Monrovia, California
Encyclopedia
Monrovia is a city located in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains
in the San Gabriel Valley
of Los Angeles County
, California
, United States
. The population was 36,590 at the 2010 census, down from 36,929 at the 2000 census. Monrovia has been used extensively for filming many TV shows, movies and commercials.
Monrovia is the fourth oldest general law city in Los Angeles County and the L.A. Basin
(after Los Angeles
, Santa Monica
, and Pasadena
). Incorporated in 1887, Monrovia has grown from a sparse community of orange ranches to a residential community of 37,000.
Around 500 BC, a band of Shoshonean-speaking Indians established settlements in what is now the San Gabriel Valley. These native Americans came to be called the Gabrieliño Indians by early Spanish explorers, and are now referred to as the Tongva. The Tongva were not farmers; they gathered wild seeds, berries, and plants along rivers and in marshlands. Abundant oaks in the Valley, such as Coast Live Oak
and Interior Live Oak
provided a staple of the Tongva diet: acorn
mush made of boiled acorn flour.
In 1769, when all California
was claimed by the King of Spain
, Europeans first visited the San Gabriel Valley, including Monrovia. An expedition from San Diego
passed through en route to Monterey Bay
, commanded by Don Gaspar Portola
. Accompanying Portola were a Franciscan
Father from Father Junipero Serra's
Franciscan order of Mexico, and Juan Crespi
, the expedition's diarist. Much of what is known of early California is known only from Crespi's detailed descriptions.
In 1771, the Franciscans established the Mission San Gabriel Arcangel
in the San Gabriel Valley. The mission was a resting point for early California travelers and gathered most of the native Tongva into an agricultural lifestyle. Following the Mexican Revolution
in 1839, the mission lands were nationalized.
In 1841, California Governor Juan Alvarado gave Rancho Azusa de Duarte
to Andres Duarte
, a Mexican soldier, and he gave Rancho Santa Anita
to Hugo Reid
, a naturalized Mexican citizen of Scottish birth. Monrovia is made of parts of these two ranchos.
In the mid-19th century, most of Rancho Azusa de Duarte was subdivided and sold by Duarte to settle his debts. Some of those parcels would eventually end up as part of the ranch of William N. Monroe, Monrovia's namesake.
Rancho Santa Anita changed hands several times before the famous multimillionaire, silver baron and rancher, E.J. "Lucky" Baldwin acquired it in 1875. That same year his Los Angeles Investment Company began subdividing and selling parcels from many of his ranchos. In 1883, 240 acres (970,000 m²) of Rancho Santa Anita were sold to Monroe for $30,000. Additional parcels of Rancho Santa Anita were sold to Edward F. Spence, John D. Bicknell
, James F. Crank, and J.F. Falvey.
The completion of the Santa Fe (which would run through Monrovia) and Southern Pacific
railroads to Southern California would bring new people looking for homes and investment opportunities. With this in mind, Monroe, Spence, Bicknell, Crank, and Falvey decided to combine their land under the business name of the Monrovia Land and Water Company in 1886. The combined lots formed the Town of Monrovia Subdivision. The original borders of the Town of Monrovia Subdivision were Canyon Blvd. to the east, Walnut Ave. to the south, Magnolia Ave. to the west, and Lime Ave. to the north. The subdivision was then itself quickly subdivided into 600 500 feet (152.4 m) by 160 feet (48.8 m) lots and sold. Some lucky buyers of these lots turned around and sold them very quickly. Those who chose to hold on to their property saw its value fall to a fraction of its 1886-1887 value.
The town was incorporated in 1887 under the leadership of prohibitionists who wished to control the arrival of an unwelcome saloon. The first order of business for the newly formed government was to pass a tippler's law, prohibiting the sale of alcohol.
In 1903 the Monrovia News was established. In the same year, the Pacific Electric was opened providing transportation to and from Los Angeles, making it possible for Monrovian homeowners to work in Los Angeles.
In 1905 Carnegie
funds became available and with the help of the Board of Trade (forerunner to the Chamber of Commerce
), and the Monrovia Women's Club, a bond issue was passed to purchase the Granite Bank Building to be used as a City Hall, and to acquire property for a public park. The Granite Building serves as the city hall, fire and police department facilities in 1961 and the fire department in 1974. In 1956, the old Carnegie library
building was torn down and the present library constructed. The library now boasts a book collection of 95,000 volumes.As of March 2007, the city's residents were asked to vote on a new, upgraded library which is ADA-compliant and has twice as much room for books and computer usage as the current one(the measure passed with at least 70% of the vote.).
A city council-manager
type government was instituted in 1923.
In 1937, Patrick McDonald opened a simple restaurant on Huntington Drive (Route 66) near the old Monrovia Airport called "The Airdrome" (hamburgers were ten cents, and all-you-can-drink orange juice was five cents); the restaurant remained there until 1940, when he and his two sons, Maurice and Richard, moved the entire building 40 miles (64.4 km) east to San Bernardino
to the corner of West 14th Street and 1398 North E Street renaming it "McDonald's
". In 1955, milkshake machine salesman Ray Kroc
made a franchising deal with the McDonald brothers. In 1961 Kroc purchased the business rights for $2.7 million. For years after the McDonald's Corporation claimed the 1955 Des Plaines, Illinois Mcdonald's to be the first (it was the first location franchised through Ray Kroc), and only recently has recognized San Bernardino
. Some though claim Monrovia to be the "real" birthplace, but that's subjective since McDonald's as it was first franchised in 1953 (in Phoenix, Arizona and Downey, California) came into being following the development of the "Speedee Service System" in 1948.
The Upton Sinclair House
, home to activist and author Upton Sinclair
, is located in Monrovia and is a National Historic Landmark
. In 1995 Monrovia received the All America City Award from the National Civic League
.
Monrovia operates its own Fire & Police Departments led by Fire Chief Christopher Donovan and Chief of Police Roger W. Johnson
, the city has a total area of 35.5 square kilometre. 13.6 square miles (35.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.79%) is water.
was 2,668.1 people per square mile (1,030.2/km²). The racial makeup of Monrovia was 21,932 (59.9%) White, 4,107 (11.2%) Asian, 2,500 (6.8%) African American, 279 (0.8%) Native American, 76 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 5,818 (15.9%) from other races
, and 1,878 (5.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14,043 persons (38.4%).
The Census reported that 36,434 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 61 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 95 (0.3%) were institutionalized.
There were 13,762 households, out of which 4,725 (34.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 6,295 (45.7%) were opposite-sex married couples
living together, 2,073 (15.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 778 (5.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 793 (5.8%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
, and 131 (1.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,649 households (26.5%) were made up of individuals and 1,276 (9.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65. There were 9,146 families
(66.5% of all households); the average family size was 3.24.
The population was spread out with 8,514 people (23.3%) under the age of 18, 3,084 people (8.4%) aged 18 to 24, 10,733 people (29.3%) aged 25 to 44, 10,018 people (27.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 4,241 people (11.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.9 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.
There were 14,473 housing units at an average density of 1,055.4 per square mile (407.5/km²), of which 6,809 (49.5%) were owner-occupied, and 6,953 (50.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.9%. 18,478 people (50.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 17,956 people (49.1%) lived in rental housing units.
of 2000, there were 36,929 people, 13,502 households, and 9,086 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,686.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,037.0/km²). There were 13,957 housing units at an average density of 1,015.3 per square mile (391.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 62.92% White, 8.67% African American, 7.02% Asian, 0.87% Native American, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 15.61% from other races
, and 4.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 35.24% of the population.
There were 13,502 households out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were married couples
living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $45,375, and the median income for a family was $49,703. Males had a median income of $41,039 versus $32,259 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $21,686. About 9.7% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.3% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.
Monrovia is located in the 29th Senate
District, represented by Republican Bob Huff
, and in the 44th and 59th Assembly
Districts, represented by Democrat Anthony J. Portantino
and Republican Tim Donnelly
respectively. Federally, Monrovia is located in California's 26th congressional district
, which has a Cook PVI
of R +4 and is represented by Republican David Dreier
.
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
operates the Monrovia Health Center in Monrovia.
operates public schools.
Monrovia High School
gained a creditable rating in its early history. The first school in Monrovia was built in 1887. It was located where Monroe School now stands, and housed the entire elementary and high school student body. A new high school on the property now occupied by Clifton Middle School was erected in 1905, and in 1912 was greatly expanded by the addition of new buildings. In 1928 a high school to serve the communities of Monrovia, Arcadia
and Duarte
was built. The same structure now serves only Monrovia students, as the elementary and high school district were unified into one district in 1961. The district now has one high school, one continuation school, two middle schools and five elementary schools, and is part of the Citrus Community College District. There are also three parochial schools in Monrovia.
Monrovia, California's schools are:
Monrovia Public Library is located at Library Park, at the corner Myrtle Avenue and Lime Avenue.
and Huntington Drive
(historic Route 66
). It is also served by the Foothill Freeway
(I-210).
In 2014, Metro
will open a new light-rail station in Monrovia. Monrovia Station
will be located at the intersection of Myrtle Avenue and Duarte Road, and will be served by the Metro Gold Line. It will be at the same location of the former Santa Fe Railway depot, which still stands.
, Green Dot
and Naked Juice
are based in Monrovia.
San Gabriel Mountains
The San Gabriel Mountains Range is located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, United States. The mountain range lies between the Los Angeles Basin and the Mojave Desert, with Interstate 5 to the west and Interstate 15 to the east...
in the San Gabriel Valley
San Gabriel Valley
The San Gabriel Valley is one of the principal valleys of Southern California, United States. It lies to the east of Los Angeles, to the north of the Puente Hills, to the south of the San Gabriel Mountains, and west of the Inland Empire. It derives its name from the San Gabriel River that flows...
of Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 36,590 at the 2010 census, down from 36,929 at the 2000 census. Monrovia has been used extensively for filming many TV shows, movies and commercials.
History
Los Angeles Basin
The Los Angeles Basin is the coastal sediment-filled plain located between the Peninsular and Transverse ranges in southern California in the United States containing the central part of the city of Los Angeles as well as its southern and southeastern suburbs...
(after Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Santa Monica
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
, and Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
). Incorporated in 1887, Monrovia has grown from a sparse community of orange ranches to a residential community of 37,000.
Around 500 BC, a band of Shoshonean-speaking Indians established settlements in what is now the San Gabriel Valley. These native Americans came to be called the Gabrieliño Indians by early Spanish explorers, and are now referred to as the Tongva. The Tongva were not farmers; they gathered wild seeds, berries, and plants along rivers and in marshlands. Abundant oaks in the Valley, such as Coast Live Oak
Coast Live Oak
Quercus agrifolia, the Coast Live Oak, is an evergreen oak , native to the California Floristic Province. It grows west of the Sierra Nevada from Mendocino County, California, south to northern Baja California in Mexico. It is classified in the red oak section Quercus agrifolia, the Coast Live Oak,...
and Interior Live Oak
Interior Live Oak
Quercus wislizeni, known by the common names Interior Live Oak, and Sierra Live Oak, is an evergeen oak, highly variable and often shrubby, found in areas of California in the United States. It also occurs south into northern Baja California in Mexico...
provided a staple of the Tongva diet: acorn
Acorn
The acorn, or oak nut, is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives . It usually contains a single seed , enclosed in a tough, leathery shell, and borne in a cup-shaped cupule. Acorns vary from 1–6 cm long and 0.8–4 cm broad...
mush made of boiled acorn flour.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
was claimed by the King of Spain
Spanish monarchy
The Monarchy of Spain, constitutionally referred to as The Crown and commonly referred to as the Spanish monarchy or Hispanic Monarchy, is a constitutional institution and an historic office of Spain...
, Europeans first visited the San Gabriel Valley, including Monrovia. An expedition from San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
passed through en route to Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay is a bay of the Pacific Ocean, along the central coast of California. The bay is south of San Francisco and San Jose, between the cities of Santa Cruz and Monterey....
, commanded by Don Gaspar Portola
Gaspar de Portolà
Gaspar de Portolà i Rovira was a soldier, governor of Baja and Alta California , explorer and founder of San Diego and Monterey. He was born in Os de Balaguer, province of Lleida, in Catalonia, Spain, of Catalan nobility. Don Gaspar served as a soldier in the Spanish army in Italy and Portugal...
. Accompanying Portola were a Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
Father from Father Junipero Serra's
Junípero Serra
Blessed Junípero Serra, O.F.M., , known as Fra Juníper Serra in Catalan, his mother tongue was a Majorcan Franciscan friar who founded the mission chain in Alta California of the Las Californias Province in New Spain—present day California, United States. Fr...
Franciscan order of Mexico, and Juan Crespi
Juan Crespi
Father Juan Crespí was a Majorcan missionary and explorer of Las Californias. He entered the Franciscan order at the age of seventeen. He came to America in 1749, and accompanied explorers Francisco Palóu and Junípero Serra. In 1767 he went to the Baja Peninsula and was placed in charge of the...
, the expedition's diarist. Much of what is known of early California is known only from Crespi's detailed descriptions.
In 1771, the Franciscans established the Mission San Gabriel Arcangel
Mission San Gabriel Arcángel
The Mission San Gabriel Arcángel is a fully functioning Roman Catholic mission and a historic landmark in San Gabriel, California. The settlement was founded by Spaniards of the Franciscan order on "The Feast of the Birth of Mary," September 8, 1771, as the fourth of what would become 21 Spanish...
in the San Gabriel Valley. The mission was a resting point for early California travelers and gathered most of the native Tongva into an agricultural lifestyle. Following the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
in 1839, the mission lands were nationalized.
In 1841, California Governor Juan Alvarado gave Rancho Azusa de Duarte
Rancho Azusa de Duarte
Rancho Azusa de Duarte was a Mexican land grant in present day Los Angeles County, California given in 1841 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Andres Duarte, a former Mexican corporal...
to Andres Duarte
Andrés Duarte
Andrés Duarte Villamayor is a retired Paraguayan footballer. A defender, he was a member of the Paraguayan national team, competing at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain....
, a Mexican soldier, and he gave Rancho Santa Anita
Rancho Santa Anita
Rancho Santa Anita was a land grant in present day Los Angeles County, California given to Perfecto Hugo Reid. The land grant was formally recognized by Governor Pio Pico in 1845. The land grant covered all or portions of the present day cities of Arcadia, Monrovia, Sierra Madre, Pasadena and San...
to Hugo Reid
Hugo Reid
Hugo Reid was a resident of Los Angeles, California who wrote a series of newspaper letters that described the culture, language, and modern circumstances of the local Gabrieliño Indians and criticized their treatment under the Franciscan mission system.-Life:Born in 1809 or 1810 in Cardross,...
, a naturalized Mexican citizen of Scottish birth. Monrovia is made of parts of these two ranchos.
In the mid-19th century, most of Rancho Azusa de Duarte was subdivided and sold by Duarte to settle his debts. Some of those parcels would eventually end up as part of the ranch of William N. Monroe, Monrovia's namesake.
John Dustin Bicknell
John D. Bicknell was an American real estate attorney and investor. From 1872 to 1907 he participated in the Los Angeles real estate boom, and founded the law firm that is presently known as Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher....
, James F. Crank, and J.F. Falvey.
The completion of the Santa Fe (which would run through Monrovia) and Southern Pacific
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
railroads to Southern California would bring new people looking for homes and investment opportunities. With this in mind, Monroe, Spence, Bicknell, Crank, and Falvey decided to combine their land under the business name of the Monrovia Land and Water Company in 1886. The combined lots formed the Town of Monrovia Subdivision. The original borders of the Town of Monrovia Subdivision were Canyon Blvd. to the east, Walnut Ave. to the south, Magnolia Ave. to the west, and Lime Ave. to the north. The subdivision was then itself quickly subdivided into 600 500 feet (152.4 m) by 160 feet (48.8 m) lots and sold. Some lucky buyers of these lots turned around and sold them very quickly. Those who chose to hold on to their property saw its value fall to a fraction of its 1886-1887 value.
The town was incorporated in 1887 under the leadership of prohibitionists who wished to control the arrival of an unwelcome saloon. The first order of business for the newly formed government was to pass a tippler's law, prohibiting the sale of alcohol.
In 1903 the Monrovia News was established. In the same year, the Pacific Electric was opened providing transportation to and from Los Angeles, making it possible for Monrovian homeowners to work in Los Angeles.
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
funds became available and with the help of the Board of Trade (forerunner to the Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
), and the Monrovia Women's Club, a bond issue was passed to purchase the Granite Bank Building to be used as a City Hall, and to acquire property for a public park. The Granite Building serves as the city hall, fire and police department facilities in 1961 and the fire department in 1974. In 1956, the old Carnegie library
Carnegie library
A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems...
building was torn down and the present library constructed. The library now boasts a book collection of 95,000 volumes.As of March 2007, the city's residents were asked to vote on a new, upgraded library which is ADA-compliant and has twice as much room for books and computer usage as the current one(the measure passed with at least 70% of the vote.).
A city council-manager
Council-manager government
The council–manager government form is one of two predominant forms of municipal government in the United States; the other common form of local government is the mayor-council government form, which characteristically occurs in large cities...
type government was instituted in 1923.
In 1937, Patrick McDonald opened a simple restaurant on Huntington Drive (Route 66) near the old Monrovia Airport called "The Airdrome" (hamburgers were ten cents, and all-you-can-drink orange juice was five cents); the restaurant remained there until 1940, when he and his two sons, Maurice and Richard, moved the entire building 40 miles (64.4 km) east to San Bernardino
San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
to the corner of West 14th Street and 1398 North E Street renaming it "McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
". In 1955, milkshake machine salesman Ray Kroc
Ray Kroc
Raymond Albert "Ray" Kroc was an American fast food businessman who joined McDonald's in 1954 and built it into the most successful fast food operation in the world. Kroc was included in Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century, and amassed a fortune during his lifetime...
made a franchising deal with the McDonald brothers. In 1961 Kroc purchased the business rights for $2.7 million. For years after the McDonald's Corporation claimed the 1955 Des Plaines, Illinois Mcdonald's to be the first (it was the first location franchised through Ray Kroc), and only recently has recognized San Bernardino
San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
. Some though claim Monrovia to be the "real" birthplace, but that's subjective since McDonald's as it was first franchised in 1953 (in Phoenix, Arizona and Downey, California) came into being following the development of the "Speedee Service System" in 1948.
Upton Sinclair House
The Upton Sinclair House located at 464 N. Myrtle Avenue, Monrovia, California, was the home of American novelist Upton Sinclair between 1942 and 1966. It is a 1923 Spanish Colonial Revival style building in a district of similar houses, located in the suburban Los Angeles community of Monrovia,...
, home to activist and author Upton Sinclair
Upton Sinclair
Upton Beall Sinclair Jr. , was an American author who wrote close to one hundred books in many genres. He achieved popularity in the first half of the twentieth century, acquiring particular fame for his classic muckraking novel, The Jungle . It exposed conditions in the U.S...
, is located in Monrovia and is a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
. In 1995 Monrovia received the All America City Award from the National Civic League
National Civic League
The National Civic League is an American non-profit organization that advocates for transparency, effectiveness, and openness in local government...
.
Monrovia operates its own Fire & Police Departments led by Fire Chief Christopher Donovan and Chief of Police Roger W. Johnson
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 35.5 square kilometre. 13.6 square miles (35.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.79%) is water.
2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Monrovia had a population of 36,590. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,668.1 people per square mile (1,030.2/km²). The racial makeup of Monrovia was 21,932 (59.9%) White, 4,107 (11.2%) Asian, 2,500 (6.8%) African American, 279 (0.8%) Native American, 76 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 5,818 (15.9%) from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1,878 (5.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14,043 persons (38.4%).
The Census reported that 36,434 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 61 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 95 (0.3%) were institutionalized.
There were 13,762 households, out of which 4,725 (34.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 6,295 (45.7%) were opposite-sex married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 2,073 (15.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 778 (5.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 793 (5.8%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships
POSSLQ
POSSLQ is an abbreviation for "Persons of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters," a term coined in the late 1970s by the United States Census Bureau as part of an effort to more accurately gauge the prevalence of cohabitation in American households....
, and 131 (1.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 3,649 households (26.5%) were made up of individuals and 1,276 (9.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65. There were 9,146 families
Family (U.S. Census)
A family or family household is defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes as "a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. They do not include same-sex married couples even if the marriage was performed in a state...
(66.5% of all households); the average family size was 3.24.
The population was spread out with 8,514 people (23.3%) under the age of 18, 3,084 people (8.4%) aged 18 to 24, 10,733 people (29.3%) aged 25 to 44, 10,018 people (27.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 4,241 people (11.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.9 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.
There were 14,473 housing units at an average density of 1,055.4 per square mile (407.5/km²), of which 6,809 (49.5%) were owner-occupied, and 6,953 (50.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.9%. 18,478 people (50.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 17,956 people (49.1%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 36,929 people, 13,502 households, and 9,086 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,686.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,037.0/km²). There were 13,957 housing units at an average density of 1,015.3 per square mile (391.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 62.92% White, 8.67% African American, 7.02% Asian, 0.87% Native American, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 15.61% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 4.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 35.24% of the population.
There were 13,502 households out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $45,375, and the median income for a family was $49,703. Males had a median income of $41,039 versus $32,259 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $21,686. About 9.7% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.3% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.
Government and infrastructure
In the state legislatureCalifornia State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
Monrovia is located in the 29th Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
District, represented by Republican Bob Huff
Bob Huff
Robert S. Huff is a U.S. politician, who is a Republican member of the California State Senate, representing the 29th Senate District, which includes portions of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino counties...
, and in the 44th and 59th Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
Districts, represented by Democrat Anthony J. Portantino
Anthony J. Portantino
Anthony J. Portantino , has represented California's 44th assembly district since December 2006. He is a Democrat.- Entertainment career :...
and Republican Tim Donnelly
Tim Donnelly (politician)
Tim Donnelly is a member of the California State Assembly, representing the 59th District. He is a Republican, and is vice chairman of the Higher Education Committee. Before his election to the Assembly in November, 2010, Donnelly was a small businessman in Southern California...
respectively. Federally, Monrovia is located in California's 26th congressional district
California's 26th congressional district
California 26th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California that spans the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley from La Cañada Flintridge to Rancho Cucamonga...
, which has a Cook PVI
Cook Partisan Voting Index
The Cook Partisan Voting Index , sometimes referred to as simply the Partisan Voting Index , is a measurement of how strongly an American congressional district or state leans toward one political party compared to the nation as a whole...
of R +4 and is represented by Republican David Dreier
David Dreier
David Timothy Dreier is the U.S. Representative for , serving in Congress since 1981. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and business career:...
.
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
Health services to over 10 million residents in the Los Angeles County are provided by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Mental health services are provided by the County Department of Mental Health...
operates the Monrovia Health Center in Monrovia.
Education
Monrovia Unified School DistrictMonrovia Unified School District
Monrovia Unified School District is a school district in Los Angeles County, California. It has its headquarters in Monrovia.As of 2011 the district has 5 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 1 high school, one alternative school, one community day school, one early learning center, and one...
operates public schools.
Monrovia High School
Monrovia High School
Monrovia High School is a public high school located in Monrovia, California, a northeastern suburb of Los Angeles. Monrovia High School is the only 9-12 comprehensive high school in the Monrovia Unified School District...
gained a creditable rating in its early history. The first school in Monrovia was built in 1887. It was located where Monroe School now stands, and housed the entire elementary and high school student body. A new high school on the property now occupied by Clifton Middle School was erected in 1905, and in 1912 was greatly expanded by the addition of new buildings. In 1928 a high school to serve the communities of Monrovia, Arcadia
Arcadia, California
Arcadia is an affluent city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, and located approximately northeast of downtown Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley and at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains....
and Duarte
Duarte, California
Duarte is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 21,321, down from 21,486 at the 2000 census....
was built. The same structure now serves only Monrovia students, as the elementary and high school district were unified into one district in 1961. The district now has one high school, one continuation school, two middle schools and five elementary schools, and is part of the Citrus Community College District. There are also three parochial schools in Monrovia.
Monrovia, California's schools are:
- Bradoaks Elementary School, K-5, 930 E. Lemon
- Calvary Road Baptist Academy, K-12, 319 W. Olive
- Canyon Early Learning Center, public pre-K, 1000 South Canyon
- Canyon Oaks High School (public alternative), 7-12, 930 Royal Oaks Drive
- Carden of the Foothills, K-8, 429 Wild Rose
- Church of the Nazarene, K-6 303 W. Colorado
- Clifton Middle School, 6-8, 226 S. Ivy
- First Lutheran School, pre-K-8, 1323 South Magnolia
- First Presbyterian Church Preschool, 101 E. Foothill Blvd.
- Immaculate Conception School, K-8, 726 Shamrock
- Joe Ferrante Music Academy, K-12, 126 E. Colorado Blvd.
- Mayflower Elementary School, K-5, 210 North Mayflower
- Monroe Elementary School, K-5, 402 W. Colorado
- Monrovia Community Adult School] 920 South Mountain
- Monrovia High School 9-12, 845 W. Colorado Boulevard
- Monrovia Mountain School, public Alternative K-8, 950 S. Mountain Avenue
- Mt. Sierra College Trade College
- Plymouth Elementary K-5, 1300 Boley Street
- Santa Fe Middle School 6-8, 148 W. Duarte Road
- Serendipity Early Care and Education Center, K, 940 W. Duarte Road
- Wild Rose Elementary, A California Distinguished School K-5, 232 Jasmine
- Vista Ridge Academy, 1311S. Shamrock
Monrovia Public Library is located at Library Park, at the corner Myrtle Avenue and Lime Avenue.
Transportation
Monrovia has several main roads, including Foothill BoulevardFoothill Boulevard (Southern California)
Foothill Boulevard is a major road in the city and county of Los Angeles, as well as an arterial road in the city and county of San Bernardino, stretching well over 60 miles in length, with some notable breaks along the route...
and Huntington Drive
Huntington Drive
Huntington Drive is a major east–west street in Southern California. It runs from the merge of Soto Street and Mission Road near the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Los Angeles east through the El Sereno section of Los Angeles, South Pasadena, San Marino, Alhambra, San Gabriel, Arcadia,...
(historic Route 66
U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
). It is also served by the Foothill Freeway
Interstate 210 and State Route 210 (California)
Interstate 210 and State Route 210 together form a contiguous highway, called the Foothill Freeway, in the Greater Los Angeles area of the U.S. state of California. The western portion of the route is an auxiliary Interstate Highway, while the eastern portion is a state highway...
(I-210).
In 2014, Metro
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is the California state-chartered regional transportation planning agency and public transportation operating agency for the County of Los Angeles formed in 1993 out of a merger of the Southern California Rapid Transit District and the...
will open a new light-rail station in Monrovia. Monrovia Station
Monrovia (Los Angeles Metro station)
Monrovia Station is a future light rail station in the Los Angeles County Metro Rail system. It will be located near the intersection of Duarte Road and Myrtle Avenue in Monrovia, California. When it reopens, this station will be served by the Metro Gold Line. This station is currently approved...
will be located at the intersection of Myrtle Avenue and Duarte Road, and will be served by the Metro Gold Line. It will be at the same location of the former Santa Fe Railway depot, which still stands.
Economy
Original Tommy's, Trader Joe'sTrader Joe's
Trader Joe's is a privately held chain of specialty grocery stores headquartered in Monrovia, California. , Trader Joe's had a total of 365 stores. Approximately half of its stores are in California, with the heaviest concentration in Southern California, but the company also has locations in 30...
, Green Dot
Green Dot Corporation
Green Dot Corporation is an issuer of prepaid MasterCard and Visa cards in the United States. These products are available at nearly 50,000 retail stores, including CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, and RadioShack; as well as with discounted offerings at Meijer and Wal-Mart.The cards may be used like...
and Naked Juice
Naked Juice
Naked Juice is an American brand of natural fruit juice drinks produced by the Naked Juice Company of Monrovia, California; operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of PepsiCo. The first of these drinks were produced in 1983 and sold in California under the name "Naked Juice", referring to their...
are based in Monrovia.
Top employers
According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monrovia Unified School District | 488 |
| 2 | Ducommun Ducommun Ducommun Incorporated provides manufacturing, engineering, and support services to the global aerospace and defense industry. It manufactures structural and electronic components and subassemblies for a wide variety of commercial, military, and space aircraft, notably for the Boeing 737 NG and 777... AeroStructures |
463 |
| 3 | WorleyParsons WorleyParsons WorleyParsons Limited is a large Australian provider of professional services to the energy, resource, and complex process industries.The company has a market capitalisation greater than A$6 billion, and makes up about 0.55% of the S&P/ASX 200 index.... |
452 |
| 4 | The Home Depot The Home Depot The Home Depot is an American retailer of home improvement and construction products and services.The Home Depot operates 2,248 big-box format stores across the United States , Canada , Mexico and China, with a 12-store chain... |
364 |
| 5 | Oracle Oracle Corporation Oracle Corporation is an American multinational computer technology corporation that specializes in developing and marketing hardware systems and enterprise software products – particularly database management systems... |
315 |
| 6 | AeroVironment AeroVironment AeroVironment Inc. is a technology company in Monrovia, California, and Simi Valley, California, that is primarily involved in energy systems, electric vehicle systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles . Paul B. MacCready, Jr., a famous designer of human powered aircraft, founded the company in 1971... |
267 |
| 7 | Vinyl Technology | 251 |
| 8 | City of Hope City of Hope National Medical Center City of Hope National Medical Center, is a private, not-for-profit clinical research center, hospital and graduate medical school located in Duarte, California, United States... |
250 |
| 9 | ITT ITT Corporation ITT Corporation is a global diversified manufacturing company based in the United States. ITT participates in global markets including water and fluids management, defense and security, and motion and flow control... Systems |
240 |
| 10 | City of Monrovia | 240 |
Trivia
The House to the 1986 horror-comedy cult film House (1986 film) is located at 329 Melrose Avenue in Monrovia.Notable residents
- Kenny Baker, singer and actor
- Dicky BarrettDicky BarrettRichard Michael Barrett , better known as Dicky Barrett, is the frontman of Ska punk band The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and the announcer for Jimmy Kimmel Live...
, frontman, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, late night TV announcer - Ron Brown, actor
- Mary FordMary FordMary Ford , born Iris Colleen Summers, was an American vocalist and guitarist, comprising half of the husband-and-wife musical team Les Paul and Mary Ford. Between 1950 and 1954, the couple had 16 top-ten hits...
, vocalist and guitarist - Jim Fuller, guitarist for The SurfarisThe SurfarisThe Surfaris were an American surf rock band formed in Glendora, California in 1962. They are best known for two songs that hit the charts in the Los Angeles, California area, and nationally by May 1963: "Surfer Joe" on the A-side and "Wipe Out" on the B-side of a 45 RPM single.-Career:The original...
(of "Wipeout" fame) - Prince GomolvilasPrince GomolvilasPrince Gomolvilas is a Thai American playwright. He has written many plays which have been produced in the United States and won several distinctive awards....
, playwright - Dean R. Hirsch, president of World Vision InternationalWorld Vision InternationalWorld Vision International, founded in the USA in 1977, is an evangelical relief and development umbrella organization whose stated goal is "to follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice and bear witness to the good...
- Corky King, founder of SummumSummumSummum is a religion and philosophy that began in 1975 as a result of Claude "Corky" Nowell's claimed encounter with beings he described as "Summa Individuals"...
- Scott LandScott LandScott Land is a professional puppeteer and actor. His skills are on display in many scenes in Paramount Pictures’ Team America: World Police.-Notes:...
, puppeteer/actor - Francis M. Pottenger, Jr.Francis M. Pottenger, Jr.Francis M. Pottenger, Jr. was the son of Francis M. Pottenger, Sr., the physician who co-founded the Pottenger Sanatorium for treatment of tuberculosis in Monrovia, California....
, nutrition researcher - Upton SinclairUpton SinclairUpton Beall Sinclair Jr. , was an American author who wrote close to one hundred books in many genres. He achieved popularity in the first half of the twentieth century, acquiring particular fame for his classic muckraking novel, The Jungle . It exposed conditions in the U.S...
and Mary Craig SinclairMary Craig SinclairMary Craig Sinclair was a writer and the wife of Upton Sinclair.-Early life and education:She was born Mary Craig Kimbrough in Greenwood, Mississippi on February 12, 1882, the oldest child of Mary Hunter and her husband Allan McCaskill Kimbrough, a judge...
, authors and producers - Jacob SmithJacob Smith (actor)Jonathan Jacob Charles William Smith is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his role in the film Cheaper by the Dozen and its 2005 sequel.-Life and career:...
, actor - William A. SpinksWilliam A. Spinks, known professionally as or , and occasionally also referred to as ), was an American professional player of carom billiards in the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
(1865–1933), champion carom billiards pro, co-inventor of modern billiards cue chalk, oil investor, and flower and avocadoAvocadoThe avocado is a tree native to Central Mexico, classified in the flowering plant family Lauraceae along with cinnamon, camphor and bay laurel...
farmer (developer of the Spinks avocado cultivarCultivarA cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
); also maintained a home and farm in nearby Duarte - The Fabulous Wonder TwinsThe Fabulous Wonder TwinsThe Fabulous Wonder Twins—Gay entertainment personalities, Louis Alberto Campos and Carlos Eduardo Campos, in San Salvador, the capital city of El Salvador—are a pair of gay fraternal twin brothers who have been featured in MTV music videos, made cameos on film and television motion pictures and...
, entertainers - Jason EarlesJason EarlesJason Daniel Earles is an American actor, known for his role as Jackson Stewart on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana and his role as Sensei Rudy in his new Disney XD series Kickin' It.-Personal life and philanthropy:...
, actor, Hannah MontanaHannah MontanaHannah Montana is an American television series, which debuted on March 24, 2006 on the Disney Channel. The series focuses on a girl who lives a double life as an average teenage school girl named Miley Stewart by day and a famous pop singer named Hannah Montana by night, concealing her real... - Henry Alonzo, Entertainment Entrepreneur
- Bill CormalisBill CormalisBill Cormalis Jr. is an award winning, American artist, painter, illustrator. He is a self taught artist out of Los Angeles, California....
, visual artist - Michael LeeMichael Lee (keyboardist)Michael Lee is a keyboardist and composer in Los Angeles. He has worked as keyboardist programmer, and technical consultant with Meredith Brooks, Melissa Etheridge, and David Foster. He has also worked with several Contemporary Christian music artists, including Michelle Tumes, Avalon, and BeBe...
, keyboardist for Meredith BrooksMeredith BrooksMeredith Ann Brooks is an American singer/songwriter and guitarist. She is best known for her 1997 hit song "Bitch", for which she was nominated for a Grammy Award.- Early life :...
and Melissa EtheridgeMelissa EtheridgeMelissa Lou Etheridge is an American rock singer-songwriter and musician.Etheridge is known for her mixture of confessional lyrics, pop-based folk-rock, and raspy, smoky vocals...