Rancho Dominguez, California facts for kids
Rancho Dominguez is a special area in Los Angeles County, California. It's not officially a city, so it's called an unincorporated community. You can find it nestled between the cities of Compton, Long Beach, and Carson.
This area includes a few smaller communities: Rancho Dominguez itself, East Rancho Dominguez, and West Rancho Dominguez. Long ago, bigger parts of Rancho Dominguez became the cities of Compton and Carson, and even a piece of North Long Beach.
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A Look Back: History of Rancho Dominguez
Originally, Rancho Dominguez was just a small piece of a huge land gift. This gift, called Rancho San Pedro, came from the King of Spain way back in 1784.
The Dominguez Family Home
The Dominguez Rancho Adobe Museum is a historic ranch house. It was once the home of Juan Dominguez and Manuel Dominguez. These men are who the area is named after. The Dominguez family lived in this house until the 1920s. Today, it serves as a retirement home for Claretian Catholic priests.
Railroads and Transportation
In the late 1800s, much of the southern part of Rancho Dominguez was bought by railroad companies. This land stretched all the way down to the Los Angeles Harbor. Today, these same railroad tracks are still used. They are a very important link between the Port of Los Angeles and Downtown Los Angeles.
California State University
Rancho Dominguez was once home to California State University, Dominguez Hills. However, when Carson officially became a city in 1968, it took over the Dominguez Hills part of Rancho Dominguez.
Rancho Dominguez Today
The Los Angeles County Sheriff Department (LASD) helps keep the peace in Rancho Dominguez.
Who Patrols Where?
Deputies from the Carson Sheriff Station patrol West Rancho Dominguez and Rancho Dominguez. East Rancho Dominguez is patrolled by deputies from the Compton Sheriff Station.
Important Places and Growth
The Dominguez area, just south of Compton along South Alameda, has several important spots.
Local Landmarks
These places include the historic Dominguez Rancho Adobe, the community known as Dominguez, Dominguez Elementary School, Dominguez Park, and Rancho Dominguez Preparatory School.
City Boundaries and Taxes
The city of Compton has tried many times to make East Rancho Dominguez a part of Compton. This area is sometimes called East Compton and shares Compton's ZIP code. West Rancho Dominguez also shares that ZIP code. However, Compton is not interested in adding West Rancho Dominguez to its city. This is because of environmental issues with industries there.
The community of Rancho Dominguez, south of Compton, is a big area for warehouses and transportation. This brings in a lot of tax money for Los Angeles County.
