Why Bellflower
Bellflower is a city located in the southeastern region of Los Angeles County, California, within the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. Covering a total area of 6.2 square miles, comprised of 6.1 square miles of land and 0.1 square miles of water, it stands as an urban community within the Gateway Cities region. The municipality shares borders with several surrounding communities, including Downey to the north and northwest, Norwalk and Cerritos to the east, Lakewood to the south, Long Beach to the southwest, and Paramount to the west.
The history of the area dates to a Spanish land grant established in 1784. Originally utilized as a hunting and fishing location due to its abundance of wild game, waterfowl, carp, and perch, the terrain near the San Gabriel River was lined with willows, bamboo, wild grapes, blackberries, and rose bushes. Fed by artesian wells and river floods, the rich soil eventually fostered extensive agriculture. The town was founded in 1906 by real estate investor F.E. Woodruff and was designated as Somerset when a post office was established in 1909. However, after postal officials rejected that name to prevent confusion with Somerset, Colorado, the settlement was renamed Bellflower after the bellflower apples grown in local orchards.
In the early twentieth century, settlers of Dutch, Japanese, and Portuguese descent established agricultural operations, transforming the area into a prominent center for apple and dairy production in Southern California. After World War II, escalating land values prompted dairy farmers to shift eastward, and the farmland was converted into residential subdivisions to house workers in the growing regional economy. Following its official incorporation in 1957, Bellflower fully transitioned into a residential suburb. Today, its diverse populace includes a notable population of Dutch heritage, making it one of the rare American cities to host multiple Dutch grocery stores. The city also maintains a sister city partnership with Los Mochis in Sinaloa, Mexico.
Bellflower Boulevard serves as the municipality's primary commercial corridor, historically hosting major department stores, banks, boutiques, specialty shops, and restaurants. Educational and civic infrastructure in the area includes the Clifton M. Brakensiek Library, a branch of the County of Los Angeles Public Library. Transportation access is provided by major regional freeways, with State Route 91 running through the southern section, Interstate 605 bordering the east, and Interstate 105 situated to the north. Local transit options include Long Beach Transit, Los Angeles County MTA buses, and the municipal Bellflower Bus, with future regional rail service planned at the historic Pacific Electric Bellflower station.
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