3 Huntington Park Historic Spots

We’re paying a visit to my hometown of Huntington Park (or HP as those who grew up there call it) to learn the history of 3 of my favorite spots in the city. On this trip we visit the Lane-Wells Co.’s former headquarters, a beautiful streamline moderne building that always fascinated me as a kid. We also drop in on Pacific Boulevard, the commercial and entertainment hub of the city. This street has been significant since before HP was even a city. And we grab dinner at Avila’s El Ranchito, a Mexican restaurant that’s been serving the community for almost 60 years and is a true American dream story. References: “Oil: Shooting it Out” by staff, Time Magazine. Sep. 6, 1949. “Buildings Still Sport Streamline Legacy” by Susan Vaughn, The L.A. Times. Feb. 9, 1992. “Book Review: ’75 Years Young-Baker Atlas” by Juan Puente Jr., The Society for Technical Communication. March 13, 2017. “An Architectural Guidebook to Los Angeles” by David Gebhard and Robert Winter, pg. 294. “Shoot Through Steel and Rock” by Noel F. Atzmiller, Hart Energy. Aug. 28, 2007. “The Lane-Wells Story” by Randy Juster, decopix.com March 2, 2016. “Images of America: Huntington Park” by James M. Kinsey, pgs. 7, 14, 20, 21, 34, 53, and 54 “Street Rebounds as Shoppers Return” by Melinda Burns, The L.A. Times. Sept. 4, 1983. “Community Profile: Huntington Park” by Monica Valencia, The L.A. Times. Jan. 31, 1997. “A Street at a Crossroads” by Ruben Vives, The L.A. Times. Feb. 25, 2016. “Preserving a Working-Class Haven” by Scott Garner, The L.A. Times. Sept. 13, 2018. “A Tough Pandemic Christmas in a Legendary LA Latino Shopping District” by Leslie Berestein Rojas, LAist. Dec. 23, 2021. Our Story | Avila’s El Ranchito “Celebrating 30 Years of Family and Good Food” by John Cox, The L.A. Times. Nov. 20, 1996. “To Each His Own: Avilas Share Name, Not Ownership, of Family Restaurants” by John Canalis, The L.A. Times. Nov. 28, 1996. “Hardship was One Woman’s Chance” by Russ Loar, The L.A. Times. Apr. 20, 1998. “Margarita Avila, 1926-2019: Matriarch of Beloved Southland Restaurants” by Gustavo Arellano, The L.A. Times. Feb. 9, 2019. “Salvador Avila: Former Farmworker who Became a Restaurant Baron” by Gustavo Arellano, The L.A. Times. Aug. 7, 2022. Music: “Plantation” by Omri Smadar “Like a Feather” by Ziv Moran “David and I (Instrumental Version)” by Giants and Pilgrims “Las Pampas” by Los Peregrinos #huntingtonpark #foohowser #californiography #pacificblvd #architecture