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History · Industry

Industry dates to 1957, and 18% of its homes were built before 1940

4 places in town are on the National Register. Below: maps from 1894 on and the census since 1960.

1957founded
4on the National Register
18%homes built before 1940
1famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Industry began

When was Industry founded?

1957

Industry dates its founding to 1957 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1960.

First census: 778 in 19602020 census: 26469 years
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1903.The full story ↓

What stands out about Industry’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Industry are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18947 editions of the USGS map, 1894 to 1981. Watch Industry change.Lost villages1 post office opened and closed inside today’s Industry, and 5 old place names are still on the map.Landmarks on the Register4 places on the National Register.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Industry’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Industry’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Industry on the map, 1894 to 1981

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Industry. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Industry on the 1894 USGS mapIndustry on the 1904 USGS mapIndustry on the 1927 USGS mapIndustry on the 1953 USGS mapIndustry on the 1966 USGS mapIndustry on the 1972 USGS mapIndustry on the 1981 USGS map1894Pomona sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Industry.

Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners and places now gone

Another post office, Rowland, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Hamlets and corners on the map
BartoloClaytonMarnePuente JunctionRowland
Gone or out of use
Rowland SchoolschoolRowland SchoolschoolShepherd FieldairportTemple Ranchlocale

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

The story

How Industry came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Industry.

Read it all →

In 1841, William and Nicolasa Workman, who migrated from elsewhere in Mexico with John Rowland and others, received a land grant for Rancho La Puente from the governor of Alta California, Juan Bautista Alvarado. The ranch eventually grew to almost 49,000 acres. The Workmans quickly established themselves as cattle ranchers and did well financially during the Gold Rush, supplying fresh beef to the gold fields. Following the discovery of oil by their son on land they owned in the Montebello hills, the Workmans' grandson, Walter P. Temple, and his wife, Laura, bought the Workman House and surrounding land in 1917. This property is now known as the Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum and is a museum and heritage site in present-day City of Industry that is free and open to the public. In the 1910s, Tract 1343 was created and shows a large portion of 2017's City boundaries.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Industry, 1842 to 1987

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1842BuiltWorkman Adobe is built
  3. 1894On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  4. 20th century
  5. 1903Post officeThe Rowland post office opens
  6. 1904Post officeThe Rowland post office closes
  7. 1957
    FoundingIndustry is established
  8. 1987Born hereJaime Chavez is born here
By decade

Industry, decade by decade

Today11 recent
Aerial view looking just north of east toward east part of Pasadena, El Monte, CA, and beyond2026Aerial view looking just north of east toward east pa…Aerial view looking just north of east toward City of Industry, South San Jose Hills, and Fullerton, CA2026Aerial view looking just north of east toward City of…Aerial view looking East-by-NE toward El Monte, City of Industry, CA, and beyond2026Aerial view looking East-by-NE toward El Monte, City …Aerial view looking ENE toward City of Industry and South San Jose Hills, CA - 022026Aerial view looking ENE toward City of Industry and S…Aerial view looking ENE toward City of Industry and South San Jose Hills, CA - 02 (cropped)2026Aerial view looking ENE toward City of Industry and S…Aerial view looking ENE toward City of Industry and South San Jose Hills, CA - 012026Aerial view looking ENE toward City of Industry and S…San Gabriel River from Peck Road Bridge, South El Monte &2025San Gabriel River from Peck Road Bridge, South El Mon…City of Industry, CA, USA - panoramio (6)2015City of Industry, CA, USA - panoramio (6)Industry.Hills.Funicular2009Industry.Hills.FunicularFrys2009FrysFrom across the Hills2008From across the Hills
On the National Register

4 historic places in Industry

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
4
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
4
each building in a district counts
first listed
1973
John A. Rowland House
John A. Rowland HouseWorkman Adobe, built 1842Workman Family CemeteryTemple Mansion
BuildingsStructures

Architectural styles listings

English Country1
Greek Revival1
Spanish Revival1
Spanish Colonial1
John A. Rowland HouseBuilding
Workman AdobeEnglish Country · Built 1842
Workman Family CemeteryGreek Revival
All 4 listings
Temple MansionBuilding · listed 1974

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

People over time

Industry, census by census

02004006008001960198020002020Peak: 778

Between 219 and 778 people in every census since 1960.

7 censuses, 1960–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Industry’s Wikipedia page.

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Avocado HeightsIts storyC−Rowland HeightsIts storyDDiamond BarIts storyD−Hacienda HeightsIts storyC−La Puente1 historic placeC−El MonteIts storyCSouth San Jose HillsIts storyDPico Rivera1 historic placeC−ValindaIts storyC−Baldwin ParkIts storyD

Questions about Industry’s history

What year was Industry founded?

In 1957, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Industry’s post office opened in 1903, and the census of 1960 counted 778 people here.

What is on the National Register in Industry?

4 listings: 3 buildings, among them the John A. Rowland House (listed 1973, the first), and 1 structure.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (11), Wikidata (3), the National Register of Historic Places (4), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.