City of Downey, CA
Home MenuCity History & Profile
Downey History
During the early Spanish era of California, the site of Downey was originally part of the 300,000 acres Manuel Nieto Land Grant. In 1834, the Nieto heirs split up this grant, and the portion between the banks of the Rio Hondo and San Gabriel River became Rancho Santa Gertrudes.
Spurred by gold fever at the age of 22, John Gately Downey, an Irish immigrant, traveled from the East Coast to California. Ten years later (1860-1862), Downey was governor of the state in a nation entering its most tumultuous period as the Civil War broke out.
Downey was instrumental in aligning California firmly on the side of the Union. At the end of his gubernatorial term, he returned to Los Angeles and made plans to divide his 17,000-acre Rancho Santa Gertrudes into small farms nestled along the banks of the San Gabriel River. The subdivision began in 1865.
Governor Downey’s acquisition of this rancho marked a shift in the primary use of the area. Rancho Gertrudes had been open cattle range; it was now put to the plow, and an agricultural/citrus started that was to prosper for almost ninety years. John Downey divided the land into agricultural plots and new residents fleeing the aftermath of the Civil War developed a community. By 1873, the Southern Pacific Railroad built a line to this area between two settled areas called Gallatin and College Settlement and laid the foundations for a future city which marked a new era of prosperity for what became known as Downey City.
The Downey area grew in sporadic leaps. The California Goldrush, the Civil War, World War I; each event brought new residents to the town. The Second World War laid the foundation for establishing a strong aviation industry in Downey; and by the 1950’s this industry had become a significant economic factor for Downey.
On December 17, 1956, the community of Downey, having a population of approximately 90,000 people living within an area of 11.5 square miles, and located 12 miles southeast of the City of Los Angeles, jointed the rapidly swelling ranks of California cities to become the 50th incorporated city in Los Angeles County. By an overwhelming mandate, the citizens of Downey voted for a Council-Manager form of government to run their community – the largest in population ever known to have incorporated in the United States. At that time, Downey had an assessed value of about $100,000,000 and consisted of some of the finest new homes in Southeastern Los Angeles County and 110 industrial firms, employing over 21,000 persons on a $75,713,000 budget.
Aerospace Legacy
Downey holds a rich history of aviation and aerospace that spans more than 70 years. During World War II, Vultee Aircraft was Downey's largest employer, producing 15% of all of America's military aircraft by 1941. The company was a pioneer in the use of women in manufacturing positions and was the first aircraft company to build airplanes on a powered assembly line.
Vultee eventually became a part of North American Aviation, (and later North American Rockwell, then Rockwell International which was then bought by the Boeing Company) whose facilities were the birthplace of the systems for the Apollo Space Program. After the Rockwell plant closed in 1999, the site was demolished, and now features the Columbia Memorial Space Center, the Downey Landing shopping center, the Promenade at Downey shopping center (former site of Downey Studios), Kaiser Permanente Hospital, and a city recreation park.
Today
The City of Downey, home to more than 113,000 residents in 12.41 square miles, is a diverse and dynamic community in the heart of Los Angeles County, approximately 15 miles from Downtown Los Angeles, and 5 miles from Orange County.
The City prides itself in being a full-service municipal organization with over 800 employees providing an array of services including police, fire protection, emergency medical services, water distribution, library services, and parks and recreational facilities.
Residents in Downey are able to enjoy nationally-recognized schools, numerous well-kept parks, and various amenities, including a regional mall, major shopping and business centers, the Downey Theatre, Downey Library and the Columbia Memorial Space Center. Downey is a wonderful community where individuals, families and businesses are proud to live, work, and play.
FY 2022-2023 City Profile
To learn more about Downey, the below City Profile provides a demographic overview of the community and highlights; where we are, who we are, what we offer, and how we live, work, learn, and care. Information in the City Profile is updated annually based on statistical data from the American Community Survey.