industry)
Private High Schools
- Bishop Amat Memorial High School
Famous People from La Puente
Many notable people have connections to La Puente, including:
- Eric Winter - Actor and model
- Alfie Agnew - Mathematician, songwriter, and musician
- Sutan Amrull - Make-up artist and performer
- Tony Baltazar - Professional boxer (former resident)
- Eric Bieniemy - Former NFL running back, attended Bishop Amat HS
- Anthony Calvillo - Record-breaking Canadian Football League quarterback
- David Denson - First professional baseball player in MLB to come out as gay
- Cecil Fielder - Former Nogales HS and Detroit Tigers slugger
- Jeff Garcia - Voice actor and comedian
- Norberto Garrido - Lineman for the NFL's Carolina Panthers
- Pat Haden - Former USC and NFL quarterback, attended Bishop Amat HS
- Dan Haren - MLB pitcher, attended Bishop Amat HS
- Efren Herrera - UCLA and NFL kicker, attended La Puente HS
- Padma Lakshmi - Author, activist, model, and television host
- Mike Lamb - MLB infielder, attended Bishop Amat HS
- Billy Laughlin - "Froggy" from the Our Gang comedies
- Darryll Lewis - University of Arizona and NFL cornerback, attended Nogales HS
- Steven Luevano - Professional boxer
- Kid Congo Powers - Musician
- Lionel Manuel - University of the Pacific and NFL wide receiver, attended Bassett HS
- Arturo Marquez - Composer of orchestra music (former resident)
- Max Montoya - UCLA and NFL offensive lineman, attended La Puente HS
- D'Angelo Ross - NFL cornerback
- William R. Rowland - Eleventh Los Angeles County Sheriff, major La Puente landowner
- Kelly Seyarto - Firefighter and politician, born in La Puente
- John Sciarra - UCLA and NFL quarterback, attended Bishop Amat HS
- Hilda Solis - Politician
- Michael Young - MLB 7-time All-Star infielder, attended Bishop Amat HS
See also
In Spanish: La Puente (California) para niños
