1902 Map of Downey

About this map

The San Gabriel River and Los Angeles River dominate this early twentieth-century landscape, carving through a region defined by Mexican land grant lineages like Los Cerritos and Los Coyotes. Before the suburban sprawl of the mid-century, this area was a network of rail-side settlements and agricultural hubs. Notable clusters include the development at Downey, the growing coastal presence of Long Beach, and the industrial foundations at Compton.