South Gate, California

South Gate, California is a city in the County of Los Angeles with a land area of over 7.4 square miles and a population of approximately 91,000 residents. About one percent of the total population of Los Angeles County lives in South Gate.

South Gate’s northern neighbors are the cities of Cudahy, Bell, and Huntington Park, as well as the unincorporated community of Walnut Park. At South Gate’s northeastern tip is the city of Bell Gardens. To the south is the city of Lynwood, to the southwest is the unincorporated community of Willowbrook, and to the southeast is the city of Paramount. Paramount, which consisted formerly of the villages of Hynes and Clearwater, was once at the heart of the dairy and hay industries in Southern California. South Gate’s western border is Alameda Street, across from which are the communities of Watts and Florence-Graham (also known as Florence-Firestone). The city of Downey shares South Gate’s eastern border.

Hollydale Village comprises the mainly residential southeastern portion of South Gate and is separated from the remainder of South Gate by the Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) and the Los Angeles River. Commercial development within Hollydale Village is centered on Garfield Avenue and Paramount Boulevard.

South Gate is one of the Gateway Cities and is a member of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments. The Gateway Cities are a collection of 27 cities and communities with a pro-business attitude in southeast Los Angeles County. The Gateway Cities region is known for international trade as well as industry and manufacturing. Freight rail lines for Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific Railroad pass through the area. Trucking and transportation are major contributors to the area’s economy.

South Gate benefits from its strategic location. Easy access to freeways, ocean ports, and airports makes South Gate an ideal site for businesses. South Gate is approximately 7 miles from downtown Los Angeles, 13 miles from Los Angeles International Airport, and 20 miles from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The Long Beach Freeway (Interstate 710) and the Glenn Anderson (Century) Freeway (Interstate 105) provide easy access to South Gate. South Gate is home for approximately 3,000 businesses. Manufacturing has traditionally been the largest source of employment in South Gate. Today, almost 50 percent of the City’s economy relies on warehousing, transportation, and manufacturing.

Azalea Regional Shopping Center has a variety of retailers and restaurants set on 32 acres.

South Gate has a business district named after the Tweedy family, one of the key families in the birth and development of the city. Tweedy Mile, as the district near downtown South Gate is named, is a Parking and Business Improvement Area for which area business owners are assessed a business license fee. The area has about three hundred businesses, mostly locally- or family-owned. To encourage residents to shop in the Tweedy Mile district, the Tweedy Mile Advisory Board schedules events such as street fairs, local art shows, and family events, and directs physical improvements such as painting projects and streetscape features including benches and planters.

El Paseo, at the corner of Garfield Avenue and Firestone Boulevard, is devoted to familiar nationally known shops and contains a large indoor mall, along with a number of chain retailers, restaurants, and movie houses. Firestone Boulevard itself is a major commercial corridor for South Gate, stretching the length of the city.

The City of South Gate incorporated in 1923. The City of South Gate has about 280 full-time employees and 130 parttime employees. The City Council consists of five city council members elected at large for 4-year terms. The City Council selects one of its members to serve as mayor. Another Council Member acts as Vice Mayor. The City Manager directs and oversees all City programs, including infrastructure projects, to ensure that they meet City Council goals and community needs.

South Gate has about 9 parks encompassing about 171 acres. South Gate Park covers over 96 acres and is the largest park in South Gate. Facilities at South Gate Park include a municipal auditorium, swim stadium, sports center, and golf course.

The County of Los Angeles Library system operates two libraries in South Gate.

The County of Los Angeles Fire Department operates two fire stations in South Gate: Fire Station #54 and Fire Station #57.

South Gate Police Department provides law enforcement services for the City of South Gate. Department Divisions include Administration, Detective Bureau, Narcotics Bureau, Patrol, and Traffic.

Urban Orchard Project will install a new 30-acre park adjacent to the Long Beach Freeway and the Los Angeles River. The park will feature such notable amenities as a fruit tree orchard and a wetland.

East Los Angeles College South Gate Campus will be modern facility with classrooms, labs, a lecture hall, and a library. The campus is expected to open in the year 2024.

West Santa Ana Branch Transit Corridor project will connect South Gate to the extensive light rail commuter system operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Firestone Tire and Rubber Company opened a factory, a four-story Italianate-style complex, on a former 40-acre bean field in 1928, its first factory outside of Akron, Ohio. The factory was expanded in 1929, 1942, 1951, and 1955 before closing in 1980. By World War II, the plant had nearly one million square feet of floor space.

In 1936, General Motors – South Gate Assembly automobile plant opened on an 80-acre site. It was General Motors’ first plant in the western United States. A Southern Pacific Railroad track ran alongside the plant. During World War II, the plant was used in the production of tanks and other military hardware. The plant closed in 1982 and is now occupied by South East High School, part of the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Weiser Lock started out in South Gate in 1904 as a family-owned foundry specializing in hardware and ornate custom-designed locks. The plant closed in 1979.

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