William H. Workman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William H. Workman
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| 18th Mayor of Los Angeles | |
| In office December 14, 1886 – December 10, 1888 |
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| Preceded by | Edward F. Spence |
| Succeeded by | John Bryson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 1, 1839 New Franklin, Missouri |
| Died | February 21, 1918 (aged 79) Boyle Heights, Los Angeles |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Maria Elizabeth Boyle |
| Children | Boyle Workman |
William Henry Workman (born January 1, 1839 – died February 21, 1918) was an American politician, banker, and businessman. He served two terms as the 18th Mayor of Los Angeles, California.
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William Workman's Early Life
William Henry Workman was born in New Franklin, Missouri, on January 1, 1839. His father, David Workman, ran a saddlery business. A famous scout named Kit Carson even worked as an apprentice there for a short time!
When William was 15, his family moved to California in 1854. They traveled across the country, arriving at a large ranch called Rancho La Puente in October. This ranch belonged to William's uncle, also named William Workman, who was a well-known rancher and banker in the Los Angeles area.
Sadly, William's father, David, died in an accident in 1855. After this, William, his mother Nancy, and his brother Elijah moved to Los Angeles. William and Elijah later opened their own saddlery business together. They worked hard and built a very successful company called "Workman Brothers."
In 1867, William married Maria Elizabeth Boyle. Maria's father, Andrew A. Boyle, owned a large piece of land east of the Los Angeles River. This land would later become very important to William's life and the city's growth. William and Maria had seven children, including a son named Boyle Workman, who also became a well-known figure in Los Angeles.
Becoming Mayor of Los Angeles
William H. Workman was involved in Los Angeles politics for many years. He served on the Los Angeles Common Council (like a city council today) several times between 1872 and 1880. During this time, he helped plan the city's first high school, which opened in 1873.
He was elected Mayor of Los Angeles and served two terms, from December 14, 1886, to December 10, 1888. This was a time of huge growth for Los Angeles, known as the "Boom of the Eighties." During his time as mayor, several new parks were created, including what is now MacArthur Park. A new city hall was also built. Mayor Workman helped change the city's rules and made sure the mayor's job as a judge was given to a separate legal official.
After his time as mayor, he continued to help the city. In the 1890s, he served on the city parks commission. He helped create more major parks, including Westlake, Eastlake (now Lincoln Park), and Hollenbeck Park. Hollenbeck Park was a gift from William and Elizabeth Hollenbeck, in memory of her husband and William's business partner, John Hollenbeck.
Workman also served as the city's treasurer for three terms, from 1901 to 1907. As treasurer, he helped the city take control of its water system from private companies. He also started the financial planning for the huge Los Angeles Aqueduct project, which brought water to the growing city.
Building Boyle Heights
William H. Workman inherited valuable land from his father-in-law, Andrew A. Boyle. This land had vineyards and orchards. As Los Angeles began to grow rapidly, Workman decided to divide much of this land into smaller plots to create a new community. In 1875, he announced the creation of Boyle Heights.
At first, the growth of Boyle Heights was slow because the local economy struggled. But by the late 1880s, with another big boom in the city, Boyle Heights became a very popular place to live. Over time, it became one of Los Angeles's most diverse neighborhoods, home to people from many different backgrounds, including Latino, Jewish, Russian, Italian, and Japanese communities. Today, it is mostly a Latino community, especially for new people moving from Mexico and Central America.
William H. Workman continued to work in real estate and was president of the American Savings Bank until he passed away.
William H. Workman died at age 79 from heart failure at his home in Boyle Heights. He is buried in Evergreen Cemetery. His son, Boyle Workman, followed in his footsteps. Boyle served on the city council for many years and even wrote a book called "The City That Grew," which tells stories about his family and the history of the Los Angeles area.
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William H. Workman
