Norwalk, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Norwalk, California
City
From left to right: Norwalk Town Square sign, Norwalk City Hall
Flag Seal Logo
Motto(s):  "A Connected Community"
Location of Norwalk in Los Angeles County, California
Norwalk, California Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	Los Angeles
Incorporated	August 26, 1957
Government
• Type	Council/Manager
Area
• Total	9.75 sq mi (25.24 km2)
• Land	9.71 sq mi (25.14 km2)
• Water	0.04 sq mi (0.10 km2)  0.40%
Elevation	92 ft (28 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	102,773
• Rank	14th in Los Angeles County 77th in California 335th in the United States
• Density	10,541/sq mi (4,071.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP codes	90650–90652, 90659
Area code(s)	562
FIPS code	06-52526
GNIS feature IDs	1661123, 2411281

Norwalk is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 102,773 at the 2020 census.

Founded in the late 19th century, Norwalk was incorporated as a city in 1957. It is located 17 miles (27 km) southeast of downtown Los Angeles and is part of the Greater Los Angeles area.

Norwalk is a member of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments. Norwalk's sister cities are Morelia in the Mexican state of Michoacán, and Hermosillo, in the Mexican state of Sonora.

History

Much of modern-day Norwalk was part of Rancho Los Cerritos, owned by Don Juan Temple.

The area known as "Norwalk" was first home to the Shoshonean Native American tribe. They survived primarily on honey, an array of berries, acorns, sage, squirrels, rabbits and birds. Their huts were part of the Sejat Indian village.

In the late 1760s, settlers and missions flourished under Spanish rule with the famous El Camino Real trail traversing the area. Manuel Nieto, a Spanish soldier, received a Spanish land grant (Rancho Los Nietos) in 1784 that included Norwalk.

After the Mexican–American War in 1848, the Rancho and mining days ended. Portions of the land were subdivided and made available for sale when California was admitted into the union of the United States. Word of this land development reached the Sproul Brothers in Oregon. They recalled the fertile land and huge sycamore trees they saw during an earlier visit to the Southern California area. In 1869, Atwood Sproul, on behalf of his brother, Gilbert, purchased 463 acres (1.87 km²) of land at $11 an acre ($2,700/km²) in an area known as Corazón de los Valles, or "Heart of the Valleys".

By 1873, railroads were being built in the area and the Sprouls deeded 23 acres (93,000 m²), stipulating a "passenger stop" clause in the deed. Three days after the Anaheim Branch Railroad crossed the "North-walk" for the first time, Gilbert Sproul surveyed a town site. In 1874, the name was recorded officially as Norwalk. While a majority of the Norwalk countryside remained undeveloped during the 1880s, the Norwalk Station allowed potential residents the opportunity to visit the "country" from across the nation.

The families referred to as the "first families" of Norwalk (including the Sprouls, the Dewitts, the Settles, and the Orrs) settled in the area in the years before 1900. D.D. Johnston pioneered the first school system in Norwalk in 1880. Johnston was also responsible for the first real industry in town, a cheese factory, by furnishing Tom Lumbard with the money in 1882. Norwalk's prosperity was evident in the 1890s with the construction of a number of fine homes that were located in the middle of orchards, farms and dairies. Headstones for these families can be found at Little Lake Cemetery, which was founded in 1843 on the border between Norwalk and Santa Fe Springs at Lakeland Road.

Norwalk depot and a wagon loaded with milk cans, 1910

At the turn of the 19th century, Norwalk had become established as a dairy center. Of the 50 local families reported in the 1900 census, most were associated with farming or with the dairy industry. Norwalk was also the home of some of the largest sugar beet farms in all of Southern California during this era. Many of the dairy farmers who settled in Norwalk during the early part of the 20th century were Dutch.

After the 1950s, the Hispanic population in Norwalk grew significantly as the area became increasingly residential.

Airplane disaster

In February 1958, two military aircraft, a Douglas C-118A military transport and a U.S. Navy P2V-5F Neptune patrol bomber, collided over Norwalk at night. Forty-seven servicemen were killed, as was a civilian 23-year-old woman on the ground who was hit by falling debris. A plaque commemorating the disaster and erected by the American Legion in 1961 marks the spot of the accident, today a mini-mall at the corner of Firestone Boulevard and Pioneer Boulevard.

The Hargitt House

Built in 1891 by the D.D. Johnston family, the Hargitt House was built in the architectural style of Victorian Eastlake. The Hargitt House Museum, located at 12426 Mapledale, was donated to the people of Norwalk by Charles ("Chun") and Ida Hargitt.

The Sproul House

Historic Sproul House

The Sproul House is a Stick Style-influenced, Victorian farm house built in 1870 by the founder of Norwalk, Gilbert Sproul. He and his family lived there while he founded Norwalk. His descendants lived in the house continually until 1962 when it was donated to the city. Today it houses the Gilbert Sproul Museum which covers Norwalk history through artifacts, photos, documents and other interpretive elements.

Geography

Norwalk is located at 33°54′25″N 118°5′0″W / 33.90694°N 118.08333°W / 33.90694; -118.08333 (33.906914, -118.083398).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 25.243 km² (10 sq mi). 9.707 square miles (25.14 km²) of it is land and 0.039 square miles (0.10 km²) of it (0.40%) is water.

Norwalk is bordered by Downey to the northwest, Bellflower to the southwest, Cerritos and Artesia to the south, and Santa Fe Springs and Whittier to the north and east.

Demographics

67.7% of persons age 5 years+, 2014–2018 live in a home where language other than English is spoken.

2010

The 2010 United States Census reported that Norwalk had a population of 105,549. The population density was 10,829.6 inhabitants per square mile (4,181.3/km²). The racial makeup of Norwalk was 52,089 (49.4%) White (12.3% Non-Hispanic White), 4,593 (4.4%) African American, 1,213 (1.1%) Native American, 12,700 (12.0%) Asian (5.3% Filipino, 2.5% Korean, 0.9% Chinese, 0.8% Indian, 0.8% Vietnamese, 0.6% Cambodian, 0.3% Thai, 0.3% Japanese), 431 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 29,954 (28.4%) from other races, and 4,569 (4.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 74,041 persons (70.1%)

The Census reported that 103,934 people (98.5% of the population) lived in households, 315 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 1,300 (1.2%) were institutionalized.

There were 27,130 households, out of which 13,678 (50.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 15,190 (56.0%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 5,045 (18.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 2,348 (8.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,712 (6.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 178 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,417 households (12.6%) were made up of individuals, and 1,631 (6.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.83. There were 22,583 families (83.2% of all households); the average family size was 4.10.

The population was spread out, with 29,164 people (27.6%) under the age of 18, 12,026 people (11.4%) aged 18 to 24, 30,138 people (28.6%) aged 25 to 44, 23,790 people (22.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 10,431 people (9.9%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.3 males.

There were 28,083 housing units at an average density of 2,881.4 per square mile (1,112.5/km²), of which 17,671 (65.1%) were owner-occupied, and 9,459 (34.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.8%. 70,180 people (66.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 33,754 people (32.0%) lived in rental housing units.

During 2009–2013, Norwalk had a median household income of $60,770, with 12.9% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

2000

As of the census of 2000, there were 103,298 people, 26,887 households, and 22,531 families residing in the city. The population density was 10,667.6 inhabitants per square mile (4,118.8/km²). There were 27,554 housing units at an average density of 2,845.5 per square mile (1,098.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 44.82% White, 4.62% African American, 1.16% Native American, 11.54% Asian, 0.39% Pacific Islander, 32.75% from other races, and 4.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 62.89% of the population.

There were 26,887 households, out of which 46.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.1% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.2% were non-families. 12.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.79 and the average family size was 4.08.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 32.1% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $46,047, and the median income for a family was $47,524. Males had a median income of $31,579 versus $26,047 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,022. About 9.5% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.8% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.

Mexican (50.7%) and Filipino (4.3%) were the most common ancestries. Mexico (58.8%) and the Philippines (9.2%) were the most common foreign places of birth.

Transportation

Freeways

Three freeways travel through the city. The Santa Ana Freeway (I-5) and San Gabriel River Freeway (I-605) pass through and intersect just above its northern edge, while the Century Freeway (I-105) ends in Norwalk at Studebaker Road.

Norwalk Transit

Norwalk Transit serves Norwalk and its adjacent communities. Six bus lines operate in Norwalk and adjacent cities, including Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, La Mirada and Whittier. Norwalk Transit Buses make connections with Los Angeles Metro Rail C Line from Route 2 and Metrolink from Route 7

Long Beach Transit

Long Beach Transit provides service to the Metro C Line Station via Studebaker Road from Long Beach.

Los Angeles Metro

The Los Angeles MTA ("Metro") provides both bus and rail service from Norwalk. The Metro C Line (formerly the Green Line) light rail provides service from the Norwalk C Line station to LAX (via shuttle from Aviation Station) and Redondo Beach. Metro bus routes provide service to the west on Florence Avenue, Firestone Boulevard, Imperial Highway, and Rosecrans Avenue from the Norwalk C Line Station. Express routes also connect to Disneyland, El Monte Bus Station, Long Beach and downtown Los Angeles.

Metrolink

The Metrolink Orange County Line and 91/Perris Valley Line (which operate on the same track in this area) trains connect Norwalk (the Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs station) with Orange County, Riverside County, and Downtown Los Angeles.

Economy

Top employers

According to the city's 2013 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Education

Although Norwalk is credited with being the home to Cerritos College, only the east half of the campus is actually in Norwalk, the west half is in Cerritos. Founded in 1955, Cerritos College is a public community college serving an area of 52 square miles (130 km²) of southeastern Los Angeles county. The college offers degrees and certificates in 87 areas of study in nine divisions. Over 1,200 students complete their course of studies each year.

Norwalk Grammar School class in 1890. Cora Hargitt Middle School Academy (operated 1980–2008) was named after the teacher, at top left.

Most of Norwalk is served by the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District,

headquartered at 12820 Pioneer Boulevard in Norwalk. NLMUSD also contains The California distinguished school J.B. Morrison Elementary Magnet School in Norwalk.

Certain areas of Norwalk are served by the Little Lake City School District (elementary school district), headquartered in Santa Fe Springs, and the Whittier Union High School District. Another section is within the ABC Unified School District, based in Cerritos.

Among the several parochial schools in Norwalk are Saint John of God School (Roman Catholic, of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles), Pioneer Baptist School (Baptist Christian), and Saint Linus School (Roman Catholic).

Media

The independent TV station KHJ-TV/KCAL-TV channel 9 was licensed to Norwalk for a year in 1989 during an ownership transfer as part of a settlement with the FCC by former owner RKO General; the one-year change in city of license was barely noted on-air (it returned to a city of license of Los Angeles in 1990), and the station never had any actual assets based in Norwalk. Los Cerritos Community News serves the city.

Notable people

• Ruth Asawa, sculptor
• Shirley Babashoff, swimmer, winner of eight Olympic medals and 1975 world championship, Norwalk High School graduate, 1973
• Dick Bass, born Richard Lee Bass, played professional football as running back for Los Angeles Rams from 1960 through 1969
• William Conrad (1920–94), actor, director and producer in film and television; lived in Bellflower, graduate of Excelsior High School
• Tiffany Darwish, 1980s singer and actress
• James Gattuso, analyst and pundit in Washington, D.C., who often appears on television and radio to give opinions on domestic policy; Excelsior High School Class of 1975
• Keith Ginter, MLB player for Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, and Oakland Athletics
• Bob Kevoian, radio host, The Bob & Tom Show, Norwalk High Class of 1969
• Joseph "Mang0" Marquez, professional Super Smash Bros. player for Cloud9, graduate of John Glenn High School class of 2010
• Ron McGovney, the first bass player of Metallica
• Lindsay Mendez, Broadway actress
• Alexandra Nechita, artist, considered youngest cubist ever discovered (at age 8) and nicknamed "petite Picasso"; attended Moffit Elementary School prior to her fame when she relocated outside of Norwalk
• Pat Nixon (1912–93), First Lady of United States 1969–74, wife of President Richard Nixon; graduate of Excelsior High School Class of 1929 (family bought a truck farm in Dairy Valley, formerly in Artesia, now part of Cerritos)
• Donald Novis, actor, died in Norwalk 1966
• Rashaad Penny, running back, Seattle Seahawks
• Ron Rinehart, lead singer, Dark Angel
• Poncho Sanchez, Latin jazz artist
• Cindy Sheehan, anti-Iraq War activist
• Gene Taylor, blues-rock and boogie-woogie pianist, Norwalk High Class of 1970
• Cristina Valenzuela, voice actress
• Delta Work, drag queen and stylist

Neighborhoods

• Carmenita (South Norwalk)
• Civic Center (Central Norwalk)
• Norwalk Hills (North Norwalk)
• South Norwalk
• Studebaker (North Norwalk)
• Norwalk Manor (South East Norwalk) (not to be confused with Norwalk Manor, a major subdivision built in 1947 to 1949)

Sports

The Falcon Field is the largest venue by capacity (12,000) in Norwalk. It is the home of the public community college football team Cerritos Falcons and a major venue for track and field events.

See also

In Spanish: Norwalk (California) para niños