Following the real estate boom in the Inglewood area, similar development began in the southern portion of the old Rancho, where the present City of Lawndale is located. This activity was the direct result of the opening of a seaport at Redondo in 1890, and the railroad service developing between Port Redondo and Los Angeles. Steam trains were soon replaced by electric trolley cars.
The year 1902 marked the Los Angeles and Redondo railways arrival in Lawndale along what is now Hawthorne Boulevard; the line extended south from Inglewood along what was then called Railroad Avenue. The electric train was an olive green when it first served Lawndale. The color changed to red in 1911 when the parent company, Pacific Electric, absorbed the Los Angeles and Redondo.
The early reliance on the Pacific Electric stimulated growth throughout Southern California and was the result of Henry Huntington's master real estate plan. Huntington and his partners also acquired and transported inexpensive water into the area to fully support the growing population and continued backyard poultry farming. The die was cast for the Community that was to become Lawndale with the water and rail transit that stimulated growth in the Centinela Valley.
The town of Lawndale was founded in March of 1905 by real estate developer, Charles B. Hopper. After a lack of initial sales, Mr. Hopper planned another “Opening Day” for Lawndale on February 25, 1906 which drew the first settlers. In May of 1906 another subdivision opened just east of the first one and was named “Lawndale Acres.” And a second Lawndale Acres located just south of the first one was surveyed in November of 1910. By the time the 1910 U.S. census was taken there were 142 residents living in Lawndale.
Oil discoveries in the 1920's created major commercial activity and temporarily changed the face of the community. The boom reached its peak between 1927 and 1929, and the influx of the oil workers and typical boom real estate speculation rapidly declined as the drilling subsided. During the oil period, Lawndale was easily recognizable by the landscape of oil derrick construction. Lawndale settled into the 1930's with three schools in the community, and weathered, as did all America, the Great Depression.
The population of Lawndale did not increase as rapidly during the war years of 1941 through 1945 as did adjoining communities. The major influx of people occurred in the decade following the conclusion of World War II, as Lawndale slowly lost its rural atmosphere. Post war veteran housing and the construction of the Harbor Freeway caused major growth. The advent of the personal automobile assisted in the gradual dismantling of the Pacific Electric and all rail transportation in the area. Lawndale's residential community transformation from a rural community highlighted a rapid increase of daily auto traffic through the community.
The construction culminated in the Dedication of the Lawndale Civic Center, which included a health clinic for this general area, on March 23, 1957. With the Civic Center area now dedicated, the desire for city hood accelerated into the key year of 1959. The debt to the Chamber of Commerce for their efforts in resisting the several annexation attempts must be fully realized. Incorporation was the crowning event in the years of community organizing ant the selfless work of many individual who bore a pride in Lawndale. The major cause of these annexation attempts was the desire of adjoining communities to increase their tax base. It can be said that all the efforts to identify Lawndale made it an attractive acquisition.
The incorporation of Lawndale marked the end of a year and a half struggle with neighboring communities as to acquisition of the businesses along Hawthorne Boulevard, or the need to round out their boundaries. The concern of one neighboring council man went so far as to champion legislation aimed at preventing this and other incorporation's as fiscally unsound. Although this threat went as far as Sacramento, the question was finally resolved when the electorate voted three to one to form the City of Lawndale as a general law city following the Lakewood Plan. This plan provides contracting essential services through established county agencies when economically sound.
Today Lawndale continues to utilize County Fire, Sheriff, and Library services for the community and has maintained its independence in other areas of control. The Charter promise of 1959 of no City taxes has never been altered due to this continuing process of responsible financial policy.
Learn more about this city.
City of Lawndale, CA official site
City of Lawndale, CA Chamber of Commerce
City of Lawndale, CA newspaper
County of Lawndale, CA official site
State of California official site