Walnut Park, California

Walnut Park, California is a census-designated neighborhood in Southern California a few miles south of downtown Los Angeles. While as an unincorporated area of the County of Los Angeles, Walnut Park may not have universally agreed upon boundaries. according to the United States Census Bureau, Single State Places Gazetteer, Walnut Park has a land area of .749 square miles. Walnut Park has a population of just over 15,000 residents. Walnut Park is a mostly residential neighborhood. Approximately 80% of the land in the neighborhood is devoted to residential use.

Walnut Park’s northern border is Florence Avenue, a major east-west thoroughfare, beyond which lies the City of Huntington Park. Huntington Park’s commercial district along Pacific Avenue is one of the busiest commercial districts in the region.

The Walnut Park’s western border is Santa Fe Avenue, across from which is Florence Graham, a neighborhood that is also known as Florence Firestone. Florence Graham was once home to a large Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company manufacturing plant.

Walnut Park’s southern neighbor is the City South Gate. Firestone Tire and Rubber Company and General Motors formerly had manufacturing plants in South Gate. Walnut Park’s neighbors to the east are the Cities of Bell, Cudahy, and South Gate. Other nearby cities include Maywood, Vernon, and Bell Gardens. Unlike most California municipalities, both Bell and Bell Gardens permit the operation of card clubs.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Walnut Park is home to approximately 120 employer firms.

Plaza La Alameda is a retail center with banking, shopping, restaurants, and other establishments. Plaza La Alameda, which was completed in 2008 at a cost of about $70 Million, encompasses 18.3 acres and features over 17,000 square feet of office space and over 225,000 square feet of retail space. Plaza La Alameda also offers community events and promotional programs. More than 450,000 people live within 3 miles (and one million within 5 miles) of Plaza La Alameda, ensuring the center’s popularity. A three meter high statute of legendary Mexican singer Vicente Fernández, forged by the artist Sergio Garval, has been installed at Plaza La Alameda.

Small businesses, which provide much of Walnut Park’s retail and restaurant services, are found along the area’s major traffic arteries such as Pacific Boulevard, State Street, and Florence Avenue. These businesses include individually owned restaurants, dental offices, tattoo parlors, auto shops, and medical offices; as well as franchised or chain establishments associated with larger companies. The standard format for business placement in Walnut Park is the strip mall or free-standing businesses on street corners.

Walnut Park is served by the Los Angeles Unified School District. Founded in 1853, Los Angeles Unified School District is one of the largest school districts in the United States, with over 550,000 students overall at more than 1,400 schools and centers. Several elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school are located in or adjacent to Walnut Park. Also nearby is the South Gate Campus of East Los Angeles College, which is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. East Los Angeles College is a public community college.

Walnut Nature Park is located on school property and managed by a joint use agreement between the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation. Other nearby parks include the approximately 23-acre Salt Lake Park, located in the City of Huntington Park, and Franklin D. Roosevelt Park. Franklin D. Roosevelt Park is one of the oldest parks in the Los Angeles County park system and covers approximately 24 acres.

At a Supervisor Hilda Solis Community workshop, residents identified opportunities to improve Walnut Park. These included:

• Creating buffers between some area streets and sidewalks.
• Widening certain area sidewalks.
• Adding pedestrian-scale lighting that illuminates sidewalks.
• Adding median refuge islands (pedestrian islands) that protect pedestrians crossing wide streets.
• Adding street trees.
• Adding more programming at Walnut Nature Park.

While most sidewalks in Walnut Park are four to five feet wide, portions of Florence Avenue feature 15-foot wide sidewalks that provide pedestrians more room to travel and socialize. Widening additional area sidewalks would enhance the quality of life for residents. The addition of curb extensions at busy area intersections would enhance pedestrian safety.

The Walnut Park Mutual Water Company was incorporated in 1914 and established at some point prior to that. Victor Girard Kleinberger (who also helped develop Woodland Hills [originally the community of Girard], Victorville, and Pacific Palisades) and Frank H. Edwards of the Cudahy Walnut Lands Company formed the Walnut Park Mutual Water Company. The Water Company played a crucial role in the development of a subdivision and attracting buyers in what is now Walnut Park. The 500 acre tract slated for development was located on what was then a portion of Cudahy Ranch. Cudahy Ranch was said to contain the largest walnut grove in the world at the time. Present-day Walnut Park comprised the northwest portion of Cudahy Ranch. To help to attract buyers, “Ye Pleasant Inn,” a social center, was established on Long Beach Boulevard in about 1913. Walnut Park Mutual Water Company constructed wells, pumping equipment, and water mains as lots were sold. One share of stock in the water company was issued to the buyer of each lot. Water for residents and businesses of Walnut Park comes from deep groundwater wells within its service area.

In 1919, John William Chard, an architect credited with designing several well-known adobe homes, was hired to design 100 small homes for a subdivision of the Cudahy Walnut Lands Company in what is now Walnut Park.

In 1933, many commercial buildings in Walnut Park suffered significant damage in the magnitude 6.4 Long Beach earthquake.

We help workers who have been harassed or discriminated against at work due to Race, Age, Disability, or other protected characteristics. We also help workers owed wages due to an employer’s failure to pay Overtime, or who have not received meal or rest breaks as required by law. The details of each person’s situation are unique, so call the experienced employment attorneys at Kokozian Law Firm, APC. You may also Contact Us via our online form. We advance all costs. No recovery, no fee.