SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT PROGRAM IN La Puente

La Puente

La Puente is a city in eastern Los Angeles County, California, covering 3.48 square miles and situated approximately 20 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. The city had a population of 38,062 at the 2020 census. Freeway access to the city is readily available from the Interstate 10 and the 60 Freeway. La Puente first appeared as a city in the 1960 U.S. census as part of the East San Gabriel Valley census county division.

The original inhabitants of the area were the Tongva, who lived in a village called Awingna, which linguists translate as “abiding place.” The Awingna chief Matheo was baptized at Mission San Gabriel in 1774. In 1769, the Spanish Portolá expedition became the first Europeans to see inland portions of Alta California. Father Juan Crespi wrote in his diary that the party had to build a bridge (Spanish “puente”) to cross the miry San Gabriel River — and it is from this bridge that the city takes its name.

Following Mexico’s 1822 independence from Spain, the San Gabriel and other missions were secularized starting in the 1830s, their properties sold or given away. John Rowland and William Workman were among the early European settlers drawn to California. In November 1841, they arrived with a wagon train of settlers from New Mexico, traveling well over a thousand miles through desert and mountain terrain to reach their new home. In 1842, John Rowland and William Workman were granted the 48,000-acre Rancho La Puente.

During the 1930s, the area was famous for its fruit and walnut groves. The largest walnut packing plant in the world was located in the city. A small airport called the ‘Skyranch’ operated in La Puente from 1944 to 1951 before it was closed and developed for housing. The agricultural character of the valley gave way to development starting in the 1950s, as a post-war population and building boom necessitated the building of housing on a massive scale, eventually replacing citrus and walnut groves with housing, commercial, and industrial development.

The largest racial and ethnic groups in La Puente are Hispanic at 79.6%, followed by Asian at 14.2% and White at 2.5%. As of 2024, 40% of La Puente residents were born outside of the United States. The most common employment sectors for La Puente residents are Manufacturing, Health Care and Social Assistance, and Retail Trade. The average commute time is 30.9 minutes, and the average household has 3 cars.

The City of La Puente is a general municipal city incorporated on August 1, 1956. It is governed by the City Council/City Manager form of government. The city’s five-member City Council is elected by the residents, and a mayor is elected annually by the City Council to serve a twelve-month term. The City Manager is appointed by the City Council to oversee the daily activities of the city. As of 2025, the council includes Mayor Valerie Muñoz.

Today, the city is heavily urbanized, but the area still has some historical landmarks from its founding days nearby, including the Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum in neighboring City of Industry. La Puente is also known for the Donut Hole, a drive-through donut shop shaped like two giant donuts, located at 15300 Amar Road. The city operates various facilities to serve the community, including a City Hall, Community Center, Senior Center, Youth Learning Activity Center, La Puente Park, and Puente Creek Nature Education Center Park.

High schools serving the city include Bassett High School, La Puente High School, Nogales High School, and William Workman High School. Private schools include Bishop Amat Memorial High School. Notable alumni from La Puente High School include Anthony Calvillo, George Farmer, Efren Herrera, Max Montoya, Judy Mosley-McAfee, and Hilda Solis.

City of La Puente