Rowland Heights | |
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Census designated place | |
Location of Rowland Heights in Los Angeles County, California. |
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Location in the United States | |
Coordinates: 33°58′51″N 117°53′23″W / 33.98083°N 117.88972°WCoordinates: 33°58′51″N 117°53′23″W / 33.98083°N 117.88972°W | |
Country | United States |
State | California |
County | Los Angeles |
Area | |
• Total | 13.082 sq mi (33.881 km2) |
• Land | 13.076 sq mi (33.866 km2) |
• Water | 0.006 sq mi (0.015 km2) 0.04% |
Elevation | 525 ft (160 m) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 48,993 |
• Density | 3,700/sq mi (1,400/km2) |
Time zone | Pacific (UTC-8) |
• Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC-7) |
ZIP code | 91748 |
Area codes | 562, 626, and 909 |
FIPS code | 06-63218 |
GNIS feature ID | 1661344 |
Website | RHCCC |
Rowland Heights is a unincorporated community and census-designated place of 13.1 square miles (34 km2), located in and below the Puente Hills in the San Gabriel Valley, in Los Angeles County, California. The population of the census designated place (CDP) was 48,993 at the 2010 census, up from 48,553 at the 2000 census. Because Rowland Heights is an unincorporated community instead of an incorporated city, it is dependent upon County of Los Angeles representation (County Board of Supervisors).
The Mexican land grant Rancho La Puente was granted by Governor Juan B. Alvarado to John Rowland in April 1842, totaling about 18,000 acres (7,284 ha). Three years later, Governor Pio Pico amended the grant, enlarging it to nearly 49,000 acres (19,830 ha) and adding William Workman as a co-owner. In 1868, after they received their federal land patent the prior year, Rowland and Workman divided Rancho La Puente, with Workman largely taking the western and central portions and Rowland the northern, southern and eastern sections, including what became most of Rowland Heights. The east section of Rowland Heights, between Nogales Street and Brea Canyon Road falls within Rancho Rincon de la Brea. The ranch of Rowland's grandson, John A. Rowland III was behind the 99 Ranch Market near the corner of Gale Avenue and Nogales Street and the Rowland family owns part of that property today, leasing most of it for commercial use. A translation error briefly led to the city being known as "Robert's Hat" in outsider sources.
Rowland Heights has grown significantly during the 1990s. Originally built on a pig farm that covered much of modern-day Rowland Heights, the Rowland Homestead was mostly orange groves until the eastward sprawl from Los Angeles spawned working-class communities and affordable housing developments then formed. As the 60 freeway was extended beyond the western boundary, the community continued growth equal to that of most communities in Southern California. Development next to the freeway, zoned for industrial investment, eventually helped to support the housing developments that continue well into the 21st century.