Why Lakewood
Lakewood is a suburban city located in Los Angeles County, California. Covering an area of 9.5 square miles, the community shares borders with several surrounding municipalities, including Long Beach to the west, northwest, and south, Bellflower to the north, Cerritos to the northeast, Cypress to the east, and Hawaiian Gardens to the southeast. The city is traversed by primary thoroughfares such as Lakewood Boulevard (State Route 19), Bellflower Boulevard, Del Amo Boulevard, Carson Street, and South Street. Interstate 605, also known as the San Gabriel River Freeway, passes through Lakewood's eastern territory.
Established as a post-World War II planned community, building efforts began in late 1949 under developers Louis Boyar, Mark Taper, and Ben Weingart. Construction proceeded at unprecedented speeds, erecting 17,500 homes in under three years to house military veterans and new residents. When it officially incorporated in 1954, Lakewood established a pioneering model as the nation's first contract city by purchasing municipal services directly from Los Angeles County. Urban planners designed the city with major median-landscaped boulevards and frontage roads that restrict direct access to main thoroughfares, blending traditional urban layouts with suburban developments.
Visitors and residents in Lakewood have access to notable commercial and municipal facilities. The Lakewood Center shopping mall, an early feature of the city's expansion, has served the community since opening in 1951. Public educational and reading resources are available through two branches of the Los Angeles County library system: the Angelo M. Iacoboni Library, named in honor of the city's inaugural mayor, and the George Nye, Jr. Library, located in the eastern portion of the municipality.
Outdoor activity is available along the San Gabriel River Bike Trail, which runs adjacent to Rynerson Park. In terms of public safety infrastructure, Lakewood operates Sky Knight, an independent municipal aerial police program created in 1966. Recognized as the first round-the-clock municipal helicopter patrol in the nation, the unit pairs civilian pilots with deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
01 Weather
70°
70°
83°
67°
83°
67°
82°
67°
78°
66°
☔ 20%
79°
64°