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City of Bell Gardens

Map showing City of Bell Gardens with surrounding cities and communities.
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General Law city
Incorporated: August 1, 1961
City Hall: 7100 S Garfield Ave, Bell Gardens, California 90201
Website: www.bellgardens.org
Population (2020 Census): 39,501 (Also see latest State Population Estimates and Earlier decennial Census Counts).
Population Under Age 18 (2020 Census): 26.9%
Population Density (2020 Census): 16,063.8 persons per square mile
Housing Units: 10,192
Persons Per Housing Unit: 3.9
Land Area: 2.46 square miles (6.37 square kilometers)
Water Area: 0.01 square miles (0.02 square kilometers)
Total Area: 2.47 square miles (6.40 square kilometers)
Geographic Coordinates (Latitude/Longitude): 33.964379 -118.154437

Other City Facts & Statistics

City Government Officials

Japanese agriculturalists developed and subdivided local vegetable gardens and the area was nicknamed "Gardens of Bell" after the nearby city of Bell. The city was also derisively known as "Billy Goat Acres" after the "Okies," farm families from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, and Missouri who migrated to the area during the Great Depression.

City in red below. Click on map for more detailed color map of county.

Map showing location of the City of Bell Gardens

The Gage Mansion in Bell Gardens (7000 East Gage Avenue) is the oldest standing home in Los Angeles County. Original construction began on the home in 1795. In 1810, Don Antonio Maria Lugo, a Spanish colonial soldier, obtained the 29,513-acre Rancho San Antonio land grant from the King of Spain. The grant included the home. It served as one of his residences. In 1880, the home was gifted to Henry T. Gage as a dowry upon his marriage to Francis (Fanny) Rains, a great-granddaughter of Lugo. Gage later became Governor of California in 1888. (Special thanks to Shane P. Kimbler of Bell Gardens for this information).