Pico Rivera is a city located in southeastern
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles, and sometimes abbreviated as L.A. County, is the List of the most populous counties in the United States, most populous county in the United States and in the U.S. state of California, ...
. The city is situated approximately southeast of downtown Los Angeles, on the eastern edge of the Los Angeles basin, and on the southern edge of the area known as the
San Gabriel Valley
The San Gabriel Valley ( es, Valle de San Gabriel) is one of the principal valleys of Southern California, lying immediately to the east of the eastern city limits of the city of Los Angeles, and occupying the vast majority of the eastern part ...
. The ports of
Long Beach
Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California.
Incorporate ...
and Los Angeles, as well as Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), are in close proximity.
As of the
2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, the city has a population of 62,088. Pico Rivera is bordered by
Montebello to the
west
West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sunset, Sun sets on the Earth.
Etymology
The word "west" is a Germanic languages, German ...
,
Downey Downey may refer to:
People
*Downey (surname)
*Robert Downey Jr.
Places
*Downey, California, US
*Downey, Idaho, US
*Downey, Iowa, US
Businesses
*W. & D. Downey, photographic studio
*Downey Studios, created out of a former Boeing plant
Schools
* ...
to the
south
South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...
,
Santa Fe Springs
Santa Fe Springs (''Santa Fe'', Spanish for "Holy Faith") is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is one of the Gateway Cities of southeast Los Angeles County. The population was 16,223 at the 2010 census, down from 17,43 ...
to the southeast, and
Whittier to the
east
East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth.
Etymology
As in other languages, the word is formed from the fa ...
.
History and culture
![Battle of Río San Gabriel](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Battle_of_R%C3%ADo_San_Gabriel.jpg)
Pico Rivera was founded in 1958, from the merger of the long-standing unincorporated communities of Pico (named for
Pío Pico
Don Pío de Jesús Pico (May 5, 1801 – September 11, 1894) was a Californio politician, ranchero, and entrepreneur, famous for serving as the last governor of California (present-day U.S. state of California) under Mexican rule. A member of ...
, the last
Mexican governor of California) and Rivera (the Spanish word for "riverbank"). Situated on a rich alluvial plain between the
Rio Hondo and the
San Gabriel River, the area was once predominantly agricultural; but, at the end of WWII, the fast rising demand for homes lured builders to the attractive terrain.
Since the 1950s, it has been both residential as well as industrial. It had a
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobi ...
plant for many years:
Los Angeles Assembly
Los Angeles Assembly was a former American Ford Motor Company assembly plant located at 8820 Washington Boulevard and Rosemead Boulevard, in Pico Rivera, southwestern Los Angeles County, California.
Ford plant
Known as Los Angeles Plant #2, the ...
. Pico Rivera lies below the
Whittier Narrows
The Whittier Narrows is a narrows or water gap in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles County, California, United States, between the Puente Hills to the east and the Montebello Hills to the west. The gap is located at the southern boundary of t ...
, making it one of the "
Gateway Cities
The Gateway Cities Region, or Southeast Los Angeles County (also shortened to Southeast Los Angeles and Southeast LA) is an urbanized region located in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, between the City of Los Angeles proper, Orange C ...
".
In January 1958, 56 percent of the electorate voted for incorporation. They approved a
Council-Manager form of government, and the name "Pico Rivera" was established for the new city. Five citizens were chosen from a slate of 24 candidates to serve as members of the first City Council; Pico Rivera officially became the 61st city in Los Angeles County.
The north side of the city is home to the
Pico Rivera Sports Arena
The Pico Rivera Memorial Sports Arena is a multipurpose arena located in Pico Rivera, California in the United States. It can seat a range of 5000 to 6250 patrons, depending on the event configuration.
About
The arena is used for concerts, rodeo ...
, where concerts and other events are held.
Parks and recreation
There are nine parks and eight playgrounds throughout the city, including Smith Park on
Rosemead Boulevard
Rosemead is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2021 census, it had a population of 50,245, currently dropping. Rosemead is part of a cluster of cities, along with Alhambra, Arcadia, Temple City, Monterey Par ...
, Rivera Park on Shade Lane, Pico Park on
Beverly Boulevard
Beverly Boulevard is one of the main east–west thoroughfares in Los Angeles, in the U.S. state of California. It begins off Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California, Beverly Hills and ends on the Lucas Avenue overpass near downtown ...
, Rio Vista Park, and Stream Land Park at the north end of Durfee Road. The community enjoys more than 120 acres committed to public recreational facilities. There are 18 athletic fields, two gymnasiums and four community centers, a nine-hole executive golf course, skatepark and aquatic center.
Pico Rivera Municipal Golf Course
In 1965, the Pico Rivera Municipal Golf Course was built for the communal enjoyment of not only its residents and golfers, but also for those in the surrounding communities. The executive nine-hole course plays to a par 29 and measures 1,504 yards. The practice facilities include two putting greens and a covered driving range. Lighting throughout the golf course and driving range enables play and practice until 10:00 p.m.
Senior Center
Pico Rivera's Congressional Representative,
Grace Napolitano
Graciela Flores "Grace" Napolitano (; born December 4, 1936) is an American Democratic Party politician who has represented California's San Gabriel Valley and other parts of Los Angeles County in the United States House of Representatives sin ...
, helped with the funding, and city officials launched a newly renovated
senior center
A senior center (or senior centre) is a type of community center where older adults congregate for fellowship with others to fulfill many of their social, physical, emotional, and intellectual needs. A regular part of senior centers is card and bo ...
that includes a high-tech computer lab with 16 computers and a modern dance room. Funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the city's general fund, the
US$
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
350,000 renovation of the over 20-year-old center "is an example of your tax dollars at work," Napolitano told a crowd of local officials and residents, who toured the new facility. Napolitano secured a $198,000 federal grant for the project and the city contributed $157,000 in federal stimulus funds. The fitness room has 18 exercise machines, a set of free weights and two 40-inch flat screen TVs. The activity room has a mirrored wall with a ballet barre and a state-of-the-art sound system. The billiard room, which is a popular part of the senior center, was relocated to larger quarters within the center. Since August 24, 2010, it has housed four new pool tables.
The Pico Rivera Center, 9200 Mines Avenue, is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday.
Geography
Pico Rivera is located at (33.989013, −118.089121).
It is bordered by
Downey Downey may refer to:
People
*Downey (surname)
*Robert Downey Jr.
Places
*Downey, California, US
*Downey, Idaho, US
*Downey, Iowa, US
Businesses
*W. & D. Downey, photographic studio
*Downey Studios, created out of a former Boeing plant
Schools
* ...
on the southwest,
Santa Fe Springs
Santa Fe Springs (''Santa Fe'', Spanish for "Holy Faith") is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is one of the Gateway Cities of southeast Los Angeles County. The population was 16,223 at the 2010 census, down from 17,43 ...
on the southeast,
Whittier on the east,
City of Industry
City of Industry is a city in the San Gabriel Valley, in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. The city is almost entirely industrial, containing over 3,000 businesses employing 67,000 people, with only 264 residents as of t ...
on the northeast,
Montebello on the northwest, and
Commerce
Commerce is the large-scale organized system of activities, functions, procedures and institutions directly and indirectly related to the exchange (buying and selling) of goods and services among two or more parties within local, regional, nation ...
on the west. Rosemead/Lakewood Boulevard,
CA 19 runs through the center of the city, and the
San Gabriel River Freeway (
I-605
Interstate 605 (abbreviated I-605, officially known as the San Gabriel River Freeway) is a major north–south auxiliary Interstate Highway in the Greater Los Angeles urban area of Southern California. It runs from I-405 and State Route& ...
) runs along its southeastern edge.
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of . of it is land and of it (6.60%) is water.
Pico Rivera was the epicenter of a magnitude 4.4 earthquake on March 16, 2010, which occurred at 4:04 a.m.
Pacific Daylight Time
The Pacific Time Zone (PT) is a time zone encompassing parts of western Canada, the western United States, and western Mexico. Places in this zone observe standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time ( UTC−08:00) ...
(11:04 a.m.
Greenwich Mean Time
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) is the Local mean time, mean solar time at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London, counted from midnight. At different times in the past, it has been calculated in different ways, i ...
).
Demographics
2010 census
The
2010 United States Census
The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...
reported that Pico Rivera had a population of 62,942. The population density was .
The racial makeup of Pico Rivera was 5.2% Non-Hispanic White, 1.0% Black or African American, 1.4% Native American, 2.6% Asian, and 0.1% Pacific Islander. Hispanic or Latino of any race is 91.2% of the population.
The Census reported that 62,488 people (99.3% of the population) lived in households, 39 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 415 (0.7%) were institutionalized.
There were 16,566 households, out of which 8,073 (48.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 8,843 (53.4%) were
opposite-sex married couples living together, 3,334 (20.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,470 (8.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,041 (6.3%)
unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 91 (0.5%)
same-sex married couples or partnerships. 2,276 households (13.7%) were made up of individuals, and 1,154 (7.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.77. There were 13,647
families
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideall ...
(82.4% of all households); the average family size was 4.10.
The population was spread out, with 16,792 people (26.7%) under the age of 18, 6,971 people (11.1%) aged 18 to 24, 17,225 people (27.4%) aged 25 to 44, 14,323 people (22.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 7,631 people (12.1%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.
There were 17,109 housing units at an average density of , of which 11,440 (69.1%) were owner-occupied, and 5,126 (30.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.1%. 44,643 people (70.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 17,845 people (28.4%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 63,428 people, 16,468 households, and 13,866 families residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 7,645.7 inhabitants per square mile (2,950.6/km). There were 16,807 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 49.44%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 0.71%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 1.35%
Native American, 2.65%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.12%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 40.28% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 5.44% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 88.29% of the population.
There were 16,468 households, out of which 43.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.7% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 17.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.8% were non-families. 12.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.83 and the average family size was 4.12.
The population of the city has 31.0% people under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,564, and the median income for a family was $45,422. Males had a median income of $29,397 versus $24,491 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $13,011. About 11.6% of families and 12.6% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
In the
California State Legislature
The California State Legislature is a bicameral state legislature consisting of a lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members; and an upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members. Both houses of the Legisla ...
, Pico Rivera is in , and in .
In the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
, Pico Rivera is in .
The
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD), officially the County of Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, is a law enforcement agency serving Los Angeles County, California. LASD is the largest sheriff's department in the United States a ...
(LASD) operates the Pico Rivera Station in Pico Rivera.
The
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (abbreviated DHS and LADHS) operates the public hospitals and clinics in Los Angeles County, and is the United States' second largest municipal health system, after NYC Health + Hospitals.
DHS op ...
operates the Whittier Health Center in
Whittier, serving Pico Rivera.
City Council
As of 2021, the city council comprised Mayor Dr. Monica Sánchez, Mayor Pro Tem Erik Lutz, Councilmembers Gustavo V. Camacho, Andrew C. Lara, and Raul Elias. The city has a council/city manager form of government. The title of Mayor is a ceremonial position that is changed each year within the council.
Business
Historical site
There was a manufacturing facility located at the corner of Rosemead and Washington boulevards, which was owned and operated by the
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobi ...
called
Los Angeles Assembly
Los Angeles Assembly was a former American Ford Motor Company assembly plant located at 8820 Washington Boulevard and Rosemead Boulevard, in Pico Rivera, southwestern Los Angeles County, California.
Ford plant
Known as Los Angeles Plant #2, the ...
. The plant opened in 1958 and closed in 1980 and was purchased by
Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American multinational aerospace and defense technology company. With 90,000 employees and an annual revenue in excess of $30 billion, it is one of the world's largest weapons manufacturers and military techn ...
in 1982 for its Advanced Systems Division. Upon the unveiling of the
B-2 Spirit
The Northrop (later Northrop Grumman) B-2 Spirit, also known as the Stealth Bomber, is an American heavy strategic bomber, featuring low-observable stealth technology designed to penetrate dense anti-aircraft defenses. A subsonic flying ...
bomber in 1988, it was revealed that much of the development for the former
black project A black project is a highly classified, top-secret military or defense project that is not publicly acknowledged by government, military personnel, or contractors. Examples of United States military aircraft developed as black projects include the ...
had in fact occurred at the site. In the early 1990s, the division was renamed the B-2 Division to reflect its most famous product. At its peak, the project employed approximately 13,000 workers in Pico Rivera. The site was closed and then demolished in 2001 partially due to
air quality remediation efforts, and is now a large retail center.
Redevelopment
There has been significant redevelopment in the city: the opening of the "Pico Rivera Towne Center"", a 60-acre open-air shopping complex along Washington Boulevard, that has brought in such well-known businesses as
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world's largest coffeehouse chain.
As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 c ...
,
Petsmart
PetSmart is a privately held American chain of pet superstores, which sell pet products, services, and small pets. It is the leading North American pet company, and its direct competitor is Petco. Its indirect competitors are Amazon, Walmart, ...
,
Lowe's
Lowe's Companies, Inc. (), often shortened to Lowe's, is an American retail company specializing in home improvement. Headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina, the company operates a chain of retail stores in the United States and Canada. A ...
,
Walmart
Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...
,
Walgreens
Walgreen Company, d/b/a Walgreens, is an American company that operates the second-largest pharmacy store chain in the United States behind CVS Health. It specializes in filling prescriptions, health and wellness products, health information, an ...
,
Del Taco
Del Taco Restaurants, Inc. is an American fast food restaurant chain which specializes in American-style Mexican cuisine as well as American foods such as burgers, fries, and shakes. Del Taco is led by CEO John D. Cappasola, Jr., and is headquart ...
and other businesses into the city.
[City of Pico Rivera , REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS](_blank)
"Pico Crossing" is a 2.79-acre shopping center with retailers that include
Rite-Aid
Rite Aid Corporation is an American drugstore chain based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1962 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, by Alex Grass under the name Thrift D Discount Center. The company ranked No. 148 in the Fortune 500 li ...
Pharmacy,
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world's largest coffeehouse chain.
As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 c ...
, and
Subway. Noteworthy redevelopment has taken place in recent years along historic
Whittier Boulevard
Whittier Boulevard known as Stephenson Avenue (before 1920) is an arterial street that runs from the Los Angeles River (where it continues into Downtown Los Angeles as 6th Street) to Brea, California. The street is one of the main thoroughfares i ...
, bringing in such businesses as
Target
Target may refer to:
Physical items
* Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports
** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports
** Aiming point, in field artillery, fi ...
and
Panda Express
Panda Express is an American fast food restaurant chain that serves American Chinese cuisine. With over 2,200 locations, it is the largest Asian-segment restaurant chain in the United States, where it was founded, and is mainly located in North ...
.
More developments include the "Pico Rivera Village Walk", a $22 million, 12-acre shopping center located at the southwest corner of Whittier and Paramount boulevards. Tenants:
CVS Pharmacy
CVS Pharmacy, Inc. is an American retail corporation. A subsidiary of CVS Health, it is headquartered in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. It was also known as, and originally named, the Consumer Value Store and was founded in Lowell, Massachusetts, in ...
, Cinepolis USA Theaters, are located at the corner of Paramount and Whittier Boulevards.
A state-of-the-art
LA Fitness
LA Fitness (doing business as LA Fitness International LLC) is an American gym chain with more than 700 clubs across the United States and Canada. The company was formed in 1984 and is based in Irvine, California.
History
LA Fitness was founde ...
, which is part of an 8.10-acre "Pico Rivera Market Place Shopping Center" with a Sexy Nails, Wing Stop, Chase Bank, Juice It Up and other businesses have opened at the corner of Washington and Rosemead Boulevards.
The cities taxes were raised from 10.25 percent to 10.75 percent in mid 2009.
Top employers
2019
According to the city's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
2009
According to the city's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were:
Emergency services
Fire protection in Pico Rivera is provided by the
Los Angeles County Fire Department
The Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) provides firefighting services as well as technical rescue services, hazardous materials response services and emergency medical response services for the unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County ...
with ambulance transport by
Care Ambulance Service
Care may refer to:
Organizations and projects
* CARE (New Zealand), Citizens Association for Racial Equality, a former New Zealand organisation
* CARE (relief agency), "Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere", an international aid and ...
. The
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD), officially the County of Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, is a law enforcement agency serving Los Angeles County, California. LASD is the largest sheriff's department in the United States a ...
provides law enforcement.
Education
The city is served by the El Rancho and Montebello Unified School Districts (K-12) with nearby university and college systems in Los Angeles and Orange counties providing higher education. Most students attend schools in the
El Rancho Unified School District
The El Rancho Unified School District is located in the City of Pico Rivera, California.
School closures
During the summer of 2008, the El Rancho school board voted to close four elementary schools (Pio Pico, Obregon, Selby Grove, Meller) in orde ...
. Those who reside in the Montebello Gardens area are in the
Montebello Unified School District
Montebello Unified School District is a school district based in Montebello, California, United States.
Montebello USD serves the city of Montebello, portions of the cities of Bell Gardens, Commerce, Downey, Monterey Park, Pico Rivera, Rosemead ...
.
The
Armenian Mesrobian School, a K-12 Armenian private school, is also located in Pico Rivera.
Transportation
One of Pico Rivera's chief attractions to residents and businesses is its central location. It is highly accessible via several freeways, the San Gabriel (605), Santa Ana (5) and the Pomona (60). Public transportation is provided by the
Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) and Montebello Bus Lines. The MTA website also provides maps of bus and train routes. Information about
Montebello Bus Lines
Montebello Bus Lines is a municipal bus operator in Montebello, California, USA, mainly serving East Los Angeles, Commerce, and Montebello.
History
Montebello Bus Lines began on 28 July 1931, with a small lot on the corner of Greenwood Avenue ...
schedule is available at City Hall or at hyperlink.
Dial-a-Ride
Demand-responsive transport (DRT), also known as demand-responsive transit, demand-responsive service,
US National Trans ...
service is available to elderly (over 55 years old) and disabled residents.
Pico Rivera's main arterial roads that run from south–north include Rosemead Boulevard, Paramount Boulevard (does not connect to Montebello's Paramount Boulevard), and Passons Boulevard. The main arterial roads that run from west–east include
Whittier Boulevard
Whittier Boulevard known as Stephenson Avenue (before 1920) is an arterial street that runs from the Los Angeles River (where it continues into Downtown Los Angeles as 6th Street) to Brea, California. The street is one of the main thoroughfares i ...
,
Slauson Avenue
Slauson Avenue is a major east–west thoroughfare traversing the central part of Los Angeles County, California. It was named for the land developer and Los Angeles Board of Education member J. S. Slauson. It passes through Culver City, Lad ...
,
Washington Boulevard, Beverly Boulevard, and Telegraph Road. Mines Boulevard and San Gabriel River Parkway are other important arterials.
Interstate 605
Interstate 605 (abbreviated I-605, officially known as the San Gabriel River Freeway) is a major north–south auxiliary Interstate Highway in the Greater Los Angeles urban area of Southern California. It runs from I-405 and State Route& ...
runs through the northern city limits by the
Pico Rivera Sports Arena
The Pico Rivera Memorial Sports Arena is a multipurpose arena located in Pico Rivera, California in the United States. It can seat a range of 5000 to 6250 patrons, depending on the event configuration.
About
The arena is used for concerts, rodeo ...
. Also, two of Pico Rivera's roads are signed off as
California State Highways
The state highway system of the U.S. state of California is a network of highways that are owned and maintained by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans).
Each highway is assigned a ''Route'' (officially ''State Highway Route'') ...
, though
Caltrans
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is an Executive (government), executive department of the U.S. state of California. The department is part of the Government of California#State agencies, cabinet-level California State Tran ...
turned over maintenance of both highways within city limits to the city. The two highways that run in Pico Rivera are
California State Route 19
State Route 19 (SR 19) is a state highway in the U.S. state of California, running along
Lakewood Boulevard and Rosemead Boulevard in the Los Angeles area. An additional "hidden" state highway, State Route 164 (SR 164), is also signed as part ...
(Rosemead Boulevard) and
California State Route 72
State Route 72 (SR 72) is a state highway in the U.S. state of California. The route runs along Whittier Boulevard in the Los Angeles area from SR 39 in La Habra to Interstate 605 in Whittier. SR 72 forms part of El Camino Real.
R ...
(Whittier Boulevard), but only the portion from Interstate 605 to Rosemead Boulevard is signed off as State Route 72, while all of Rosemead Boulevard in Pico Rivera is signed off as State Route 19.
Notable people
*
Ron Beilke, former city councilman
*
Mack Ray Edwards
Mack Ray Edwards (October 17, 1918 – October 30, 1971) was an American child sex abuser and serial killer who molested and murdered at least six children in Los Angeles County, California, between 1953 and 1970. Sentenced to death, he died by ...
(1918–1971), Heavy equipment operator, and child sex abuser and serial killer
* Actress
Lupe Ontiveros
Guadalupe Ontiveros ( Moreno; September 17, 1942 – July 26, 2012) was an American actress best known for portraying Rosalita in ''The Goonies'', and Yolanda Saldívar in the film ''Selena''. She acted in numerous films and television shows, o ...
was "a longtime resident of Pico Rivera".
* Singer
Jeanette Jurado
Jeanette Livier Jurado (born November 14, 1965, East Los Angeles, California) is a member and a lead vocalist of the popular American girl group, Exposé, along with Ann Curless, Gioia Bruno and, in the group's later years, Kelly Moneymaker. She ...
, a member of
Exposé
Expose, exposé, or exposed may refer to:
News sources
* Exposé (journalism), a form of investigative journalism
* '' The Exposé'', a British conspiracist website
Film and TV Film
* ''Exposé'' (film), a 1976 thriller film
* ''Exposed'' (1932 ...
, is a Pico Rivera native who lived in Pico Rivera until high school.
* Baseball player
Randy Flores
Randy is a given name, popular in the United States and Canada. It is primarily a masculine name. It was originally derived from the names Randall, Randolf, Randolph, as well as Bertrand and Andrew, and may be a short form (hypocorism) of th ...
is an American director of scouting for the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
of Major League Baseball (MLB), a sports commentator, entrepreneur, coach, and former professional baseball relief pitcher. Flores attended
El Rancho High School
El Rancho High School is a public high school located in the city of Pico Rivera, California, United States. It is a part of the El Rancho Unified School District.
History
El Rancho High School opened its doors in September 1952. Whittier High ...
and the
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in C ...
.
* Soccer player and two-time MLS Cup champion
Cristian Roldan
Cristian Roldan (born June 3, 1995) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Major League Soccer club Seattle Sounders FC and the United States national team. He was the 2013 Gatorade National Player of the Ye ...
is a current player for the
Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders Football Club is an American professional men's soccer club based in Seattle. The Sounders compete as a member of the Western Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). The club was established on November 13, 2007, and began ...
of
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...
. Roldan graduated from
El Rancho High School
El Rancho High School is a public high school located in the city of Pico Rivera, California, United States. It is a part of the El Rancho Unified School District.
History
El Rancho High School opened its doors in September 1952. Whittier High ...
in 2013 and attended the
University of Washington
The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington.
Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast; it was established in Seattle a ...
.
* Controversial former councilmember
Gregory Salcido
*
James C. Shugg built the first schoolhouse, the
Rivera School
The Old Maizeland School also called the Rivera School was designated a California Historic Landmark (No.729) on April 8, 1960. The Old Maizeland School was built in 1868 in what is today Pico Rivera, California, by James C. Shugg. James C. Shugg ...
, in 1868.
*
Beatrice Proo, former mayor
Sister cities
*
San Luis Potosi City, Mexico
*
Mazatlan, Mexico
*
Tlajomulco de Zúñiga
Tlajomulco de Zúñiga is a city and municipality in the state of Jalisco in central-western Mexico. It forms part of the Guadalajara metropolitan area, lying to the southeast of it. It covers an area of 636.93 km2. it had a population of ...
, Mexico
See also
*
List of Mexican-American communities
*
References
External links
*
{{authority control
1958 establishments in California
Cities in Los Angeles County, California
Gateway Cities
Incorporated cities and towns in California
Populated places established in 1958
Chicano and Mexican neighborhoods in California